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So you've invested in content creation, realizing that content creates relationships and customers when done correctly. Fantastic!
After all of that hard work and investment, you may have some burning questions...
Will anyone read it?
How will interested and engaged people find it?
How do we measure effectiveness?
Just like everything in life, nuances lead to achieving goals.
In this case, there's much more to content that creates customers than great copywriting alone.
What's new?
Pinterest gets more TikTok-like with a 'Watch' tab for videos, announces $20 million in creator rewards - The company revealed its latest efforts on this front, which include more Snapchat and TikTok-inspired features, including a vertical video feed and plans to invest $20 million in “Creator Rewards.
Facebook is planning to rebrand the company with a new name - Facebook is planning to change its company name next week to reflect its focus on building the metaverse, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.
TikTok soars and global social media users hit 4.5 billion - The social media users have passed the 4.5 billion mark, but there are also big new numbers for internet users in China, TikTok’s active user base.
TikTok Shares New Insights into Why People Use the App, and How it Celebrates Authenticity - TikTok has sought to determine with its latest study, partnering with Nielsen to glean more insight into how TikTok makes users feel, and what truly differentiates the app from the competition.
What's working?
You can’t just write a blog post, press publish, and sit back and watch as people start coming to your site.
You must take a systematic approach that combines marketing and outreach efforts.
Let’s get into it.
Defining Your Niche & Blog Style
First things first: What are you writing about?
Ask yourself:
- What do you want to teach?
- What leverage do you have?
- How can you provide value?
- What is your desired blog style?
When choosing your topic, get specific and stick to it!
Choose a blog style that makes sense.
For example, if you’re writing a recipe post, include lists and step-by-step guides.
Writing a Magnetic Headline
Your headline will be the first thing that catches the reader’s attention,
so it has to be captivating.
Here are 3 Ways You Can Make a Magnetic Headline: (See what we did there?)
- Use Numbers - (Ex. "Top 5 things you need to know about owning a dog”)
Our brains like to organize information, and using smaller numbers is easier to digest. - Use Rationales - Give people a good reason to read your content. Offer tips, lessons, ways, facts, and strategies to pull them in.
- Call for Attention - Readers attention spans are short-term so consider these options:
- Make the headline unique
- Be direct/specific
- Convey a sense of urgency
- Provide useful information
Good vs. Bad Headlines
A headline is your invitation to get someone to read your post!
What do you think of the following headline?
“Here’s One Simple Way to Improve Your Life”
This isn’t specific enough! We don’t know which area of our life this article will improve. Is it our relationships? Sleep?
Offer more information within your headline:
“How 8 Hours Of Sleep Can Improve Your Productivity”
This headline tells users right off the bat that this article is about sleep and its link to productivity. We ensure it was specific, straight to the point and accurate.
SEO Research
Search helps you generate more targeted, organic traffic to your content.
Research the most important keywords and conduct a keyword analysis to determine your audience’s interests.
Ensure you write topics that people are searching for.
Some tools you can use:
- Answer the Public
- SEMRush
- Keywordtool.io
- Google Keyword Planner
Creating Captivating Copy
To create captivating copy, you need to connect with your audience.
Here are some ways in which you can:
- Have a Captivating Headline - Use keywords for SEO optimization.
- Tell a Story - Craft an emotional connection.
- Engage With Your Readers - Speak to their needs and show personality by having them get involved in commenting, sharing stories and posts.
- Get to the Point - Don’t write bloated content. Your words count, so cut out any filler and be clear and direct.
How to Block and Write Copy
The greatest step in creating written content is brainstorming and conducting rough drafts.
Drafting your copy is a crucial step in the writing process. This ensures that you take a critical approach to the information that you want to share with your audience, and allows you to organize and prioritize your points.
Block out your main points: For instance, if you are writing a blog titled “5 Ways to Boost Productivity in the Workplace”, determine what each tip (block) will be, and start writing points to back it up.
Define your goals and work towards them!
Content Depth
Adding visual elements to your blog can bring it one step above as users navigate through your page
These visual elements not only help break up the copy, but can also add value for your readers.
Certain visual elements can spark interest in your
audience such as:
- Photographs & Videos
- Infographics & Charts
- Slideshows
Be sure your layout is captivating, clean and clutter-free.
Distribution Strategies
Some ways you can drive traffic to your blog and improve your media marketing include:
- Infographics
- Video Content
- Email Newsletters
- Audio Content
Let’s dive into how these distribution strategies work and their unique benefits!
Infographics
Repurposing your post into an Infographic for the social channels is simple.
- Write the key points from your article
- Limit your text - let the imagery speak for itself when it can
- Keep it clean and clutter-free
- Ensure the infographic fits your brand’s style
- Determine your distribution channels such as LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora and Medium
Infographics are a great way for users to digest information - especially if they are visual learners and like to grab information quickly.
Videos
Mobile users LOVE video. You can take advantage of this revolution by repurposing your content into video posts.
- Ensure your videos are both informative and engaging to your audience
- Allow engagement: turn your comments on so that you can directly listen and respond to your audience
- Add a CTA at the end of your videos to direct viewers to the original blog post on your website.
Get the ball rolling and start distributing content to leads you have already generated: newsletter subscribers!
To ensure optimal performance, consider these tips:
- Send your emails at peak times
- Send emails for the launch of new post
- Enable social shares through email
- Include links to original articles
Email may be your strongest tool for quick content distribution and with minimal effort!
Podcast
Get creative with your distribution strategies. Consider repurposing your successful blog posts into podcasts.
Some benefits include:
- Offers extra value and personal insights
- Adds a natural and engaging tone
- Allows for further communication and a deeper dive into your topic
Some people digest information better when they are listening to it rather than reading it. A podcast allows users to listen to your content on the go!
Monitoring Your Growth
Using tools like Google Analytics will help monitor your blog over time. Pay attention to:
- Which articles get the most traction
- Which headlines drive more CTR and
longer sessions - Changes in your onsite metrics and bounce rate
- How changes in layout affect clicks and conversions
Paying attention to your analytics will help you understand what works best for your blog, and understand how you can increase traffic.
Wrapping It Up
Content marketing is one of the most powerful ways to grow your blog and take traffic to the next level.
As we now know, growing your blog takes time, effort, and investment, but once it ranks, it will live on for a long time.
We hope you enjoyed understanding blogging is important for growth. If you’re looking for more great content, check out some of our other reads below:
Why You Need a Paid and Organic Marketing Plan
Instagram Fundamentals: From Zero to Hero
How to Promote Your Business in Mobile App Ecosystem