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Good writing is like a magic trick – it takes years of effort for the writer to perfect and looks effortless to the audience. Many of us, while beginning our journey with writing, get caught up in how breezy the writers before us make it seem, often overlooking the testing and even frustrating process writing can be. This could be okay if you simply wrote for pleasure, however, if you are looking to ace the art and establish yourself as a professional writer in any field, it is important that you learn what makes good content – and more importantly, what does not.

Here are a few common mistakes almost every writer has been guilty of at some point in their career, and you should best avoid:

1. Skipping The Double-check: Editing and proofreading is a crucial part of any good writing. Every first draft is riddled with silly errors that, if not edited, can make your content look unpolished and amateur. An excellent piece that is not double-checked for spelling and grammar can bring down the quality of your work and hamper your reader’s experience. Though there are tools such as Grammarly that can assist you in watching your spelling and grammar, there are no shortcuts. One has to develop a habit of editing and proofreading is an essential addition to your writing practice, if you plan on excelling in the field.

2. Not Investing In Research: As much as we may want to, one can’t spin good writing out of thin air. A strong knowledge base is the backbone of a good piece of writing. Not only does it add value to the content, it also establishes the writer as an expert in their respective field. This rule applies to all forms of writing – be it fiction, prose, or technical, but if you are writing for fields or pieces that are information-heavy, slacking on research is a form of sabotage. In order to build a knowledge base that sets you apart and ahead of the competition, it is advised that you develop a habit of reading and learning. This allows you to constantly grow and stay on top of the latest developments in your field.

3. Working Without Outlines: Developing an outline before one begins writing can really help provide structure to the copy and clarity to the writing process. When working with a team or for a client, an outline can also help maintain effective communication and enhance the quality of work. An ideal outline would cover the following areas: the topic for the piece, the keywords/phrases to be used, word limit/character count, sub-headings, tone/voice, and any additional points that need to be included.

4. Over/Under-using Keywords: One thing that can haunt even seasoned writers is – how many keywords to use. Novice writers can often pack their content with keywords in hopes to rank better on search engines, however, doing so can hamper your reader’s experience. It can also impact the flow and fluency of the piece, which is kind of the foundation of a good piece of writing. Alternatively, many writers do not use many keywords in their writing, which can impact their reach and structure negatively. The right way to use keywords is to break down your keywords/phrases into primary and secondary sets. Use the primary keywords, ones with the highest reach and most relevance, in the first and last paragraph and, if it is a longer piece, in the main body. The secondary keywords should be sprinkled across the piece keeping in mind that they don’t impact the flow for the reader.

5. Not Sectioning Your Pieces: Creating ease of reading for the reader is your primary goal as a writer, and one of the ways of doing this is by sectioning your piece in paragraphs and suitable headings. Psychological studies have shown that doing so can help the reader retain more information and not tire while reading. This is because the subheadings help segment the information and add structure which helps the reader navigate through and recall the content with far more ease than, say, a 500-word long paragraph.

6. Valuing Quantity Over Quality: A long, well-structured, well-informed article is an absolute delight to come across, however, many new writers confuse the length of an article for its quality. The central objective of your writing needs to be to provide useful information in a clear and effective fashion. If your piece is unnecessarily repetitive or derails into unrelated tangents, it will not be a good read. The practice of sectioning your piece, drawing an outline, and double-checking can help trim and structure your piece.

7. Keeping It Too Formal: Many confuse authority with fact-heavy, and sincerity with seriousness, often opting for a tone that is very formal. Humans actively seek connection and engagement, which is why even our bots are given a conversational element to their interactions. In order to find the right tone and flow for your article, try reading it out loud and see if it keeps you interested. If you find yourself getting bored, rest assured your reader will too. Practice various types of conversation writing, such as letter writing, journaling, or personal blog writing in order to perfect the craft.

What makes a piece writing good?

A good piece of writing is based on principles of simplicity, flow, clarity, consistency, and information. It is structured with empathy towards the reader’s experience and aims at establishing a genuine connection. Wondering how you could take your writing to the next level? Read our article on simple methods that every professional writer swears by.

If you have been feeling tired at thought of yet another Zoom call, you might not be alone. When Zoom first became the norm, many of us were relieved at the ease and comfort that came with attending meetings in our pyjamas. However, as time has passed, we have learnt of the many challenges this poses to our well-being.

Researchers are now studying a phenomenon called “Zoom fatigue” which refers to the exhaustion experienced due to excessive exposure to video conferences. Published in a peer-reviewed academic journal, ‘Technology, Mind, Behaviour’ by the American Psychological Association (APA), the study outline the effect that the long durations of virtual interactions have on our health. These physical and mental symptoms could lead to serious discomfort and a drop in productivity.

Do you think you could be experiencing Zoom Fatigue? Here are some symptoms you could keep an eye out for:

1. Feeling tired in between calls

2. Feeling unusually tired at the end of the workday

3. Experiencing difficulty paying attention during meetings

4. Displaying anxious behaviours such as snacking, fidgeting, sweating during your calls

5. Developing complaints of new or increased eye strain or eye irritation

6. Experiencing regular headaches

7. Feeling constantly exhausted

8. Feeling anxious about turning on your camera

Feeling The Fatigue – Now What?

Understanding the causes behind the phenomenon can help us make the required changes to reduce the impact of regular video conferencing on our daily lives. According to the study, four primary causes led to fatigue from video conferencing:

Cause #1: Looking at ourselves in action for unusual amounts of time

Solution: Turn off self-view whenever possible, and allow your team members to sit through meetings with their cameras off.

Cause #2: Prolonged periods of screen exposure

Solution: Utilise other mediums of communication, such as email or phone calls whenever possible, and manage your screen time outside of meetings.

Cause #3: Restricted movement to remain centred with the camera

Solution: Invest in wireless headsets and move around during meetings (whenever your camera is turned off). You could also ensure to keep a 10-15 mins break between each meeting to move around or step outdoors in between meetings.

Cause #4: We have to strain to read non-verbal cues

Solution: Minimise your screen so that the faces are smaller and you are less focused on them. You could also limit video conferencing as a tool only for projects that require active collaboration or visual representation.

Making The Most Of It

While Zoom fatigue is a very real issue, it does not discount the importance of the platform. Zoom has helped ease the process of creating virtual workspaces and is an essential tool in the modern workplace. However, its use must be optimised to reduce its impact on individual wellbeing. To overcome their side effects on health and productivity, video conferencing platforms should be used purposefully and balanced with other tools of communication such as Slack, Trello, Email, and phone calls.

From an idea to a billion-dollar company in under a decade. The story of how cloud-based software company Salesforce.com enjoyed rapid success can offer many lessons to aspiring brands. While its gamut of customer relationship management services and an array of enterprise applications that enable marketing automation, analytics, and application development have helped, the brand had something else up its sleeve as well.

What is your brand’s story?

Salesforce co-founder and CEO Marc Benioff was very careful about how he positioned his burgeoning business in the market at the turn of the millennium. He acknowledged that the market won’t care about yet another startup at a time when new companies were getting in on the dot com bubble every single day. Benioff wanted Salesforce to stand out from the crowd, so he told a classic David vs Goliath story to the media. He described his approach as, “We gave the media something different. We gave them something new. We always positioned ourselves as revolutionaries. We went after the largest competitor in the industry or the industry itself. We made our story about change. We were about something new and different that was good for customers and good for the community. We talked about the future.”

Twenty years later, the media landscape may be different, but the need for content and stories that stand out is greater than ever. Good storytelling helps a brand elevate its relationship with its target audience from a transactional one to an emotional one. It also helps distinguish your brand from others and establish brand loyalty.

What does your brand do?

Source: Salesforce

A SaaS pioneer, Marc Benioff had trouble explaining what Salesforce did to an audience still making sense of the internet. So he used simple metaphors to say his piece. He would say things such as, “Salesforce.com is Amazon.com meets Siebel Systems.” Later when Salesforce launched an AppExchange, he explained that as, “The eBay of enterprise software.”

Such metaphors act as a lens to get the audience to consider ideas or concepts in new ways. It adds context to your brand by creating a mental picture that makes your brand easier to understand, easier to talk about, and easier to share. To craft a brand metaphor that communicates the intended message to your audience, keep the following in mind:

• What do your products and services represent for your customers?

• How do you deliver value?

• What place does your brand fit in your customers’ lives or businesses?

• How does your company behave differently from your competitors?

How strong is your brand?

Marc Benioff had a vision, and he staunchly believed in that vision. He said, “I believed that all software would eventually be delivered in the cloud. I had to believe in it passionately and be ready to constantly defend it.” According to him, your conviction in your own ideas and the ability of your brand to deliver those ideas must be absolute, and that you must be “a little bit crazy” to see things through successfully.

It’s not just about having a story, but believing in that story and being able to sell that story. While tangible brand elements like product features, symbols, taglines will always be critical, internal elements such as reliability, consistency, and dedication will play an equally important role in the success or failure of a brand. All these elements eventually tie back together to portray the true image of your brand.

No matter what your brand does and what it stands for, standing up for your brand and communicating that to your audience is what can make all the difference in today’s world. As the example of Salesforce shows.

It’s often said that your product is only as good as your marketing efforts. Providing the right message at the right time to the right audience is the objective of all marketers, but it’s easier said than done. With new social media platforms gaining traction every few months and algorithms seemingly changing every time you open an app, it can be hard to stay on top of what’s trending without an expert marketing team. Companies spend millions of dollars to build a team of marketers that can spot and take advantage of a trend before their competitor does. However, it doesn’t have to be this way.

Understanding Marketing as a service (MaaS)

Why think outside the box when you can think outside the organization? As business operations such as customer service, sales management, and product management increasingly become automated and integrated into cloud CRMs, marketing still lags behind. However, that’s beginning to change with external marketing service providers able to deliver new marketing experiences quickly and effectively. MaaS providers create a blueprint and a framework for marketing campaigns and then deploy these unique elements as building blocks for individual campaigns. All of these activities are stored in the cloud which is accessible by all stakeholders, leading to ‘on-demand’ marketing.

How is MaaS different from the traditional agency model?

Traditional marketing agencies operate with rigid schedules, and even though they might score highly for creative skill sets, they typically display a lack of technological know-how. MaaS helps mitigate timelines and cost escalations. MaaS providers work more efficiently as they use automation software for asset creation activities such as campaign design, landing page creation, lead nurturing, analytics, etc. Often many full service agencies also prefer to use white label social media management services.

While, of course, not a magic formula, MaaS helps brands extract maximum value from expenditure on marketing efforts through all-around accessibility and agility.

Why do businesses need MaaS?

The biggest roadblocks for a marketing department usually include poor client retention, missed deadlines, a poor ROI, or just general inefficiencies. As marketing becomes increasingly omnichannel and all-encompassing, it presents a major challenge for established brands to stay relevant and for upcoming brands to provide long-term competition. Solving these issues internally by hiring more talent is not a feasible solution because scaling marketing efforts too much too fast could lead to resources being spread too thin. MaaS providers address these resource constraints while at the same time bringing unparalleled expertise to the table. MaaS allows you to outsource and optimize the following functions:

• Content development

• Content presentation

• Online and print media design

• UI and UX design

• Public relations activities

• Lead scoring

• Automation of marketing programs

Why choose to outsource?

Even though an organization’s in-house marketing team may know their brand inside out, an outsourced team brings with them niche specialties that facilitate optimal resource allocation and gaining a competitive advantage. If you are an agency, you might even want to explore white label social media management services. Here’s why:

• Expertise: An MaaS service provider adds to the expertise and skill sets of your marketing team. Some MaaS service providers choose to associate themselves with brands in specific industries. On-boarding such service providers will help small businesses gain the marketing niche necessary to get an advantage over bigger brands and help established businesses tip the scales in their favor in a hyper-competitive market.

• Cost-effectiveness: Marketing departments at many organizations remain short on staff and long on work. Outsourcing non-core functions allows such companies to better allocate their resources and get more bang for their buck.

• Flexibility: Marketing is all about capitalizing on real-time opportunities. With automated services, MaaS ensures that you never miss a trend. An agile marketing strategy fueled by the cloud computing capabilities of MaaS, will increase the likelihood of engaging your audience with current and relevant messaging, and translating that into leads.

In a hyper-competitive world, a marginal gain may be the difference between your organization thriving or merely surviving. However, with the multitude of benefits that MaaS has to offer, it may be an increasingly easy choice to make.

The modern workplace has been in a state of flux over the past 2 years. We are witnessing a rapid change away from our preconceived ideas on leadership and work culture. Remote work set-ups have showcased how productivity is not limited to an employee’s work environment, which has opened the doors for us to experiment with alternative work settings.

The four-day workweek model has recently gained traction due to its success in Iceland and New Zealand. Both the countries were able to achieve a rise in employee productivity and mental wellbeing by reducing the number of working hours from 40 to 32 hours per week. While the group of employees were able to deliver the same output within the reduced window, the reduced working hours also helped them overcome signs of stress and burn-out.

This has the workforce of the world wondering if this model could be the next step in the transformation of the modern workplace – or merely a utopian pipedream.

A Bundle of Benefits

The model comes with an array of benefits, both for the employees as well as the companies. The employees who were involved in the experiments conducted in Iceland and New Zealand reported a significant drop in their stress levels and an improvement in their emotional wellbeing. With more time to themselves, they could now tend to other areas of their lives which often get neglected in a traditional work setting. In addition to this, the companies reported a reduction in operational costs while maintaining the overall output. This meant an increase in profits with increased employee efficiency and wellbeing.

This sure does sound like we’ve struck gold, however, it’s not that simple –

A Global Solution?

While the four-day model is surely promising, it is set in Iceland and New Zealand – both of which are amongst the few developed countries of the world. This makes a huge difference in the type of jobs and labour laws. These factors pose a sizeable challenge in the model’s applicability across the global workforce.

Developing countries have a labour-based market, which means that every hour contributes to their economic growth. This includes countries such as India, which is built on outsourcing its skilled labour resources. When a country like this reduces its work hours, it could directly hinder its economic stability.

India, in addition to being a labour-based economy, poses a special challenge with its labour laws which dictate a 48-hour workweek for employees. While the employees are allowed to work for fewer days a week, they would have to maintain the 48-hour output. This would mean a 10-12 hour workday, making it even more stressful. It completely defeats the purpose of the model – a reduction in working hours, and an increase in employee wellbeing.

Finally, the model is limited to knowledge-based jobs, and might not apply to healthcare, banking, and service or labour-based industries. These industries have the longest workweeks but also offer services that cannot be cut short to a four-day window.

Understanding The Four-Day Workweek Model As An Attitudinal Shift

The four-day workweek model comes with its challenges, but it is a very promising start. It signifies a shift in the mindset towards creating a more holistic work atmosphere. Above all else, it aims at enhancing employee wellbeing. It does not necessarily need to be fewer working hours, but simply a more flexible setting that can better accommodate the needs of the employees.

While the initiative cannot be applied across sectors, it is nudging us to take steps towards building healthier workplaces. Improving on leadership models, building communication skills, extending unconditional support in times of need can contribute to making the workspace feel safer and improve employee wellbeing.

As we revive from the “hustle” culture, where work-till-you-drop was worn like a badge of honour, such initiatives being celebrated is testimony that we are moving towards a healthier tomorrow.

Technology sure has made our lives easier. I mean, I am writing this from a device that weighs as much as a notebook and connects to the world at a click. Before posting this article, I will be running this through an app to check for grammar and sentence structure. When we come to think of it, the changes that technology has brought into our lives are absolutely mind-bending to conceive for the average mind.

Yet, here I am writing to you about the possibility of this very technology threatening my livelihood and trying to make a case that I am a better writer for your brand than a trained bot – all while using a bot’s recommendation to correct my grammar.

We live in a funny world, full of ironies. Let’s dive deeper, shall we?

Here’s What’s Happening…

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been undergoing training through Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing, to develop skills such as writing. The AI is exposed to a huge database of writings and picks up on human behaviour, language patterns, grammar rules and sentence structures.

Existing online tools like Wordsmith and QuillBot are already being used for structuring data-based content and assisting writers with their processes. Apps such as Grammarly are every writer’s go-to for grammar checks, and companies such as Amazon utilise tools that structure product descriptions based on inputs on the product characteristics.

But Can AI Replace Writers? Let’s Find Out…

AI-like technologies are already helping writers across the globe with their writing requirements such as editing and proofing, research, data structuring etc. Simply put, AI writing software can help companies obtain high-quality, fact-driven content at a much faster pace. More content equals more promotion equals more money. Simple math? Not exactly…

Customers aren’t driven solely by facts and stats. What customers of the current generation crave is connection and empathy in the content they consume, and AI bots are yet to strike that chord. AI writers cannot offer personal testimonies or craft stories from personal experience, limiting it exclusively to human writers.

So, Much Ado About Nothing?

The answer isn’t as straightforward as we’d like it to be. With every new technological advancement has come the fear of displacement for the sector it impacts. It happened with the factory workers and craftsmen during the Industrial Revolution, as well as many traditional businesses with the advent of IT. Artificial Intelligence will also displace many professionals, even if all it does is assist the writers in their tasks. As writers have to spend lesser time and energy on each project, they can take up more work, which would require fewer writers for the job.

However, this threat is not as immediate. As the customers seek more empathy and emotional connection from brands, there remains a need for personalised storytelling. Additionally, being a new technology, AI writers would not be affordable to all companies, and would only make a substantial impact in fact-heavy documentation rather than creative content.

“Some people call this artificial intelligence, but the reality is this technology will enhance us. So instead of artificial intelligence, I think we’ll augment our intelligence.” — Ginni Rometty

The current state of AI is more of a supplement to the profession than an outright replacement and can be utilised by writers to enhance their creative talents.

It’s 1941- we are in a Navy base of the U.S Army, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. World War II is underway, and things between the U.S and the Empire of Japan are not exactly friendly. Pearl Harbor is well-protected against air and navy attacks by the Pacific Fleet, but the Washinton receives a message about an attack on U.S Submarine and a planned attack at the Pacific.

Troops at Pearl Harbor have been warned of the possibility, but they are quick to dismiss the warning. They reason and rationalise that the Japanese would not do such a thing as it would mean waging war, which the U.S would definitely win. They also felt secure due to the protection of the Pacific fleet.

Let’s come back to the present day, now. We know that the attack did in fact happen, and it lead to one of the worst nuclear warfares the world has ever seen. Approximately 2,500 lives were lost at Pearl Harbor, which begs the question – could this be prevented if the troops had not rationalised the outcome and prepared according to the warning? Maybe.

A Lesson In History

Pearl Harbor is frequently used as an example of a phenomenon called “Groupthink”. This occurs when internal group dynamics or external pressures compromise the members’ decision-making process and forces them into a consensus.

The troops at Peal Harbor rationalised the intent and motivation behind Japan’s attacks without any concrete knowledge and chose to overlook well-grounded information. They also assumed invincibility in the instance of war, overlooking the possible damage an attack could cause regardless.

How Groupthink Harms Businesses

No group, however big or small, learned or novice, is free from the possibility of engaging in Groupthink. This poses a sizeable challenge for business leaders and team managers. Since the growth of your business relies on effective decision-making processes, groupthink poses as Kryptonite to its wellbeing.

Within a work environment, Groupthink is often a result of a false cohesion, wherein members refrain from sharing opposing ideas to avoid disharmony or hostility from others. This results in creative, out-of-the-box thinking being underappreciated, leading the members to eventually lose interest and stick to the status quo. This way, the team misses out on good insight and perspective that could help in formulating more effective solutions.

All of this, overall, can result in a decrease in profitability and growth. In some cases, Groupthink could result in significant losses and eventual downfall as well.

But, What Causes Groupthink?

Many factors contribute to an environment that restricts a group’s ability to make good decisions, such as peer pressure, censorship, or complacency. These factors, despite their impact, could be very subtle and require deliberate observation of the group dynamics to weed out.

The presence of the following elements in the workspace can signify its members being more prone to groupthink:

1. Presence of a strong, persuasive group leader: Some leaders can dominate the conversation and leave their subordinates feeling intimidated into an agreement. Alternatively, members might also agree with leaders whom they admire and respect, either in an attempt to please them or simply because of their influence.

2. High level of group cohesion: When the group members share a good relationship, many might forego voicing opposing opinions to “not rock the boat”. Such cohesion could also result in peer pressure, wherein members who voice differing opinions are seen as a threat. Such a dynamic could be a result of a lack of diversity with the team.

3. External pressure to make a good decision: A high-risk situation can make the members avoid risky options or out-of-the-box solutions. There is a higher chance that they would stick to tried and tested methods over finding unique and effective solutions. The group could also turn to the leader in such cases and rely solely on their guidance and decisions and refrain from sharing their views.

4. The process is rushed: Time is the mortal enemy of effective decision making. When rushed, groups are prone to skipping over alternative solutions and even overlook risks and red flags. These time crunches can either be due to external deadlines, or a result of members being asked to offer insights on the spot.

Immunity Against Groupthink

When trying to build a team that is immune to Groupthink, the onus of the responsibility falls on the leader – but is not limited to it. By simply gaining awareness of the phenomenon can help the members become more vigilant against it. Practising listening skills and assertive communication within the team can help overcome factors such as peer pressure.

If you are a leader, here are some ways you can push your team members towards making better decisions:

• When brainstorming, allow the members to speak first and reserve your comments for the end to reduce your influence

• Hire people from diverse backgrounds to imbibe more perspectives into the mind-pool

• Ensure that the members have a safe space to present their opinions

• Whenever possible, give the members time to ponder and get back to you with their inputs

• Refrain from favouritism and practice objectivity towards your own biases

• External pressures can be hard to predict, but whenever they arise, take steps to help the members to the ground and follow the process of decision making

Unlocking True Potential

Groupthink can happen to any team at any stage of growth but can be overcome with timely intervention by either the leaders or the members themselves. By taking simple steps towards diversifying team composition, building clear and assertive communication between the members and adapting their style of leadership, group leaders can empower group members to overcome Groupthink.

There is a good reason writing is categorised as a craft. Historically, people have always romanticised the “writer”. Anchored at their desk, in the middle of a sea of crushed sheets of paper. Their pens have been compared to swords, endowed with power and purpose. They have been pictured as people with the superhuman power of influence and vision – and that is in no way an easy job.

The author has to find the right words to invoke certain insight and emotions; and play with grammar, punctuation and sentence structure to keep the writer engaged enough to inspire action. Good writing is driven by empathy and the ability to almost read a reader’s mind. It shares knowledge that the user might find useful, answer questions that they might have, share stories to make them chuckle – the possibilities are truly endless.

If you’re a writer, I’m sure you must have come across multiple tips on how to write better content. Nuggets of advice like using simple vocabulary, sectioning your piece are considered writing 101, but have you ever wondered how these tips actually shape the reader’s experience?

A Reader’s Mind Is A Wonderland

It is one thing to know the so-called “rules” behind good content, but when you are looking to form a “connection” with your audience diving a little deeper surely pays off. Reading is a complex process. Each word, punctuation, and line or para break plays a key role in shaping the writer’s experience. Allow me the honour to break down some of the most popular writing tips and show you why they work in engaging the reader’s mind:

Writing Tip: Keep your words simple

Why it helps: Allows for faster, easier reading, and promotes emotional connection

Big, heavy or complex words may seem impressive, but they are not considered the best practice when writing for an audience. This is because they are not used in day-to-day interactions. So, our braids have to work extra hard to retrieve their associated meanings. Not only does this make the process a lot more tiring, but also makes the message harder to retain. Simple words, or words that are common tongue, need very little work. Since we hear and use them every day, their meanings are easier to fetch.

Additionally, have you ever wondered why big words make a speech seem “robotic” or “fake” to us? Other than the fact that we cannot imagine any person using them in daily banter (the exception being Shashi Tharoor, of course), these words also don’t incite an emotional reaction. Little or no emotional reaction means little to no connection, which is basically doomsday in the content landscape.

Writing Tip: Offer definitions and explanations

Why it helps: Helps readers feel less intimidated and builds the intellectual authority of the author

It is understandable that one cannot always stick to simple words. Bigger words, however uncommon in daily interactions, also play an important role in writing a good piece – it is even advisable to use them to assert expertise within a field. However, going by the general demographic, there is a higher chance of your audience being amateurs or students of the field than experts.

It is important to estimate the average reader’s knowledge base and explain what you can’t simplify. Of course, every word and concept is a Google search but you will have to agree that jumping back and forth between an article and a Google could become really frustrating, real quick.

By offering to simplify complex words and concepts, you make your piece far more inclusive and add much more value to your reader’s experience. Instead of being intimidated by what they don’t know, your readers can expand their knowledge without having to make much effort. Over time, this would make your readers count on you as a source of information and establish you, as an author or an organisation, as the trusted brand within the field.

Writing Tip: Structure and section your piece

Why it helps: Makes your piece easier to read and improves recall

Formatting a piece is just as important as writing it. The modern-day reader is always on the move, and would mostly come across your piece while waiting at a dentist’s office, bus stop, or even at the cash register. This poses us with the challenge of not just engaging our audience, but also allowing them to make the most out of every read. “Skimming” is a very common reading practice, where readers skim for important information in a piece. Now, while this might seem “rude” or a wasteful use of good content, it is a very natural response to the kind of busy lives we lead today. We don’t read for leisure as much as we read to fill the time.

If you want to overcome this, it is advisable to format one’s pieces such that they adequately highlight all the important takeaways. Sub-headings for each section can guide the reader to the parts they find interesting, using bullet points can help the reader go through lists more easily, and highlights, through text formatting, can help them take mental notes. By formatting your piece, you are making the reader’s experience a lot easier, and helping them consume more of your piece in a lesser amount of time.

Another psychological benefit to sectioning and highlighting your piece is that it improves the reader’s attention span. Our brain always has a hard time focussing, but changes in font weights, coloured highlights or bullet points introduce variety and keep the brain engaged.

Writing Tip: Play with sentence lengths for flow

Why it helps: Skips monotony, keeps the mind engaged, makes speech more natural

Have you seen this piece about using varying sentence lengths in your writing to turn your words into music:

I think the post says it all, but let me elaborate just a little. We are trained to pause at full stops and commas. These pauses allow our brain to rest and store away whatever it has learned so far. When the sentences vary in length, we give our brain regular breaks while also keeping the “uncertainty” alive. This helps the brain stay more alert and engaged, hence making the piece “sing”.

Go On – Write Some Music

Of course, I am not talking about literal ballads and operas (you could if you wanted to), but play around with your craft. As a writer, your words have the power to paint pictures for the mind’s eye and take the reader through silent journeys. Take a step towards understanding the reader’s experience. Understand their mind so that they can better understand your words. Imagine their lives, habits – just for kicks – and that will help you write pieces that click. These tips that you read about from time to time are not just structures to make a piece look good. They help you know your reader better. And that’s all you really need to write a good piece of content – to know the mind that’s reading it on the other side.

Imagine your company puts in a tremendous amount of effort and launches a brand new product. Knowing how great the product is, you are confident about its success. But to your great surprise, lo and behold, the product does not seem to be doing well and your company has no idea why.

This is where the marketer’s dream, sentiment analysis, comes into picture.

Not only can you find out whether or not your product is being talked about, you can also analyze whether the reception is positive or negative. Instead of having dedicated personnel constantly scour through multiple social media sites, web pages and articles looking for any mention of your company, you can find out what customers around the world are saying at the push of a button.

In a world where public perception is crucial, having your very own pocket-sized detective can be wonderful.

 

 

What exactly is Sentiment Analysis?

 

To put it simply, sentiment analysis is a technique used to determine the emotion behind any piece of writing. By using concepts of natural language processing, computer linguistics and machine learning, a polarity score can be assigned to any written piece to signify whether the opinions stated are positive, neutral or negative.

Social sentiment analysis in particular uses these concepts to find out what people feel about your brand or product on the internet. Instead of just giving you a count of interactions, sentiment analysis provides a definitive value to each tweet, comment, @-mention and post, providing significant insight into your public perception.

 

 

Why is Sentiment Analysis important for you?

 

The success of any product or service, small or large, is completely dependent on how well it is received by the customers. The image your brand has across social media is crucial for long-term success. Keeping an eye on public sentiment seems more necessary than ever.

Here are the reasons why your business needs to implement sentiment analysis:

Improve customer service

 

Customers love nothing more than being heard. Infact, a survey conducted by Statista showed that about 83% of customers who interact with a company on social media expect a response the same day. Whenever a customer anywhere around the world mentions your company or product, your ears should perk up to hear about it.

By using sentiment analysis you can quickly alert your team regarding any complaints or issues. This gives you ample amounts of time to formulate a response, strategize a plan and then act. A simple follow-up can go a long way in showing that your company cares.

Track public reception

 

Whether it is a new advertisement campaign or the launch of a brand new product, keeping track of how consumers are responding is vital for a growing organization. By analyzing the positive or negative sentiment surrounding your company, you can gain valuable insight into business strategies and product development.

Major companies around the world invest heavily into tracking the social media reception their newest products have. Is your product selling like hot cakes? Find out why. Is your product stuck on the shelf? Discover areas for improvement.

 

Understand your audience

 

Understanding your target audience is at the forefront of any marketing strategy. This includes finding out their feelings about your previous campaigns, products, social media posts and your brand in general.

With the help of social sentiment analysis, you can carefully navigate the ever-changing desires and preferences of your customers. Always stay a step ahead of the curve by understanding the voices you intend to satisfy.

 

Identify your competition

 

Besides just finding out how your brand is performing online, you can also keep an eye on your competitors and see how their products have been stacking up against yours.

Carefully analyzing the social media mentions of your rivals can open new opportunities. Positive sentiments can highlight areas of improvement for your own business whereas negative sentiments can pinpoint avenues for you to capitalize.

 

 

Give it a go!

Sentiment analysis has already taken the world of marketing by storm. Customers gravitate heavily towards the companies that make them the stars of the show and analyzing customer emotions is a great way to do so. Those companies that have already brought sentiment analysis into everyday use have seen substantial growth and with the readily available tools to get started, there should be nothing stopping you from doing so as well.

“People buy stories, not products” is not a cliche but a well-documented actuality. But here’s the catch – the stories that we tell as content marketers often misrepresent reality, especially in terms of gender representation. When brands fail to capture the entire spectrum of gender sensibilities in their research, product design, and content, they perpetuate biases that widen the gender divide – Google search data shows that as well.

There has been an underrepresentation of women’s stories in brand content, and a study by the Female Tribes initiative reinforces this observation. 85% of respondents (women) were of the opinion that most of the brands are far from reality when it comes to depicting women-centric roles and responsibilities.

Brands need to see gender representation in the larger context of telling unique, untold stories that can truly connect with their customers. A classic example is that of Vaseline — which told the story of a knife sharpener who uses vaseline products on her cuts to work and remain competitive in a male-dominated industry. The brand moved away from outlining stereotypical roles associated with women and focused on real people, real emotions, and real-world challenges.

Do people search for these stories to reach a brand? What do the search patterns reveal? How can brands cash in on this data?

Google search data reveal that most products are designed for a “middle-aged, middle class, white male” persona. As women don’t fit into this persona, they are forced to specify their gender in the search bar to get relevant results. Queries such as “women’s PPE suppliers”, “women’s full-face helmets”, and “women’s diving masks” are some good examples.

The search patterns also reveal the existing biases, stigmas, and taboos women face in society. For example, in 2020, the number of searches for “self-defence classes for women” were far more than that of “self-defence classes”. Interestingly, no one searched for “self-defence classes for men”. This trend points towards our innate bias – that only women need to master self-defence. By considering such queries, brands can reimagine their offerings and create storylines that appropriately represent the necessities and frustrations of women.

To better understand the mindset and needs of women, brands can look into the following categories of search data.

1. Women’s safety

India, Thailand, and Vietnam were among the top global markets associated with women public safety-related searches in 2020, such as “taser for women ” and “pepper spray for women”. The total number of entries for “women’s helpline number” also went up by 66% as compared to 2018.

An all-female team of a telecommunication brand came up with a solution that ensures safe travel for women who go out to fulfil their professional and other commitments. It provides a range of security and safety features, including location-sharing alerts with up to 10 emergency contacts in emergency or hostile situations.

2. Women’s financial freedom

According to the World Bank, Southeast Asia scores very low when it comes to financial inclusion. Around 80% of the population in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam isn’t a part of the country’s banking ecosystem. The lack of financial freedom affects women more than men and makes them aggressively lookout for opportunities, as revealed by the search patterns.

Since 2020, people have been googling “loans for women” a lot more (70% more than previous years) in the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Across APAC, entries like “equal pay for women,” “scholarship for women” and “online jobs for women at home” have gained a lot of popularity.

The impact of pandemics can also be seen in the search results. For example, in India, the number of entries made for “jobs for women” were 3.2X higher than “jobs for men”. This trend can be attributed to the post-pandemic layoffs that included 59% women.

A Singapore-based startup leveraged this scenario and created an encouraging financial environment for women entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia. It developed a mobile app that provides tailor-made financial services such as loan management, flexible credit, mentor support, and much more. Other brands can certainly take inspiration and seize opportunities like these.

3. Women’s physical appearance

Society shows its bias when it rigidly sets beauty standards for women but not for men. Women are always put under pressure to meet these standards and feel guilty if they fail to do so. For instance, women across APAC are very much aware of the assumptions made about their bodies. In India, the number of queries for “weight loss app for women” (with no searches for a similar app for men) went up by 130% in 2020, whereas in Thailand, the number of queries for “body shaming after pregnancy” went up by 70%.

Through honest and data-driven storytelling brands can dismantle and not perpetuate such biases. A Japanese clothing brand is doing exactly that, by specifically designing for large-sized women. Not being petite or thin herself, the founder has made it her mission to change people’s minds and help them embrace the idea of body positivity in Japan.

Brands can also reorient conversations around taboo subjects such as menstruation. #TouchThePickle was a popular campaign that questioned the irrational taboos around menstruation. The company conducted a research and found that 59% of women are not allowed to touch pickles, venture out of their homes, or water the plants during their periods. The campaign focused on educating 15 million young women and their communities on menstrual hygiene by 2017. Till today, the campaign’s video has garnered more than 2 million views on YouTube.

Conclusion

Gender, social, or cultural representation isn’t a check box that brands need to tick off. It is a much greater responsibility of bringing unheard voices to the fore and gaining much richer dividends as a brand. Apart from addressing generic user personas who have generic problems, brands should also address the needs of extreme personas – users who face socio-economic, cultural, or gender-based challenges. This way, brands can enlarge their canvas in terms of ideas, storytelling, authenticity, and relevance.