Making human connections on digital devices is what we do at WhatcomTalk.
Finding yourself talking online, instead of in person? We’ve been offering tips and tools, and now we’re focusing on effective writing approaches in this “make connections, not content” series.
Copywriting and marketing veteran Amy Guerra shares tools from her many years of experience along with some bite-sized tasks to try.
–The WhatcomTalk Team
P.S. Learn how to reach Whatcom County with our help here.
Today’s Topic: Bricks vs. Tamales
How do you choose what to say to make a digital connection? In the last part of this series, I said to talk about something that is a shared experience between you and your customer.
But where to start?
I recently had a client ask me why, out of two social posts they wrote, one got a ton of likes and shares—and one didn’t.
Post A: Picture and info about a cool new façade on a building downtown.
Post B: Picture and info about a tamale shop.
Both topics are important and interesting—both are about thriving business elements in the town where this client works—but the one readers rated as “popular” really had to do with it being “relatable.”
Answer: When it comes to things we can relate to, for most of us, our relationship with food beats out civic improvement projects every time. The good news: You have built-in sensors for this task. When deciding what to talk about, use your senses as your guide. Some writers call this “going to the body.”
What we can feel, hear, touch, taste, smell, and see . . . these things matter to us and really draw us into a conversation—whether in person or online.
If you want to build amazing interactions with a digital audience, you need to establish things you have in common, become their advocate, solve their problems, hit their heartstrings—and really mean it. Just like you do when you talk to your customers in person.
As a note, also remember who you’re trying to talk to. Playing a popularity game is pointless if your intended audience is the select group of engineers who really wanted to read about the building facade. But they might also like to know how it looks and feels.
Today’s task to try:
Look at your current content and ask yourself if it relates to your readers’ senses.
Hint: Put yourself in your customers’ shoes.
–Amy Guerra, MBA
Business Development, WhatcomTalk
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