I’ve come to a realization that not everyone enjoys the process of content creation as much as I do. Finding the perfect headline, scheduling it to be posted on social media, creating an associating graphic… etc.

All of those little tedious tasks can get kind of annoying, but we still do it. You know why? Because we have a strong desire to build our brand in order to reach, teach, help, and serve our audience.

So if we’re going to go through all the work of making sure our post is seen, let’s also make sure that the post is doing its job to build our brand as experts in a saturated industry.  Here are some ideas you want to consider.

1. Tell a story showcasing experience in your industry/topic/field

If you’ve ever been interviewed before, you’ll notice the first thing an interviewer says to you before asking for advice/tips on your expertise is “Tell me a little bit about yourself and how you got started.” I’ve done dozens of interviews and this is how they start EVERY time. It’s because people want to vet you. They’re wondering if they can:

• Connect with you as a human and not a brand
• Trust the advice you’re about to give based on your experience

Your story is the most important part of your brand because it validates you beyond any credential you could ever offer. Whether it’s on your home page, about page, hire me page, or a blog post, you should be telling your story. In fact, your everyday life is an ongoing story that you can use to consistently build your brand. Tell stories about your day on Twitter or Instagram or Facebook. Your story is ongoing. Never stop sharing it.

[Tweet “People want to connect with you as a human, not an intangible brand.”]

2. Share a testimonial or case study

I love testimonials and case studies because I view them as storytelling from a different point of a view. It’s a story that’s not quite yours, but you’re a pivotal part of the journey. Talk about where someone was in their life or business before meeting you and how things changed for them afterwards. Testimonials create a desire for your audience to build a story that includes you and the products/services you offer.

3. Show people mistakes that’s holding them back

Even though most people don’t like to admit it, we enjoy being corrected. (We just prefer it not be publicly for the world to see.) We like being told we’re wrong (by qualified people) because it helps us get better. If I have a goal of keeping my skin moisturized and I see a blog post that says “5 skincare mistakes you’re making that’s keeping your skin dry and flaky” and they point out things that I’m always doing, I’m gonna be mind blown. I’m also going to be appreciative. Like “wow I would’ve been doing this wrong the whole time if I’d never seen this post.”

Show people the mistakes they’re making and how they can fix them. This shows that you want people to succeed, and it builds you up as an expert on your topic.

4. Debunk top myths

Mistakes and myths are slightly similar, but mistakes have more so to do with skill set while myths have to do with mindset. It’s the myths that we believe that cause us to make mistakes. When you think about the mistakes people make, think about WHY they make them. What are the top myths that people believe about things in your industry?

For example, a huge myth regarding content creation is that you have to blog everyday to be successful. So the mistake people make is publishing posts daily that are full of fluff. The truth is that you just have blog consistently about things of value to your audience. If you’re blogging daily about topics inconsistent with your expertise just to meet a quota then it can actually harm your brand.

[Tweet “Write a blog post on the top 5 myths in your industry.”]

5. Remind people why your message is important

Whatever it is that you care about, chances are someone cares (or should care), too. If you talk about finances, remind people “5 Reasons Your Debt Could Be A Huge Part Of Your Anxiety.” If you blog about fitness, remind people why “3 Reasons Why Now Is The Best Time To Get In Shape.” If you blog about social media marketing, remind people why “The #1 Reason You Need To Be On Social Media If You Want To Grow Your Business.”

Give people legitimate reasons to start caring about your message, and then make them hungry to learn more through your content.

[Tweet “Give people a reason to care about your message.”]

In what ways have you been using content to build your brand? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you!