The power of influence: How to use role models in your content marketing strategy

We often don’t realize it, but the people we looked up to as children have a lasting impact on our lives. From the way we speak to the way we think about the world, our role models play a big part in shaping who we are today. So what does this have to do with content marketing? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.

Our tendency to look up to and admire people who are like us is called the “similarity principle” and it’s something that you can use to your advantage when crafting your content marketing strategy. By understanding how the similarity principle works and using it to create relatable content, you can more effectively connect with your audience and influence their behavior. Here’s how.

How the similarity principle works

People are more likely to like and trust those who are like them. This tendency is called the “similarity principle” and it’s something that marketers have been leveraging for years. Studies have shown that people are more likely to buy from brands that they perceive as being similar to them in some way. And when it comes to online behavior, the same principle applies.

We’re more likely to read, share, and comment on articles that we feel a personal connection to. And when we see someone who is like us succeeding—whether it’s an influencer with a large following or just a regular person—it reaffirms our belief that we can achieve our own goals. That’s why understanding and leveraging the similarity principle is so important for content marketers.

How to use the similarity principle in your content marketing strategy

Now that you understand how the similarity principle works, you can start using it in your content marketing strategy. There are a few different ways you can do this:

Identify your target audience’s role models

The first step is to identify the people or brands that your target audience admires and looks up to. These could be industry thought leaders, social media influencers, or even just regular people who embody the values and lifestyle of your ideal customer. Once you’ve identified these role models, you can start creating content that features them or highlights their successes. Seeing someone they admire using your product or achieving their goals will help your target audience see themselves doing the same thing.

For example, let’s say you’re targeting working mothers with your content marketing strategy. In this case, some potential role models could be female entrepreneurs who have built successful businesses while raising kids or working moms who have found creative ways to balance their career and motherhood responsibilities. By featuring these women in your content, you can show working mothers that it is possible to succeed both professionally and personally without having to sacrifice one for the other.

Create Relatable Content 

Once you’ve identified your target audience’s role models, you can start creating content that resonates with them on a personal level. This could be anything from blog posts about how to juggle work and motherhood like a boss to tutorials on how to use your product to get better results at work (or at home). The goal is to create content that speaks directly to your target audience’s pain points and shows them how someone they admire has overcome similar challenges.

For example, let’s say you’re a skincare company targeting millennial women with your content marketing strategy (millennials make up 63% of skincare consumers – Statista). In this case, some potential topics for relatable content could be skincare routines for busy women or tips for looking good on Zoom calls (something most millennials are now all too familiar with). By creating content that addresses these pain points head-on, you can position yourself as a brand that understands its consumers’ needs—and more importantly, as a brand that can help meet those needs.

The first step is identifying potential role models for our target audience–individuals or groups whose success stories will inspire our readership towards taking specific actions with respect to your product or service goal, creating relatable content pieces which speak directly to their everyday lives–showing realistic solutions which fit seamlessly into routines.

So then next time, you’re putting a content marketing plan into place,  don’t forget the power of influence and how you can use it to your advantage!