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One thing you should be doing in content
If not, AI will steal your authority
Vikra Vardhan
November 22, 2024
Here is a prediction on how you will beat AI, build authority, and stand out in content:
Do your own studies + research, and build a thesis - probably turn it into a theory.
Because readers will value nuances, perspectives, and experimented information more than ever.
Let me explain.
The way I see things, there are two types of content: Informational and Authority-building.
Informational content is close to ToFu, where you answer broader, simpler, generalized questions to reach the masses.
Authority-building content thrives on nuances, experiments, and subject matter expertise.
Ex, if you want to know broader reasoning of what causes diabetes, you’re okay consuming content from any blog, YouTube, etc. This is your first-level information, where you discover generalized facts without getting into nuances. You’re okay if it’s not from an authority. Or even summarized by AI.
But imagine you have diabetes, and your doctor suggests some meds. You want to read more about effects on your body. In this situation, you will not rely on unreliable sources.
You will check multiple times if the content is from a specialist with decent experience, proven data/insights, and even check the source links if you’re nerdy.
What you’re doing here is digging authoritative studies.
Studies that are experimental, are from people who did real work, and actually know what they’re talking about. You will look for a persona or simulation that matches or is similar to your current state.
…and that’s where I believe content is heading.
Okay, the health example might be a little extreme, but it is true for as simple as marketing.
Think of it. There are already a thousand resources on copywriting frameworks, how to drive action, what data to track, the paradoxes and psychological effects of design, words, placements, etc.
In a way, these are proven but generalized facts.
This information is widely available; you have access in seconds. And it’s great to receive your first-level information - when you’re only getting familiar with a concept.
But when you want to dig deep into it to apply in your business, you will look for case studies similar to your niche.
If you’re running a fitness brand, you don’t want “How to improve conversions on your website” content anymore. You want something like, “I worked with a nutrition brand and conducted a small research with 200 members. The results are surprising!”
What does it mean to brands and creators?
Consuming content from multiple sources and curating, moulding it to your audience doesn’t work anymore - unless it’s intentionally informational.
If you want to build authority, do your own studies and form your thesis. It’s not a safer option or the one that yields immediate results, but it will build authority over the years.
The scale of experiments matters of course, but if you want me to rank (in terms of building authority):
Experiments with large groups > Small, self case studies > Citing large case studies
Another nuance: Citing large case studies is great if it’s not directly related to your work. You can present your copywriting experiment and cite larger resources/studies on, say, consumer psychology. Something like, “This is what xyz university says, so I implemented it on 100 readers.”
How do I do it in Cognition?
I always try to present my thinking and draw information from close circles. I form a thesis from proven studies and check if it makes sense in the Indian context. Niches, consumer level, etc., are other contexts I dive into.
Few examples:
This is a thesis I am bullish about.
If I can advice, I’d say be more opinionated and back it with real work exposure. Build subject matter expertise.
It’s already important to produce content from a specialist’s lens. But the importance will only increase with the amount of AI-generated content.
I hope this was helpful.
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Love,
Vikra