content differentiation factor

Have You Discovered Your Unique Content Differentiation Factor? Why It’s Harder than Ever for Brands to Be "Unique"

May 30, 2024May 30, 2024 by Adam Oakley

Being seen and heard on the web is getting harder every day. There are nearly 2 billion websites in existence… But a mere fraction of them receive any traffic (only about 400 million – 15-20% – are even active). Thousands of new websites are created daily. About 4 million new blog posts are published every 24 hours. The problem? Barely anyone will read them. The lion’s share of the traffic, clicks, and visits (and thus, the attention) will go to top contenders. These are the people, brands, businesses, and organizations that are making their voices rise above the heap. In the vast wasteland of the internet, these people have nailed their content differentiation factor and lean into it. They know how to make people sit up and listen (and/or click their links, read their content, and buy into whatever they may be selling). In a landscape of utter content saturation, where every topic under the sun, moon, and stars has been exhausted 20 times over… This is a big deal. Being unique enough to stand out online is everything. At the same time, it’s ridiculously hard. Let’s explore why standing out from the crowd is one of the most difficult parts of content marketing. Then, we’ll look at a few amazing brands killing it with their uniqueness and content differentiation factor. Finally, we’ll dive into some tips on how to discover your own uniqueness online. Go time. ?➡ Have You Discovered Your Unique Content Differentiation Factor? Why It’s Harder than Ever for Brands to Be “Unique” 2 More Reasons Why It’s Hard to Stand Out Online (And Why You Need a CDF) Content Shock Is Real Consumers Are Inundated with Information 3 Brands Killing It with Their Content Differentiation Factor Backlinko (Brian Dean) Spotify Tasty My Best Tips to Dig Deep and Find Your Content Differentiation Factor Step Away from Work and Go Internal Step Away from Work and Have More Conversations Your Content Differentiation Factor Is Key 2 More Reasons Why It’s Hard to Stand Out Online (And Why You Need a Content Differentiation Factor) Back in 2018, I came up with a concept called the Content Differentiation Factor. Basically, this concept comes down to asking yourself (or your client, your boss — whoever you’re managing the brand for) this question: “What separates our content from the rest of the content out there? What makes my brand different from all the others out there like me?” You have to have something truly different to stand out from the crowd (more on this and examples below). And you must spend time on this to figure it out before going full-force into content creation. (It’s worth it). A content differentiation factor is a key to standing out. But, first, you should know what you’re working against. 1. Content Shock Is Real Mark Schaefer’s classic, groundbreaking article on content shock explains why and how content marketing will reach a breaking point. As he explains, we have free content coming out of our ears on the internet. You can read blogs and articles on every topic that’s ever been studied, thought about, or questioned. The problem lies in supply/demand. There is more content in existence than any person can legitimately read in a lifetime – let alone their free time. So, to break away from the information overload and stand out, content marketers are paying to get their content seen. Of course, that’s not sustainable at all. Only those who separate themselves uniquely from the information mountain – who provide unique value to their audience – will continue to see ROI from content. (It will not be whoever pays the most money for Google Ads.) 2. Consumers Are Inundated with Information As we mentioned, content is exploding. Anybody can make a free blog and publish whatever they want. Businesses are blogging because they know the ROI could be amazing – but unfortunately, that leaves us with MILLIONS of blogs that are mediocre at best. Think about the sheer number of new blog articles that appear on your feeds daily, and how many you have to skip over vs. read. Think of all the news articles, videos, tweets, social media posts, emails, ads, and search results that flow in front of you without stopping. You have to make micro-decisions all day, every day, as long as you have the internet or a smartphone. You have to sift through the mountain and decide what’s worth your time and what isn’t. 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created daily. Yes, daily. And, according to Domo’s Data Never Sleeps 7.0 infographic, by 2020, 40x more data bytes will exist than there are stars in the observable universe. With so much information and content flying thick and fast on the web, we only have the bandwidth to pay attention to a limited amount. Who and what gets our attention? The brands, people, and content that manage to rise above the rest because they differentiated their content and message successfully. 3 Brands Killing It with Their Content Differentiation Factor These three names have found their content differentiation factor and lean into it – with amazing results. 1. Backlinko (Brian Dean) Want to see a perfect example of simplicity as a differentiator? Look to Backlinko, Brian Dean’s brand and blog. When he says his advice is zero-fluff and practical, he’s not kidding. His introductions to his blog posts are a great example. He doesn’t try to convince you how clever he is or wind you up with a story. He doesn’t hook you with examples other than ones from his own experience and tested results. He tells you what to expect and what you’ll get out of reading the post. That’s it. Simple. Straightforward. To-the-point. No fluff. Understandable. That’s Brian Dean’s style in a nutshell, and it has differentiated him from other SEO experts in a big way. He explains SEO concepts so clearly that you don’t feel like learning. But you are. Also, note Brian’s use of the … Read more

How to Stand Out Online: 5 Questions to Ask to Know What Makes You Different From the Rest of the Pack

March 24, 2022March 19, 2019 by Adam Oakley

“Be yourself; everyone else is taken.” Thank you, Oscar Wilde, for the inspiration. But this doesn’t just apply to individuals. It applies to businesses and brands, too. As the creator of Express Writers, I have learned that we are successful because we have embraced our individuality and refuse to focus on what our competitors are doing. Along with dancing to the beat of our own drum, from the beginning, we focus on building the best services for our clients and original thoughts that build elite and unique levels of service. From my own life experience, I know how hard it is to find out what makes you different in an industry everyone seems to be in. I’ve always enjoyed writing, and building a content marketing and writing agency was a natural next step for me. But it hasn’t come easy. Through the ups and downs, I discovered my greatest successes on the heels of failures. (It’s a longer story than this, and you can read it all here.) In short, my failures helped me ask a ton of questions and ultimately embrace my flaws and stand out from the rest of the content-marketing industry. So, how do you find out what makes you different from your industry? Here is a number of questions to help you and your business know just how well you’re standing out — and making a real difference online. [bctt tweet=”Answer these 5 questions to know if you’re standing out and making a real difference online, vs. adding to the noise. @JuliaEMcCoy #ContentDifferentiationFactor” username=”ExpWriters”] How to Stand Out Online: 5 Questions to Ask to Know What Makes You Different from the Rest of the Pack Let’s dive into the five questions every entrepreneur and business owner should be asking. 1. What is Your Content Differentiation Factor in Your Industry? I teach this concept in my Content Strategy & Marketing course and have written extensively on it in my book. To summarize, your content differentiation factor (CDF) is what separates you from the billions of other content on the web. Ask this question: “Does my business communicate topics with people that the rest of the web doesn’t?” Maybe it’s exclusive content you provide that no one else does, a positive digital experience clients can’t get anywhere else, etc. Your CDF is how you present your brand/business, and how you communicate industry topics to your audience. So, understand what separates you from the rest of your industry and go from there. 2. What Makes Your Selling Technique Different from Everyone Else? Everyone in your industry is selling something similar, right? For example, if you’re in the marketing industry, you’re probably doing some content marketing. Why? Because content marketing provides one of the highest ROIs. From our last post, 6 Major Content Marketing Trends from CMI’s 2019 B2C Content Marketing Research Report If you understand that, a number of other people in your industry know that too — so, how do your content marketing services stand out from everyone else? Or any of your other services for that matter? Remember, your unique selling proposition (USP) is different than your CDF. Your USP is the factor that makes your services and products different than competitors. (Different in terms of by choosing your services and products, they are receiving a higher value.) Your CDF is how your business/brand is presented. (When you acknowledge industry topics you don’t just give a generic response. You provide an individual and valuable experience that will educate and benefit your customers.) Make sure you’re asking this strategic question: “How do I present my services/products differently?” Remember though, don’t focus only on your competitors. By focusing on what your competitors are doing, you’re losing focus on your own ideas. Understand what your competitors are doing and how you’re different from them, but don’t focus too much on them. Look inside you, your team, and your own environment for your best ideas. Make sure you have a valid reason to give when your customers ask why they should invest in you and your services/products. 3. What Does Your Business Do for Your Customers? This is part of your USP: understanding what your business/brand provides your customers. If you’re having a hard time pinpointing what your USP is — don’t worry. You can start narrowing it down by asking yourself what your business does for your customers. For example, Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon, said that he sold hope, not makeup. Revson’s promise to his customer was that he was going to provide a product that gave women hope to receive the look they wanted. So, when you’re thinking about what your businesses do for your customers, don’t just think about the products/services you sell. Think of the feelings and solutions it provides. 4. Are You Comparing Yourself to Your Competitors Too Much? I mentioned earlier when I talked about asking yourself what your USP is how you should understand what your competitors are doing. But, don’t focus on them too much. Once you start focusing on your competitors more than you start focusing on your own ideas, you lose your own sense of creativity. Trust me. I used to use templates for my emails, and veered too close to copying and pasting while going off “best practices.” Then, one day, I sat down without distractions, only armed with inner inspiration. I had the idea for a great email around my Content Strategy & Marketing Course, and wrote it out. It turned into one of my most high-converting emails to date: If you think you’re losing the original “you”, simply ask yourself, “Do I compare myself to my competitors too much?” If the answer is yes, then I have a few tips to get you to stop analyzing your competitors and start going more internal for bigger and better results: 1. Unglue Yourself from Social Media 2. Get Some Fresh Air and Exercise 3. Indulge Your Creativity Read more here: Why Focusing On Your Competitor Could Be Killing … Read more

How to Find Your Brand’s Unique Content Differentiation Factor and Use It to Your Advantage

February 7, 2024November 13, 2018 by Adam Oakley

Every brand has at least one unique “thing” that sets them apart. The “it” factor. If you’re involved in building your own brand or a business, you absolutely need to make sure you’ve identified that “one thing” that individualizes your message and your content. That factor that differentiates you from your competitors. The one essential element everybody else is missing. Without it, you’ll risk blending into the masses. You’ll turn into another blip in the content sea. Seen and heard today, forgotten tomorrow. A scary, but true, reality. So, my question for you today is: What is your content differentiation factor in your industry? First, let’s define. What do I mean by “content differentiation factor?” This is a concept I teach in my Content Strategy & Marketing course and have written about in my book. Your content differentiation factor (or CDF) is that one, unique thing – the it-factor – that separates you from the billions of other content pages on the web. It’s the angle you present that provides a slightly different, new spin on topics your readers have seen before. Joe Pulizzi of CMI calls this your pivot in the industry – more specifically, your content tilt. Joe talks about this concept in his book, Content Inc., which I highly recommend reading. He says: When you have a solid differentiator, you stand out in a great way. Your voice rises to the top and gets heard. People want to hear what you have to say because it’s unique, useful, and valuable. It’s how you not only reach your audience but reach them powerfully. For today’s topic, let’s start by looking at a few perfect examples of brands that have it and use it to their advantage, and then get into how to find YOUR content differentiation factor. Two Examples of Brands Killing It With a Solid Content Differentiation Factor (CDF) Here are two amazing brands that are doing a killer job at using a CDF that aligns them with their audience. 1. Society6 First up, a brand with a solid CDF that perfectly caters to their audience – Society6. This is essentially a printing service where you can get custom-designed items such as wall art, mugs, notebooks, t-shirts, phone cases, and even bedding, shower curtains, and furniture. The differentiator which sets Society6 apart from similar printing services is the artist community that serves as their foundation. Instead of offering pre-designed patterns and templates, Society6 sources designs from independent artists all over the world who receive a cut of the profits. Their content ties into their CDF perfectly. They regularly feature original pieces from artists selling designs on Society6. View this post on Instagram “Message from the Sea” by Christian Schloe / Link in bio @Society6 A post shared by Society6 (@society6) on Oct 25, 2018 at 5:58pm PDT They also have a blog with more artist features, tips for creatives selling their designs on the platform, and home décor tips using their custom-printed goods. Finally, Society6’s huge following and high content engagement speak to how well tapping into their content differentiation factor has played out. On Instagram alone, they have over half a million followers, and each post averages thousands of likes and comments. Society6’s unique artists are their greatest asset, and they use this CDF to reach out to both consumers who want to support small businesses as well as creators looking to support themselves with their art. [bctt tweet=”How are you differentiating yourself from others in your niche? What makes you stand out? @JuliaEMcCoy’s guide talks about content differentiation factor, plus examples, and how to do it. #contentmarketing #cdf ” username=”ExpWriters”] 2. Taste of Home Another brand nailing their content differentiation factor: Taste of Home. Originally a magazine dedicated to showcasing favorite recipes from home cooks, Taste of Home now has an online presence chock-full of content catered to their readers. For example, their website serves as an extension of their printed compilations of reader-submitted recipes. However, what sets the brand apart is the fact that only the best of the best get featured because each is tested by the Taste of Home kitchen beforehand. Every recipe comes with tips, anecdotes, or secrets from the cook who submitted it. Taste of Home leans into their CDF online and carries over the main mission from their print magazine: “foster[ing] a strong and loyal sense of community among like-minded home cooks of all ages.” Along with user-submitted recipes and food-related blog posts, Taste of Home also populates their social media feeds with eye-catching video content. Manicotti, simplified. > Get the recipe for Easy-to-Stuff Manicotti: https://t.co/chpdYg1myp pic.twitter.com/MOZv3UMiYc — Taste of Home (@tasteofhome) October 31, 2018 Finally, their engaged community speaks to how well Taste of Home has used their CDF to their advantage. They essentially tap into the heart and warmth of home cooking. How to Find Your Content Differentiation Factor (and Why It’s Different from Your Unique Selling Proposition) It’s easy to mistake your content differentiation factor for your unique selling proposition, and vice-versa. [bctt tweet=”Your unique selling proposition is NOT the same as your content differentiation factor. What makes you stand out in your industry? ” username=”ExpWriters”] But, remember: They’re not one and the same. Your unique selling proposition (USP) is the factor that makes your products or services better or more valuable than your competitors. Your content differentiation factor is the unique angle you present as a brand/business. It’s how you approach industry topics and write about them from your individual perspective. In short, your CDF is more akin to your motto, your mission, or your mantra. It’s how you approach connecting to your audience. To do it, you need to present them with an angle they haven’t seen before: your angle. Here’s how to find it: 1. Don’t Over-Focus on Your Products/Services This great blog from Jay Baer represents the pitfalls of what can happen when brands only focus on their … Read more