Have you ever loved something so much that you wanted to tell everyone about it? It might have been a new band, flavor of chips, or clothing brand – and you couldn’t stop raving about it. Once your friends and family heard it from you, they likely followed suit; passion is a persuasive tool.
Passion is becoming increasingly important to marketers – and rightly so. In today’s crowded market, we see nearly 10,000 messages a day, and there’s no way we’ll remember every message we see. Passionate writing adds emotional interest and salience for the consumer. It’s a great tool that content marketers can leverage to develop engaging, relationship-building content.
Passion Is…
Engaging
Readers come to your site for a reason; it’s up to you to capture their attention once they get there. You probably remember that teacher who was always jazzed about his lesson – and because he was so interested, you were too. Deliver excitement for your brand, and provide plenty of valuable information for readers. We talk about “pull” marketing to bring people to your website. But don’t simply expect them to come flocking in. Exemplify your passion to make your content engaging, and they’re sure to show up and – like the new band you raved about – share it with others.
So how can your passion engage others? A fresh perspective helps.
- Become your audience. If you want your reader to be as passionate about your brand as you are, you need to satisfy them. Put yourself in their shoes: Think about what questions they want answered, and be efficient in answering them.
- Make your content unique. Write content that stands out. Get to the core of your brand’s identity, and integrate characteristics that people can relate to. Write about unique topics where you have the potential to be an authority.
- Go beyond basic information. You love what you do, and your content should reflect that. Don’t simply write a piece that could be found on Wikipedia. Instead, be a storyteller for your brand. Share your passion in an emotional, entertaining way with real-world examples and stories.
- Translate your passion into actionable conversions. Use your passion to connect people with your brand in a literal sense. Lead your customers down the sales funnel. Tell them what to do after reading with a strong call-to-action. They’re especially effective when featured in anchor text, increasing conversion rates by as much as 121 percent.
Authentic
Don’t fall into the generic trap of a content mill. People see through thinly veiled click-bait articles – and Google does too. Don’t cheat your audience; be honest and substantive. Find a balance in presenting your brand with transparency and proving your expertise. Be careful not to oversell, as you may come across as disingenuous or desperate. Customers want to connect and maintain a relationship with brands who stay true to themselves.
Personal
You can maintain professionalism while also leaning on personal experience. Readers want to hear from an expert. Prove it by offering an insightful understanding of your topic that only you have. Showing is better than telling in this regard. Use your background to your advantage, and put your passion on display. By showcasing the aspects of the topic you find most interesting and helpful, you’re sure to resonate with your reader.
Bright
Passion reflects how much you enjoy something. It’s a positive emotion that shows enthusiasm as its core, and it’s a great way to motivate your reader. Use active language, “can” (as opposed to “should”) verbiage, and an audience-first focus. Negativity is off-putting; alter the perspective to focus on positives. Such content is proven to sell:
- Pleasant feelings resonate more with the consumer
- People are more likely to share positive content
- High energy helps sell products more effectively
Contagious
Remember sharing a new album with your best friend? How did they respond? They were likely just as pumped after hearing it as you were. Your passion for the band made them excited to hear it, so they expected something good. By setting up positive expectations, you’re already starting on the right foot. Do the same with your content: Start off with exciting and impactful content. It’ll transfer to your reader, who will share it with their friends, and so on and so forth. Passion is a domino effect, but you have to give it a little push.
Let Go Local Bring Passion to Your Content
Content marketing is about connecting customers with your brand. Because we’re social creatures, it’s easier to be passionate about something when someone else already is. Exude passion from your brand for a resonating effect that will result in longer-lasting relationships. Buy one, get more free: with passionate content marketing, you’ll reap the benefits of relationship marketing, word-of-mouth, search engine optimization, and lead generation.
At Go Local Interactive, we love content. Whether it’s static pages, blogs, or premium articles, we serve a variety of needs. Contact us for your next content solution!