Content marketing is making a resurgence. The good news is that SEOs and web marketers are now, more than ever, focused on producing quality content, rather than simply generating large amounts of it. Quality trumps quantity.
While it’s important to blog on a regular basis, creating and keeping to some type of editorial calendar, we want to stay focused on the quality of that content. If you need to miss a deadline because the quality isn’t what it needs to be, then so be it. Better to go without than to publish something that just doesn’t work. But even the best content could use a little help. Or perhaps a push to move it from great content.
Over the years we see certain types of headlines come in and out of vogue. You’re welcome to follow the trends and write the kind of “attention-getting” headlines of the day. Some find those a bit too gimmicky, but people are using them because they work. But there are also some tried-and-true headline styles that work as well:
- The Direct Approach: Free Diabetes eBook
- The Indirect Approach: Cut the Sweet Talk
- News Headline: Hospital Opens New Diabetes Clinic
- How-to Headline: How to Lower Your Blood Sugar
- Question Headline: Is Your Diabetes Out of Control?
- Command Headline: Get Help; for Your Diabetes Now
- Reason Why Headline: Five Reasons Why You Need to Get Your Diabetes Under Control
- Testimonial Headline: “I Got my Life Back, Thanks to this eBook!”
You want to make sure your headline matches the content, but just about any content can work with any of the headlines above. You can also look to any magazine cover in the checkout aisle of your local grocery store for some headline ideas. Not that you need your readers to know which celebrity just had an alien baby! Just study the headlines to see what they do to grab attention.
Implement Real Content :
A great content idea does not make great content. But all great content starts with a great idea. You need both to be epic! Follow these six steps to turn a great idea into exceptionally great content:
- Stimulating Intro: Yes, you already captured their attention with the headline and title. But you can’t immediately disappoint them with a lackluster first paragraph. You need to start with a bang and make sure the reader knows that the headline wasn’t a fluke!
- Images: Face it, text is boring to the eyes. Simply adding one or more images to your body content makes the same words seem much more appealing. Use images to convey or illustrate your point. This can be a great way to get skimmers to take a second look and read more deeply than they might otherwise.
- Be Organized: Start with an outline and stay on point. Using stories to illustrate what you are trying to say is a great way to keep content interesting, but don’t go down rabbit trails that provide little or no value to the reader. Everything should reinforce the point you are trying to make.
- Speak Human: In other words, speak naturally. Don’t try to get all King James or Encyclopedia Britannica on your audience. Just write the way you speak, and your readers will be grateful for it.
- Share Links: If you can link to content elsewhere that reinforces your point, do it. This is especially true if you can link to another authoritative source. Not only does this make you look more knowledgeable on your topic, it helps establish you as an authority.
- Call to Action: Once you’ve made your point, is there any action your reader should take next? If so, let them know what it is. You’re not always looking for a hard sell; sometimes it’s nice just to let the reader know what next actions they can take that will benefit them.
Include Multimedia
If you get a chance, throw in some multimedia. Scratch that. Make the time to produce somequality multimedia you can add to your content when appropriate. Content just isn’t text anymore, and those pushing epic text will get left behind those who are pushing epic text with multimedia.
We are now in an engagement society and the incorporation of multimedia gives people a reason to talk about, and share, your content. Don’t just let them read— let them immerse themselves in your content. Follow Us on Google +
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