08 Mar Three Creative Ideas for Generating Unique Content

Three Creative Ideas for Generating Unique Content
The proliferation of social media blogs has made it more difficult to create content that stands out. There’s a lot of advice about how to use social media and social media statistics to come up with fresh content ideas.  The problem is that people tend to copy each other and recycle other people’s content so frequently that they fail to create value or engage audiences in any meaningful way. However, every once in awhile I do stumble upon something online that I find useful. An article recently published at Alltop.com gives several ideas about where to find content and how to make it unique. Ironically, even that article was riddled with typos and patronizing filler. So, I’ve taken the three best tips from that article and put my own spin on them.
Avoid Content Based Solely on Keyword Research
If you look at content that’s gotten a lot of attention, you’ll probably notice that it seemed to come from an unexpected place, and often the topic had not been discussed much before. Remember the “double rainbow” guy who became famous for his rainbow enthusiasm? His video went viral and he appeared on several talk shows. But before that day, how many people do you think were searching the Internet for the keyword “double rainbow?”
The point is that if you have something interesting to say, then say it. If you only talk about things that people are searching for, you run the risk of getting lost in a crowd of people who are all competing for the same group of  “popular” keywords. By following your own passion and expertise, you have the potential to create your own double rainbow fame.
Use What You Have
If you’ve been using social media for awhile, you probably have a ton of content that you’ve already created. Dig through what you’ve done in the past and look for jewels. Did you predict a trend years ago that came to fruition? You can republish the content with an update and new perspective. Do you have an infographic that you used for a brochure? Perhaps that can accompany a blog post.
Take It to the Next Level
While I’m against the idea of simply copying the content of other social media blogs, I really do enjoy reading what other business social media experts have to say. It keeps me up to date in the industry and I get to see what works and what doesn’t, what topics are popular, and what people think. From there, I take things to the next level.
For example, this week a lot of people are using social media to talk about filing taxes. Because this topic is so popular, I am likely to get a lot of traction from anything I publish about taxes. But, instead of regurgitating the same type of content as everyone else, I would create my own angle and add my own perspective. For example, I might relate some of my experiences about filing taxes as an entrepreneur or discussing some of the new laws about deductions and how that affects people who are self-employed. Or, I could even take a humorous or lighthearted take on the tax situation.
Overall, there is a ton of content out there, and it’s not always easy to find something new and unique to say that people will find interesting. However, if you stay true to your interests, passions and expertise, you can always find something of value to talk about.
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