6 Ways to Think Like a Journalist to Create Better Content

As a journalism student turned magazine editor turned content strategist turned content marketer, I’ve been lucky enough to see content from many angles.

But my early experience in journalism and magazine publishing gave me a unique perspective for content creation, and I’ve been able to use what I learned in my early days as an editor to inform the way I’ve thought about and approached content marketing.

Content marketers know better than anyone else that it can be challenging to get prospects to engage with their content — let alone read it. With the proliferation of content creation, and all the noise that’s been created as a result, our messages get lost, glazed over or just don’t resonate.

So how do marketers create content that gets read? We have to create content that our readers want: answering the questions they have and covering the topic effectively and in a way that’s engaging and relevant. And, historically, who has done this the best? Journalists. Longer than anyone else, they’ve been crafting stories readers actually want to read.

For content marketers to succeed — and create content that gets consumed — they have to tell a good story. Here’s how content marketers can learn from journalists and apply these age-old lessons learned to create better content.

1

Be Helpful

Serve the public — and public interest — just as journalists do. This is where being helpful, valuable and relevant comes in. To create engaging content, it has to serve your audience above all else.

2

Don’t Bury the Lede

Know the main point of your content, and get to it right away. Burying the lede means that you’re hiding the point and losing readers in the process. As marketers, it’s tempting to want to keep your audience reading and “engaged” for as long as possible, but when you serve up content in a way that gets to the main point fast, you’re respecting your audience and their time.

3

Keep it Simple

Write in a straightforward manner, and leave out all the jargon and complicated words. The more complex, the more likely it is to confuse your reader. While you’ll want to simplify, don’t do so at the expense of your voice and authority.

4

Seek the Truth

Above all else, the content you create should be accurate and honest. So linking to other sources, citing statistics and uncovering the story should be foundational to what you create and put out in the world. Your reputation, and that of your organization, is on the line.

5

Do Your Research

Spend time reading, researching your subject and asking the right questions. While this can feel like a waste of time or unproductive, knowing your topic well is foundational to rise above the noise and create content that’s accurate and well-planned.

6

Consider the Angle

Write for your audience, but think about other influencers and readers. Consider how it’s relevant to your audience’s peers, their managers and others in the organization. Make it straightforward so anyone — regardless of position — can easily understand it.

Trust in Journalism Principles to Improve Your Content

With every piece of content you create, remember that you’re ultimately telling a story and informing your audience. Principles from journalism are principles for a reason — they’re the tried, tested and true aspects of good storytelling and sharing information.

When approaching content marketing — or any content for that matter — with quality journalism in mind, you’ll be able to create and share better stories, establish yourself and your organization as a thought leader, and remain a trusted source for important stories your audiences wants and needs.