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Content is at the heart of successful marketing and promotional campaigns. Good content reels people in—in simpler words, good content converts. Well-thought-out and quality content drives traffic to your website. It goes the extra mile and turns your audience into customers.
Many businesses have trouble gaining an online audience. There are many reasons for this problem, and one of them is ineffective content. According to HubSpot, “82% of marketers report actively using content marketing in 2021.” So, how can you make your brand stand out with this many brands utilizing content marketing?
1. Write headlines that convert
Headlines are the first thing people read when they encounter your content. Most articles are judged by their headline. Without an attention-grabbing headline, readers are more likely to scroll past your article. When that happens, every other marketing technique within your article and on your website won’t reach any audience at all.
It’s normal to find writing headlines difficult. Here are several tips on how to make it so much easier for you. Take note of these tips to create headlines that convert:
- Use numbers and data. People gravitate towards statistics and figures. Putting numbers on the headline can help capture their attention.
- Include a rationale. The rationale is often “tips,” “reasons,” “tricks,” etc. They tell the readers the gist of the article and give them a reason to click your headline.
- Speak to the reader. Giving your headline a personal touch could engage the reader. It also makes the content speak to them like it is tailor-made for their needs. This is vital for email and SMS marketing campaigns.
- Avoid clickbait. A lot of people have been the victim of opening content because of a misleading title. More often than not, an inaccurate article leads to higher bounce rates, as readers exit the site when they discover it’s not what they signed up for.
- Stay within Google’s character title limit of 50-60 characters. There is no recommended title length or direct effect on your ranking. But going above the character limit cuts your title on the search results. Therefore, the searcher will not see the title in its entirety.
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2. Address readers’ concerns
People turn to search engines to answer their questions. Whether it is about a business or work problem or what planet is in retrograde, people need answers—and they often find those on the first page of the search engine results page (SERPs). It’s important to put your content at the moment your target audience is looking for them. So, it’s essential to optimize your content to a better position on the SERPs.
People go to the internet in search of a solution. It could be a beauty regimen, a recipe, an innovative product, a life hack, etc. Sometimes, the solution they are looking for is your product or service. Then, you need to ask a question: How will you irresistibly present this solution? That’s where your content comes in.
- Know your readers. When you know your demographic, you can easily tailor your content towards their interests, consumer behavior, personality types, etc.
- Brainstorm relevant content ideas. The internet seems to have everything covered already, so the key is to look for content ideas that stay relevant. This kind of strategy is called evergreen content marketing. Evergreen content remains relevant no matter the trend or even when several years have passed.
- Research your topic. Make sure you are producing updated, useful, and verified information in
your content. Cross-reference several articles for fact-checking. Don’t forget to look at the publication date as well.
- Make your products and services appear as the answer. This technique may be an exaggeration, but a lot of businesses do this. Create content that makes it appear your readers need to get your products or service to solve their problems.
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3. Make your content readable
Have you ever tried reading a book, a journal, or an article filled with big words and chunky paragraphs? Poorly structured content also drives visitors away. How can you encourage them to do a desired action if they can’t get past blocks of text? This is why it’s important to observe readability when producing content.
At the end of the article, you don’t want your readers to say, “Huh?” More importantly, you don’t want them to leave without taking action, such as signing up for your email subscription or creating an account. Instead, your content should provide value to them, give them the information they need, and encourage them to convert.
Long sentences, unfamiliar words, jargons, big chunks of text, fluff or filler words, and too many internal links are factors that affect readability. Here are some tips on how to make your article more readable:
- Write short, simple sentences. Complex and generally just long sentences tend to be confusing, as they merge multiple ideas into only one sentence.
- Use words that are easily understood. It’s easy to be carried away by jargon and fancy words. These words are often only understood by readers of the same level of proficiency in that given field. As a result, those who are not on the same level could end up confused.
- Don’t go overboard with links. Links are helpful for your ranking and serve as additional resources for the readers. However, adding too many can negatively affect your site structure. Moreover, always avoid using spammy or inactive links.
- Add pictures. Inserting images, videos, and other media with your content makes reading more entertaining. It also allows the reader’s eyes to take a break from multiple lines of text. Some topics also benefit from illustrations, especially when it is technical or unfamiliar to the public.
4. Quality Content Drives Audience
Taking your time to produce quality content may just be the secret to your company’s success. It could be your edge against your competitors.
When planning a content marketing strategy, creating leads and increasing your conversion rate is important. Craft headlines that capture people’s attention. Answer your audience’s questions or provide a solution to their problem. Lastly, make your content pleasing to the eyes, so readers will love reading it.