Looking for ways to improve the content you publish? Below are four things you should do to produce better website content.
Craft An Amazing Title
Most marketers and writers know that an amazing title is important, but we are just now realizing how important it really is. After all, mega-viral site Upworthy found that traffic can vary as much as 500 percent, based on what type of headline is used, according to Heidi Cohen. A title not only tells the reader what to expect by clicking on the link, but it should also grab their interest in a way that makes it irresistible to share.
This is especially the case now that we live in a time where blind retweeting is common. This is when a user on Twitter shares a link to a post without reading it. The practice is common on other social networks too. According to data compiled by Dan Zarrella at Hubspot, over 16 percent of tweets generate more retweets than click-throughs.
This means that many people will blindly share content solely based on the post title or the user who shared the content.
Use Outstanding Graphics
As the popularity of image-based social networks, like Instagram and Pinterest, continue to dominate social media marketing today, it’s important to note that great graphics are just as critical as other content like text. Easy-to-use tools like Canva and PicMonkey are cashing in on this need for great graphics that accurately represent content without being overly vague or non-descriptive.
As many news outlets and online platforms continue to use stock images (from places like Shutterstock or Getty) to illustrate their content, it’s easy to stand out from the rest by creating custom content images which translate well to image-based posts or previews on sites like Facebook.
This sponsored Facebook post by Marketo is a good illustration of how eye-catching a custom graphic can be over a standard stock image of social media icons or a calendar. Utilize a graphic designer, a freelance site like Fiverr, or the tools mentioned above to create custom illustrations or to overlay your post titles on top of your graphics. This not only makes it more unique, but it also makes it more enticing to pin on sites like Pinterest:
Spending time on your graphics will increase your content’s likelihood of getting shared.
Fill Up Holes
This could probably be more elegantly stated, but when it comes to creating better content ideas, look for places where there isn’t content. Does the world really need another post explaining how to do something basic in your industry (e.g. for marketing, how to post on Instagram)? Try to go beyond the basics and support your points with graphics and evidence from external sources.
If there is a topic you’d like to learn more about, but you can’t find enough information to satisfy you, go out of your way to learn about and then write about that topic. Chances are, there are others out there, just like you, who are looking for more information too. Additionally, if you see a product or service offering in your industry that is often overshadowed by more popular strategies or products, focus on the lesser-known item. Not only is it less competition in terms of content and SERPs, but it gives you a chance to be a better, well-rounded content expert in the industry.
Make it Long, But Worth Their Time
Studies have shown that the higher word count an online piece of content is, the more traffic and backlinks it will likely receive. A good example of this is Neil Patel’s study on Quicksprout, where he analyzed his own content to see if word count affected traffic. (It did!) This means that content ideas need to be more robust than ever: the longer the content, the more likely you’ll see gains in traffic, backlinks, and social mentions.
While length is certainly a factor, Google is likely assuming that the longer a piece of content is (or the more content-rich a site is), the more useful it is. It’s up to you to create content that is not only longer, but worth the time it takes to read it.
When it comes down to it, don’t create content for content’s sake, however. Instead provide the best learning experience possible for the end user, which is what Google is looking for as well. Combine that with a catchy title and graphics that are shareable and eye-catching, and your content ideas will be on their way to a long life of reads and shares in no time.
Writing Photo via Shutterstock
Sadly, many people judge content by the title, so you have to get it right. But don’t go all Buzzfeed and promise ridiculous things that even the best content couldn’t deliver.
Aira Bongco
I agree. The Internet is already filled up with content. The last thing we need is filler content. We need something that can help us with our problems. We need something that the author poured his heart onto.