“Thank You For Sharing!” Creating Content That Adds Value

Think about all the content marketing you’ve received in the last 24 hours… The emails that hit your inbox, the videos and posts you saw on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and the blogs and articles brands shared with you. How often did you catch yourself saying, “I’m glad they shared that with me!”

We’ve talked about the importance of adding value to your audience in the past. Honestly, if adding value were the only topic we talked about moving forward, we might be onto something. It’s a topic that cannot be overstated or thought about too much.

Take a quick moment and think about the content marketing your brand is doing today… the emails, the social media posts, the blogs, and the articles you’re sharing. Then, look at each piece of content individually and drop it into one of two buckets:

1. It added value
2. It did not add value

Let’s define this quickly.

A piece of content that adds value makes you say something like so…

• “That taught me something new!”
• “This is going to help me grow my business!”
• “I never thought of it that way.”
• “This is a strategy we can use!”
• “That left me inspired!”
• “I can use this to solve my problem.”
• “That made me laugh!”
• “I feel like I know this brand better now.”

Content that does not add value makes you say something like this…

• “They’re trying to sell me something.”
• “This was just clickbait.”
• “That was a waste of my time.”
• “I feel like they just tricked me.”

There’s no rocket science here. You can instantly tell the difference between content that adds value and content that doesn’t. Each one comes with a distinct feeling, and there’s no disguising the “no-value” content. It’s like a teenage boy… It has a certain scent, no matter how much cologne you use to cover it up.

To be clear, we’re not saying your content can’t sell your products and services. You should absolutely use your emails, social content, and blogs to connect with customers and prospects. What we are saying is this: If the only thing you do is try to sell people, eventually, they’ll quit listening. On the other hand, if your content adds a ton of value and builds up some trust and connection, then when you do occasionally share your product and services with prospects, they’ll want to buy.

One additional thought to add to this conversation… Play the long game. If you think your value-add content will create immediate, overnight results, you will be disappointed. Adding value, building trust, and developing these relationships takes time. Make the investment, be consistent, and the seeds you’re planting today will eventually sprout and grow.

Call-to-Action

Look for ways to use your marketing emails, social media posts, blogs, and articles to add value. Focus on creating those moments where people say, “I’m glad they shared that with me!” If you do that, you’ll create raving fans, hold their attention, and over time, grow your business.