As Oscar Wilde once said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about”. When it comes to online media, he might have a point.

If the market isn’t talking about you, then it is likely to be because your message is dull or you aren’t reaching your audience. Either way, the sound of online silence means that  your content may need addressing without falling into the ‘danger zone’, as in the cautionary tale of Tesco when, following the now infamous horsemeat scandal, its corporate accounted auto-tweeted:

“It’s sleepy time so we’re off to hit the hay. See you at 8am for more #TescoTweets”

To get people talking about your firm in the right way, the following tips should help:

Be bold

Many companies prefer to stick to a no-nonsense approach to their content marketing, believing a professional and formal tone is unlikely to damage their brand’s reputation and keeps them out of the danger zone.

Use humour

As long as it doesn’t detract from your message, using humour in your content is likely to be more impactful, but it should be universal and not offensive.

Tell a story

As humans, our language, culture and identity are all entrenched in the fact that we like to tell, and be told, stories.

Make it relevant to the individual

Don’t just post a press release about your new products. Instead, tell your audience why they need to check them out.

Be consistent

If you have a reputation for being a little cheeky then your audience will come to expect this of you. A dry post thrown in the mix will have people disengaging.

Fill a need

Content should fulfil something in its audience, whether that’s a need to be entertained, informed or educated. Look at your content before publishing and ask yourself whether it’s fulfilling your needs or your audience’s.

Steven Morris