How To Generate Content Ideas That Will Resonate

How can any business stand out from the crowd and ensure content truly reflects - and continues to pique - the interests and expectations of the audience?

1. Defining The Audience

Buyer Personas have become an increasingly standard component of every content management strategy.

But what data is used to derive and refine that persona? For most organizations, the primary focus is demographics, which makes sense in principle. But how informative is demographic data when it comes to determining an individual’s content consumption? Are they reading the BBC website on the morning commute? Actively seeking video content? Trawling through technical white papers in a bid to resolve a specific problem?

To support an effective content management strategy, the creation of buyer personas must extend beyond demographics. It is essential to consider what is being read, watched and consumed - and where.

2. Brainstorming

It has become standard practice to periodically bring together groups of mixed ability and experienced staff with the view to bounce around ideas and dream up new content. Run well, these brainstorms can be incredibly valuable. Run badly, they become nothing more than an exercise in self-promotion.

Every brainstorm session should be based upon a clear point of discussion, a topic agreed in advanced, backed up by research. In addition to referencing the buyer personas, as well as key dates, events, and seasonality, a productive brainstorm session must be evidence-based, not sentiment- or opinion-based.

3. Validating Content Ideas

A good brainstorm session should deliver a number of excellent, evidence based ideas. But once the excitement dies down, it is essential to put each idea through its paces and be robust about ditching any that are simply not strong enough. Revisit each idea and use data to verify its validity and importance, ensure it has longevity and truly reflects the expectations of the buyer personas

4. How Do You Create Engaging Content?

Great ideas are essential – but it is also important to ensure the content is as engaging as the idea and resonates with the audience.

• Always remember the buyer personas and how each wants to engage with content.
• There are so many different ways to purpose content – from short, digestible, popcorn content to technical, highly informed white papers to video content.
• Where will the audience consume this content? And how? For example, 70% of businesses report that video is now their top channel for driving conversions, according to Demand Metric.

Want to learn more about coming up with content ideas that will really resonate? Download the full ebook Creating a Data-Driven Content Marketing Strategy below.

Editor's Note: The following is an excerpt from the How To Generate Content Ideas That Will Resonate eBook. Download the complete eBook for more information.