Media and Marketing for Consumer Brands

Why Content Should Actually Say Something

by Editorial Team

One number you can take to the next board meeting: 81% of consumers say being able to trust a brand is a deciding factor in what they buy. Sources: Edelman "In Brands We Trust," Edelman executive summary, PR Newswire.

Content that truly says something holds a reader's attention and rewards their time. Audiences come looking for something that matters: a useful fact, a practical tip, a fresh idea worth carrying into next week. Content earns its place when it says something real, giving the audience a reason to stay and a sense that their time was well spent.

A clear message builds trust, and trust drives what people buy. In its 2019 Trust Barometer Special Report, Edelman found that 81% of consumers name being able to trust a brand as a major factor in their purchase decisions. Content with something meaningful to say is how a brand earns that trust and rises above the background noise.

Purposeful content cuts through the noise. It turns first-time visitors into returning readers, and readers into customers, because it answers a real question or solves a real problem. Substance is the heart of content that performs.

The Power of Meaningful Content

When content has real meaning, people notice. It offers something honest and useful, and that is what earns attention. The goal reaches past filling space: it is saying something that matters and standing out from the crowd.

How Valuable Insights Engage Audiences

Helpful, relevant content keeps people around. When readers find answers or learn something new, they engage and come back for more. Strong insight also opens doors: the 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report found that 75% of decision-makers say a piece of thought leadership prompted them to research a product or service that was new to them.

That work gets done with a few practical tips, a well-chosen fact, or an example that connects with a real need. A post that genuinely helps, say one that walks through fixing a common tech glitch, is the kind readers remember. Engaged readers share what they find and return often, and that is how communities form and brands grow.

Establishing Trust Through Authentic Communication

People recognize honesty quickly. Content that tells it straight, grounded in real claims and clear promises, makes a brand easy to trust. Openness carries weight, and brands that speak plainly about what they stand for, and own their mistakes, come across as believable.

That credibility compounds with consistency. A steady tone and reliable quality tell readers what to expect, and loyalty builds from there, one worthwhile piece at a time.

Differentiating Brands with Substance

In a sea of sameness, brands with real, meaningful content are the ones people notice. Substance gives customers a reason to care and to choose one brand over another. Decision-makers reward that depth: the Edelman-LinkedIn report found that 86% are likely to invite the creators of consistent, high-quality thought leadership to participate in an RFP.

Depth reads as a distinct point of view, genuine expertise, or a customer's story told well. Stories carry particular weight because they stick. Neuroscientist Paul Zak, writing in Harvard Business Review and the journal Cerebrum, found that character-driven stories with emotional stakes release oxytocin in the brain, which deepens empathy and makes audiences more willing to act. Effort that goes deeper is what gives a brand its own flavor, and it builds relationships that last well beyond a single sale.

The Payoff of Content With Substance

Content with substance compounds over time. A clear, valuable message captures opportunities, holds attention, and builds a brand people trust. A real message is what makes people connect, and that connection pays off for the long run.

Clear Messaging Captures Opportunities

Content that says something clear keeps people tuned in, and a message that lands makes every hour and dollar of effort count. Focused, varied writing surfaces the best ideas. A clear point and a reason to act move readers forward, and carry potential sales and sign-ups along with them.

Fresh, Useful Posts Keep Audiences Engaged

A feed of useful, varied posts keeps people paying attention. Readers follow, engage, and remember brands that consistently give them something worthwhile. Audiences want content that is useful or genuinely interesting, and content that delivers keeps trust high and followers close.

Substance Builds Brand Reputation

Substantive content makes a brand look credible and tuned in. Customers come to see it as reliable and worth their attention, and that reputation sticks. Having something real to say is what builds a good name, and quality content signals that a brand cares and knows its field.

Best Practices for Creating Impactful Content

Strong content has a point, a clear message, and a way to know it is working. These habits help creators connect with an audience and get results.

Aligning Content with Purpose

Every piece of content should have a reason to exist. Defining its job before drafting, whether to inform, persuade, or entertain, keeps it aligned to a goal. Content built around what the audience cares about is far more engaging, and a consistent brand voice helps people recognize and trust a brand over time.

Prioritizing Clarity and Relevance

Clear language helps people get the point fast, and plain words and short sentences respect a reader's time. Relevance matters just as much, and audiences expect it: McKinsey found that 71% of consumers expect the content and experiences they receive to be tailored to them. Timely topics, real answers, and the trends an audience follows meet that expectation. Headings, bullets, and short paragraphs help people find what they need at a glance.

Measuring Content Effectiveness

Measurement shows whether content is hitting the mark. Page views, time on page, shares, and comments all signal how much people value what a brand publishes. Surveys and direct questions reveal whether the content meets readers where they are. That feedback rewards close attention, pointing to which topics, styles, and formats to refine next. A measurement framework turns each round of content into a sharper one.

Make Every Piece Count

RSL News Inc. builds brand strategy and content that gives your audience something worth their time, paired with the customer experience programs and measurement framework that turn attention into loyalty. Talk with the team about content that says something for your brand.

Related reading

References

  1. Edelman, "Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust?" (2019), https://www.edelman.com/research/trust-barometer-special-report-in-brands-we-trust
  2. Edelman, "2019 Trust Barometer Special Report: In Brands We Trust, Executive Summary," https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2019-06/2019_edelman_trust_barometer_special_report_in_brands_we_trust_executive_summary.pdf
  3. PR Newswire, "Only One-Third of Consumers Trust Most of the Brands They Buy," https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/only-one-third-of-consumers-trust-most-of-the-brands-they-buy-300869683.html
  4. Edelman and LinkedIn, "2024 B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report: Reaching Beyond the Ready," https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2024-02/_2024%20Edelman-LinkedIn%20B2B%20Thought%20Leadership%20Impact%20Report%20Final.pdf
  5. LinkedIn, "2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report," https://www.linkedin.com/posts/edelman_get-the-insights-from-the-edelman-linkedin-activity-7169090071567015939-Gf6W
  6. Ragan Communications, "Edelman and LinkedIn report: How thought leadership impacts prospects and customers," https://www.ragan.com/edelman-and-linkedin-report-thought-leadership/
  7. Paul J. Zak, "Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling," Harvard Business Review (2014), https://hbr.org/2014/10/why-your-brain-loves-good-storytelling
  8. Paul J. Zak, "Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative," Cerebrum (2015), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4445577
  9. Paul J. Zak, "Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React: The Neuroscience of Narrative," PubMed (2015), https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26034526/
  10. McKinsey & Company, "The value of getting personalization right, or wrong, is multiplying" (Next in Personalization 2021), https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-value-of-getting-personalization-right-or-wrong-is-multiplying
  11. Business Chief, "McKinsey: Prioritise personalisation for 10-15% revenue lift," https://businesschief.com/technology-and-ai/mckinsey-prioritise-personalisation-for-10-15-revenue-lift
  12. Beringer Tame, "The Value of Getting Personalisation Right (McKinsey's Next in Personalisation Report)," https://www.beringertame.com/news/the-value-of-getting-personalisation-right-mckinsey-s-next-in-personalisation-report/

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