The universe (like your successful business) has lots of moving parts. Sometimes these work harmoniously. At other times, they can tug in opposite directions.
As planets, stars, and dust clouds wrestle to stay in their celestial orbits, the whole mass of our solar system is being dragged through the cosmos.
While the gap between galaxies was once considered a void, the latest research is challenging that perception.
Here’s what our growing understanding of the “nothing” of interstellar space can teach you about your newsletter content.
1. Your content doesn’t exist in a vacuum
On Earth, a patch of air roughly the dimensions of a standard dice can contain trillions of atoms: dust, pollen, water vapour, and other gases. Just beyond the reach of our atmosphere, the same area might contain just five single atoms.
Further out, that number drops again.
Interstellar space isn’t (quite) a vacuum. In each cubic centimetre of air, you’ll find just one measly atom – the equivalent of an orange floating within the volume of the Earth.
In this unimaginable, inhospitable region, temperatures exceed 10,000C. And yet, the lack of atoms (and the small number of particle interactions) means that if you ventured there, you wouldn’t feel the heat. Instead, you’d freeze to death.
All of which is to say that even in the furthest regions of deep space, you won’t encounter a vacuum. And neither will the articles you send out electronically, whether on your website or via monthly newsletters.
Not only does that mean that you’ll want them to be grammatically correct and technically accurate, but also – with more than 300 billion emails sent daily – that they’ll need to stand out against the competition.
2. Don’t let your readers fall into an interstellar void
Thanks in part to NASA’s Voyager missions, we now understand that interstellar space is composed of individual “bubbles” with their own characteristics.
Our solar system entered its current bubble – the Local Interstellar Cloud – around 60,000 years ago. We could pass into a new bubble, the G-cloud, within the next 2,000 years (the blink of an eye in astronomical terms).
That’s not to say that a lot can’t happen in 2,000 years.
Lest we forget, 2022 alone saw four chancellors, three prime ministers, and the death of a monarch. And that was just in the UK. Add the cost of living crisis into the mix and it was a truly difficult year for many.
When times are hard, it’s only right to consider cutting back on spending. But, just as you’d counsel your clients against cutting retirement contributions, sacrificing your marketing budget means failing to pay your future self.
Regular content – mailed to your clients and added to your website – is crucial for building a consistent readership and keeping Google happy. An important combination.
While our new G-cloud bubble has a similar makeup to the Local Interstellar Cloud, less clear is what happens between the bubbles. Do they rub against each other or is there a gap? What fills that gap?
Don’t allow a break in communication to push your clients away. They might fall into an interstellar void or find a new adviser/planner to fill the gap you leave.
3. Be sure to reflect your own region of interstellar space
Scientists and space agencies worldwide are beginning to uncover the truth beneath the surface of the interstellar ocean. In so doing, they are providing a deeper understanding of our solar system’s place in the universe.
Make sure you pinpoint your exact location and be certain it’s signposted in your content. That means geographically, but in time too.
Topical news stories reflect the financial world we live in, the society we are part of, and the small-scale changes in the microcosm of your business.
Financial pieces, aspirational lifestyle articles, and team updates (alongside evergreen guides and local interest pieces) all help to place you in time and space, making you relevant and real to the clients that rely on you.
Finally, don’t be afraid to boldly go….
International Day of Human Space Flight (12 April) celebrates the pioneers that plunged into the void, providing the foundations for our understanding of the (not quite) nothingness of space.
Don’t be afraid to try something new with the articles you write. The response you receive might surprise you.
Or you can ask us to write the articles for you. At the Yardstick Agency, our team of professionals can create topical and engaging content that won’t fall into the gaps. Contact us at hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300 to find out how.