Experienced writers and editors will give you a piece of advice that you should never forget. Readers can smell fake content from a mile away. Most readers have a sort of instinct that allows them to gauge the credibility of the content and the writer who has written it. The ideal content is structured in a way that the reader can relate to in the best way. Since 60% of marketers create one piece of content each day, you definitely need to know how you can make your content appear credible.
Fake Content and the Shibboleth
The concept of a shibboleth is vital when the topic of credibility is under discussion. This is a word that is used to describe any custom or tradition that you can use to distinguish one group of people from another. For example, regular coders and developers have their own jargon and terms that they use. So, if you are writing a tech blog, using the right jargon can help you to reach out to your ideal audience. Although they’re intangible, they are a helpful concept.
Here are some of the markers of a shibboleth – you can use them to incorporate certain properties into your content.
- Insights are Weighted: Fake content usually treats basic and elementary ideas as a very big deal. The experienced target audience you are writing for will obviously know all about the ins and outs of the field. By lending weights to the different insights you talk about, you can build credibility.
- Jargon is Used: Niche content is very important especially in the world of SEO. As 57% of marketers value custom content so high, you have to come up with content that makes full use of all the terms and jargon. This can lend your content a lot of credibility too.
- Use Anecdotes: An anecdote can be a very helpful way to get your reader to relate to and trust you. If you include an anecdote or a personal experience in your content, then the reader will understand it better. This is a very effective method of separating fake content from true.
How to Find the Shibboleth
A shibboleth is an intangible concept and it is very difficult to isolate and identify the shibboleth of a certain group of people. The most reliable way in which you can do this is also referred to as “immersion therapy.” The best way to familiarize yourself with a field is to immerse yourself into the role of the group of people you are writing for.
Readers truly can smell fake content coming from a mile away. You need to devote a lot of care and attention to make sure that you have a thorough and in-depth understanding of the field you are writing about. It is a much better idea to declare your ignorance in the first place instead of pretending to be an expert. You can also get in-depth reviews from the ideal reader.
This has been a comprehensive explanation of why readers are very capable of smelling out fake content and inexperienced writers. Real content can help you to make a real mark.
