A client came to me today and said she wants marketing content that is “like Seth Godin.” Fortunately, I’m in danger of achieving “fan-girl” status when it comes to Seth since I interviewed him for a trade magazine last year, so I knew exactly what she meant.

What makes Seth—and bloggers like Chris Brogan, J. Money, and others—stand out?

1. They aren’t afraid to be themselves. We’ve all read about the importance of transparency, but transparency is more than revealing a few secrets about what you do in your spare time. Your marketing content should be uniquely “you.” And yes, a good freelance writer can be “you” on your blog as well as you can (if not even better!). You don’t get much more transparent than these birthday videos from Chris Brogan in a recent post.
2. They are short but sometimes not-so-sweet. This ties in with Number One on this list. It’s okay to be brutally honest if that’s who you are. If you have something to say, get to the point. Skip the niceties.
3. They are truly original. We’ve all heard the expression, “There are no new ideas.” But guys like Seth Godin have a way of putting a new spin on old standards that makes their ideas feel new and revolutionary. If you want to keep people reading your marketing content, be different. (Or, as Seth says, “Be remarkable.”) Go crazy. Take chances.
4. They create marketing content that is easy to remember and easier to share. I never feel like I’m asking a favor of people if I suggest they read Seth’s blog. Instead, I feel like I’m doing something nice for them, because they’ll learn something important or, at the very least, walk away smiling.

Dawn Allcot is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments. WriterAccess is powered by ideaLaunch, a full service content marketing agency serving hundreds of clients and thousands of writers since 2000.

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Tags: content marketing

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