We all need to know how the pounds and effort we're throwing into our marketing campaigns are...
"This piece needs to feel like a warm handshake." "Sorry, this still isn't quite there yet." "This blog is f***ing shit." Being in the world of content, those are some of the phrases you've probably come across, whether it's through clients, random strangers in the comments section or even your own teammates. For some, it's a great way to develop thick skin and for others - it's a proper confidence shatterer.
Want some tips on how you can get comfortable with criticism? Then the inaugural episode of our brand-new podcast - Explicit Content - is for you. Designed for anyone creating content, this content marketing podcast is all about sharing our knowledge so we can all help each other get better.
To check out the tips Molly, Will and I discuss this week, make sure to hit a play button above to become more comfortable with the feedback you receive.
Embrace the feedback
The world of content is one where you open yourself up for receiving criticism. It doesn't matter if the person on the other end is a subject matter expert or even from a writing background - everyone has an opinion and everyone is suddenly a writer.
Embrace that. Realise it's going to happen. Understand people aren't going to like everything you've written. That's fine. It's easy to say you shouldn't let it get to you, but take a step back and realise what's actually valuable to you and what isn't.
Has the person giving feedback offered amazing advice that will take your content up a level? Great - action that feedback and remember it for next time. Has someone offered vague feedback and has ripped something to shreds without offering anything valuable? Ignore it or push for specifics.
Pushing back
Molly then runs through how getting comfortable with criticism isn't always taking comments and learning from them. It's also about having the confidence to push back where necessary.
As a writer, that's your bread and butter. you're writing for a reason and you're the writing expert. if you have the knowledge and the tactics that are proven to work, don't be afraid to push back. This is especially the case when feedback is subjective.
Start to self-criticise
Will then discusses something equally as important as getting feedback from others. You also need to learn to begin self-criticising your work along with receiving it from other people.
As writers, we're always going to be precious over our work. It's super easy to think our work is the hottest shit around. The reality? Sometimes it isn't. There might be a piece of work that wasn't to the same standard, or you slightly rushed. A great step forward is being able to critique your own work and accept it might not have been your best.
What else?
In this episode, we also run through why you should leave your ego at the door, the importance of relying on your teammates when creating content and more. We also round off the episode with a fun game (that isn't designed to enhance anyone's vocabulary) by scouring the web for a pointless word and seeing what the guys think it means.
Want to hear all the tips and also play along? Hit Watch along on Vidyard or listen on-the-go using the SoundCloud link.
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