Remember that Frozen song? We’re not going to even say the title because it could cause flashbacks to your child playing it on repeat for weeks on end and singing aloud at the top of their lungs.
What is it about songs or other messages that get stuck in our heads?
Well, it’s a complex theory that we’re not going to write a thesis on just yet, but one part of a great message is creating it for real people. Living, breathing, walking, talking humans that are not just theoretical models in an algorithm. It’s easy to forget that those consumers who click “like” on your social posts and visit your website are real. But we want to encourage you to think of them as unique individuals, just like you.
You are speaking to real human beings. They are not numbers, they are not walking dollar signs, they are people with families and friends and bad hair days just like you. When you are marketing to these humans, you need to have their mindset in mind.
WRITE FOR HUMANS, NOT GOOGLE
Of course, you need to get all your algorithms correct, check your keywords, lock down your SEO. Yes, yes and yes. We can’t forget that side of things, but if your content is strictly created to please Google and the great gods of technology, you are missing out on a chance to connect with your audience. Content and copy need to RESONATE.
What is resonance? Well, it’s actually a quality of sound when something creates a deep, resounding and reverberating effect. Think of it like this: Everyone is shouting their marketing message out into the world. At any given moment there are thousands of voices competing with one another. Some are shouted out in ear-splitting, tinny messages (think click-bait and pop-up ads), some are shouted out with a pop, a bang and a “buy now!” screech (think of all those Instagram ads that target you). We want your message to sound like s symphony or a long, resonant note that leaves people buzzing and thinking “I like the sound of that.”
Resonance, in this metaphor, is a sound, but think of that sound—your marketing message—like a communication or a song that gets stuck in your customers’ heads (for all the right reasons). It plays in the back of their minds and strikes a chord within them that—you guessed it—resonates. When something resonates it feels like it’s coming from within them. Your job is to create content that feels like it came from inside your customer, rather than without. Easy, right?
Of course it’s not easy. It may be the most difficult job your business can do. But it’s worth it. It’s worth it in terms of the ROI, but it’s even more worth it because you have created a connection between your business and your client. If you can do that, you’ve created resonance. And something that resonates with your customer will last so much longer than many other marketing tactics and campaigns.
Compose content that will last longer than a swipe of the thumb. Create copy that will stick in your readers’ heads like “Let it Go” (oh no, we said it!). Make marketing messages that speak to individuals, not numbers in an equation.
Do all this and you will build a brand that resonates with your consumers.