Writing Great Content

by Martin Pedersen, CEO, Stellar

One of the significant changes in content marketing we’ve seen over the last few years is a shift from writing the same-old copy over and over again but in different ways, to instead producing longer pieces that dig deep on a specific topic. Yet as we moved into 2017, we began seeing a focus on providing as much information as possible in the smallest space – what’s known as dense content – to better appeal to busy readers who are invariably time constrained. This makes sense – give people relevant, new information that they can absorb as quickly as possible.

What makes great content that will get your audience actually reading and engaged? Here are some things to keep in mind when putting pen to paper (or more likely, fingers to keyboard):

·      Always keep in mind the “why” behind what you are writing about. Why are you creating a specific content piece? Will the information have real impact on your customers and prospects? Is there a deeper purpose behind what you’re doing – beyond just creating content as part of your sales and marketing machine (e.g., highlighting a special achievement or establishing your expertise in a new area)?

·      Once you define the “why” behind the content, put in the real work required to write a great story. Take the time to build a rich brand and a reason for people to keep coming back to read what you have to say – whether on your website, in your blog, white paper, case study, etc. This may involve researching a topic and injecting your views and expanding on the subject to make it relevant for your audience. It may involve conducting interviews on topics that resonate with your readers, sharing what’s new in a particular area supported by people whose expertise is respected, or simply gathering a lot of data to validate your position on the topic.

·      Make sure your content is always original and reflects your voice and your style which, over time, will become synonymous with you and your company.

·      Incorporate stats and graphics that support the topic you’re writing about, as they will help your reader visualize a particular point. Adding photos adds value to the piece.

·      Focus on writing a great headline to not only spark your readers’ interest but to also help improve your search ranking.

·      Provide answers: When searching online, people are looking for answers. For example, they may be searching, “how do I write great content?” Be sure you solve a problem or offer knowledge to satisfy your readers when they find you and also gain ranking within search engines. Make your content easy to scan so individuals can find the answers they are looking for quickly.

·      Make sure what you write is correct. Imagine the reputational damage to your brand if you are misleading or offer bad information. Accuracy builds trust and influences readers to recommend you and your brand to others.

·      Leave readers with questions. This doesn’t mean having an incomplete post, but rather include scenarios or situations that inspire readers to reflect on how they can implement the knowledge you provided.

·      Tell users why they should care and what you’ll be discussing in your blogs, white papers, etc. Make them want to read it.

·      Incorporate stories, first-person or client experiences, if relevant, in your articles. Stories can help clarify a point and also make what you have to say more engaging and meaningful. For instance, when we write case studies for clients to include on their websites, we interview their customers as well as our clients. This way we are not only getting our client’s perspective but also capturing the customer’s viewpoint – what the firm’s challenges are, what they expected to get from our client’s solutions or products and how the solutions exceeded their expectations. We back this up with stats to illustrate the effectiveness of the solutions provided.

Writing great content is an art…and requires the care and time it takes to create anything of value. Happy writing!

Martin Pedersen is CEO of Stellar, a digital design agency providing a portfolio of digital marketing services: digital brand strategy; UX strategy; information architecture; creative, branding & visual design; technical solution architecture; front-end & back-end development; content management systems; email marketing & automation; and project management.