We need more content
We need more content
We need more content
CONTENT STRATEGY
/
Ryan Bearden
Source:
Ryan Bearden
Building a strong content strategy:
Start with the basics
As a Marketing or Content leader, how many times have you heard (or uh-hum...actually uttered) the following....
"We need more videos for our YouTube channel!”
"We need an infographic!"
“We need a new white paper!”
I know I’m guilty as charged here – I’ve both heard and uttered these words to my team many times in my career. What’s wrong with this scenario? It’s vague. It’s aimless. And more important, it gives zero creative direction or objectives for your content creators.
Most entrepreneurs would agree that speed should trump perfection every time, and in most instances, I would agree. However, this doesn’t mean random acts of content are acceptable or effective. Let’s look at a couple of facts:
Fact 1: Self-Service B2B Buying is a Reality
It has been well documented that B2B buyers are overwhelmingly moving towards more self-service methods of the buying process. The Enterprise Growth Alliance Buyer Insights Report this year reported that half of its respondents spent 75% of the buying journey in self-guided activities, with senior executives over indexing on these self-serve activities.
The Demand Gen Report Content Preference Survey found that 71% of respondents downloaded, consumed and shared multiple assets to help with the decision-making process. Which leads us to fact 2.
Fact 2: Content Relevance is Critical
Generally speaking, content experiences are still falling short in meeting the needs and desires of today’s buyers. That same Demand Gen Content Preference Survey substantiated this with the following:
51% said assets were too objective and too much of a sales pitch
39% said it was difficult to find content that caters to their needs
38% said content was too generic
37% said the assets were not always informative or even entertaining
Relevant, targeted, valuable, and easy-to-consume content is arguably more important today than it’s ever been. The buying process has seen seismic shifts in the last 3-5 years, but marketing and sales, and more specifically content, have lagged in meeting the needs of these evolved buyers.
So how can marketing and content teams get more focused and effective in their content creation plans? Here are some key questions to ask yourself as you embark on content creation (spoiler alert: you shouldn’t start with format type):
Stand out with a unique perspective or point of view. This goes beyond incrementally better (maybe) features and functions of your product. They want to first know who you are and your area of expertise. Are you thought provoking? Are you demonstrating an ability to provide value to them and their business? Create a unique POV on the industry or relevant trends and communicate it with conviction and confidence.
Who are you trying to reach and talk to? It’s imperative that you get specific here. Title, function and industry aren’t enough. If you want to create meaningful content and experiences that resonate, you need to really understand your audience. What do they like and dislike? What are their biggest pain points, and how is their pain keeping them from solving problems or reaching goals? This is the single most important step in your content strategy. Want to create a sound content strategy? Start with an in-depth audience strategy. If you are unsure of some of these, simply ask them. In my experiences, I’ve never known customers to NOT willingly provide you with insights that will help you better serve them.
How are you defining success? You need to get very specific here or you could sabotage the whole content plan before it gets off the ground. If you are trying to determine (or being asked to determine) the ROI of a single piece of content, the program isn’t going to go well. Trying to tie ROI to a single asset is asinine. Rather, look at consumption by your ideal audience, shares by your target audience, engagement where applicable (e.g. social channel engagement), etc.
Don’t try and boil the ocean; start first with a small pot of water. What does this mean? Unless you’re a large enterprise with dozens of marketers on your team, and a multi-million-dollar budget, you likely won’t have the resources to dominate across multiple channels. So start with one channel and go big. This will allow you to align the elements above, gain valuable learnings on what resonates and what doesn’t, and move quickly to execute.
Tying it All Together: A Real-World Example:
A number of years ago, while leading the content and branding teams at a leading scheduling and labor management solution SaaS provider for the restaurant industry, we were embarking on a significant product launch, the largest such in the company's history. Months ahead of the actual launch, we embarked on a "stall the market" strategy with the objective of re-framing back-office solutions in the minds of our buyers, and "stalling" their decision to go with legacy solutions. Here's what it looked like:
Our unique perspective/POV was that while restaurant back-office solutions have been around since the dark ages, there were all pretty much the same and had narrow features and benefits. The industry was missing a fully integrated solution that allows all of the disparate functions to work and talk together.
We were talking to multi-unit restaurant operators (think larger chains), and their leadership (VP of Operations/COO). Through our ongoing relationships as well as our advisory councils, we knew a lot about their pain points, their desires, how they made decisions, etc. Where we really honed in on was the fact that tech bloat in the industry, and lack of integration across the various point solutions were key contributors to inflated operating and labor costs.
Our primary goal was driving content downloads and engagement. We were shifting the narrative around legacy back-office solutions and it was important to get our POV to as many people within our sweet spot as we could. While we were able to collect some leads throughout the campaign, our focus was on starting a new kind of conversation. And because we launched this campaign roughly 4-5 months prior to launch, we were playing the long game.
While we didn't necessarily start with one single channel, we did focus our efforts across paid content syndication, social engagement, and PR. This allowed us to get our POV out into the market through various vehicles, and customized the message and delivery based on those vehicles. Conversely, we stayed away from demand and lead capture channels during this phase; we were focused on education and engagement.
When launch day came, we had thousands of content downloads and views, social media engagements, article views, etc. We held an in-person event for the formal launch and had over 175 prospects and representatives from all major trade publications in attendance. Following the launch, our strategy shifted to more direct focus on the unique attributes of the platform and how it was vastly improved from standalone, legacy solutions. We incorporated smaller, regional "road shows" to allow for more personalized experiences with top prospects. All of this resulted in millions in incremental pipeline, engagement with new logos, and five lighthouse customers - all within the first 2-3 months.
“Let’s be honest, creating content is easy. Creating relevant, insightful, compelling and valuable content can be hard, but it’s more important today than it’s ever been.”
Looking for help in building out a content strategy? Already have a solid content strategy and looking for creative resources to help scale? Or maybe you truly just need a video…no matter where you are on your journey, Altitude has the resources and expertise to meet you where you are and help you grow your content engine that ultimately drives growth. Having worked closely with Altitude during my tenure at AT&T, I experienced first-hand the level of objective, strategic perspectives they brought to each program; the quality of their work; and most important, their commitment to true partnership.
To learn more about our digital marketing solutions, contact Jennifer Throop, VP, Sales and Marketing.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
Building a strong content strategy:
Start with the basics
As a Marketing or Content leader, how many times have you heard (or uh-hum...actually uttered) the following....
"We need more videos for our YouTube channel!”
"We need an infographic!"
“We need a new white paper!”
I know I’m guilty as charged here – I’ve both heard and uttered these words to my team many times in my career. What’s wrong with this scenario? It’s vague. It’s aimless. And more important, it gives zero creative direction or objectives for your content creators.
Most entrepreneurs would agree that speed should trump perfection every time, and in most instances, I would agree. However, this doesn’t mean random acts of content are acceptable or effective. Let’s look at a couple of facts:
Fact 1: Self-Service B2B Buying is a Reality
It has been well documented that B2B buyers are overwhelmingly moving towards more self-service methods of the buying process. The Enterprise Growth Alliance Buyer Insights Report this year reported that half of its respondents spent 75% of the buying journey in self-guided activities, with senior executives over indexing on these self-serve activities.
The Demand Gen Report Content Preference Survey found that 71% of respondents downloaded, consumed and shared multiple assets to help with the decision-making process. Which leads us to fact 2.
Fact 2: Content Relevance is Critical
Generally speaking, content experiences are still falling short in meeting the needs and desires of today’s buyers. That same Demand Gen Content Preference Survey substantiated this with the following:
51% said assets were too objective and too much of a sales pitch
39% said it was difficult to find content that caters to their needs
38% said content was too generic
37% said the assets were not always informative or even entertaining
Relevant, targeted, valuable, and easy-to-consume content is arguably more important today than it’s ever been. The buying process has seen seismic shifts in the last 3-5 years, but marketing and sales, and more specifically content, have lagged in meeting the needs of these evolved buyers.
So how can marketing and content teams get more focused and effective in their content creation plans? Here are some key questions to ask yourself as you embark on content creation (spoiler alert: you shouldn’t start with format type):
Stand out with a unique perspective or point of view. This goes beyond incrementally better (maybe) features and functions of your product. They want to first know who you are and your area of expertise. Are you thought provoking? Are you demonstrating an ability to provide value to them and their business? Create a unique POV on the industry or relevant trends and communicate it with conviction and confidence.
Who are you trying to reach and talk to? It’s imperative that you get specific here. Title, function and industry aren’t enough. If you want to create meaningful content and experiences that resonate, you need to really understand your audience. What do they like and dislike? What are their biggest pain points, and how is their pain keeping them from solving problems or reaching goals? This is the single most important step in your content strategy. Want to create a sound content strategy? Start with an in-depth audience strategy. If you are unsure of some of these, simply ask them. In my experiences, I’ve never known customers to NOT willingly provide you with insights that will help you better serve them.
How are you defining success? You need to get very specific here or you could sabotage the whole content plan before it gets off the ground. If you are trying to determine (or being asked to determine) the ROI of a single piece of content, the program isn’t going to go well. Trying to tie ROI to a single asset is asinine. Rather, look at consumption by your ideal audience, shares by your target audience, engagement where applicable (e.g. social channel engagement), etc.
Don’t try and boil the ocean; start first with a small pot of water. What does this mean? Unless you’re a large enterprise with dozens of marketers on your team, and a multi-million-dollar budget, you likely won’t have the resources to dominate across multiple channels. So start with one channel and go big. This will allow you to align the elements above, gain valuable learnings on what resonates and what doesn’t, and move quickly to execute.
Tying it All Together: A Real-World Example:
A number of years ago, while leading the content and branding teams at a leading scheduling and labor management solution SaaS provider for the restaurant industry, we were embarking on a significant product launch, the largest such in the company's history. Months ahead of the actual launch, we embarked on a "stall the market" strategy with the objective of re-framing back-office solutions in the minds of our buyers, and "stalling" their decision to go with legacy solutions. Here's what it looked like:
Our unique perspective/POV was that while restaurant back-office solutions have been around since the dark ages, there were all pretty much the same and had narrow features and benefits. The industry was missing a fully integrated solution that allows all of the disparate functions to work and talk together.
We were talking to multi-unit restaurant operators (think larger chains), and their leadership (VP of Operations/COO). Through our ongoing relationships as well as our advisory councils, we knew a lot about their pain points, their desires, how they made decisions, etc. Where we really honed in on was the fact that tech bloat in the industry, and lack of integration across the various point solutions were key contributors to inflated operating and labor costs.
Our primary goal was driving content downloads and engagement. We were shifting the narrative around legacy back-office solutions and it was important to get our POV to as many people within our sweet spot as we could. While we were able to collect some leads throughout the campaign, our focus was on starting a new kind of conversation. And because we launched this campaign roughly 4-5 months prior to launch, we were playing the long game.
While we didn't necessarily start with one single channel, we did focus our efforts across paid content syndication, social engagement, and PR. This allowed us to get our POV out into the market through various vehicles, and customized the message and delivery based on those vehicles. Conversely, we stayed away from demand and lead capture channels during this phase; we were focused on education and engagement.
When launch day came, we had thousands of content downloads and views, social media engagements, article views, etc. We held an in-person event for the formal launch and had over 175 prospects and representatives from all major trade publications in attendance. Following the launch, our strategy shifted to more direct focus on the unique attributes of the platform and how it was vastly improved from standalone, legacy solutions. We incorporated smaller, regional "road shows" to allow for more personalized experiences with top prospects. All of this resulted in millions in incremental pipeline, engagement with new logos, and five lighthouse customers - all within the first 2-3 months.
“Let’s be honest, creating content is easy. Creating relevant, insightful, compelling and valuable content can be hard, but it’s more important today than it’s ever been.”
Looking for help in building out a content strategy? Already have a solid content strategy and looking for creative resources to help scale? Or maybe you truly just need a video…no matter where you are on your journey, Altitude has the resources and expertise to meet you where you are and help you grow your content engine that ultimately drives growth. Having worked closely with Altitude during my tenure at AT&T, I experienced first-hand the level of objective, strategic perspectives they brought to each program; the quality of their work; and most important, their commitment to true partnership.
To learn more about our digital marketing solutions, contact Jennifer Throop, VP, Sales and Marketing.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
Ready to move your
B2B buyers forward?
Contact Altitude today to clarify your complex solutions—so your B2B audience quickly understands, trusts, and takes action.
Copyright © 2025 Altitude Management.
All rights reserved.
Ready to move your
B2B buyers forward?
Contact Altitude today to clarify your complex solutions—so your B2B audience quickly understands, trusts, and takes action.
Copyright © 2025 Altitude Management.
All rights reserved.
Ready to move your
B2B buyers forward?
Contact Altitude today to clarify your complex solutions—so your B2B audience quickly understands, trusts, and takes action.
Copyright © 2025 Altitude Management.
All rights reserved.
CONTENT CREATION
/
Bryan Reid
In part one of this blog, Cybersecurity Content IS Hard to Read: Here’s Proof we shared our research on cybersecurity readability and it revealed that most cybersecurity content is hard to read. Even within a company, different product lines or business units scored different readability scores, which indicates that the opportunity for improvement is significant.
In our role as a business communication partner, we understand the importance of persuasive business communication – both words and pictures. We strive to push our clients to focus on readability and comprehension as key metrics in developing any kind of communication.
Here are our top five ways to improve readability in the cybersecurity sector.
1. Use plain English.
“80% of people prefer sentences written in plain English. This includes expert users with a high level of specialist knowledge.”
— (Clarity is king – the evidence that reveals the desperate need to re-think the way we write)
Cybersecurity experts are well-educated and are comfortable with technical language. Alas, readers don’t share this expertise. Too often, technical language is used when plain English would work better. Plain English is so important there has been legislation requiring some industries to adopt plain English standards. This article summarizes the key aspects of the movement and why it’s so important.
Meanwhile, a few cybersecurity examples – the original and our rewrite. Note: the plain English version includes mini-summaries to reinforce the benefits of complex ideas.
Their content: Our security approach allows organizations to proactively set up enforcement mechanisms via scalable encryption and segmentation approaches; enable predictive analytics that uncover malicious intent as early in the attack lifecycle as possible, and deliver prescriptive guidance so analysts can take remedial action. Our security solutions support out-of-the-box automated integrations with the rest of the infrastructure while also delivering the necessary decision support data to the human analyst.
Plain English: Our approach to scalable encryption and segmentation lets you establish enforcement rules proactively. That means you can anticipate where attacks are likely to happen. Predictive analytics reveal malicious intent early and provide essential guidance for rapid remediation, accelerating your ability to take action. Out-of-the-box automated integrations deliver data that speed decision-making. Our solutions are designed to provide information to help you make informed decisions faster.
2. Eschew compound sentences; furthermore, if you’re using a semi-colon, you’ve already lost them.
See what we did there? Most content is read digitally. That means it’s held in someone’s mind for a remarkably short period of time. Complex sentences make it more difficult to absorb the content because there’s too much to absorb. This is a great article on when and how compound sentences work. Here’s an example that shows how slowing down just a bit allows you to deliver more punch while increasing readability.
Their content: The [product] leverages artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and automation to provide improved cyber threat prevention and remediation, while offering visibility across all endpoints for better management and control.
Our rewrite: The product uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation. The result is improved cyber threat prevention and remediation. In addition, it delivers visibility across all endpoints for better management and control.
3. Chunk. Digital readers are scanners.
We like this summary of the difference between digital reading and traditional reading. Digital readers jump around a page, looking for information that grabs their attention. That means content creators need to do a better job of creating nuggets of information that can be quickly scanned. We call it chunking.
We’re doing it right now by creating this list of five things. You can scan the five things in bold and then decide if you want to know more by reading the paragraph below each numbered item. Further, we include examples to improve cognition because people learn differently. The next item on our list also addresses the needs of different learning types.
4. Visual communication is essential.
While you can’t test a visual for readability, it doesn’t matter. Many people are visual learners and need visual information to supplement what they’re reading. There are many ways to represent your content visually, but in cybersecurity, one of the best ways is the infographic.
Done well, an infographic should tell your story in chunks (see above), and components can be extracted and used in presentations, public relations, and social media. It’s an asset with a long tail and a worthwhile investment. Neil Patel has collected five case studies that demonstrate how powerful visual communication delivered meaningful business results.
5. IFYKYK, enough with the acronyms already.
Ahhh technology. Other than the government, has there been an industry that relies so heavily on acronyms? Okay, we might be exaggerating, but let’s accept that acronyms are littered throughout cybersecurity content. It’s not that acronyms are horrible, but they do reduce readability and understanding.
The net effect of acronyms on comprehension is that they are like reading speed bumps. Some people slow down to try and understand and others speed up and fly over them because they can’t be bothered. Either way, you’ve created an unpleasant experience that impedes forward movement. (Question, do you know what IFYKYK means, or did you just skip it? It’s the first word in the #5 sentence.) If you have to use them, use them sparingly and closer to information that’s less important.
Here are a few examples of how to pivot and use alternatives to solve the problem. The main point is to focus on comprehension rather than packing the sentences with all the junk.
Their copy: Endpoint detection and response (EDR). All types of endpoints, including Internet of Things (IoT), industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), need to be monitored and secured. A robust EDR system is often the go-to tool used to deal with attacks that land on an endpoint.
Our rewrite: Endpoint detection and response. All kinds of endpoints need to be monitored. That includes those considered part of the Internet of Things (typically consumer), industrial, and medical-connected devices as well. To secure these endpoints, organizations need a robust endpoint detection and response solution.
Their copy: Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR). SOAR levels vary across areas such as onboarding, SIEM systems, detection, investigations, analytics, alerts, workflows, and response and remediation actions. A few MDR providers use bots for triage, investigation, and analysis.
Our rewrite: Security orchestration, automation, and response includes all aspects of cybersecurity automation and response. It includes set-up, managing security information and event management systems, detecting security threats, and investigating incidents. It also encompasses analyzing data, managing alerts, creating workflows, and remediation. Some managed detection and response providers use bots to help with tasks like triaging, investigating, and analyzing security incidents.
Creating content for cybersecurity is a challenging and interesting job.
“Focusing on the reader is the secret for generating content that’s persuasive and actionable.”
We hope these tips are helpful. We know there are always exceptions that require different solutions, but with comprehension as a priority, your readability scores will improve, and hopefully, so will your sales funnel.
If you’re ready to improve your content, we’re ready to help. Through words and pictures, we will elevate your brand, clarify your value, and increase engagement. It’s as easy as starting with one project so you can evaluate our contribution.
To get started, contact Jennifer Throop, VP, Sales and Marketing, who will work with you to define the scope and answer your questions.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
CONTENT CREATION
/
Bryan Reid
In part one of this blog, Cybersecurity Content IS Hard to Read: Here’s Proof we shared our research on cybersecurity readability and it revealed that most cybersecurity content is hard to read. Even within a company, different product lines or business units scored different readability scores, which indicates that the opportunity for improvement is significant.
In our role as a business communication partner, we understand the importance of persuasive business communication – both words and pictures. We strive to push our clients to focus on readability and comprehension as key metrics in developing any kind of communication.
Here are our top five ways to improve readability in the cybersecurity sector.
1. Use plain English.
“80% of people prefer sentences written in plain English. This includes expert users with a high level of specialist knowledge.”
— (Clarity is king – the evidence that reveals the desperate need to re-think the way we write)
Cybersecurity experts are well-educated and are comfortable with technical language. Alas, readers don’t share this expertise. Too often, technical language is used when plain English would work better. Plain English is so important there has been legislation requiring some industries to adopt plain English standards. This article summarizes the key aspects of the movement and why it’s so important.
Meanwhile, a few cybersecurity examples – the original and our rewrite. Note: the plain English version includes mini-summaries to reinforce the benefits of complex ideas.
Their content: Our security approach allows organizations to proactively set up enforcement mechanisms via scalable encryption and segmentation approaches; enable predictive analytics that uncover malicious intent as early in the attack lifecycle as possible, and deliver prescriptive guidance so analysts can take remedial action. Our security solutions support out-of-the-box automated integrations with the rest of the infrastructure while also delivering the necessary decision support data to the human analyst.
Plain English: Our approach to scalable encryption and segmentation lets you establish enforcement rules proactively. That means you can anticipate where attacks are likely to happen. Predictive analytics reveal malicious intent early and provide essential guidance for rapid remediation, accelerating your ability to take action. Out-of-the-box automated integrations deliver data that speed decision-making. Our solutions are designed to provide information to help you make informed decisions faster.
2. Eschew compound sentences; furthermore, if you’re using a semi-colon, you’ve already lost them.
See what we did there? Most content is read digitally. That means it’s held in someone’s mind for a remarkably short period of time. Complex sentences make it more difficult to absorb the content because there’s too much to absorb. This is a great article on when and how compound sentences work. Here’s an example that shows how slowing down just a bit allows you to deliver more punch while increasing readability.
Their content: The [product] leverages artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and automation to provide improved cyber threat prevention and remediation, while offering visibility across all endpoints for better management and control.
Our rewrite: The product uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation. The result is improved cyber threat prevention and remediation. In addition, it delivers visibility across all endpoints for better management and control.
3. Chunk. Digital readers are scanners.
We like this summary of the difference between digital reading and traditional reading. Digital readers jump around a page, looking for information that grabs their attention. That means content creators need to do a better job of creating nuggets of information that can be quickly scanned. We call it chunking.
We’re doing it right now by creating this list of five things. You can scan the five things in bold and then decide if you want to know more by reading the paragraph below each numbered item. Further, we include examples to improve cognition because people learn differently. The next item on our list also addresses the needs of different learning types.
4. Visual communication is essential.
While you can’t test a visual for readability, it doesn’t matter. Many people are visual learners and need visual information to supplement what they’re reading. There are many ways to represent your content visually, but in cybersecurity, one of the best ways is the infographic.
Done well, an infographic should tell your story in chunks (see above), and components can be extracted and used in presentations, public relations, and social media. It’s an asset with a long tail and a worthwhile investment. Neil Patel has collected five case studies that demonstrate how powerful visual communication delivered meaningful business results.
5. IFYKYK, enough with the acronyms already.
Ahhh technology. Other than the government, has there been an industry that relies so heavily on acronyms? Okay, we might be exaggerating, but let’s accept that acronyms are littered throughout cybersecurity content. It’s not that acronyms are horrible, but they do reduce readability and understanding.
The net effect of acronyms on comprehension is that they are like reading speed bumps. Some people slow down to try and understand and others speed up and fly over them because they can’t be bothered. Either way, you’ve created an unpleasant experience that impedes forward movement. (Question, do you know what IFYKYK means, or did you just skip it? It’s the first word in the #5 sentence.) If you have to use them, use them sparingly and closer to information that’s less important.
Here are a few examples of how to pivot and use alternatives to solve the problem. The main point is to focus on comprehension rather than packing the sentences with all the junk.
Their copy: Endpoint detection and response (EDR). All types of endpoints, including Internet of Things (IoT), industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), need to be monitored and secured. A robust EDR system is often the go-to tool used to deal with attacks that land on an endpoint.
Our rewrite: Endpoint detection and response. All kinds of endpoints need to be monitored. That includes those considered part of the Internet of Things (typically consumer), industrial, and medical-connected devices as well. To secure these endpoints, organizations need a robust endpoint detection and response solution.
Their copy: Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR). SOAR levels vary across areas such as onboarding, SIEM systems, detection, investigations, analytics, alerts, workflows, and response and remediation actions. A few MDR providers use bots for triage, investigation, and analysis.
Our rewrite: Security orchestration, automation, and response includes all aspects of cybersecurity automation and response. It includes set-up, managing security information and event management systems, detecting security threats, and investigating incidents. It also encompasses analyzing data, managing alerts, creating workflows, and remediation. Some managed detection and response providers use bots to help with tasks like triaging, investigating, and analyzing security incidents.
Creating content for cybersecurity is a challenging and interesting job.
“Focusing on the reader is the secret for generating content that’s persuasive and actionable.”
We hope these tips are helpful. We know there are always exceptions that require different solutions, but with comprehension as a priority, your readability scores will improve, and hopefully, so will your sales funnel.
If you’re ready to improve your content, we’re ready to help. Through words and pictures, we will elevate your brand, clarify your value, and increase engagement. It’s as easy as starting with one project so you can evaluate our contribution.
To get started, contact Jennifer Throop, VP, Sales and Marketing, who will work with you to define the scope and answer your questions.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
CONTENT CREATION
/
Bryan Reid
In part one of this blog, Cybersecurity Content IS Hard to Read: Here’s Proof we shared our research on cybersecurity readability and it revealed that most cybersecurity content is hard to read. Even within a company, different product lines or business units scored different readability scores, which indicates that the opportunity for improvement is significant.
In our role as a business communication partner, we understand the importance of persuasive business communication – both words and pictures. We strive to push our clients to focus on readability and comprehension as key metrics in developing any kind of communication.
Here are our top five ways to improve readability in the cybersecurity sector.
1. Use plain English.
“80% of people prefer sentences written in plain English. This includes expert users with a high level of specialist knowledge.”
— (Clarity is king – the evidence that reveals the desperate need to re-think the way we write)
Cybersecurity experts are well-educated and are comfortable with technical language. Alas, readers don’t share this expertise. Too often, technical language is used when plain English would work better. Plain English is so important there has been legislation requiring some industries to adopt plain English standards. This article summarizes the key aspects of the movement and why it’s so important.
Meanwhile, a few cybersecurity examples – the original and our rewrite. Note: the plain English version includes mini-summaries to reinforce the benefits of complex ideas.
Their content: Our security approach allows organizations to proactively set up enforcement mechanisms via scalable encryption and segmentation approaches; enable predictive analytics that uncover malicious intent as early in the attack lifecycle as possible, and deliver prescriptive guidance so analysts can take remedial action. Our security solutions support out-of-the-box automated integrations with the rest of the infrastructure while also delivering the necessary decision support data to the human analyst.
Plain English: Our approach to scalable encryption and segmentation lets you establish enforcement rules proactively. That means you can anticipate where attacks are likely to happen. Predictive analytics reveal malicious intent early and provide essential guidance for rapid remediation, accelerating your ability to take action. Out-of-the-box automated integrations deliver data that speed decision-making. Our solutions are designed to provide information to help you make informed decisions faster.
2. Eschew compound sentences; furthermore, if you’re using a semi-colon, you’ve already lost them.
See what we did there? Most content is read digitally. That means it’s held in someone’s mind for a remarkably short period of time. Complex sentences make it more difficult to absorb the content because there’s too much to absorb. This is a great article on when and how compound sentences work. Here’s an example that shows how slowing down just a bit allows you to deliver more punch while increasing readability.
Their content: The [product] leverages artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and automation to provide improved cyber threat prevention and remediation, while offering visibility across all endpoints for better management and control.
Our rewrite: The product uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation. The result is improved cyber threat prevention and remediation. In addition, it delivers visibility across all endpoints for better management and control.
3. Chunk. Digital readers are scanners.
We like this summary of the difference between digital reading and traditional reading. Digital readers jump around a page, looking for information that grabs their attention. That means content creators need to do a better job of creating nuggets of information that can be quickly scanned. We call it chunking.
We’re doing it right now by creating this list of five things. You can scan the five things in bold and then decide if you want to know more by reading the paragraph below each numbered item. Further, we include examples to improve cognition because people learn differently. The next item on our list also addresses the needs of different learning types.
4. Visual communication is essential.
While you can’t test a visual for readability, it doesn’t matter. Many people are visual learners and need visual information to supplement what they’re reading. There are many ways to represent your content visually, but in cybersecurity, one of the best ways is the infographic.
Done well, an infographic should tell your story in chunks (see above), and components can be extracted and used in presentations, public relations, and social media. It’s an asset with a long tail and a worthwhile investment. Neil Patel has collected five case studies that demonstrate how powerful visual communication delivered meaningful business results.
5. IFYKYK, enough with the acronyms already.
Ahhh technology. Other than the government, has there been an industry that relies so heavily on acronyms? Okay, we might be exaggerating, but let’s accept that acronyms are littered throughout cybersecurity content. It’s not that acronyms are horrible, but they do reduce readability and understanding.
The net effect of acronyms on comprehension is that they are like reading speed bumps. Some people slow down to try and understand and others speed up and fly over them because they can’t be bothered. Either way, you’ve created an unpleasant experience that impedes forward movement. (Question, do you know what IFYKYK means, or did you just skip it? It’s the first word in the #5 sentence.) If you have to use them, use them sparingly and closer to information that’s less important.
Here are a few examples of how to pivot and use alternatives to solve the problem. The main point is to focus on comprehension rather than packing the sentences with all the junk.
Their copy: Endpoint detection and response (EDR). All types of endpoints, including Internet of Things (IoT), industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), need to be monitored and secured. A robust EDR system is often the go-to tool used to deal with attacks that land on an endpoint.
Our rewrite: Endpoint detection and response. All kinds of endpoints need to be monitored. That includes those considered part of the Internet of Things (typically consumer), industrial, and medical-connected devices as well. To secure these endpoints, organizations need a robust endpoint detection and response solution.
Their copy: Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR). SOAR levels vary across areas such as onboarding, SIEM systems, detection, investigations, analytics, alerts, workflows, and response and remediation actions. A few MDR providers use bots for triage, investigation, and analysis.
Our rewrite: Security orchestration, automation, and response includes all aspects of cybersecurity automation and response. It includes set-up, managing security information and event management systems, detecting security threats, and investigating incidents. It also encompasses analyzing data, managing alerts, creating workflows, and remediation. Some managed detection and response providers use bots to help with tasks like triaging, investigating, and analyzing security incidents.
Creating content for cybersecurity is a challenging and interesting job.
“Focusing on the reader is the secret for generating content that’s persuasive and actionable.”
We hope these tips are helpful. We know there are always exceptions that require different solutions, but with comprehension as a priority, your readability scores will improve, and hopefully, so will your sales funnel.
If you’re ready to improve your content, we’re ready to help. Through words and pictures, we will elevate your brand, clarify your value, and increase engagement. It’s as easy as starting with one project so you can evaluate our contribution.
To get started, contact Jennifer Throop, VP, Sales and Marketing, who will work with you to define the scope and answer your questions.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
CONTENT STRATEGY
/
Bryan Reid
In a previous post, Content Readability: Why It Matters I discussed the concern that a lot of cybersecurity content is likely unreadable for a significant percentage of its target audience. The more I think about it, however, I don’t think that’s true. The content is likely readable…but only if the reader puts enough time and effort into it.
Which they probably won’t.
Business communicators know all too well the challenge is cutting through the noise to get the reader’s time and attention. If you don’t effectively combine the message with clear visual communication, your readers may miss the key messages or decline to share the content with other stakeholders. This is especially consequential when those stakeholders are involved in the buying decision.
75% of Cybersecurity Content Could be Easier to Read
How big is the problem? Big enough to make readability a priority. We reviewed over 600 pieces of marketing content (in PDF format) from the 13 cybersecurity leaders listed below:
Akamai Technologies
AT&T Cybersecurity
Broadcom Inc.
Check Point Software Technologies
CrowdStrike
DXC Technology
F5 Networks
IBM
Palo Alto Networks
Secureworks
Sentinel One
Trend Micro
Zscaler
Then we scored them using Readable.com’s AI scoring platform. Readable’s algorithm taps widely-used readability formulas to provide a score from A to E (with A being the most readable).
What did we find?
Only 24% of cybersecurity content scored either an A or B
It’s fair to say that an AI readability tool like Readable.com doesn’t account for unique cybersecurity terms and concepts that many (but not all) readers would be familiar with. With that caveat, there’s still a tremendous opportunity to simplify content for increased comprehension.
“Three out of four pieces tested, didn’t earn an acceptable readability score.”
Have you thought about your cybersecurity content from a readability perspective? If you haven’t, what are the chances your biggest competitors have?
Prioritizing Readability is a Competitive Advantage
Nearly half of Company 1’s content is likely to be understood easily, which is a significant advantage over companies 6 to 13.
From a sales and marketing perspective, this is where relative scores against competitors might mean the difference between your product brief or whitepaper being consumed or ignored because someone else’s content was easier to understand.
It’s also interesting that within each company, we found diversity in the scores. It makes me wonder if some marketing teams are more focused on readability than others or if it’s simply coincidental. From a company perspective, these differences could explain why it’s harder to get leads for some offerings or move them through the sales funnel efficiently.
Readability Can Accelerate or Slow Down Sales
If we look at individual company results, we found readability can vary across product categories. The example above shows results for one company that had five different product categories on its site. How much more effective would their marketing efforts be if all their content was as readable as the content in the top two categories? It would be interesting to overlay their lead gen results relative to how easy it is to consume the content. It’s likely there’s a correlation between better lead behavior for Category 1 than for Category 5 or 6.
The Big Caveat…Relevance Still Matters
When looking at readability across products within one company, it’s possible that some easy-to-read content simply doesn’t provide the level of detail necessary to be effective in moving a prospect forward in the buyer’s journey. Readability does not equal relevancy and relevancy is as crucial as readability. Sacrificing either can significantly reduce the value of any marketing content.
So, what improves readability? In part two, we’ll share five recommendations for improving your readability scores. We’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts on this research. Leave a comment below or reach out to Jennifer Throop.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
CONTENT STRATEGY
/
Bryan Reid
In a previous post, Content Readability: Why It Matters I discussed the concern that a lot of cybersecurity content is likely unreadable for a significant percentage of its target audience. The more I think about it, however, I don’t think that’s true. The content is likely readable…but only if the reader puts enough time and effort into it.
Which they probably won’t.
Business communicators know all too well the challenge is cutting through the noise to get the reader’s time and attention. If you don’t effectively combine the message with clear visual communication, your readers may miss the key messages or decline to share the content with other stakeholders. This is especially consequential when those stakeholders are involved in the buying decision.
75% of Cybersecurity Content Could be Easier to Read
How big is the problem? Big enough to make readability a priority. We reviewed over 600 pieces of marketing content (in PDF format) from the 13 cybersecurity leaders listed below:
Akamai Technologies
AT&T Cybersecurity
Broadcom Inc.
Check Point Software Technologies
CrowdStrike
DXC Technology
F5 Networks
IBM
Palo Alto Networks
Secureworks
Sentinel One
Trend Micro
Zscaler
Then we scored them using Readable.com’s AI scoring platform. Readable’s algorithm taps widely-used readability formulas to provide a score from A to E (with A being the most readable).
What did we find?
Only 24% of cybersecurity content scored either an A or B
It’s fair to say that an AI readability tool like Readable.com doesn’t account for unique cybersecurity terms and concepts that many (but not all) readers would be familiar with. With that caveat, there’s still a tremendous opportunity to simplify content for increased comprehension.
“Three out of four pieces tested, didn’t earn an acceptable readability score.”
Have you thought about your cybersecurity content from a readability perspective? If you haven’t, what are the chances your biggest competitors have?
Prioritizing Readability is a Competitive Advantage
Nearly half of Company 1’s content is likely to be understood easily, which is a significant advantage over companies 6 to 13.
From a sales and marketing perspective, this is where relative scores against competitors might mean the difference between your product brief or whitepaper being consumed or ignored because someone else’s content was easier to understand.
It’s also interesting that within each company, we found diversity in the scores. It makes me wonder if some marketing teams are more focused on readability than others or if it’s simply coincidental. From a company perspective, these differences could explain why it’s harder to get leads for some offerings or move them through the sales funnel efficiently.
Readability Can Accelerate or Slow Down Sales
If we look at individual company results, we found readability can vary across product categories. The example above shows results for one company that had five different product categories on its site. How much more effective would their marketing efforts be if all their content was as readable as the content in the top two categories? It would be interesting to overlay their lead gen results relative to how easy it is to consume the content. It’s likely there’s a correlation between better lead behavior for Category 1 than for Category 5 or 6.
The Big Caveat…Relevance Still Matters
When looking at readability across products within one company, it’s possible that some easy-to-read content simply doesn’t provide the level of detail necessary to be effective in moving a prospect forward in the buyer’s journey. Readability does not equal relevancy and relevancy is as crucial as readability. Sacrificing either can significantly reduce the value of any marketing content.
So, what improves readability? In part two, we’ll share five recommendations for improving your readability scores. We’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts on this research. Leave a comment below or reach out to Jennifer Throop.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.
CONTENT STRATEGY
/
Bryan Reid
In a previous post, Content Readability: Why It Matters I discussed the concern that a lot of cybersecurity content is likely unreadable for a significant percentage of its target audience. The more I think about it, however, I don’t think that’s true. The content is likely readable…but only if the reader puts enough time and effort into it.
Which they probably won’t.
Business communicators know all too well the challenge is cutting through the noise to get the reader’s time and attention. If you don’t effectively combine the message with clear visual communication, your readers may miss the key messages or decline to share the content with other stakeholders. This is especially consequential when those stakeholders are involved in the buying decision.
75% of Cybersecurity Content Could be Easier to Read
How big is the problem? Big enough to make readability a priority. We reviewed over 600 pieces of marketing content (in PDF format) from the 13 cybersecurity leaders listed below:
Akamai Technologies
AT&T Cybersecurity
Broadcom Inc.
Check Point Software Technologies
CrowdStrike
DXC Technology
F5 Networks
IBM
Palo Alto Networks
Secureworks
Sentinel One
Trend Micro
Zscaler
Then we scored them using Readable.com’s AI scoring platform. Readable’s algorithm taps widely-used readability formulas to provide a score from A to E (with A being the most readable).
What did we find?
Only 24% of cybersecurity content scored either an A or B
It’s fair to say that an AI readability tool like Readable.com doesn’t account for unique cybersecurity terms and concepts that many (but not all) readers would be familiar with. With that caveat, there’s still a tremendous opportunity to simplify content for increased comprehension.
“Three out of four pieces tested, didn’t earn an acceptable readability score.”
Have you thought about your cybersecurity content from a readability perspective? If you haven’t, what are the chances your biggest competitors have?
Prioritizing Readability is a Competitive Advantage
Nearly half of Company 1’s content is likely to be understood easily, which is a significant advantage over companies 6 to 13.
From a sales and marketing perspective, this is where relative scores against competitors might mean the difference between your product brief or whitepaper being consumed or ignored because someone else’s content was easier to understand.
It’s also interesting that within each company, we found diversity in the scores. It makes me wonder if some marketing teams are more focused on readability than others or if it’s simply coincidental. From a company perspective, these differences could explain why it’s harder to get leads for some offerings or move them through the sales funnel efficiently.
Readability Can Accelerate or Slow Down Sales
If we look at individual company results, we found readability can vary across product categories. The example above shows results for one company that had five different product categories on its site. How much more effective would their marketing efforts be if all their content was as readable as the content in the top two categories? It would be interesting to overlay their lead gen results relative to how easy it is to consume the content. It’s likely there’s a correlation between better lead behavior for Category 1 than for Category 5 or 6.
The Big Caveat…Relevance Still Matters
When looking at readability across products within one company, it’s possible that some easy-to-read content simply doesn’t provide the level of detail necessary to be effective in moving a prospect forward in the buyer’s journey. Readability does not equal relevancy and relevancy is as crucial as readability. Sacrificing either can significantly reduce the value of any marketing content.
So, what improves readability? In part two, we’ll share five recommendations for improving your readability scores. We’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts on this research. Leave a comment below or reach out to Jennifer Throop.
At Altitude, we’re focused on creating content that delivers the ‘most relevant information’, in the shortest amount of time.