The Balancing Act of Familiarity and Originality in Content Marketing

For marketers, the challenge is always to strike a balance between familiarity and originality when creating content. Familiarity is comfortable, but originality is what sets you apart from the crowd. So how do you find the right balance? In this article, we’ll explore the challenges of balancing familiarity and originality in content marketing, and how you can find the perfect balance to create a successful strategy.

Familiarity: The Comfort Zone

Familiarity is comfortable. People like what they know and are used to seeing. That’s why formats like listicles and how-tos are so popular. They offer a clear structure, a predictable storyline, and a solution to a problem that your audience is already aware of. That’s also why they work well with search engines, and why they’re a cornerstone of successful content marketing.

However, relying too much on familiarity can be dangerous. You run the risk of creating content that’s too generic and unremarkable to stand out from competitors’ content. Also, sticking to safe formats and topics can quickly become stale and boring for your audience. It would help if you kept them engaged and interested, which is where originality comes in.

Originality: Standing Out from the Crowd

Originality is what sets brands apart from others in a crowded market. The content that stands out is unique, fresh, and offers a new perspective or idea. Original content challenges the reader to think differently, or to approach an issue in an untried way. It’s a potent way to build brand awareness and reputation.

To create original content, you need to push outside your comfort zone and approach the subject with a fresh eye. Try to think about new angles, unique insights or lesser-known aspects of a particular topic. In most cases, being original requires a lot more work.

The Challenge of Balancing Familiarity and Originality

The challenge of balancing familiarity and originality is to challenge the narrative that audiences expect, while still offering recognizable solutions to their problems. Too much novelty can shock or lose an audience. Too much familiarity can lead to boredom and disinterest. The way to create an effective content marketing strategy is to find a middle ground. One way to do this is to create a content strategy that includes a mix of familiar formats and original content.

For example, a blog article might begin with a tried and tested format such as a step-by-step guide, but then introduce original insights and ideas not usually covered in similar articles. Another way is to use familiar content and structures to introduce new or forward-thinking ideas.

Conclusion

Striking a balance between familiarity and originality brings the best of both worlds to your content. However, the balance isn’t always easy to find. It takes a lot of experimenting and testing to create a successful content marketing strategy that resonates with your audience. You need to understand your audience’s needs and expectations, try new things, and always evaluate your content to see whether it’s striking the right balance. Utilize the right tools, such as analytics, to measure the effectiveness of your content and tweak your strategy accordingly. By doing so, you can create content that stands out in a crowded market while still delivering what your audience wants and needs.