3 Key Ways Authenticity In B2B Writing Helps Solve People Problems
By Theresa Meis
Being given direction over and over again without clarification or elaboration can be downright frustrating.
We’re guilty of this in marketing. When we repeatedly suggest that authenticity is the secret sauce to writing amazing content, what are we actually saying? The word “authentic,” as the wise and witty Ann Handly argues, is a lovely but vague directive, but “no one knows what it means.”
It has become a marketing buzzword — but buzzwords do have their place. They offer nice, concise ways to say what we mean without having to spell it out every time. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t occasionally revisit the definition to ensure we haven’t gotten off track.
That’s why we wanted to offer this deeper dive into what it means — what it REALLY means — to write authentic content.
1 — What is Authenticity, Anyway?
The thing about authenticity is that everyone wants it from other people, but it can be hard to do the self-work to identify it from within. That sentence? That’s authenticity. It’s the unvarnished truth, but not cruelty.
Authenticity is derived from boiling down who you are — whether that be your brand, your workforce, or simply (and most importantly!) yourself — and mixing the distillate with a pinch of who you hope you are when you connect with others.
[bctt tweet=”“The thing about authenticity is that everyone wants it from other people, but it can be hard to do the self-work to identify it from within.” — Theresa Meis @TMeisWrites” username=”toprank”]2 — Identifying Your Authentic Voice
This top-down checklist of roles you fulfill as a writer should help you find center again when you’re searching for your authentic voice.
You Are The Brand
B2B content writers are masterful performers, donning the robes of brand identity and addressing the audience as the personification of whatever product, service, or idea the brand offers.
Brand authenticity is accomplished by honoring an organization’s agreed-upon values and mission through your writing. The good news is that more organizations are clarifying what those people-centered values are at the brand identity level, and you get to help amplify that to the world.
[bctt tweet=”“Brand authenticity is accomplished by honoring an organization’s agreed-upon values and mission through your writing.” — Theresa Meis @TMeisWrites” username=”toprank”]You Are the People
The organization you write for may be an industry leader, composed of thousands of workers spread across the entire globe. Or, it could be a handful of visionaries working night and day to launch the next great thing.
You might be asked to write on behalf of any number of leaders or experts within your organization. Authenticity is important for adding the flavor of their voice to your brand messaging.
You Are Yourself
As B2B content writers, we write from behind a mask, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have truths to offer.
When you allow yourself to tap into your own deep well of personal experience, you elevate your writing from brand pitch …read more
Source:: Top Rank Blog