by Lilly Birdsong
As human beings, we are always looking for a connection. That feeling of belonging, that feeling of knowing that there are other people out there that understand your point of view, that are interested in the same things you are.
The most powerful factor in social media is the ability to forge a connection with someone that you’ve never even met. Whether it’s that group of people online who all like the same books that you do, or even that brand that keeps releasing these revolutionary new products that you love, being able to connect with other people remotely has changed the way we interact. It allows us to have meaningful conversations in an online space.
When writing content for readers online, it’s important to think the most about this type of connection. Why are you writing something in the first place? Well, it’s always because you want someone to read it. So: Who are you trying to reach? Who are you trying to touch? To have an impact on?
Thinking about who you’re writing to will not only have an impact on the way that you write, it will enable you to write about things which add value to your reader’s day.
Which brings us to the second most important question: Why? Why should anyone bother reading what it is you write? Is there something that you can teach your reader, or entertain them with? If your goal is simply to sell something to someone, then writing that you want to sell is not going to engage anyone. However if you are explaining how a person can improve their process, then you place the product on the side, this is a much more meaningful interaction.
For example, if someone is searching “How to:”, if your blog answers that question, then they will find value in reading what you’re writing about.
Now the question becomes: can you engage with your audience, now that you have their attention? One of the benefits of writing online is being able to receive comments, have a dialogue and discussion about the topic that you’re writing. This can be a great way to assess whether your story has achieved its goal in adding value.
Ultimately, in this new social space, we must not only get used to but embrace the opportunity to have a dialogue with our audience. When successful, we can truly form a connection with our readers in a much more meaningful way than ever before.
#CBUS111: Content Creation 
Wondering about the connection aspect for more technical type of content, for a tech company creating content around a particular product or solution. Clearly there is a goal of a ‘who’ in mind, but the connection is less about a sense of community and more about offering leadership or knowledge in a field. I guess there is a sense of community around building a base of readers who turn to you as an expert resource!
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Underlying the meaningful connections, there are all the emotions relevant content can trigger. Even though most of the time, connections remain virtual, they feel very real, I believe, due to the fact content fills the audience’s needs and makes it feel taken care. We have become true digital tribes 🙂
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The idea of connecting to your audience and fostering a sense of community is valuable to most businesses, even those that are highly technical. The technical audience would need content about a complex product, but I believe that they would also tend to remain engaged with your business if they felt that they belonged to a community whose members were equally passionate about the product.
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Loved the quote by Brene brown! The main innovation in creating content is to pass the energy to the audience as if we are talking to them face to face. The text should be really touching, impressive and effectual.
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Your writing has a great cadence to it. The flow took me straight through without a stop – nicely done. Your questions and points are relevant as are your examples. You opening quote graphic is a great attention-getter and choosing to focus on “connection” is a solid foundation for your arguments.
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Great piece Lilly! You know how strongly I feel about storytelling, and how to cut through the noise, you have to truly connect with your audience, be authentic and care about what you are saying and who you are saying it to.
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