“Something beautiful doesn’t seem beautiful if it is perfect, for beauty is never flawless.”
In this era of advancement in technologies where robots and virtual reality have replaced the human touch, people crave something human when it comes to content. During a pandemic, people were going through lots of emotions, which is not something a robot feels. Hence, it made companies and brands realize that humanizing the content is more appealing to consumers than uploading a perfect picture or video. As video quality has gone from SD to HD, people have started looking at what is in the video. Hence, they are ready to compromise on quality if they think the content is human enough. These days, BTS is becoming extremely popular—oh no, we are not talking about the famous Korean boy band consisting of 7 highly talented members, we are talking about BTS—behind the scenes. People have started taking an interest in the process of making/creating the content rather than simply the end result. Thus, it has become an utmost necessity for companies/brands to humanize the content.
Here are some of the ways to make your content human for your consumers:
1. Acknowledge your audience as humans
When you create the content for your consumers, please do not make them feel like they are not part of your post. One of the best examples is the Indian Amul brand, wherein they give their consumers\’ dairy products to create a recipe out of them and then post the name and image of the winner along with the recipe on their pages. This is one of the best ways to tell your consumers that you see them and are glad that they have your back. Popular internet wisdom says that you should not look at the comment section, but the reality is different. Interacting with your audience will make them feel like your brand’s family. Even Forbes says that 86% of consumers prefer humans to AI. Thus, content must be humanized and not robotic.
There are many ways to engage with the audience, and one of them is sarcasm/sass. But you need not be sassy all the time, and you can adopt the approach of being kind and helpful as well. Handle the comments delicately and leave it to the experts to turn the negative content/trolling into something fun and lighter.
2. Create unique content but don’t go too far
Thinking outside of the box is a good attitude when it comes to creating content, but you cannot go too far. The attempts at being too eccentric can quickly become cloying. A little humor, along with originality, can go a long way, though. The place called the internet is jam-packed with people giving out free advice, and this is accepted by people as well, but there is nothing wrong with being a little quirky. When you find yourself at a loss for content that is original and unique, you can simply create your own sassy quote and explain it with the meaning that is relevant to your brand. This will not only promote your brand, but people will enjoy associating it with smartness and wittiness.
3. Solve their problems
Sometimes, one post can solve problems that people never thought they would have. For example, during a pandemic, we knew we would have a hard time staying at home, but Netflix and other OTT platforms came to the rescue. They helped us pass the days without getting bored. Because of these platforms, we could spend our lockdown days being happy. Also, many mental health clinics came to the rescue for problems that people never thought they would have. Hence, online consultations with therapists helped many people avoid committing suicide, thus saving lives. Similarly, content, if humanized, can solve problems for people that they never thought they would have.
4. Entertain them once in a while, but the while shouldn\’t be too long.
It is not necessary to be educative through your brand all the time. Sharing data and facts with your audience is critical, but do not sweep entertainment under the rug. By creating the content with such a unique voice and tone for your digital marketing strategy, you\’ll have your audience continually returning for more. Remember that for most problems, people can turn to Google for solutions anytime, and it will show millions of results in under one second. But getting the solution in an entertaining style will keep them with your brand for a more extended period of time.
5. Tell a story
Storytelling will never go out of style—whether it is through a string of images, a video, or spoken word, the ones that tell compelling stories are the ones that win the hearts of their consumers and keep them forever. Take, for example, KFC or Apple. They have stories to tell, and their history is so rich that it directly touches their consumers. You can start with your long-form copy on the website. Then you can use it, break it down, and repurpose it through techniques like blogging or image quotes, or video bites. The videos always appeal to people who do not prefer reading. You can also share these videos on your social media channels, creating a dialogue. The identity of your brand should be one long story broken down into blogs, social media posts, or videos, each crafting a new chapter.
6. Make them your priority, not Google.
Google’s algorithms keep on changing and improving from time to time. Thus, brands try harder to create content that is accepted by Google algorithms, which is a good thing. But it would be best if you made sure that the content was liked by your consumers as well. Making an attempt to appeal to Google’s algorithms is often considered to be a fundamental component of content marketing, but then now even Goolge is prioritizing people-first content. The only way to survive in this Google world is by focusing your content on humans, not machines. Always remember that for the best content marketing strategy for your brand, if you keep creating the content that your audience genuinely craves, you\’ll maintain a steady and loyal following. Try to learn what they want.
7. Videos and Reels are a new flex; embrace them.
These days, when you open Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, all you’ll encounter are reels. Use it to your advantage and create reels for your business. They aren’t as hard to produce as you think. If you hire a video producer, then he will take care of your videos — product and company, and the campaign that you choose to associate yourself with. It would be best if you remembered that content marketing is not limited to prose and images. When you bring a face and voice to the brand, people are more likely to associate themselves with it because they won\’t feel like they are rooting for a robot. They will know that your brand is more than your logo, mission, and vision statement. Also, BTS videos have become people\’s hot favorites. They are more interested in knowing how you create the content than the content itself.
To conclude, it is necessary to hire a company that can not only take care of your content creation but also make sure that content is humanized. Mistakes, rather creative errors, are accepted by people as long as they think that humans work for the brand and not robots. Mad Over Marketing is one such company which promotes good content. But that doesn’t mean they post perfect content all the time. Sometimes, when they are out of ideas, they simply post something that youth can relate to, like a meme or reel.