Content marketing seems simple at first glance. You basically create good content and you promote it through various different methods. Unfortunately, in some cases you can promote as much as you want and still not get results, although your content is very good at first glance. This can happen because of various reasons but in most cases the real problem is that there are already hundreds of articles that talk about the same thing you do. Controversial marketing is not like that. It creates something new that actually attracts people.
Generally speaking, most websites out there should remember this about their content marketing strategy:
- Long-form content – Average blog posts should generally increase by up to 50%. Meatier, longer content offers a better engagement.
- Increased content promotion – The promotion strategy should be created before the content is even created.
- Standing out – This is what is difficult. There is so much noise around all topics you write about. That is why you have to stand out and not be noise.
Why Contrarian Content?
As you make a statement that is different than the received wisdom, most people will pay attention. This is because they are faced with one thing that is different than what they are used to. It is something that is vertical, even if it is boring. Even if the industry is seen as being boring, the audience does not. Hit a nerve and you will get attention. As an example, let’s say you want to blog for casino.netbet.co.uk. Instead of focusing on what everyone says, an article that would highlight how gambling is bad for most people would create controversy in the industry.
Contrarian content is going to boost engagement metrics and will earn attention. This can come through:
- Increased traffic – an unexpected idea will normally be a click magnet.
- Social shares – people share although sometimes they do not even read what you wrote.
- Comments – these are so good for blogs and it is the controversial topics that always get the highest possible comments.
- Links – response articles and round-up links often appear as people build on the initial argument or refute it.
Differentiating Ideas – How To Come Up With Them
Saying something different does not mean saying something incorrect. Coming up with something that is different is obviously difficult for most people. The common approach though is to monitor the topics that are trending and to look for some options that would inject strong opinions. You should always try to use branded, internal and real data or insight as it is available. Always be sure that you believe what you say. This helps you to build much better arguments.
Some Ideas To Find Trending Stories
- Twitter – Influencers have following and knowledge. They often talk about topics of interest so you may find something there.
- News aggregators – So many exist in practically all industries. Common examples are Reddit and Inbound.org.
- Google alerts – set up alerts based on topics of interest and you will see the news. Alternatively, use Google Trends to see how they evolve as time passes.