Emotionally resonate are two powerful words in the context of content and content marketing (please read Content Marketing for more).
Want to increase your search results? Drive traffic to your site? Not have to pay for traffic? Then learn how to emotionally resonate with your audience.
Emotionally Resonate
So what do I mean? Let me give you an example. I’ve completed three Ironman a number of years ago. I have zero desire to swim another 2.4 miles, ride 112 miles and then run a marathon all in the same day.
Yet one day I visited a website. A simple site with a video. It was about Ironman. I intended to watch a few seconds of it. Three minutes later I found myself thinking of what race I would do next.
The video emotionally resonated with me. It touched me (i.e. resonated with me) on an emotional level.
Form Doesn’t Matter
When it comes to content, form is not mission critical. Written, video, audio or a simple photo all can achieve the same goal.
But to truly captivate the user. To truly maximize the user experience, these forms of media must emotionally resonate with the user (no more use of those words, please read Improving Search Results for why I say that).
Another Example
This has nothing to do with digital. But in reality, making an emotional connection with another person whether digital or “analog” is no different.
I owned a retail store in the late 90’s which I sold in 2008. I focused on runners (hence the Ironman) and running related products. So my interaction initially was on a running related level.
Someone would come into my shop to buy a pair of running shoes. But was it shoes I was really selling? Is it running related products that inspired them to come to the store?
As Starbucks would say. It’s less about the coffee. Rather Starbucks give you twenty minutes in your day. Twenty minutes to chill, relax, listen to some good music. And of course spend a lot for a cup of coffee.
Get To The Point
OK, so with my shop, what I realized is running products were the “reason” for a transaction. But the relationship was more about the ability to emotionally resonate (one last time, sorry Google) with my customers.
To learn about their day, their troubles, what was happening. You name it. I represented a safe place to them. A place where they could share what was important.
It was common for an initial discussion on what type of shoe they needed to eventually turn to some exciting news they just heard. Or a difficulty before them. In one instance it turned into me meeting my wife. Talking about resonating on an emotional level.
Fly Wheel
As a result the fly wheel started spinning pretty fast. I was able to stop spending any money on print media. I simply relied on good service and referrals from past customers.
New customers came in already feeling safe. A friend or family member told them about my shop. I was pre-screened if you will.
Circling Back
Bringing this back to digital, the web and content marketing uses the same approach I note above. A little more challenging absent a face to face interaction. But equally important and not overly complex.
With your content, write, speak or record as if you are speaking directly to one person. Have fun. Engage. Understand what your customers are looking for.
And most important. Focus on the overall user experience. Just because it’s digital doesn’t mean there isn’t some experience.
No different than a 1,200 square foot store that sold running shoes in Boston.