I’ve recently been asking myself what it means to write authentic content. I feel like I know the answer and I live by that idea, but like so many writing concepts, the real definition eludes me on some days. 

For instance, I recently read an article about a woman who is rebuilding her life after a cheating scandal ended her 18-year marriage. The writer detailed her journey from shock to sadness to finding new happiness and her vulnerability was both breathtaking and mesmerizing. The writing resonated with me and I felt the story to be genuine and life changing, giving it the gold seal approval for authenticity. 

While I do believe that I lead with my voice, there are times when I find myself asking how I could be better at crafting more authentic content. So naturally, I put together a guide. 

What exactly is authentic content?

At its core, authentic content is writing that offers meaningful information to readers. Rather than supplying generic tips and undefined recommendations, authentic content seeks to educate and supply readers with the information they’re seeking. As you may well know, not all internet searches supply great results and not all queries truly contain what a user is looking for. Understanding your reader’s search intent will help you craft authentic content that meets the objectives of their search.

But authentic content goes beyond simply being helpful information, it should be delivered using your unique voice and perspective. Only you have experienced the individual breadth of experiences that make you who you are. Drawing on those first-hand experiences and using real-life expertise will lend perspective to your writing and help you develop your voice. 

Consider Rotary, an organization devoted to helping people around the world. Their blog features engrossing stories of service from around the globe. The stories are personal and highlight human interest stories that draw in readers and exude authenticity. 

Developing your voice

Your voice is a combination of your perspective and your personality. It’s the balance of all of your traits and opinions. Your voice will be closely aligned with your online persona, making it essential that you consider one alongside the other. Your online persona, narrowed down to its foundational elements, is your reputation and how others perceive you. 

Here are a few things you can do to help develop your voice. 

• Write often and experiment with different styles. See what feels most natural and identify what makes you take pride in your writing. 
• Identify what you think are your defining characteristics. Do people often describe you as funny or thoughtful? Do those around you often comment on your selfless nature or eccentricities? Hone in on what these are and use them as part of your writing.
• Reflect on your spoken voice. What sort of speaking patterns and language styles do you notice? And which ones do people respond to the most?
• Avoid the copycat. You will inevitably have writers that speak to you, that you enjoy reading. But attempting to mimic others will only starve your content of the unique perspective you have to offer. Be you and only you. 
• Embrace your evolution. Just as people grow and change, so do our opinions and our voices. Be open to new influences and perspectives and allow for that fluidity in your writing. 

Crafting authentic content

Readers love authentic content. It can be raw, uncensored, emotionally jarring or perspective altering. It can make you see your own life under a new lens or it can provide new insights or a fresh take on a highly debated topic. Or it can just be real, thoughtful, genuine content.

Authenticity comes when you draw insights from your own experiences and use it to inform what you perceive around you. Not everything you write will have the same biopic flavor, but you can create authentic content regardless of your field. For instance, I recently read an article about a recovering perfectionist and how she found joy in imperfection. Written by a psychotherapist, I appreciated the analysis of her own behavior through her own expert lens. It created an interesting intersection between her personal and professional lives. 

Here are a few additional tips for crafting authentic content. 

• Be genuine: Avoid flowery language, jargon and complexity without cause. 
• Research thoroughly: Make sure to let readers know that your perspective has merit and your claims are valid. 
• Share personal stories: Personal anecdotes are always a good hook. Try sharing experiences that have bearing on your topic of choice. 
• Focus on value, not virality: Viral content is sometimes authentic, but most often, it’s sensational and blown up for the hype. It’s also worth noting that viral content does not have much staying power and people tend to forget it once the next thing comes along. Focus on providing real value for a small group, rather than sensation for a large one. 
• Write with empathy: We’re all human and it’s that vulnerable side of us that makes us relatable. Let your empathy show for readers and those with different opinions alike. 
• Engage in dialogue: This can be a tough one to keep up with (and admittedly, you’ll have to watch out and avoid the dreaded troll), but discussing your content with readers only helps improve your voice and goals. 

Here are some exercises you can try to help you craft authentic content.

• Write a lesson learned: Describe what happened and how it changed your trajectory. Identify how this impacts your current work or perspective. 
• Develop a personal slogan: Slogans are short and concise and it can be difficult to narrow down a topic to so few words. Doing so will help you identify the key elements of your voice and personality.
• Write a letter to a friend about a personal experience: Identify what sort of patterns emerge in your language and tone when writing about something personal to a trusted reader. Think about how you can apply that voice to your other writing. 
• Record yourself talking about a topic of interest: Listen to yourself to see if you can identify areas where you sound excited or passionate from an outsider’s perspective. Note these areas of interest for exploring at a later time. 
• Pick a boring paragraph and rewrite it using your voice: Identify how your changes made a positive impact and changed the tone of the paragraph. 
• Interview yourself: What themes and passions emerge from your interview? What kind of article would you write about the answers you’ve given? Identify and note these trends.
• Try a “Why do I care” writing prompt: Pick a topic that gets you excited and explain in great detail why you care. What themes and passions emerge? What would you write about the answers you’ve given? Read your response and evaluate key themes. 
• Analyze your writing hero: Read something from your writing hero with an analytical eye. Hone in on what makes that person a good writer and storyteller and find out which of those elements you’d like to weave into your own writing. 

Leading with your voice

Once you’ve developed your voice, you have to use it. You may understand what makes you yourself, but how do you imbue your writing with that same magic? Here are some things to consider.

• Identify your tone and style: Pick out words and patterns that are unique to your writing and make sure to use those elements as you craft your content.
• Write as though you’re the reader: What do you like and what would make your content appealing for you as a reader? Think about that as you develop your content. 
• Be human: So much of what people write is cold and lifeless without any real discerning characteristics. Our humanity is what make us relatable so don’t remove those elements. 

Your voice will be your defining characteristic in a world where so many people consume content online. It is your brand and your identifier. Maintaining consistency with your voice will help to build a following. Here are some things to consider.

• Choose a point of view and stick with it. Do you plan to address the reader in second person or use the first-person “I”?
• Decide what kind of style you want to have. Some writers prefer quirky language to set themselves apart while others prefer a strictly professional tone to reach an academic audience. 
• Select topics you feel strongly or passionate about. It’s easier to maintain an authentic voice when you are genuinely interested in the content you’re exploring. 

Leading with your voice can be difficult and it can make you vulnerable, putting your true self out there. The result will be brave and authentic and I know that’s what I’d rather read. A Cup of Jo embodies this nicely and regularly puts out fresh authentic content. 

Adapting voice for different audiences while maintaining authenticity

Most writers will develop content for different audiences over time. The key is to understand who you’re writing for without sacrificing your voice. Think about a scientist who is invited to explain the effects of climate change for a weather website. The average person using a weather website isn’t going to have in-depth knowledge about climate change and won’t understand complex scientific terminology. That same scientist may need to adjust how they discuss climate change to novices while maintaining voice.

Here are some things you can do to maintain your voice while adjusting for your audience. 

• Understand who you are writing for: If you are writing for a new audience, evaluate the key personas and remove language that might be deemed inappropriate or difficult to understand, but keep your style. If every assertion you make has an example as evidence, continue to do that while adjusting the examples for the audience. 
• Identify your non-negotiables: What makes your writing your own? Separate the style or tones that you feel are defining characteristics and keep those consistent regardless of audience.
• Know the goal: What do you hope to accomplish with the content? Hone in on adjusting content to accomplish your goal while keeping your personality consistent. 

Authentic content will always win. Readers are drawn to writers with relatable voices. 

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