Nine 'Taboo' Topics Business Content Shouldn't Shy Away From

​Successful PR, media strategy, creative and advertising executives from Forbes Agency Council share trends and tips

POST WRITTEN BY Expert Panel, Forbes Agency Council

Members share some controversial but important topics that business content can and should cover. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

In recent years, there has been an explosion of activism on the internet. Some businesses have opted to stay away from addressing sensitive topics or anything that may be construed as controversial, for fear of alienating their target audiences. While this may be a smart marketing decision, it gives up a chance for the business to establish authority and inject authenticity into its branding.
 
Even so, not every taboo topic is worth investing time and content into, while others can significantly boost a brand’s visibility and help it ultimately draw in more potential customers. Nine members of Forbes Agency Council delve into the taboo topics that can help a business connect to its audience and establish a sense of personality to the brand without being too offensive.
1. Issues Relevant To The Customers
 
If you're making content that is focused on and meant specifically for the customer, they are where the topics should come from. Writing for the customer, you will find it's important for content to be emotion-based, not product-based. Discussing things besides your company can be great, so long as it's a topic that will appeal to the customer interested in your business. - Dmitrii Kustov, Regex SEO
 
 
2. Any Topic Relevant To Your Brand
 
Don't intentionally wade into controversy or respond in a reactive manner. Providing articulate, non-defensive explanations, interpretations or defining your position relative to current events or industry developments that affect your brand or your customers in a manner authentic to your brand voice (e.g. humorous or serious) can be a powerful way to establish a leadership position. - Brian Sullivan, Sullivan Branding
 
3. Your Past Mistakes
 
In PR, we often see companies quick to downplay mistakes, seeking to elevate any positive in order to avoid potential business risk. Those missteps are not what kills a brand, but rather a company's response. Stakeholders increasingly want to see brand authenticity. One way to build this is through accountability -- address shortcomings while providing a clear, actionable solution for the future. - Megan Humphreys, Convé Communications

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