We want links and coverage and social shares. So we make stuff. Stuff that’s supposed to get us those things. But it doesn’t always work out, and it can be tough to figure out why.
Hannah shares what she’s learned about creative content and provides tips and insights on how to improve your own creative processes.
72. @hannah_bo_banna
Hey Hannah!
We made this thinger, and we all think it’s great!
We’ve gone to 200 journalists, but no one’s picked
it up, and we’ve seen no social shares either.
Any idea where we’re going wrong?
74. @hannah_bo_banna
when people tell me
their piece isn’t working,
& I take a look,
I typically feel one
(or more)
of these things
this is shallow, or this is
patronising
if I shared this it would say
nothing good about me
I don’t think this shows what
you’re claiming it shows
there’s nothing I can identify
with here
there’s nothing new or
different here
I’m confused – I don’t get it
this isn’t something I care
about
this isn’t something I’ve ever
wondered
you’ve promised me
something but haven’t
delivered
cool, but so what?
80. @hannah_bo_banna
no one sets out to create content which is
patronising,
confusing, shallow, unoriginal,
uninspired, or leaves people feeling nothing
105. @hannah_bo_banna
“…the first thing I like to do, is relax
with a cold glass of the local amber
nectar.…
“glancing around the countries filled
me with nostalgia”
“I can still remember the amusement
when I discovered that that Skol was
still going strong in Brazil, when in
Britain it was a long-forgotten lager
synonymous with the 1980s. Of
course, it tasted somewhat more
pleasant at sunset on Ipanema beach
than it did in rainy west London. ”
149. @hannah_bo_banna
“people like doing dumb sh*t on the internet”
shows an
alarmingly shallow & dismissive
understanding of people’s motivations
150. @hannah_bo_banna
if you fail to understand
the people you’re trying to engage with
you’re likely to fail to create something
which resonates with them
151. @hannah_bo_banna
if you fail to understand
your audience,
you are in danger of
creating something that
leaves them feeling one
of these things
this is shallow, or this is
patronising
if I shared this it would say
nothing good about me
I don’t think this shows what
you’re claiming it shows
there’s nothing I can identify
with here
there’s nothing new or
different here
I’m confused – I don’t get it
this isn’t something I care
about
this isn’t something I’ve ever
wondered
you’ve promised me
something but haven’t
delivered
cool, but so what?
154. @hannah_bo_banna
this allows you to create a playlist of the hits, (or the obscure stuff)
from the artists of virtually any major festival line up
181. @hannah_bo_banna
NOT
one of these things!
this is shallow, or this is
patronising
if I shared this it would say
nothing good about me
I don’t think this shows what
you’re claiming it shows
there’s nothing I can identify
with here
there’s nothing new or
different here
I’m confused – I don’t get it
this isn’t something I care
about
this isn’t something I’ve ever
wondered
you’ve promised me
something but haven’t
delivered
cool, but so what?
183. @hannah_bo_banna
does this content make
people feel any of these
things?
this is shallow, or this is
patronising
if I shared this it would say
nothing good about me
I don’t think this shows what
you’re claiming it shows
there’s nothing I can identify
with here
there’s nothing new or
different here
I’m confused – I don’t get it
this isn’t something I care
about
this isn’t something I’ve ever
wondered
you’ve promised me
something but haven’t
delivered
cool, but so what?
191. @hannah_bo_banna
Hannah Smith
Head of Creative
Verve Search
send questions and/or pictures of cats to: hannah@vervesearch.com
tweet things @hannah_bo_banna
192. @hannah_bo_banna
big love to the team at Verve who helped me put this together
images:
no ball games: http://banksy.co.uk
I’m out of bed & dressed - http://banksy.co.uk/
nobody likes me: http://www.iheartthestreetart.com/street-2/#lightbox[group-26481]/39/
alien: http://www.wired.com/2010/02/0205hr-giger-born-science-fiction-artist/
beer map: http://vinepair.com/wine-blog/most-popular-beer-every-country-map/
economist coverage: http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2015/03/countries-favourite-beers
editors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_End_Has_a_Start
festival playlister: https://playlister.expedia.co.uk/
feels: http://i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/531/319/99f.gif
danbo - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nomadic_lass/6889892777/in/set-72157629144987013
unicorn - http://queenofheartsonthesleeve.tumblr.com/post/58736423727/ok-not-much-but-here-it-is-3
credits