January is almost over — let’s check in on your 2014 resolutions.
While you’re vowing to shed a few pounds, take care of odds and ends around the house and remain patient with your kids even when they’re driving you crazy, add striving for high quality content to your list of goals for this year.
By now, you know that content is king when it comes to marketing online — or offline for that matter — so let’s talk about boosting the quality of your content in 2014.
Determine Your Audience
Take some time to research who actually buys your products and services. Further define your target audience. If you’re going for the youth market, for instance, you probably want to punch up your content with short, easily digestible messages. Make sure your content is further adjusted to the online platform you’re using. What you post on Twitter won’t work for the homepage on your website.
Note: Don’t forget to check grammar and spelling since errors will detract from your content, especially if you want to entice someone to share your content with others.
Make It Compelling
High quality content should also be compelling. The last thing you want to do is to turn your reader off after only the first sentence. To avoid diving off into other subjects, use links for readers needing more of an explanation of a point that other readers may already understand. Make sure any external links you use as an additional information source are reputable. Your content can be made compelling by:
• Keeping paragraphs short
• Using eye-catching headlines for your subheads
• Incorporating high-quality images into your content
• Posing questions that you will answer within your content
Mix It Up
When it comes to online marketing, high quality content doesn’t just mean the quality of the writing. Mix up your content with videos, playlists, contests, slideshows, or whatever other way you can think of to present your content. By mixing up your media, your content becomes engaging across multiple formats.
Make Readers Ask for More
If your content is truly engaging, readers are going to want more. Aside from putting out new content on a regular basis, encourage interested readers to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog for access to “exclusive content.” By using this approach, you make your readers feel like they’re getting something special in return for being loyal.
Limit the Sales Pitch
Readers of online content tend to want value, not just a simple sales pitch. While you certainly want to drive more traffic to your site, you don’t want to annoy potential customers to the point where they purposely avoid you. It’s possible to pepper your content with keywords and phrases while still offering something of value to your audience. Accomplish this goal by:
• Educating your readers by offering quick tips
• Discussing relevant issues mentioned in your comments section
• Publishing content that boosts your brand without a pitch (tweeting “happy new year”)
• Adding a call-to-action or a link back to your website
Don’t repurpose the same content across all platforms. Save the more sales-heavy content for your homepage or main landing page. The rest of your content, from your blog to your social media posts, should be engaging and useful. Boost the overall quality of your content and you could be reaping the rewards throughout the new year.
