Does your content show the real message you want to convey? Is it free from biases, discrimination, or possible misinterpretations? These questions may seem absurd to begin with but you will realize its importance when you put in mind the ones who see and read your content.
The power of digital marketing
Digital marketing is very powerful. It can bring your message to any corner of the world – to whoever needs it and to whoever you target it to. Your content can become viral. An infographic or image you post in your blog, for instance, can be shared from one email account to another; shared in social media channels; sourced by other content creators; and more. It can go places you may not expect them to reach.
Different cultures, different meanings
The content you make in this culturally-diverse world is open to different interpretations. Different cultures, as we know, have different ways of understanding and interpreting things. This creates different meanings to your content, whether in image or text form. This is where the importance of cultural intelligence among digital content marketers come in.
What is cultural intelligence
Cultural intelligence means having knowledge about other cultures and accepting that such differences in traditions, beliefs, social patterns, and language exists. It is also about making an effort to manage one’s unconscious cultural biases and being adaptable to different cultural settings.
CQ is a skill that completes IQ and EQ to be globally competitive. More than being successful, CQ promotes healthy relations with other people in different social groups, like communities, schools, workplaces, and even the business sector.
The need for improving your cultural intelligence
While original, relevant, and credible information is critical for your content to be considered ideal and effective, you should not forget cultural intelligence. Improving your cultural intelligence as a digital content marketer can make sure your content relays the real message you want to convey. It helps ensure your content is free from possible misinterpretations, biases, exclusion, and discrimination. While some misinterpretations are unavoidable, you can help lessen the possibility for such problems to occur.
Cultural sensitivity and competence in your content marketing strategies can also help your business grow. With the right content that people from different cultures can relate to and appreciate, you can improve your brand image. Being respectful and being inclusive of other cultures can help your marketing and sales efforts more effective.
How content marketers can improve cultural intelligence
Cultural intelligence training is a sure way to develop cultural intelligence among content marketers. CQ may also be developed through a constant reminder that different cultures exist and that other cultures deserve as much respect as any other culture. Improving your cultural intelligence can also involve corporate actions that promote diversity and inclusion. Companies can hire culturally diverse employees and content marketers who can be great sources of new cultural insights and information.
What to look out for when creating culturally-competent content
To help create content that is culturally acceptable and respectful, consider and look out for the following things:
- Use of images and symbols that may have strong meaning for some cultures;
- Use of language that may be offensive to others or those prone to misinterpretation;
- Negative portrayal of certain religion or culture;
- Use of political figures; and
- Jokes that may be offensive or easily misinterpreted.
Takeway
If you want to create great content, you have to do more than just providing reliable, relevant, and timely information. If you want to produce great content for your local and global audience, you need to make an effort in developing and improving your cultural intelligence. This way, you can make content for everyone that is respectful – one that is free from biases, stereotypes, and discrimination.