7 reasons journalists make the best content marketers

Content marketing is all about telling stories, and if there’s one thing that journalists are good at, it’s telling stories. But it doesn’t end there – journalists bring a plethora of other skills that are crucial when using content to build credibility and reputation.

Here are seven of the best.

Journalists can spot a good story a mile off.  They know what people find interesting and are skilled at pulling out the key aspects of a narrative and ensuring the main protagonists are adequately reflected within it. Journalists create content that grabs attention and engages your target audience.

Journalists really understand trust and reputation. They have spent their working lives covering stories about people and organisations with less than perfect reputations, and they know what makes a source trustworthy – or not. Journalists use this experience to build trust and reputation through content.

Journalists have a consistent voice. Just as every news program is different, with a different slant, focus or set of production values, so corporate content must reflect its own brand and tone of voice. Journalists match this tone to ensure content reflects an organisation’s values.

Journalists are efficient. The days of large teams of news journalists being sent to cover every news event are long gone. Now the focus is on covering as much as possible with as few resources as you can whilst maintaining production values. Journalists create content quickly and efficiently.

Journalists work to deadlines. There’s nothing like a hard deadline to get work completed on time. Journalists have been doing this day in and day out for their whole careers, and this discipline will keep your plans on track and maximise efficiency.

Journalists have a process. Every newsroom is built on systems and processes. Without structure, planning and a ruthless attachment to process it would be impossible to create ongoing daily content that is of consistent quality. Journalists bring these skills to the content creation process.

Journalists are responsive. There are always news stories or insights that can be used to build your own content. Journalists are aware of the broader environment and respond to events to ensure your brand is front of mind in the conversation.

Formative Content’s team of experienced journalists can help you build the reputation of your brand. Get in touch – we’d love hear from you. office@formativecontent.com Tel: 01494 672122

You can follow Formative Content on Twitter at @thisisformative

Paul Muggeridge is Head of Content at Formative Content. Paul is a highly experienced, multi-skilled journalist who drives day to day content production in Formative‘s busy client newsroom.

Formative Content is a UK based content marketing agency producing high quality content, live event coverage and strategic communications support for clients around the world.