5 Ways to Differentiate Your Content & Win Over Your Audience (with Heike Young, Microsoft)

Devin Reed embarks on a journey to revolutionize content marketing through candid conversations with industry leaders, exemplified by his discussion with Hia Young, Microsoft's Head of Content and Integrated Marketing. Young shares her innovative approach to LinkedIn content, utilizing humor and authenticity to break away from corporate norms and engage audiences. She emphasizes the importance of creativity, personal expression, and understanding audience behavior to create relatable content. The episode also explores the challenges and strategies for maintaining creativity amidst corporate constraints, highlighting the potential for personal branding and content differentiation in the digital landscape.

• Hia Young, Head of Content and Integrated Marketing at Microsoft, began posting on LinkedIn due to professional and personal burnout.
• She wanted to reconnect with the creative process she missed after being promoted into leadership roles.
• Her goal was to bet on herself and create opportunities beyond her corporate identity.

"At the beginning of 2024, I was professionally and personally burnt out...I really wanted to bet on myself...I'm not the Salesforce girly, I'm not the Microsoft girly, I'm Hia, I'm me."

• Explanation: Hia felt disconnected from her work and wanted to establish a personal brand that reflected her own aspirations and identity, not just her corporate roles.

• Hia was inspired by TikTok and LinkedIn content and wanted to learn vertical video editing.
• She missed the thrill of creating and wanted to engage in the creative process actively.
• Creating content became a source of joy and a way to express herself outside of her corporate responsibilities.

"I really wanted to learn vertical video editing specifically...it was kind of like from there that I began to try it out."

• Explanation: Hia was motivated to learn new skills and rekindle her passion for creating content, which she found fulfilling and exciting.

• Hia’s content strategy focused on creating entertaining and high-value videos that resonated with her audience.
• Her videos stood out due to their personal and fun nature, contrasting with typical corporate content.
• She aimed to post weekly, focusing on making content that would brighten people’s day and engage them positively.

"I just wanted to post something that would brighten people's day a little bit...the best feedback that somebody could possibly give me is a laughing emoji on LinkedIn."

• Explanation: Hia's goal was to create content that was not only informative but also enjoyable, aiming to bring positivity to her audience's feeds.

• Despite personal challenges, such as sleep deprivation and managing a family, Hia persisted in creating content.
• She faced skepticism from her personal life about why she was adding more to her to-do list but continued because it brought her joy.
• Hia managed her time effectively to balance her creative pursuits with personal and professional responsibilities.

"I definitely had people in my personal life who were like, 'You're not working right now, why are you making these videos for LinkedIn?'...it brought me so much joy that I had to keep going."

• Explanation: Hia was determined to continue creating content despite external doubts, as it was a source of personal fulfillment and happiness.

• Hia's primary goal was to engage in the creative process and post content regularly.
• She aimed to create content that was both entertaining and meaningful, aligning with her personal aspirations.
• Her broader goal was to challenge the status quo and present a different image of women in content creation.

"If I can do something that at least shows a woman being in a managerial role and also being funny, it's almost radical."

• Explanation: Hia sought to break stereotypes and present a new narrative for women in managerial roles, using humor and creativity to challenge traditional perceptions.

• Five Ways to Differentiate Marketing: The speaker outlines five distinct ways to differentiate marketing: point of view, content, tone, actions, and design.
• Point of View: This involves the beliefs behind the content. The speaker's belief is that content marketing is fundamentally changing, and many are ignoring this shift.
• Content: This is what you say. The speaker produces content that includes lessons from real experiences, day-in-the-life pieces, and humorous takes on corporate life.
• Tone: This is how you say it. The speaker uses humor to stand out, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, where content is often more serious.
• Actions and Design: These aspects were not deeply discussed but are part of the overall strategy to differentiate.

"I started to develop this point of view around that the more that I began to agitate that and poke at that, the more I realized to me it was something broader about B2B about the way we're communicating with people."

• The speaker's point of view evolved from observing changes in content marketing and expanded to a broader critique of B2B communication.

• Humor as a Tool: Humor is used as a tool to draw distinctions and highlight what the speaker believes should change in the industry.
• Natural Inclination: The speaker did not consciously decide to be funny; it was a natural part of their communication style.
• Impact of Humor: Humor is seen as underutilized, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, and can quickly cut through noise and engage audiences.

"I don't know that I ever made a conscious decision to try to be funny. I think it was just naturally a tool that I was using in my arsenal to draw a distinction between what I saw as the status quo and what I wanted to see."

• The speaker uses humor instinctively to highlight contrasts and challenge the status quo.

• Creator's Dilemma: Creators often struggle between creating content they love and content they think the audience will like.
• Corporate Constraints: In a corporate setting, there are metrics and topics that need to be addressed, which can limit creative freedom.
• Empowering Creators: Companies should empower individual creators to produce content that resonates personally while still aligning with business goals.

"I try to come at it more as like something that I'm really deeply feeling and then the more I swirl around that usually it ends up being a topic that resonates and does make people feel seen."

• The speaker focuses on creating content that resonates personally, which often aligns with audience interests and makes them feel seen.

• Playing It Safe vs. Taking Risks: Playing it safe is not always the safest option; taking risks can lead to greater engagement and results.
• Legal and Brand Considerations: There are legal and brand safety considerations, but companies can still find ways to be creative and interesting.
• Individual Voices: Encouraging individual voices within a company can allow for more opinionated content without directly impacting the brand.

"Playing it safe is not the safe option right because you know the feed is going to feed the scroll is going to scroll like people are going to scroll right past your content unless there's something hookie and worthy to get into."

• The speaker argues that avoiding risks can lead to content being ignored, and it's important to create engaging, noteworthy content.

• Relatability Through Humor: Being relatable often involves humor and self-deprecation, which can attract and engage audiences.
• Risk of Joviality: While there is a risk of being seen as too jovial or silly, the potential to attract a larger, engaged audience is significant.
• Poking Fun at Themselves: Many companies are hesitant to poke fun at themselves, but doing so can create a more relatable and approachable brand image.

"If you're going to say hey let's be let's focus on being relatable and one of the ways we're going to do that is having some fun and being you know using humor you have to be okay that sometimes you're going to cross a little bit into the jovial or a little too silly."

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of being open to humor and joviality to create a relatable brand, despite the potential risks.

• Authenticity in content creation attracts the right audience and potential employers who align with one's values and ideas.
• Dispelling a small percentage of the audience is acceptable if it means attracting those who genuinely resonate with the content.
• Innovative ideas in content and brand marketing can differentiate a creator and attract like-minded professionals and opportunities.

"If you watch my videos and you think I don't agree with that, you know that wouldn't be the right environment for me anyways."

• The quote emphasizes the importance of aligning professional environments with personal values and ideas.

"The few that still will [hire me] will really want to hire me, and that's who I'm writing for."

• This highlights the strategy of targeting content to attract a specific audience that values the creator's perspective.

• Humor in content can make it more engaging and memorable, drawing in the right audience.
• There are structured frameworks, like those used in improv, to create humor by identifying and exaggerating unusual elements in everyday situations.
• Characters like the "straight man" in comedy can enhance the humor by providing a relatable perspective for the audience.

"The game of the scene is just like, what makes the scene funny... There's something unusual that happens that breaks up that pattern."

• This quote explains the concept of finding humor in the disruption of the ordinary.

"Keenan Thompson is like the master of this... He's like The audience's Advocate."

• This illustrates the role of a character who reacts to absurdity, enhancing the comedic effect.

• B2B companies often avoid humor due to risk aversion, leading to homogeneous and bland messaging.
• Differentiating content can involve highlighting industry quirks or pain points in a humorous and engaging way.
• Stable messaging focusing on ROI and trustworthiness can coexist with more creative and engaging content strategies.

"B2B brands are risk averse in general... they just think oh that would be so weird if we did it."

• The quote addresses the tendency of B2B brands to avoid risks in content strategy.

"You could still have that same message but point out something about your industry... in a way that's like kind of ramps up the silliness."

• This suggests a strategy for incorporating humor into B2B messaging without sacrificing core values.

• The strength of the hook is crucial in LinkedIn content to capture attention amidst other distractions.
• A multi-faceted approach to hooks includes text above the "show more" button, visual hooks, video titles, and captions.
• Ensuring captions are visible from the start can engage viewers who initially watch videos with the sound off.

"The most important thing to me is the strength of the hook... it's just so important to me to nail the hook every single time."

• This quote underscores the critical role of a strong initial impression in content success.

"I drag the captions all the way to like 0:00 seconds... I want them to see that the captions are like something interesting."

• This highlights the strategy of using captions to ensure engagement from the outset.

• While design and production quality are important, the strength of the content's premise is paramount.
• High production value can enhance content, but the core idea must be compelling to achieve success.
• Low-polish content can be effective if it authentically conveys a strong message.

"If the content isn't performing, it's the idea, it's the strength of the premise... that's the thing that's broken."

• The quote emphasizes the importance of a strong core idea over production quality in content success.

"People actually prefer low polish... one dude just out of pocket can make a high production video."

• This reflects the balance between authenticity and production quality, where genuine content can succeed regardless of polish.

• Authentic content, often perceived as low production, is seen as more credible and trustworthy by audiences compared to polished marketing materials.
• There is a time and place for high-production content, such as Super Bowl ads, but authentic, relatable content often resonates more deeply with viewers.
• The divide between personal and professional personas, as depicted in the show "Severance," is mirrored in B2B content, where personal authenticity is often lacking.

"People aren't looking for Polish equals credibility all the time when you see what I would call like uh I don't know low...hey that's just someone with the phone giving me like the real spill the real deal."

• This quote highlights the preference for raw, authentic content over highly polished marketing materials, emphasizing trust and relatability.

• Incorporating personal interests and cultural references into professional content can create a more engaging and relatable experience for audiences.
• Content that reflects personal tastes, such as music or sports, can make the creator's personality and worldview more apparent and appealing to the audience.
• The concept of "content that moves with the culture" suggests integrating cultural and societal trends into B2B content to bridge personal and professional identities.

"I'm super inspired by that and that's why I'm really inspired by your work as well because I get a sense of who you are the music you like to listen to whether it's hip hop or what the sports you might be into Sneaker culture whatever it is."

• This quote underscores the importance of personal interests in shaping content that resonates with audiences by providing a glimpse into the creator's personality.

• Crossover content blends popular cultural elements with professional topics, making it more accessible and engaging for diverse audiences.
• Platforms like Twitch, where individuals discuss professional topics while engaging in popular activities, exemplify successful crossover content strategies.
• Recognizing that audiences have diverse interests outside of work can help in creating content that appeals across different contexts and platforms.

"Can you take the pop culture references the societal Trends and marry that with your B2B or like professional content that's the stuff that really pops off."

• This quote highlights the effectiveness of integrating cultural elements into professional content to capture audience interest and engagement.

• Audiences are not monolithic; they consume content in varied and personalized ways, which should be reflected in content strategies.
• Observing how different individuals interact with content can provide insights into creating more targeted and effective marketing strategies.
• Meeting audiences where they are, both in terms of content style and platform, is crucial for effective communication and engagement.

"The person who reads your corporate blog is the same person that from 9 to 5 they may be looking at the blog they may be you know converting on the landing page whatever they may be the one signing the PO on a six-figure deal from 5: to 9: when that person is logged off at work they're watching whatever on YouTube they have their own personal internet."

• This quote emphasizes the importance of recognizing the diverse interests and behaviors of audiences beyond their professional roles.

• Word of mouth and personal recommendations are powerful drivers of content engagement and credibility.
• Traditional B2B content forms, like white papers and Gartner reports, may not resonate with all audiences, particularly in startup environments.
• Understanding what content formats and channels are most relevant to target audiences can enhance marketing effectiveness.

"No one in my life has told me they bought something based on a Gartner report or a white paper...it's almost always Word of Mouth podcast social media which tends to be LinkedIn."

• This quote highlights the limited impact of traditional B2B content formats compared to more personal and conversational channels like word of mouth and social media.

• Creating a "prismatic" view of audiences involves understanding the full spectrum of their interests and preferences.
• Diverse content strategies that account for the multifaceted nature of audiences can lead to more effective and relatable marketing.
• Emphasizing depth and diversity in content creation can help in reaching and resonating with broader audiences.

"We need a more Prismatic take... and I would mean it to be Diversified you know more in depth."

• This quote illustrates the importance of creating content that reflects the diverse and complex nature of audiences, rather than relying on narrow or superficial approaches.

• Sharing personal stories and experiences can enhance relatability and engagement in content.
• Personal achievements, such as participating in spelling bees, can serve as unique and memorable elements in storytelling.
• Relating personal anecdotes to broader themes can create a more engaging and humanized content experience.

"I spent a lot of hours with my dad growing up go literally going through the dictionary and spelling words to prepare for uh to prepare for spelling bees and I take that value with me to this day."

• This quote showcases how personal experiences and values can enrich content by providing unique insights and relatability.