Unlock Reports:
Industry-wide studies on consumer behavior from the Cohley Insights team.
More and more consumers are choosing what to buy based on how authentic a brand is. Don't believe us? Here are a few quick stats to prove it:
These numbers prove authenticity goes a long way to attracting and converting your target audience. Before we share the secrets to using authentic content to showcase your brand, let’s clarify what authentic content marketing is.
Table of Contents
Authentic content marketing involves creating and publishing content meant to inform, engage, and convert viewers without manipulating them. For content to be authentic, it must be honest, transparent, and valuable to your target audience.
Businesses post authentic content to boost brand credibility and build audience trust. The rationale behind creating such content is people are more likely to engage with a brand if they believe it's genuine and not just after a sale. According to surveys, consumers trust authentic content, such as user-generated content, more than brand or influencer-created content.
Authentic content does not rely on self-promotional tactics. Instead, it reveals your brand’s core identity and values to buyers and lets them decide whether you fit their needs or values. With authentic content, you can build a lasting and loyal connection with a target audience that resonates with your content.
Look at authentic content marketing examples, and you will notice a trend. This content is always valuable to the target audience and does not try to trick viewers with shady sales tactics.
Creating authentic content that fits this mold requires first understanding your target audience's needs, interests, and pain points.
With the insights from your target audience research, you can develop transparent, informative, and helpful content that addresses your audience’s concerns. Consistently publishing content like this will help you build long-term relationships with your audience, leading to increased customer loyalty and retention.
To recap, content is authentic only if it's:
Successful content marketers understand the importance of authenticity. What are the benefits of harnessing the power of genuine content?
Now that you understand authentic content marketing and how it can benefit your brand, you're probably considering using it to your advantage. If so, here are our best tips for creating authentic content that works.
As we’ve mentioned, authentic content should engage and deliver value to your audience. However, you can't create content that checks these boxes if you don't know and understand your audience.
You can perform audience research to identify your audience’s demographics. The research will also reveal your audience’s preferences, such as the topics that interest them and the questions they want you to answer. You can use these insights to create authentic content your target audience enjoys, engages with, and finds valuable.
User-generated content (UGC) is content created about a brand or product by people who have used that brand or product.
Examples of UGC include customer reviews, testimonials, and unboxing videos. A recent study involving US, UK, and Australian consumers revealed that consumers find UGC more authentic than brand-created content.
The authenticity of UGC makes it excellent for connecting with and engaging customers. You can post UGC on your website, social media channels, and other platforms to boost brand awareness and educate customers about your product.
However, curating authentic UGC from review sites, comment sections, and social media can be tedious. At Cohley, we eliminate hassles by connecting brands with creators who can provide them with high-quality UGC tailored to their marketing needs. It’s far more convenient and effective than finding UGC online and seeking the creator’s permission to use their content.
Valuable content helps your target audience solve a problem or satisfy a need. If a piece of content isn’t valuable, it will likely have a high bounce rate and low engagement because viewers have no use for it.
On the other hand, the more valuable your content is, the more engaging and shareable it will be to your target audience. Use the below tips to make your authentic content as valuable as possible:
Everyone, including your target audience, is searching for some form of connection. Studies show that 83% of millennials want brands to have the same values as them. So, it's best to inject your brand personality into your content.
Is your brand witty? Don't be afraid to tell a joke. Is your brand bright and colorful? Be sure to inject color into your photos and videos. Showing off these aspects of your brand can help you better connect with your audience.
Don’t just post your authentic content and abandon it. Instead, interact with viewers in the comments section by liking and responding to posts. You could also comment and interact with potential customers in other people’s posts.
Interacting with your audience in this manner has several benefits. First, it increases the engagement and reach of your post. Second, interacting with viewers can generate even more UGC, which you can repost. Engaging with your audience can make your brand more approachable and trustworthy.
Authentic content marketing is the most effective way to win over your target audience. Don’t know where to get high-quality and authentic content? Book a consultation today to discover how Cohley’s creatives can provide user-generated content tailored to your brand, audience, and marketing goals.