New Managers February 2019

MARKETING CHALLENGE: 1000 Words Can Be Worth More Than A Picture

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A picture is worth more than 1000 words... this phrase has been translated in dozens of ways, but all represent the sentiment that a simple image can represent a complex message with great impact. Similarly, a well-written blog can paint a picture for a reader and bring concepts to life in memorable ways.

Blogs can be a real communication boon to niche and emerging managers who struggle to be heard within the financial community. According to a study conducted by Time, Inc in 2018, 90% of consumers prefer custom content, and 89% of people believe custom content helps brands break through the clutter. If the average blog is 1000 words and the average reader reads at a rate of 250 words per minute, is 4 minutes too long to invest in learning how to blog effectively?

EVERY WORD MATTERS

One of my favorite blog sites is IFL Science, a repository of news nibbles. The site is virtual brain fast food, allowing readers to select topics from environmental to political, healthcare to human interest. Each post is an idea teaser with links embedded to additional research or content for readers wanting more information.

The headlines often draw a reader in, such as a recent personal favorite: Female Brains Appear More Than Three Years Younger Than Males', Study Suggests. Despite representing ideas and news bites from all manner of topics, these blogs share universal qualities that make them compelling reads. Each captures a subject in short, pithy phrases. They also frequently include counter-intuitive concepts that challenge a reader to rethink established positions. Most are intellectually controversial in a manner that is thought-provoking.

These qualities make the posts, and the site in whole, memorable. By the site's own viewership stats, it seems to be working: 50 million unique viewers visit monthly, with a gender split of 50/50, and a social media Facebook reach of over 625 million. THE RULE OF THREE Blogs can be val......................

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This article was published in Opalesque's New Managers a top-down monthly analysis, news and research publication on the global emerging manager space.