Watch the Replay Free!
Guest Post by Jeff Herring
Content creation and content marketing are great methods for building your online business, and dramatically increasing your reach.
But you don't just have to take my word for it. A recent issue of Entrepreneur Magazine had this to say about content creation and content marketing:
When it comes to marketing strategies, content marketing has just been crowned king, far surpassing search engine marketing, public relations and even print, television and radio advertising as the preferred marketing tool for today's business-to-business entrepreneur. -Entrepreneur Magazine
Think about that: bigger than print, radio or television. Bigger than SEO marketing or PR. Don't you want your share of the prospects and profits from content creation and content marketing? And since you do, there are three reasons you need to be able to create your own content (at least in the beginning)...
1. People Are Attracted to YOUR Voice
Whether you have a golden voice made for radio or just the opposite, people are attracted to your voice. Because what I mean by "your voice" is the unique way you approach problems. People come on the internet searching for solutions to their problems. When they hear your voice - how you approach and solve problems - they will be drawn to you like magnet.
2. No One Else Can Deliver It Like You
Here's the good news and the reality (nice when those two go together): There are more people out there, eager to hear your message, who can only hear it in your voice, than you can ever get to in your lifetime.
No one else has your unique perspective, life experience, knowledge and wisdom. No one else. And there are people out there who need to hear your unique message, who can only hear it from you. Not getting it out to them is selfish.
Create your content and get it out to the people that are searching for it!
3. You Must Learn To Do It Yourself
In the beginning of your business, like so many of us when we began, you will have more time than money. Use that time to learn how to quickly and easily, and with impact, create your own content whenever you want or need. Later, when you have more money than time, you may want to outsource some of your content creation. Then you will know what to look for when you are looking for someone who can "write in your voice" - which is very hard to find.
So there you have it: three reasons you should write your own content. At least in the beginning! And even when you use templates, outlines, PLR and other "content helpers"... make sure you give it your own twist. š
About Lynn Terry
Thanks for a great post Lynn!
I'm about to make a bold statement that I invite everyone to comment and discuss:
"Get good at Content Creation, and you can pretty much write your own ticket online."
What say you?
~ Jeff
Wow. Great statement! I agree with that 100%, given everything you do online is some form of content. And really, every single method out there that you can possibly think of to make money online... ultimately relies on CONTENT.
Great food for thought, Jeff! š
Jeff, when you say "good at Content Creation" do you mean creating quality, quantity or both?
How does that relate to promoting the content? Ultimately, promotion is content as well, but you need to know more that just how to create it. You need to know where to create it, how to link it, etc.
And to speak to the original post: I agree that content needs to have a voice that people will learn to associate with. That is probably a lot more difficult for people who don't like to write or can't write well. But the effort you put into it will result in you becoming a better writer.
I agree that writing you own content is important. The main reason I read some of my favorite blogs is because of the personality of the writers. I'm sometimes struggle with writing but I keep trying!
I struggle with writing sometimes myself, Janet - so I know what you mean. I use a lot of different tools such as templates, ghostwriters, PLR, brainstorming tools, etc. The key is to use them for brainstorming, and to inspire ideas - then flesh them out in your own "voice." I do this often, so people are shocked to find out when my content originated from a template or from PLR. š
Lynn, I'm looking into some of the templates you have suggested. I think those may make writing a little easier. I wish I could use PLR, but I can't because my topics are too specialized.
Janet
I prefer the templates myself. The great thing about templates is that you can creatively "bend" them to any topic or micro-topic you please.
Chris shared some great ideas on that in this thread at the forum:
http://www.clicknewz.com/members/showthread.php?9036-Ridiculous-Jiffy-Articles-Special-This-Week-Only
š
Good points here. One of the main reasons a person reads your blog is because they like YOU. Your readers enjoy your personality. Your readers enjoy your voice. And your readers enjoy your voice. Iām a big believer in outsourcing. But good Lord man; you canāt outsource YOU.
So if you stink at writing, go buy a couple books on writing copy. Then get to writing.
I find it easier to write how I talk. For example, the words you are reading on this screen right now are the very same words you would hear me speak if I was sitting in front of you. Thatās pretty much the case with most successful bloggers.
So donāt make it complicated. Donāt over analyze this. Just get behind your keyboard and do what I call a ābrain dump.ā Put your thoughts on your blog and syndicate that stuff like thereās no tomorrow!
Good times fuzzy bunnies!
Shane
This is very true, people are attracted to your blog because they like what YOU write, it is important that your own personality is part of the essence of your blog as this is what makes it different. Even if you do struggle with writing, it's ok to ask someone for help, get some books or even look at templates for ideas, but your blog should be unique and original.
Writing a blog in your own words with your own emotions attached to it gives more meaning than just copying the content. What attracts the visitors to your blog is not the copied content but the way you deliver your content mixing your own emotions with your blog. The style of writing a content and the pleasant nature of your original content cannot be copied by any one because finally its your touch added to the blog. So it is always advised by each expert blogger to write your own content and that too in your own pitch and own style.
Thanks for sharing this post Lynn, that is a good advise for the newbie bloggers.
I've looked at writing blogs on a number of topics, and what you say about using your own voice is true. What you've also said in previous posts, is you've got to be passionate about it.
Since writing my own personal blogs, the deeper my interest, the easier it is to write and come up with something new continuously.
So true. I use PLR in a lot of ways, but you don't have to just copy, paste, and hit publish. For a lot of us, starting with a well-researched PLR article is helpful in the mental aspect...we don't feel like we're staring at a blank page. We have some words there on the page that we can then put on our twist on, as you say. And then a quality article is finished in a fraction of the time it would be if we were coming up with the article idea, researching, and then putting our own twist on the topic.
It's really all about content quality which will lead to an additional edge in building our online business presence and increasing our reach to our audience. I agree with you Lynn that people will read your content because they like you. They are enjoying your personality and your point of views in some things. Your perspective towards a given situation is unique and that uniqueness might be the one that the people want in you. Yes, we are not all gifted with good writing skills but copying content should not be an option.