Are you seeing this too?

As we kick off 2024 my inbox is being flooded with emails from other marketers, mentors, and copywriters reflecting on 2023. 

The subject lines read:

• “2023 Wrap Up”

• “Hard Lessons Learned in 2023”

• “What Sucked and What Didn’t in 2023”

And guess what? I read every single one of them. Why? 

First, they’re from personal brands and people I love. Two, they tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly. These emails are filled with personality and feel authentic. They feel like the human writing them.

Infusing authenticity in your content marketing strategy has never been more important. 

I’m Jillian, a copywriter who believes in the art of creating original and authentic content that speaks intimately to your reader. And as someone who uses AI to help streamline processes, generate ideas, and save time.

The fact that “authenticity” is the buzzword in the world of marketing for 2024 literally makes me want to do a backflip. [Spoiler alert – I can’t do a backflip and if I did I’d probably rip my jeans].

When you create content that’s laced with emotion it grabs the attention of your reader. It's content your audience will look forward to reading. When it comes to selling your course or membership program it’s content that’ll turn browsers into buyers.

Creating Content in an AI-Generated World

I use AI. I use AI almost daily. AI helped me write this blog.

I use it to help me:

• Write headlines

• Create outlines

• Find synonyms

AI has been a game-changer in my business. I’m faster at creating content and can spend more time working on other parts of my business. 

With that being said I also find AI cringe-worthy most of the time with the content it spits out. I give it several prompts before getting over-written text I pick apart and make my own. And I’m always fact-checking.

The biggest thing AI falls short of is its humanness. It doesn’t understand the intricacies of human thoughts and language. It lacks authenticity.

A memorable line from Rachel Hollis’s Book, Girl Wash Your Face, is a line about Rachel admitting she shaves her toes. I laughed out loud when I read this. Although I don’t shave my toes I could relate to what she was talking about. It's this type of storytelling that’ll grab the attention of your reader and keep them engaged. 

With an engaged reader, you have the opportunity to build trust and develop a relationship through your online business. So let your humanness drive the narrative of your content.

How to Create Authentic Content Your Audience Wants to Read

It’s no secret we’re inundated with information ALL THE TIME. We go through most days in sensory overload and with dwindling attention spans.

You’re in a connected world with an infinite amount of information at your fingertips. Some of us don’t even go to the bathroom without our phones. The never-ending scroll mesmerizes us. But what stops you from scrolling? What grabs your attention and keeps it?

In the world of online digital products, courses, and membership programs the need to stand out is huge. But this is where authentic copy thrives.

Authentic copy is the heartbeat of compelling copy. Copy infused with your unique voice, perspective, and personality. It creates a genuine connection with your audience.

One of the fundamental pillars of creating authentic content and strategy is understanding your audience. The better you understand your audience and meet them where they're at, understand their pain points, and their desires the better you’ll be able to connect with them in a genuine way.

Voice of customer (VoC) research is my favorite way to get to know my audience and the audiences of my copywriting clients. During my one-on-one interviews, I listen intently to:

• Emotions felt

• Language spoken

• Behaviors that lead to action

I capture things I would never get on a survey, by guessing, or from AI.

Another crucial element needed to create authentic content is knowing how you relate to your audience. Knowing and leveraging your unique selling perspective (USP).

What makes you different from other course creators or membership programs? What do you offer that makes your brand or services stand out? Honing in on how you uniquely serve your audience is the secret sauce to making you stand out above the crowd.

Here are some other ways you can weave in your personality, speak intimately to your audience, and craft content that genuinely feels good.

5 Ways You Can Create Content and Use Personality to Engage Your Reader

An important thing to remember when creating authentic content is sincerity over perfection.

It’s about truly connecting with your audience in a way they understand and while being true to yourself and your brand. Here’s how:

1. Research your audience and often. Completing voice of customer research has quickly become one of my favorite parts of my VIP service. In fact, I won’t do a project without it. It's that valuable! And it makes content creation SO much easier. 

   
   There are many ways you can gather information from your audience. Things like surveys and reviewing comments on social media. My favorite way is one-on-one interviews. 
   

   In 30 minutes, I can gather invaluable information about your audience’s experience with your product or service. I get swipeable quotes and can follow the twists and turns of a human conversation to extract gold nuggets that’ll make your copy stand out.

2. Showcase your unique selling perspective. What makes you different? Do you offer a service no one else does? Do you have personal experience and can relate to your audience’s pain points? Have you tried and failed at the same thing your audience has?
   

   Connecting with your audience organically, leaning into how you can serve them, and solve their problem is how you leverage your USP.

3. Write in a conversational tone. Now don’t get me wrong. I love words, sweeping text, and poetic phrases. But in today’s world that’s not how we talk. When you’re talking to a friend you use contractions, slang, and maybe even the f-bomb. This is how you want to write – in a conversational tone. 

   
   This doesn’t mean you can’t be professional, share research, or important science-based concepts. It simply means crafting content that’s skimmable, easy to digest and uses language your audience resonates with.
   

4. Humanize your content with storytelling. Share real-life stories, testimonials, and anecdotes to evoke emotions and create connections. My best-performing content for my clients always has an element of storytelling woven into their copy.

   And there’s no need to over-elaborate or write a novel. Sometimes the simple everyday stories you think no one else will care about are the ones your audience relates to the most. Like the story, I told about baking cookies over Christmas.
   

5. Wash, rinse, and repeat. Keep an eye on what types of content your audience responds to the most. 

   Use A/B testing to understand what captures the attention of your audience and approach content creation with a curiosity mindset. Don’t be afraid to experiment, make mistakes, and find what works best for you and serves your reader.
   

Creating authentic content that feels good and engages your audience is more important than ever – especially in a world with AI. Let me help you get started.

Craft Engaging Content as Part of Your Online Marketing Strategy

More than ever your audience is looking for brands that are real, relatable, and have a clear message. 

In fact, research by Zippa, showed 86% of consumers say a brand’s authenticity plays an important part in their decision to buy. This golden opportunity opens the door for you to be yourself when creating content. 

With the help of AI, you no longer have to stare at a blank page. But don’t forget to make it your own and resist the urge to cut and paste.

If you’re still short on time and you’d rather work ON your business instead of IN your business I’m here to help. I’ll help you infuse authenticity into your content. Plus, use a solid content marketing strategy to help you move the needle forward in your online business. 

To learn how you can make the most of your content book a FREE discovery call and together we’ll create an authentic marketing plan just for you.

Happy Writing!

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