How to create content with authenticity

What does authentic storytelling mean in a challenging climate? With so many evolving platforms leading the way with the opportunity to create fast-moving, dynamic content, it can be easy to react with content that doesn't always reflect the needs of your audience. I like to think of myself as a creative soul...from copywriting to social media and content creation; I’m a storyteller through and through and always strive to enable content in new and exciting ways effectively.

But at the heart of everything I create is a need to create authentically. For many brands that means, quite simply, listening to and responding to the needs of their audience and adapting content and communications effectively.

Oftentimes, I'll question whether a piece of content or social post is the right thing to share. It might look really good, it might be a nice thing to post or even have the opportunity to leverage on wider popular hashtags, but, it always comes back to the customer's needs...

What is it telling your audience? Does it help them against their current needs and challenges? Does it inform them? How does it signpost? And, crucially, does it embed your brand’s purpose?

Restricted creativity can be challenging but teaches us to consistently consider your audience in every communication decision you make so customers feel seen and heard; so they have a voice. And the needs of your customers may be constantly changing, whether through the wider external climate or through their own circumstances at different stages of their lives. So it’s important to maintain an awareness of this too, listening to audience needs, being led by data-driven insight and really challenging one another to ensure you're doing things for the right reasons.

Our words...everyone's words, have so much influence. Words have the power to make us laugh, reduce us to tears, make change, offend, empower, and everything in between. And authenticity in those words has to be at the heart of your brand. Living and breathing the words and communications you share, and always ensuring your actions and decisions reflect what you're actually saying.

If you’d like support in digital and social brand communications, please get in touch.