Digital marketing is really popular right now. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m involved in it daily and things keep changing, or if it’s genuinely trending, but it definitely feels exciting. When I chat with entrepreneurs, they always want to know what the newest platform is or what the best growth trick is for each one. The biggest chance and the most ignored “hack” isn’t a hack at all. It’s just the basics. In fact, the most effective marketing strategies have one important thing in common… They provide value.

A few years ago “value” was a hot term in leadership circles. “Bring value” they’d say, but they never give you real examples of value. If you google value posts, you’ll get everything from a list of how to bring fiscal value to how to better listen to people. However, none of these posts help the digital marketer or the entrepreneur craft pieces that communicate value.

So how do bring value? What does Gary Vaynerchuk say about value? He talks about being the best you can be. That’s great but what if you are a SaaS entrepreneur, how does that translate. Here are a few examples.

Talk About The Process In-Depth (AKA the Tutorial)

Facebook/Youtube/Instagram post of your workspace and with the description of how many hours you worked or what techniques you used to create whatever it is you’re creating.

For those that want to follow in your footsteps, so hints on how you got there are invaluable to them. Also, you can help set their expectations. Imagine a writer’s surprise after a year of writing to find out there are seven more drafts, for example.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is my old go to for content because it is the best content ever. Don’t just do the awful support page nonsense that never helps anyone, that’s not value. What’s valuable is an in-depth answer to a question people have about you or your product or service. Don’t hold back either.

If you’re struggling with questions for a newly formed business, try these tricks.

  • Search your email for questions; chances are really good that you’ve taken some questions for granted.
  • Pretend to be a customer of yours and ask yourself what they would naturally ask
  • Get someone to test your service or product without instructions have them ask you questions.
  • When in doubt, use YouTube suggests! Type some things into YouTube and let it suggest your topic.

The key is the depth and the authenticity of your answer. That’s what’s going to bring the most value.

As a side note, YouTube and Instagram have gone on record that the only thing they care about is Watch Time, so how do you do that? Bring Value!

Tell A Personal Story

This one might be tough, but sometimes it can bring the most impact. Telling a personal story (AKA Testimony) about a challenge you’ve had as an entrepreneur or as a human being and how you overcame the challenge. People love stories and telling your story will not only help you connect with the audience but if there are lessons to be learned, then you’ll be bringing legitimate value.

Whenever I watch Shark Tank, I enjoy them because the show has done a good job of telling us their story. Damon John’s story in particular, how he was in a bad place, hustled and got out is a story that many entrepreneurs can relate to, and new ones can get hope from. Every time he tells the story of how his hard work paid off, particularly when he goes into detail about sneaking on to hip-hop recording sets he’s bringing value.

When someone tells you a story, like “The Secret” they don’t bring value. Yes, life has many opportunities. However, it’s the hard work that puts you in the position to take advantage of the opportunities. Yes, the attitude is a big, big part of it, but you can’t have it all without work. That kind of message brings value.

Where To Bring Value

As you think about bringing value, you get to decide the medium. Whether it’s a blog post, maybe an image with the description that matches, or perhaps it’s a YouTube video (which be re-used on another platform) it doesn’t much matter if you’re bringing value it will attract others.

The point of the post is that the most successful strategies online are where the most value is brought. It could be something small like sharing a tip, and it could be a heart-wrenching story. It’s a fact that the most popular game streamers are the ones that try to communicate value to those watching.