Search ChatGPT on Google and you get over 700 million search results. For tech startups or scaleups armed with expertise on complex tech topics and looking to generate more compelling content to drive business growth, this sucks. Every new piece you produce can feel like a tiny pebble in this vast digital ocean of content.
The challenge lies in finding a unique angle on well-explored tech topics like ChatGPT, which have been dissected from every conceivable angle.
In this article, let’s explore 5 tactics you can experiment with to help you create tech content that rises above some of the noise and captivates your audience.
But before we dive in, a word to the wise: These tactics are not a catch-all solution to massive amounts of organic traffic. They’re particularly useful for niche topics or when targeting specific audience segments. For high-search volume keywords, traditional SEO tactics may still play a significant role in driving organic traffic. So use these tactics judiciously to create content that truly resonates with your audience.
1. Share a contrarian perspective
When people zig, you zag. Introduce a fresh perspective or challenge the prevailing opinion on the topic. Stand out by presenting a contrarian view that prompts your audience to reconsider their beliefs. This approach grabs attention and ignites engagement.
As an example, a typical article on ChatGPT might look like this: The Best Examples Of What You Can Do With ChatGPT vs. one with a contrarian view: Everybody Please Calm Down About ChatGPT.
See the difference? It’s a pretty cool way of grabbing attention where attention is scarce.
2. Blend different fields of knowledge
Who says you can’t mix things up a bit? Find subjects that share some common ground. Dive deep into these areas, discover new insights, and bring them back to your own field.
By connecting the dots between different fields, you create a unique viewpoint that can add a whole new level of depth to your content. It’s like giving your audience a pair of magic glasses that lets them see your topic in a way they may never have before.
Here are some cool examples:
3. Make 'em think by using provocative questions or statements
Try adding a dash of intrigue with provocative questions or thought-provoking statements. It’s like setting a hook that draws your audience in and gets them thinking.
Here’s an interesting one by Harvard Business Review – What You’re Getting Wrong About Customer Journeys.
Tips for pulling this off:
- Identify punchy questions or bold statements that challenge the norm or offer a fresh take on your topic
- Back them up with insightful analysis or evidence that invites your audience to reflect and ponder
- Open up the floor for discussion and invite your audience to share their thoughts in the comments or on social media
4. Share your team's insights and experience
Humanize your content by sharing personal experiences, anecdotes, or case studies that relate to the topic. It’s like inviting your audience into a conversation or vlog instead of giving a boring lecture or instructional guide.
Check out this great example by Hotjar – 9 lessons learned scaling Hotjar’s tech architecture to handle 21,875,000 requests per hour.
Just some of the many things that you can share:
- Your approach
- Your challenges, limitations, caveats, constraints, and tradeoffs
- Your learnings and the unique insights that came out of the experience
5. Dive deeper to highlight less explored subtopics or niche angles
Rather than covering a topic broadly like everyone else, focus on subtopics or niche angles within the subject matter. By delving deeper into specific aspects, you can provide unique insights and cater to a more targeted audience.
A great example of this is by Gergely Orosz, the author of The Pragmatic Engineer. In his article, Big Tech and the reality of scaling customer support, he points out that customer support isn’t a topic where Big Tech has much thought leadership to offer, hence why his piece.
Tips on how you can do this:
- Conduct thorough keyword research to identify related but less competitive long-tail keywords or specific subtopics
- See what people saying on industry-specific community forums and comment threads on Reddit, LinkedIn, Discord, Twitter, etc.
- Look where your services and your customers’ industries/needs intersect to identify potential ideas
Be the voice of innovation and difference
Creating interesting tech content that shines in the vast cosmos of information is no easy feat. It requires a delicate blend of creativity, strategy, and the courage to venture off the beaten path.
Sure, the tech content landscape is super crowded, but remember this: there’s always an audience for originality and authenticity. With each compelling piece you publish, you’re not only captivating your audience, but also moving the needle towards business growth.
So embrace your team’s personal insight, experience and what you have to add to the conversation; leverage the lesser known and the unexplored; and weave in the weird and the wonderful. Good luck!
