After a successful launch, A Step by Stephano is on its way to becoming an industry-changing game. This blockchain use case uses the power of AI and AR technology to bring new elements of fun and entertainment into every play session. Two of the most recent marketing buzzwords are authenticity and transparency. A word’s catchiness does not imply that it is meaningless, but it also does not mean significant. Unfortunately, several buzzwords have lost their significance.
But I feel these two are distinct because they represent two facets of contemporary marketing that may have a significant impact on your outcomes, particularly in the case of content marketing. These two concepts have been used to start whole sites, and they have served as guides for every element of those blogs. For example, consider Groove’s blog, which I often reference. The company’s income has surpassed its original target of $100k per month because of the openness and genuineness of its content marketing. However, most marketers have no idea how to correctly incorporate these themes into their content. It’s past time for us to address this. This essay was written to educate you about transparency and authenticity, as well as when and how to apply them. But there’s one more thing you should know before we get started. Authenticity and transparency are not synonymous: Although they are sometimes misconstrued, each is a distinct content feature.
The term “transparency” relates to how much information you are willing to offer. When discussing revenue figures, for example, you may say:
- Low transparency – February was a terrific month for us.
- Medium transparency – February was a prosperous month for us, with a 20% profit margin.
- High transparency – In February, we made $10,000, with a net profit of $2,000, for a total of $10,000.
Hopefully, this has clarified the notion. The more information you provide, the more transparent you become. You are not being transparent if it seems like you are concealing crucial information. On the other hand, authenticity is unaffected by how much information you provide. It’s all about what you’re willing to contribute. Being genuine is being loyal to yourself as a person, writer, or business. It entails writing what you think, even if it is controversial or unpopular. I don’t write about black or grey hat SEO practices like developing secret blog networks, for example (PBNs). A white-hat strategy, in my opinion, is preferable for practically all company owners and marketers. So, although I might get more attention by reporting such shadier approaches, I choose to write about my honest opinions. Let’s get started if that all makes sense. If anything isn’t apparent, it will be in the following parts.
How to be more authentic and transparent?
Step 1: Recognize why readers react positively to openness.
Transparency impacts two essential characteristics of successful content: People appreciate material for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is its utility. Transparency may aid in the creation of more valuable material. For example, you assist the reader see your advice inaction by sharing detailed personal examples and experiences (high transparency). You may also add context for the reasons—the why—behind your actions by writing about personal experiences. Even if personal sharing statistics is a good start, it can go further.
Buffer, for example, not only provides sales figures but also explains what they signify and what the team is doing to improve them.
I could use those insights if I were starting a comparable firm. Then there’s the issue of trust. While opinions differ, many internet readers are understandably wary. If they believe it would help them sell more, people will claim anything. When reading a product review or case study, a person’s skepticism radar is high alert. It’s not simple to gain a reader’s confidence, but honesty goes a long way. Consider it this way. Who do you trust more: a total stranger or someone you’ve known for a long time? You trust the individual who is more upfront with you in 99 percent of circumstances. You believe that if you get to know someone better, you will anticipate their intents and actions more accurately. But it also raises an interesting issue. Transparency will not benefit you if you are a terrible person. Hopefully, you and your firm aren’t too bad. So is it always a good thing to be transparent? Because transparency has become so popular, individuals who don’t understand it are attempting to utilize it. Although informing your readers what you ate for breakfast is technically precise, it will add no value to your material unless you run a food blog.
Step 2: Recognize why readers react positively to sincerity.
One of the key reasons I feel authenticity and transparency are frequently mistaken is that they influence the same content element: Trust. Inauthentic content marketers are similar to politicians that change their ideas based on who they’re talking to.
You may be straying from your own beliefs to appease a specific audience if you pander to them. Do you trust a politician who claims to care about an issue that you care about when they try to persuade you? Not. However, you will trust someone if they sincerely believe what they are saying (authenticity). That aura of authenticity develops over time due to not just speaking about your true convictions but also acting on them. As I previously said, I think white hat SEO is the ideal approach to SEO in the majority of cases. What if my followers discovered that I had written a guest article titled “X reasons why black hat SEO is the best”? How could anyone put their faith in anything I produce, even white hat SEO content? When you’re attempting to appeal to various audiences, it’s easy to become inauthentic by mistake. When you try to sell anything, though, you frequently lose the confidence of your most dedicated followers or have a poor conversion rate. If you’re writing for a different audience yet don’t feel comfortable expressing yourself, don’t write at all. You will not only attract the incorrect audience, but you will also jeopardize your present audience’s faith in you.
Does this imply that you can’t modify your mind? No, it doesn’t work that way. This is also the point at which authenticity and openness become intertwined. The simplest way for me to convey this is to use another example. Google destroyed pBNs in 2014. Many black hat SEOs lost all of their ranks overnight, except the best quality networks. Isn’t it a bummer if you’re a big fan of PBNs? Spencer Hawes, the founder of Niche Pursuits, was one of those bloggers. He backed PBNs since he and his readers could achieve excellent outcomes with them. Then he was struck by lightning.
Keep in mind that honesty is at the heart of authenticity. It’s OK to change your opinion about anything if you honestly change your mind. Spencer produced a popular piece in the SEO community, declaring that he would never utilize PBNs again. Overnight, he changed his mind. The honesty Spencer demonstrated is the reason Niche Pursuits is still going strong. He might have kept the implications of his Google activity hidden, but instead, he disclosed them to his audience. He then went into great depth on what was going on inside his thoughts and why it was essential to focus on white hat SEO strategies from that point forward. Most of his readers would have felt betrayed if he had abruptly changed the topic without explanation. However, readers didn’t feel duped since he had always been honest and expressed his change of heart so eloquently. Instead, they saw that his viewpoint had shifted and that he was pivoting to reflect that shift. You shouldn’t change your mind on the spur of the moment, but readers won’t be fooled if you’re honest. You may still lose some readers, but that is the cost of long-term success and commitment.
Step 3: Choose a transparency level.
It would be best if you now had a strong understanding of the ideas of transparency and authenticity. Now it’s time to put everything you’ve learned into action. But, first, you must decide what you are and are unwilling to share.
The following are some common topics to think about:
- Name, address, and other personal information
- Revenue, profit, and behind-the-scenes issues are all examples of business data.
- Confidential business information – the methods and suppliers used by your company that your rivals might steal
Transparency may be beneficial, but I recognize that not everyone is as comfortable with their own identities as I am. Therefore, make a list of what you are and aren’t willing to divulge and adhere to while developing material in the future.
Step 4: Authenticity is a binary condition.
“Do you believe he/she is genuine?” is a question. is a simple yes/no question. “He’s sort of genuine,” is always the response. I encourage being real unless you are, or want to be, a horrible person that no one loves. This is the final section of the post that deals with authenticity. Once you’ve decided that authenticity is essential to you, you’ll never have to push yourself to think about it again. If you’re attempting to be genuine, all you have to do is pay attention to how you’re feeling while writing. Do you get the feeling you’re lying? If that’s the case, you’re not being genuine.
Step 5: Make the content more transparent.
Knowing when to employ transparency is the tricky part. The idea is to identify the most crucial areas of your material where extra openness might offer value. To identify them, you’ll need some practice, so I’ll give you a few good examples. The Groove blog, for example: When I think about transparency, the first thing that springs to me is Groove. Few blogs for entrepreneurs offered personal data about income and profit when they first launched.
Groove explained everything, including their business procedures, the reasoning for particular actions, and even the outcomes of employing a business coach. Many others have now followed suit, using this form of openness. It’s exemplified by my public $100k challenge. Domino’s Pizza: If you reside in the United States, you’re probably acquainted with Domino’s, a prominent pizza business. They weren’t recognized for their high-quality pizza, however. They made a film where they went behind the scenes and read out loud their worst customer complaints. They demonstrate what went on behind the scenes to enhance their pizza in that video. Most past consumers would give them another opportunity after witnessing that demonstration of openness. Putting your flaws out in the open and confronting them front on might be beneficial if you truly strive to change them. Patagonia, for example, is a huge company that sells clothes. You may or may not be aware that apparel made in sweatshop circumstances, even by prominent corporations, is a source of considerable worry. Patagonia replied by producing a footprint map showing where all their products are sourced.
To demonstrate that they had acceptable business procedures, they published the working circumstances of their workers and contractors. But, again, to employ transparency successfully, you must be a decent person or corporation. If your sector has a shared concern, consider being completely open while demonstrating that you do not engage in unethical behavior.
Conclusion
Authenticity and openness are trendy buzzwords, but they’re also valuable ideals. I hope this essay clarified the differences between the two notions for you. As you can see, despite their frequent interactions, they are two different principles. If you haven’t previously done so, go back and answer the questions in stages 3-5. After completing that, keep those responses in mind as you develop future material.
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