Content Creation Techniques

Demand gen is utterly broken. It's overly complicated & lacks the soul and creativity that consumers deserve. I promise there's a better way. Here's the 3-pronged content engine we're building for companies at storyarb: Principles: - Treat your content as the product, not as marketing for another product - Unique insights + Unique voice + Unique packaging = Unique content - Pick topics that make your Market of 1 better at their job Channels: 1) Deeply researched long-form content Purpose: create data-driven OR interview-based website content that is deep enough & insightful enough such that a reader feels the need to bookmark & reference later. Good examples: Lenny Rachitsky: "How the biggest consumer apps got first 1,000 users" - Lenny interviewed hundreds of founders, identified patterns, and broke down the seven strategies consumer apps used to grow. Carta: "State of Private Markets: Q3 2024" Report - Using tons of internal funding data by Carta customers to pull together trends in startup funding for the quarter. HubSpot: "My First Million's Business Idea Database" - Aggregating & organizing 57 startup ideas shared by past MFM podcast guests into an e-mail gated database 2) Editorial email newsletter Purpose: create the best industry read for your market of 1 that allows you to build an owned audience of current/future customers. Good examples: - Content Examined by Alex Garcia: the best read for consumer content marketers, which acts as a perfect nurturing tool for his community, course, and agency - Big Desk Energy by Tyler Denk 🐝: a window into building a high-growth startup as it's happening by the founder of beehiiv - Exploding Topics: a snapshot of 4 emerging trends (based on google search data) that founders & investors should be aware of. 3) Personal brand social content Purpose: allow your market of 1 to build a parasocial relationship with your company through 1-4 personalities (execs, founders, etc) who enable connection with your faceless brand. Good examples: - Adam Robinson: fully transparent monthly breakdowns of his companies' (Retention.com & RB2B) performance with lessons learned & plans to fix key issues - Peter Walker: Head of Insights at Carta uses first party data from the company to share unique startup ecosystem trends + his own POV - Kieran Flanagan: AI & GTM expert who shares deep marketing insights, playbooks, and predictions that help build his & HubSpot's brand If you want help building this 3-pronged engine at your company, shoot me a DM or email at alex@storyarb[.]com.

When I started building my brand ecosystem publicly, everything shifted. The traditional advice says, "build it and they will come." But after studying founder brands, I've learned that most founders are stuck choosing between getting attention and maintaining integrity. Last year, I watched a brilliant entrepreneur struggle with this exact paradox. When I shared my Brand Trust Equation with her, something beautiful happened. Here's what I learned about building in public through systematic brand development: 1. Identity System Transparency Share your core messaging, positioning, and values openly. Building your identity in public creates accountability for authentic choices. Your audience connects with the journey, not just the destination. 2. Content System Broadcasting Document your strategic output across all platforms transparently. Sharing your content framework helps others while establishing your authority. Your systematic approach demonstrates professionalism and intentionality. 3. Experience System Documentation Show how people interact with your brand at every touchpoint. Building your customer journey in public creates better experiences for everyone. Your process transparency helps prospects know exactly what to expect. 4. Conversion System Sharing Reveal how attention becomes revenue in your business model. Building your funnel in public demonstrates the value of systematic thinking. Your transparent approach shows prospects the clear path forward. 5. Lighthouse Content Strategy Create cornerstone pieces that attract your ideal audience while repelling everyone else. Building your manifesto, methodology, case studies, and vision in public establishes authority. Your transparent philosophy becomes a filter for quality connections. This approach builds long-term brand equity instead of short-term attention. 6. Platform Synergy Framework Show how different platforms serve different purposes in your ecosystem. Building your multi-platform strategy in public creates strategic alignment. Other founders learn how to maximize impact across channels. This isn't just about building brands, it's about creating beautiful, systemized, and authentic businesses that serve both founders and their communities. When you build your brand ecosystem in public, you're not just attracting attention. You're building trust through the Brand Trust Equation: (Consistency × Authenticity × Value) ÷ Self-Promotion. The solution isn't choosing between integrity and attention, it's building systems that deliver both simultaneously through transparent, value-first brand development. The future belongs to those brave enough to build their brand systems in public. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Curious how this could look inside your business? DM me ‘System’ and I’ll walk you through how we help clients make it happen. This is for high-commitment founders only.

Want your words to actually sell? Here’s a simple roadmap I've found incredibly helpful: Think of crafting your message like taking someone on a mini-journey: 1. Hook them with curiosity: Your headline is the first "hello."  Make it intriguing enough to stop the scroll.  Instead of just saying "Email Marketing Tips," try something like "Want a 20% revenue jump in the next 60 days? (Here's the email secret)."  See the difference? Promise + Specificity = Attention. 2. Tell a story with a villain: This might sound dramatic, but hear me out.  What's the problem your audience is facing?  What's the frustration, the obstacle, the "enemy" they're battling?  For the email example, maybe it's "wasting hours on emails that no one opens."  Giving that problem a name creates an instant connection and a sense of purpose for your solution. 3. Handle the "yeah, but..." in their head: We all have those internal objections.  "I don't have time," "It costs too much," "Will it even work for me?"  Great copy anticipates these doubts and addresses them head-on within the message. 4. Show, don't just tell (Proof!): People are naturally skeptical.  Instead of just saying "it works," show them.  Even a simple "Join thousands of others who've seen real results" adds weight. Testimonials, even short ones, are gold. 5. Make it crystal clear what you want them to do (CTA):   Don't leave them guessing!  "Learn the exact steps in my latest guide" or "Grab your free checklist now" are direct and tell them exactly what to do and what they'll get.  Notice the benefit in the CTA example: "Get sculpted abs in just 4 weeks without dieting." And when you're thinking about where you're sharing this (LinkedIn post, email, etc.), there are different ways to structure your message. The P-A-S (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or A-I-D-A (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) frameworks are classics for a reason. The core difference I've learned? Good copywriting isn't about shouting about your amazing product. It's about understanding them – their challenges, their desires – and positioning your solution as the answer in a way that feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

Want to build your personal brand faster? ↳ Study your competitors They're your 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐜𝐮𝐭. So steal my 5-step process below to turn your “competitors” into content that feels authentically you: 1. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 Don't analyse random influencers; identify people in your industry who you 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘦. Look for people in different stages: Leading figures, those 10-20 years ahead of you, those 2-3 years ahead and those who have just started out. Don't fall into the trap of identifying just the most famous people in your industry (they're not relatable). You can do this by using LinkedIn Sales Navigator and SimilarWeb. 2. 𝐃𝐨 𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞 + 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 What exactly do you like about them? Break it down: • Do they drop spicy takes on industry norms? • Use a strong visual style or unique colour palette? • Teach deep concepts in simple, swipeable carousels? This gives you direction - not to copy, but to adapt. 3. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭 Now you need to do a real deep-dive of their content. Your goal: Figure out 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 how they've built their personal brand. Hot tips: Create a content inventory spreadsheet, set up Google Alerts and track them across their socials. While engagement metrics are important, go beyond just noting how many comments they get - read the comments. How much of it is spam & how much is genuine? If the engagement is on LinkedIn, even better. You can click to learn the background of each person who has commented and engaged with their posts. 4. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 Most people stop at #3 but you can go further. Use tools that the experts use to elevate your content. E.g. Google Suggests, AnswerThePublic (you get a visual map of questions people ask!), SEMrush, Keyword Insights, Google Trends (be geographical with your queries) & TikTok Creator Center (the 'secret' to how many TikTokers have gone viral). 5. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 Now you should have a list of topics to write. Hot tips: • Batch your work • Implement the 80/20 test rule: 80% proven formats (based on competitor success) with 20% experimental content • Highlight posts that do really well; do small amendments & schedule to re-release them 2-3 months after they were first published * Don't sleep on your competitors. Instead: Study what they say, how they say it, and what hits. Use SEO tools to validate those topics. Then add your perspective and lived experience. 💬 Want to learn more about building your personal brand? Check out: https://lnkd.in/gshGPvqy

SEO Content vs Content EXPERIENCES - Why writing content will NOT be enough. With all the AI-driven content being pushed into the market, the kind of content that will stand out is going to be content that allows users to participate rather than just consume it. You will need to involve the user in the content and make them experience it. This can help your users gain information like never before. We experimented with this thesis with one of our clients. (Quick context about the client: They were (potentially) hit by HCU, and many of their blogs were not performing at all. This meant we couldn't just publish a regular blog and expect it to rank.) The team decided to create an interactive quiz element on this blog. This allowed the users to consume content AND participate in it. And check out the rankings of this blog (refer screenshot attached). From nothing to first page in a matter of days. Mind you, this was a site hit by HCU and we were competing against multiple DR 90+ sites plus a .gov website too. (Huge shoutout to Shivani Dhiman for coming up with this idea and Nishaanth Kumar for executing it.) This is not a one-off case, you can see this trend everywhere. Chess(.)com also does this really well. They have a sub folder /openings with all the chess openings and their explanation. And they have interactive chess boards for each opening to help you learn these moves by playing them. Result? 225K monthly traffic JUST from these pages. Storylane revolutionised demo-led SEO with highly interactive demos. They are CRUSHING it with a 20X jump in traffic in a year. And you know the best part? Your favourite SEO tool would flag these demo pages as thin content, but they are crushing it despite this. Why though? Why do these content experiences work? This works because you give value to users in a way they have never experienced. Information gain need not happen only via new information; it can happen with existing information packaged differently. So it won't be enough if you just create "SEO content" (hate that term) moving forward. Because everybody and their grandmother is doing the same. Besides, with this kind of vanilla content, your biggest competitor will be Google, which has AI overviews. So to counter your competitors and Google, you must think beyond content writing - you need to think of experiences. Because content might be king, but content experiences build the empire.

I warmed up a prospect for 3 months on LinkedIn before our first call. They signed a £75K deal in 3 days. Modern selling demands a new approach: cold outreach fails, warm relationships win. Think about it... That prospect had consumed 47 of my posts. Watched my videos. Read my articles. Engaged with my content. By the time we jumped on that first call? They already trusted me. They already knew my approach. They already understood the value. I didn't have to sell them. They'd already sold themselves. Here's my framework for turning content into closed deals: 👇 1. Build trust at scale BEFORE the pitch Stop spraying and praying with cold messages. Start building relationships through value. Each post builds trust. Your insights mark credibility. Stories create connection. Your content is doing the heavy lifting while you sleep. 2. Let buyers self-educate on THEIR timeline Modern buyers don't want to be sold to. They want to discover solutions themselves. ↳ 70% of the buying journey happens before they talk to sales ↳ They're researching you before you even know they exist ↳ Your content is either attracting or repelling them Give them what they need to make informed decisions. 3. Recognize the REAL buying signals Forget MQLs and SQLs. Think about PQLs (product qualified leads) Here's what actually matters: - Multiple engagements across different posts - Bringing colleagues into the conversation - Asking specific, detailed questions - Moving from public comments to private messages These aren't leads. These are pre-qualified buyers. 4. Keep momentum BETWEEN meetings Here's where most deals die: The 167 hours between your calls. While you're chasing other prospects, your buyer is: ↳ Getting cold feet ↳ Talking to competitors ↳ Forgetting why they were excited Smart sellers stay present even when they're not there. This is where tools like Consensus come in. They let buyers explore demos on their own time. Answer their questions at 10 PM. Share materials with their team. Stay engaged between touchpoints. It's how you keep social selling momentum right through the demo stage. https://lnkd.in/ePVWw-Bi 5. Close with confidence, not pressure When trust is already built? When value is already proven? When buyers are already educated? Closing feels natural, not like a battle. The best deals I've ever closed felt inevitable. Because the relationship started months before the opportunity. Here's what this approach delivers (in my experience): ✓ Significantly faster sales cycles ✓ Much higher close rates ✓ Bigger deal sizes (pre-sold = less negotiation) ✓ Happier customers (they chose you, not the other way around) Stop thinking of social selling as "nice to have." Start treating it as your primary sales strategy. Your next big deal isn't in your CRM. They're scrolling LinkedIn right now. What content are you creating to catch them? #ConsensusPartner

The biggest content creation myth? That you need fresh ideas every day. What most creators think: → Every post needs to be brand new → More content means more creation time → Quality requires starting from scratch → Inspiration must strike for good content What successful creators know: → One idea can become multiple posts → Systematizing creation saves time → Quality comes from refinement, not novelty → Content banks beat inspiration any day The repurposing system that saved me 10+ hours weekly: Create content pillars, not individual posts ↳ One core idea can spawn 5-7 unique angles Change format, not message ↳ Turn how-to posts into stories into questions Update past high-performers ↳ Add new insights to proven content Mine your comments for standalone content ↳ Your best posts often start as responses Stop creating more. Start leveraging what you've already created. PS. What's your best-performing post that deserves a refresh and repost?

A client once told me something I'll probably never forget. "I reached out because I trusted your clients before I even knew you." That message came from a professional in Dubai about a year ago. He hadn't discovered me through a viral post or an advertisement. He had read one of my LinkedIn recommendations from an existing client. One trusted recommendation created a conversation, and that conversation became a long-term partnership. From the beginning, we made one decision. We wouldn't build a content strategy around algorithms. We built what I call the Professional Trust Flywheel™: Expertise → Useful Content → Trust → Opportunities → Stronger Reputation. Every post had one purpose: strengthen trust. Over the past year, consistent publishing produced a pattern rather than isolated wins. The two analytics screenshots I'm sharing are simply recent examples. Almost every post now generates meaningful reach, engagement, profile visits, qualified conversations, and inbound business opportunities. One recent post crossed 100,000+ impressions with more than 5,000 engagements, 140+ reposts, and 100+ comments. Another crossed 120,000+ impressions, reaching over 85,000 professionals. The profile also grows by approximately 2,000 to 3,000 followers every month. But the numbers aren't what impressed me most. One observation surprised me after working with multiple client accounts. The posts generating the strongest business opportunities aren't always the ones with the highest reach. They're usually the ones people save, share, and return to later. Those behaviors signal something deeper than engagement. They signal trust. That's why I've noticed the creators building sustainable businesses rarely optimize for impressions. They optimize for remembered expertise. People don't hire the profile they discovered yesterday. They hire the expert they've been quietly learning from for months. This matters even more in the AI era. Content is becoming easier to create. Credibility is not. AI can generate information, but it cannot replace real experience, professional judgment, client outcomes, or trust earned over time. Today, I no longer ask clients, "How do we make this post go viral?" I ask a different question: "Will the right decision-maker trust you more after reading this?" That single question changes every content decision. My biggest takeaway: The strongest LinkedIn strategy isn't a content strategy. It's a credibility strategy. Content simply carries trust from one professional to another. One quote I strongly believe in: "Virality creates attention for a moment. Credibility creates opportunities for years." If you could build only one asset over the next five years, would you choose a larger audience or a reputation that consistently brings inbound opportunities? Why? LinkedIn #PersonalBranding #LinkedIn #Leadership

Want to build an audience that actually trusts you? Stop chasing shiny new platforms (and why you should focus on podcasts instead): After creating content for over a decade, I realized chasing engagement on every new platform was the wrong formula. Fixating on likes and views overlooks the deeper connection that builds a loyal audience. There's a far better predictor of success: trust. Podcasts, with their intimate audio format and long-form conversations, outperform other platforms at building genuine relationships with your audience. In my content strategy, I care more about authenticity than virality. You need an audience invested in you for the long haul. That starts with trust. Short-form content wasn't my secret sauce. Consistently sharing my expertise and insights was. I care way more about depth than shallow engagement. Give me an hour of meaningful conversation over a thousand likes any day. I want to foster a community, not just a following. People who: • Feel like they know me personally • Value my unique perspective • Trust my recommendations Creating is 1000x more fun with a loyal community that supports each other. I also want listeners who are open-minded and curious… …yet who also have the humility to understand that there’s always more to learn. One of my favorite podcasting tips: "Be yourself and share your genuine thoughts and experiences." Normalize vulnerability. Generic content stifles connection. Diverse perspectives breed loyal listeners. You want to foster a space where open communication and feedback are encouraged. I tell my audience: “Disagree often and debate respectfully, but stay connected through shared values." And for seamless engagement, community is key. See how well your podcast sparks conversations, fosters connections, and creates a sense of belonging. Can you make your listeners feel heard and valued? The ability to empathize and communicate unlocks true community. Viral trends are overvalued. I want an audience who trusts me, values my expertise, and wants to grow together. United by a shared passion, my community of listeners will outperform any number of casual followers. As Maya Angelou said: "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Focus on the right kind of connection. #content #podcast #marketing — Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Scott D. Clary for more. Want more systems for success? Join our community of 321,000+ subscribers today: newsletter.scottdclary.com

Yesterday, I reviewed the content of a founder who wanted to attract more inbound B2B leads through LinkedIn. They were posting consistently— but with zero conversions for the past 3 months. My first reaction: you don’t have a content consistency problem. You have a content psychology problem. Here’s what I mean: They were sharing great insights. But not in the language a founder thinks, speaks, or buys in. No founder is waiting to read your 5 content tips. They do care about this though: → 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀. So I showed them 3 types of psychology-first posts that actually convert in B2B: → 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸-𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁. Instead of “How to build content funnels,” say “You built a content funnel, but forgot the buyer.” → 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗵𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴. Not “audience clarity” but “Why your ICP isn’t even seeing your content.” → 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. Like: “Content doesn’t build trust. Proof does. Content only carries it.” The founder instantly got it. We rewrote just one post, using these exact shifts— and it brought 11 qualified comments and 3 demo requests. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲: If you’re creating B2B content for founders, you don’t need to educate. You need to mirror their thinking back to them—better than they’ve said it themselves. Because B2B founders don’t chase content. They chase clarity. And when your content sounds like how they already think, They trust you without even knowing why. 𝗣.𝗦. This is how I’ve helped B2B creators build trust that actually converts. 👉 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗵𝗮 for more B2B content strategies that convert with clarity.