Following the latest marketing trends can be heavy on budgets. Especially for small businesses. Since larger companies have deeper pockets, they can take advantage of shifting trends. That’s why content marketing is booming. Because unlike other marketing trends, content levels the playing field for smaller businesses. Anyone can create engaging content that allows smaller businesses with lower budgets to compete with well-established corporations.
Content has become so crucial for marketing due to a shift in consumer trend. Today, almost everyone has easy access to the internet. I too, use my Spectrum internet packages for everything from searching queries to entertainment and even shopping. If I am honest, I’ll be randomly browsing sites and reading articles every chance I get.
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Why Is Content Important For A Business?
Because of the internet, the market for most businesses is saturated. There is simply too much competition online. So in a sea of businesses, how do you make yours stand out?
Ever heard of the term “content is king”? It’s true. Good content will help you generate traffic to your website. But not only that. It is first and foremost your way to communicate directly with your consumer base.
You can use your content to provide value and educate your audience. Once they see the quality of your content, they will start to take your company more seriously. The quality of your content is largely determined by how engaging it is to your audience.
10 Secrets To Creating Engaging Content
Before you begin to create engaging content, it helps if you understand your target audience well. It’s important to remember that your primary reason to create content is to provide value. So use as many resources as you can to get an accurate picture of your average consumer. Once you know them, it becomes easier to write for them.
- Clarity of Intent
- Use of Statistics
- Form a Connection
- Don’t Forget Social Media
- Keep Engaging Titles
- Know Your Style
- Select Compatible Keywords
- Keep things Short and Sweet
- Space Your Layout Well
- Mix It Up
#1. Clarity Of Intent
What makes any content worth the read is it is logical. There needs to be a clear call to action. The reader needs to know what they have to do next. Including a call to action will make your content better. Because the reader will be given solid information and then be directed to the logical next step.
It makes your content more authoritative and helpful. The more helpful your article is for the reader, the more likely they are to convert into a lead.
#2. Use Of Statistics
Good quality content will always try to cite statistics. If you are writing about a topic, you need to convince the reader that you know what you’re talking about. Of course, you would have done extensive research before writing your content. But how do you prove it to your audience?
Statistics can help make your content more authoritative. They help gain the confidence of your readers. And when your users are confident about your knowledge, they are more likely to stay engaged.
#3. Form A Connection
Forming a connection with your audience can go a long way in keeping them engaged. For that purpose, it is advisable to share stories. Stories let your audience know you better. Just make sure that the stories are relevant and interesting. It is also important to remember to keep them short.
Once your reader has formed a connection with you, they are more likely to read your content. And take what you are saying, as valuable information.
#4. Don’t Forget Social Media
Social media has become an important part of our lives. If you find anything valuable online, chances are you would want to share it. So remember to integrate social media sharing options with your content. This is just as much for your benefit, as it is for your audience.
If a reader shares your content, then you gain instant access to their network. So your engaging content is read by more like-minded people who could be converted to viable leads for your business.
#5. Keep Engaging Titles
The first and most important tool at your disposal for engaging your audience is the title. Your title needs to immediately catch their attention. Only then will your content be able to convert all those potential leads. But remember to keep it catchy for your audience specifically.
For example, if your content title is “5 Tips for a Healthy Diet”, you can change that to “5 Foods That Can Save Your Life”. You get the idea. Keep your titles as catchy as possible.
#6. Hone Your Style
Every writer has a particular style of writing. You should pay attention to yours. That way you can change it to match the tone you want for your business. Try to stick to what comes naturally. But remember that you aren’t writing a personal blog. This is professional writing which reflects on your brand image.
So embrace your natural writing style and keep it in-line with your company tone. The same tone should be similar to all your market engagement practices, like social media content, etc.
#7. Select Compatible Keywords
Keywords allow you to link your content to your business. Without them, your content loses its value. But while it is important to include keywords in your content, they need to relate to the topic. The right keywords and placement can help in encouraging readers to continue.
#8. Keep Things Short And Sweet
When writing content, it is important to keep things short. That way the reader is not overwhelmed by a long article. You need to remember that you aren’t producing academic content. Neither are you writing a short novel. When you keep things to the point, your reader stays engaged.
While a little fluff is always good in setting the tone of the content. Too much can be a bad thing.
#9. Space Your Layout Well
Another thing to remember is that your content should always be easy to read. Content that is easy to read enjoys higher engagement from readers. And an important factor is your layout. So try to space out your writing in shorter paragraphs. Unless you are writing scholarly articles, you don’t need long sentences and even longer paragraphs.
So use subheadings and space out your paragraphs. Create sections to help with content spacing.
#10. Mix It Up
Writing the same kind of content on the same kind of platform can get boring. For you as a writer and for the reader. You can keep your audience engaged by keeping things interesting. Try to use infographics, quotes, etc. All these additions will help make your content fun to read and keep your audience engaged.
Conclusion
Creating engaging content is not only beneficial for the readers and your business. It also helps improve the quality of information available online. Whenever I am using my Spectrum TV service for entertainment, I try to go through as many blogs to watch next movie or TV shows and they offered that on demand. And I often notice how simple changes could have improved a poorly written article.
Perhaps you should also analyze the content online. It could give you ideas for topics. As well as help you find the best practices to include. And more importantly, help you see what you shouldn’t do.