As a content creator, I sometimes feel like Waldo.

According to an infographic from Newstex, 5 exabytes of content are created every day. That’s equal to one billion gigabytes. Or, if you want to break it down further, one quintrillion bytes.

To put it in context, that’s the same amount of information created from the beginning of time all the way until 2003.

How can you possibly stand out among all that?

Great content is a good start. That will separate you from the majority of the pack. But there’s bound to be other great content out there. And when you’re dealing with the sheer volume of content being created today, even a small percentage is a big number.

To stand apart from the rest, you need more than just great content. You need an identity.

Here are a few examples from some of the world’s most influential content creators and companies. Their content is recognizable because they consistently deliver their own unique brand of value.

Seth Godin

Seth’s blog goes against what many of the marketing gurus are preaching. His posts are short. Sometimes even just a couple of paragraphs. And they are all text. The only images appear in the left hand sidebar.

But it works. The site in number two on inbound.org’s index of top marketing blogs.

One reason is the quality of the content. Seth Godin does thought leadership as well or better than just about anyone. Even though his musing are short, they get you thinking. That’s no easy task, especially when you post every day.

I suspect all those things that make this blog unique also attribute to its success. It’s a zag to other blogs’ zig. There’s no blog quite like it.

Neil Patel

In many ways, Neil Patel’s content identity is the opposite of Godin. He writes epic posts on his two blogs, Quick Spout and NeilPatel.com. They routinely run 3,000 words. Sometimes more.

Why?

They are really detailed. Readers flock to these sites because they know they’ll get actionable how-to information, broken down step by step.

Rand Fishkin

Often, the more expertise someone has on a given subject, the worse they are at explaining it. That makes sense. Concepts that seem advanced to a novice may be basic to an expert, especially with complicated subjects like SEO.

Few people have the ability to translate their knowledge in terms almost everyone can understand. The Wizard of Moz is one of them. This beginner’s guide to SEO is a good example.

Not only that, but Fishkin shows his sense of humor while providing valuable information. Just take a look at this presentation:

Why Content Marketing Fails from Rand Fishkin

Copyranter

He’s crass. He’s arrogant. He’s acerbic. But Mark Duffy, AKA copyranter, is certainly not bland.

Whether you love his rants or hate them, there’s no mistaking them. That makes him stand out. But that’s only half of the reason it works.

Everything he writes, from calling out The Biggest Digital Dumbasses of 2015 to satirizing viral videos, drips with authenticity. And it’s earned him a large and loyal following.

I’m not suggesting this particular style is appropriate for every brand. I would never feel comfortable using that tone myself. But don’t be afraid to show a little of your personality in your content.

Buffer

No matter who the author is, you always know that any article you read on Buffer’s blog will be well researched. They do their homework before crafting their content, and it shows.

In fact, some of the most popular articles on their blog include the term “backed by science” in the headline.

8 Simple Copywriting Tips, Backed By Science

5 Unusual Ways to Start Working Smarter, Not Harder, Backed by Science

7 Simple Productivity Tips You Can Apply Today, Backed by Science

Anyone can make claims on the Internet. But why should anyone believe you? Where’s the proof? By backing up their content with credible information from outside sources, Buffer builds trust with its audience.

Groove

Validating content with research isn’t the only way to build trust among readers. So does transparency. And it’s a big reason Groove was able to attract the attention of not just potential customers, but big time influencers, as well.

How could you not be intrigued by this?

Many of the posts read like personal stories from Groove’s CEO and founder, Alex Turnbull. Here are just a few:

We Deleted Our Facebook Page. Here’s Why.

The Pricing Model That Increased Our Free Trial Signups by 358% (and Revenue by 25%)

How We Got 1,000+ Subscribers from a Single Blog Post in 24 Hours

One of the things that sticks out when you read these articles, is how candid they are. It’s easy to crow about your successes. But Turnbull readily shares the failures as well. In one post he admits he was embarrassed at having fewer than 200 likes on Facebook. In another he shares the poor conversion rates of Groove’s first two attempts at pricing.

That kind of transparency does two things.

First, it makes everything else in the article more credible. If he were going to be dishonest or hide something, he wouldn’t have included those negative details.

Second, it makes Alex more relatable and likeable. If someone as smart and successful as him goes through this, there’s hope for me yet.

Red Bull

When it comes to consumer content marketing, most point to Red Bull as the shining example. Content is such an important part of the company’s strategy that it launched its own media company. Red Bull Media House develops and delivers content across a wide array of media.

Red Bull has skillfully created an association with extreme sports, and its content fits perfectly with that persona.

Felix Baumgartner’s space jump made headlines around the world. But even the Red Bull content that gets less press still grabs attention.

Images like this…

…and video such as this one…

…embody this spirit of the brand as well as the subject matter.

You almost feel like you’re riding on the wing of that plane in the picture above.

How to develop your own content identity.

Now it’s time to go out and start replicating these characteristics for your own content, right?

Not so fast. What works for one person may not necessarily work for others. Your identity should be yours, not someone else’s.

This is the process I use:

Step 1. Define your audience.

You may think your identity is all about you. But it’s just as much about the people consuming your content.

This is just as true in your everyday life. Aren’t your conversations with friends different than your conversations with your parents? Or your children? Or even other cliques of friends?

The more you know about your target audience, the easier it will be to craft an identity that will resonate.

If you already have customers, finding the information you need is relatively simple. Ask them. Send them surveys. Talk to them on the phone. Solicit feedback. Dig though your data.

And don’t stop at demographics. You want to get a sense of their personalities, beliefs, motivations and pain points.

You want to understand how they speak. What is the tone? What specific words or phrases do they use? These will all shape how you communicate with them.

But what if you’re launching something completely new, and you don’t have an existing audience to interview? The task is a little more difficult, but not impossible.

Start with a more general audience based on your topic and slowly narrow it down to who you believe would make your ideal customer. Search for those people, and try to connect with them in online communities, networking groups, and social media. Validate your assumptions with a small sample before launching into the next step.

When you have a good understanding of your target audience, distill it down into a specific persona or a few personas. In case you’re not familiar with the concept, a persona is a semi-fictional character that represents segments of your audience.

Personas are helpful when crafting a content identity, because you can focus your efforts. Instead of trying to imagine how a group will react to something, you can picture a single person.

Use specific quotes and information from your research and interview process to bring life to your personas.

Step 2. Study your competition.

Look at other content your target audience consumes. Make notes about the tone, formats, length, breadth and other details. A spreadsheet is a good way to keep track of all the information.

Try to identify any gaps that you may be able to fill. For instance, if most of the content in your niche covers topics at a high level, then there may be a need for more in-depth content.

Which brings us to the next step.

Step 3. Create a unique value proposition.

“Me too” content will quickly get ignored. You need to be different to stand out.

But not just any difference will help. You need to be different in a way that adds value. Review the examples above again, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Seth Godin’s thought leadership content adds value by helping readers think about things in new ways.

Neil Patel’s long, actionable articles are valuable because they help readers use what they learn.

Anyone who’s ever struggled through a technical article or presentation on SEO knows how Rank Fishkin’s style of presenting information adds value.

What unique value are you bringing to the table?

Step 4. Set a focus.

Another thing you’ll notice from the examples above is how they are specialized. For example, as a serial entrepreneur, Neil Patel is qualified to blog about a wide array of topics. But he sticks to Internet marketing.

It’s a smart strategy. Imagine someone asks you to remember 10 things about him and another asks you to remember only one. Which are you more likely to follow through with?

The same is true with your content. The more specialized it is, the easier it will be to get people to remember and associate you with those topics.

Figure out what topics and types of content resonate most with your target audience and make that your focus. If you already have content, check your engagement analytics. You can also survey your audience for their interests.

Don’t forget to monitor and evaluate on an ongoing basis. Buffer continually refines their focus based on their goals and metrics. And it has been successful for them.

Step 5. Develop your style.

The final step is to find your unique content personality. Will you be humorous? Serious? Scientific? Do you want to project yourself as an authority figure or a friendly advisor?

Your decision will depend on your audience, your competitors, and your company. Ideally, you’ll want to establish a personality that makes a positive impression on your audience while standing out from your competition. That’s no easy task.

You also have to be comfortable creating content in that personality. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, you’ll come off as inauthentic, which is worse than not standing out at all.

Conclusion

Producing great content once isn’t going to help you meet your business goals. You have to do it consistently. Creating a unique identity gives you the framework to do that.

Get the content upgrade to stat planning yours.

What are your thoughts? Did I leave off your favorite example of a company or person who has developed a unique content identity? Leave your honest comments, good or bad, below.