Level up your marketing with people-driven content

People influence other people. So why not take a people-first approach to your marketing? With AI cranking out copy-cat content, now more than ever you need a unique content strategy to stand out. Leveraging the unique voices of your employees is a great place to start. 

What do we mean by a people-first approach to marketing?

A “people-first approach” is about leveraging your teams’ expertise for content and tying that content back to an actual person. It’s about explicitly showing that the content is coming from a person and not just your company’s profile or a faceless brand. As a company, a people-first approach means attributing credit directly to your team and helping elevate their profile while they bring a touch of humanity/approachability to your brand.

So whether you’re writing blogs, posting on socials, or creating thought leadership pieces, think about how that content can be attributed to your employees as the source. You are helping elevate the profile of your people as they help showcase the expertise your company holds by having them on the team. It’s a win-win. 

Why does a people-first approach matter?

Let’s face the facts—when you’re in the business of selling expertise and you are a service-based company, the secret sauce isn’t just what you know—it’s who knows. That’s where a people-first approach comes in and works its magic. More than ever, leveraging your team’s expertise for content is a necessity against generic AI content. If you want your company to outrank and be recognized for your expertise (which is driven by the knowledge of its people) then it’s time to take on a people-first marketing.

Sixty percent of B2B buyers claim they can finalize purchase decisions based solely on digital content. Having content available online that showcases your team has what it takes to drive someone’s vision forward has a major influence. 

The business benefits of people-driven content

Everyone is competing to be seen as the expert. Putting the spotlight on your team and letting their experience do the talking can give you a serious leg up. Here’s how focusing on your people can set you apart:

Earn trust

Professional services firms (like consulting, architecture, engineering, design etc) clients aren’t just looking for a service; they’re in pursuit of people they can trust to solve their complex problems. When you incorporate ways to showcase your team’s expertise, your prospects and clients will notice. Sharing blogs and thought leadership pieces on your website from your employees will drive up your credibility. Think of it as a way of having more social proof for your company. 

Standing out in a sea of bots

With AI rapidly churning out content, standing out isn’t just about quantity—it’s about quality and authenticity. AI has made thought leadership more crucial than ever because, while AI can generate content, it cannot offer deep, nuanced insights that come from real-life experience. Get your people to share their experiences, and opinions and even write from their perspectives.

The power of personal touch

Over 92% of B2B buyers leverage social media to engage with thought leaders and discover a solution to their problem. Content that comes from a human, rather than a generic brand had a unique level of engagement. It’s the difference between hearing advice from a trusted friend versus a corporate robot. 

Picture this: you come across this post on LinkedIn and scroll down the rabbit hole wondering how this may apply to you…

This pre-existing understanding that the team at Stryve has expertise in the solutions you’re looking for may inspire you to connect with us. Had you not come across this post, maybe you never would have heard of “Stryve Digital Marketing”. 

The value of technical knowledge

By tapping into your team’s expertise, you’re filling in more than content gaps. Clients in technical industries need to know that they’re in capable hands, and when your content reflects your team’s deep knowledge, it reassures them that they’ve made the right choice. Make it easier for potential clients (and you) by sharing your team’s expertise, everywhere, and all the time.

Green Leaf is an IT consultancy group that excels at pushing out content breaking down the technology they use via their people. These articles, written by team members, are excellent examples of people-driven marketing. Not only does Green Leaf publish thought leadership pieces on their website, but they actively use LinkedIn to shoutout these articles and the writers. 

Make your employees feel valued and recognized

When you encourage your people to make content and or feature them pre-dominantly in content, you’re acknowledging their value. When employees are showcased in content, it signals that their knowledge and skills are respected. It also makes them visible internally and externally which can reinforce a sense of importance. Incorporating your employees in content creation and providing attribution can have powerful impact on their sense of morale. 

Through a people-first approach, you are also helping build your employee’s personal brand along with the company’s. This can further their professional growth, networking opportunities and make them feel invested in. 

Examples of excellent people-first strategies

1. Hubspot

HubSpot has mastered the people-first approach through its comprehensive content strategy. They leverage their employees’ expertise to create in-depth blog posts, webinars, and guides that address real-world marketing challenges. HubSpot also encourages employees to engage with their audience on social media, sharing insights and offering help in industry-related discussions.

They have positioned themselves as both an industry leader and a helpful resource. By showcasing their team’s expertise, they build trust and credibility with their audience. Their content doesn’t just promote their products; it provides valuable knowledge, which attracts and retains customers. 

2. RWDI

RWDI has excelled in thought leadership by consistently publishing insightful articles. As a global engineering consulting firm, their service offerings can be very complex. These articles, authored by their in-house experts, remove ambiguity for potential clients before even speaking to a partner.

RWDI highlights their team’s deep expertise by providing comprehensive analyses and case studies as well as YouTube videos explaining or demonstrating their expertise. This approach not only builds trust and credibility but also positions RWDI as a leader in their field.

3. Stryve Digital Marketing

Practical steps for implementing people-driven content

Depending on your organization, there are different ways you can implement a people-driven content strategy. Maybe you want everything filtered through the marketing team. Maybe you don’t want rigidity and want people to post freely on their socials. Maybe you start a content series where you work with an employee once a month to create a thorough video.

There’s not right or wrong way to go about it. At Stryve, we’ve started off very loosely with a pilot program empowering a test-group we’ve put together to start creating content. These are team members that have historically been a part of our content and social media teams. However, we understand not everyone can follow our method. So, here are some general things to keep in mind if you want to pursue people driven content.

Create a psychologically safe environment

Understanding psychological safety is crucial when encouraging your team to contribute to content creation. Regardless of how you choose to proceed, you need to acknowledge that people may be hesitant or nervous about being involved in content or posting it. Tackle that head on and be encouraging. Make sure they know they won’t be punished if they say something that’s not ‘perfect’ or that may even be contentious.

Make their ideas feel welcome. No one wants to put in their two cents where it is constantly being rejected or ignored. Without psychological safety, even the most knowledgeable employees may hold back from contributing. 

Set your team up for success and offer training as needed

Assess your team’s comfort in writing, being on camera or posting on social media. From there, determine what to do next to help them feel more confident. This could play out through workshops, social media training, or maybe your team gets the green light to invest time on a weekly basis to read up on content creation The point is, no business is the same and so there is no one-size-fits-all approach—see where your team needs support and how you can support them. 

Guide the content and determine boundaries for what topics you want to cover

Do you want to highlight themes or topics and have people stay within those boundaries? Do you want there to be more of a process? For example, consider a briefing document that encourages employees to consider goals, audience or key messaging before diving into creation. If it doesn’t make sense for your company’s goals or your audience then maybe don’t pursue that topic. Or, maybe you want to conduct interviews with your team to extract insights and then let your marketers choose the direction from there. Maybe instead of a formalized approach, you want to give high level guidance and let your people create their own content on social media. Depending on your goals and level of autonomy you feel comfortable giving your team, determine how you will set some guidelines for them.

TL:DR: Your people are marketing machines

Taking a people-first approach in your marketing isn’t just about implementing a strategy, it’s a commitment to seeing your employees as an extension of your brand. Your most powerful piece of marketing is what your team has to offer. Let this be the driver for building trust and reputation with your audience.