The what if and it s like techniques are a kind of branching approach to both idea generation and reader understanding. Use these techniques to find new and interesting ways to tell your story to keep your readers interested. Using What If To Generate Ideas The what if technique is usually something used by fiction writers to help them develop characters and plot, but it can still be helpful in a slightly different version for content marketers. Ask yourself, what if (I): Put the conclusion at the beginning? Used a recent hit movie as the foundation for this post? Played the devil s advocate until the final conclusion? Said the exact opposite of what is expected/i believe? What was true was not true? Used a different search engine/resource? Learned how it was done five years ago? My blog could speak for itself? Think of a few questions you could ask yourself like the list above: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
The what if technique is definitely part of your brainstorming toolbox when it comes to finding ideas. It helps you write beyond the typical boundary and find research you otherwise wouldn t have considered looking for. Mind Map Using It s Like To Explain Ideas Using the it s like technique will help you hook your readers, convince them to do something, and help them understand your content easier than ever. When you are explaining a complex topic, think of a similar topic to help get your point across in a way that is easier to understand. Try using a simile to hook your readers with a level of non-conformity. Compare things your readers wouldn t have expected to see in your content. Convince an audience who is unfamiliar with your product, service, or idea by comparing your message to something very familiar to them. Reduce any barriers your readers may face in your content by explaining your complex concepts in the simplest way possible before going into detail. You are looking for an in depth explanation that matches ounce for ounce the concept you want your reader to understand in their own terms. You are looking for an analogy. Think about the content you re creating. How can you apply an analogy to it to hook and convince your readers? How can you help them understand a complex topic easier than ever with an analogy? Does your analogy do these things? It connects with experiences my audience identifies with and understands. It repackages something so complex and outside the range of my audience to make it familiar. It helps me understand the topic much better so I can write more clearly, but if it s an analogy only I under stand, I won t actually include it in the content itself. It breaks down a large topic into bite-sized chunks to make my message easier for my audience to digest. It provides a step-by-step process to something so large or daunting that it seems easier with the under standing of an analogy. It is only a couple of analogies for one piece of content at most too many will confuse my readers. It complements the content, but I won t leave my audience with only explaining the analogy. I will connect the dots with direct comparisons to my topic, too.
How does your analogy hold up now that you ve gone through that checklist? Here are a few ways to explore your analogy a bit further to find the perfect one for your content and your audience: Figure out what the main point is: Ask yourself what the most important thing is that you want your reader to understand about your topic. What is the single most important concept that you need them to take away in order to understand the rest of what you have to say? Keep it mostly (but not too) familiar: Your audience has to be familiar with the analogy you are about to use or they won t understand it, either. Choose an analogy that is slightly surprising to keep your readers interested. The first analogy is probably one that is very common or general. Explore several to choose the best one or two that will work best for your content: 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1 1 1 1 1 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Turn the distasteful into something good: Choose an analogy that not only helps your reader understand, but helps them understand something differently. Find a unique angle for an idea that may feel otherwise unappealing. Ex. Selling isn t about exchanging money for goods or services. It s problem solving for your customer to find a creative solution to resolve a challenge. Maintain your desired focus: Keep your analogies in check and under control so they don t take over your content. Stick to the main points of your analogies, only going as deep as you need to go to get your point across clearly. Remember, an analogy isn t an anecdote; it s a highly persuasive tool that can make the unfamiliar into something familiar.
Don t forget the visual: What visuals could you use as analogies to explain your topics to visual learners? Just For Fun (And To Kickstart Your Creativity) Which of the following similes and metaphors would you love to see expanded into analogy? Why do some stand out for you and not others? Which ones make you curious enough to keep reading? Which could be used to clarify a particular aspect of content marketing? Content Marketing is Like a box of old pencils. A camera without film. Like a movie without credits. Like a buoy in the Pacific Ocean. What happens when polar bears meet penguins. Superman with an extra cape. Superman without a cape. Why did you choose that? Now that you re exploring new writing hooks, it s time to get some content on your marketing calendar. When you re ready to plan awesome content and save a ton of time, check out CoSchedule it s your marketing project management tool for everything.
HEAR THE RAVES You just created a fantastic piece of content. Awesome. Now, before you go ahead and share it with your audience, follow this social media plan template to make sure you re actually participating in the conversation. First, the basics (you knew this was coming!) I use CoSchedule to promote I need to keep our editorial Find out where your audience is actually hanging out on social media: every new blog post and to reposts calendar sharp, coordinate our Go promote ahead, search mya most bit, and popular write em down (networks, guest groups, contributors, forums, lists, blogs, and etc.) make on a regular basis. It is a one-stop sure we are amplifying our blog solution, since I can post to every social media channel from within posts with social media. For WordPress. It is simple, elegant, me, CoSchedule does all that and an indispensable part of my perfectly. It s like magic for my toolbox. blog! Michael Hyatt, New York Times Bestselling Author of Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World Plan how you ll share your content. Jay Baer, Convince & Convert Bestselling Author of YouTility: Why Smart Marketing Is About Help Not Hype For every hour you write your content, spend 15 minutes sharing it. Share what you already know will be successful. Make sure your social media messages connect with at least one of these things: This message supports a cause my audience can get behind. This message helps my audience connect with others. This message helps my audience feel involved in the industry. This message entertains my audience.