The world is in the grip of the Covid-19 crisis, and businesses are leaning on the internet to keep operations alive. Not only that, but employees also have to work from home to maintain social distancing.
The worldwide quarantine means that most people are leaning on the world wide web. Be it for work, study or general information, the internet has become the go-to option.
Along with internet search, another important source of information is social media. Today a large proportion of the population consumes news via social. The very numbers underline the fact that online content has become more important than ever.
Despite the bleak global situation, this news is heartening for content marketers. But as with everything, there is another side to the coin.
The Dark Side Of Content
Content is king, but when the king becomes tyrannical, empires fall. Content today has become the flag bearer of information. But when that same content is false, then we as content consumers are misled in our decisions.
Unverified news, falsified content, all these are tantamount to misdirection. And while content from dubious sources has always been a truth, today the situation is even direr.
When the entire world is dependent on the web for guidance, the need for credible content is paramount.
Just consider the following situation: you are stuck at home, unable to socialise due to the Corona situation. You’ve worked for the entire day, and now you need to unwind. So, you begin to surf the web for news.
When suddenly you come across an article that effectively spells doom for the entire business world. Naturally, you panic and reach for the phone.
The aftermath of this is easily extrapolated. But what if the news was false? What then?
Sadly, this is what is becoming ever more common today. Even in these dire times, certain unsocial elements are spreading false content to fuel unrest. And not only fake news, but false product information and misleading business content is also rampant. This needs to be fought with a strong hand.
But how?
Let’s discuss.
The Way To Credible Content
Most content on the internet, especially marketing content, needs to be vetted. This is essential to maintaining the authenticity of the content we consume daily.
The following are some of the methods that your business should employ to maintain the credibility of your content.
Swear By Authority
It’s estimated that roughly forty percent of the total content on the internet is not credible. Therefore, it’s important that you don’t fill your content with unsubstantiated claims.
The first and foremost best practice that you should maintain while creating content is to stick to authoritative sources. Always verify any facts and figures that you are incorporating in your content.
This doesn’t mean that your content should read like a college textbook. Far from it. But it should be backed by authentic sources that can bear the light of scrutiny.
Keep It Non-promotional
Research suggests that most consumers prefer to read non-promotional content. Educational content always performs better than purely promotional content that doesn’t deliver value for the consumer.
Keep in mind, however, that whether your content is promotional or not has more to do with the tone than the material. So, make sure the tone of your content is in the right vein. And with that, we come to the third to-do in our methods to maintain content credibility.
Make It About Them
When creating content make sure that you have the end customer in mind. Don’t merely create content for the clicks. Instead, focus on the consumer.
What do they like? What do they don’t like? How do they consume content? Answering these questions rightly will allow your business to deliver actionable content that is real and impactful.
Final Words
The world is going through a dire situation. But there is hope yet. Using the power of credible content, humanity can keep itself informed in this disconnected situation.
And OKdot is with you all the way. With our services, we hope to help your business sail through these troubled times. Let’s join hands, and overcome this disaster together.
