In this era of copious amounts of written text on websites, blogs, white papers, press releases, industry studies and social media sites, it is difficult to stand out and be noticed. It is even more difficult to get people to regularly follow or subscribe to an author or company. People act very impulsively ”“ particularly when online ”“ and are likely to leave a website or presentation for any reason including a slow download.
This puts a premium on the quality of the content. High-quality content will enhance brand awareness, generate a following and usually include some aspect of search engine optimization (SEO). It helps establish a company or individual as an industry leader and can generate considerable interest and attention. Our wwWebevents.com newsletter, for example, has grown to more than 10,000 opt-in subscribers due to the strong adherence to our core belief that content-is-king.
Here are key rules you should adhere to when writing your content.
It must be well-written
It”™s amazing how often this seemingly obvious rule is violated. Grammatically incorrect sentences and incoherent thoughts are immediate reader- and follower-killers and yet they are very prevalent. Studies have shown that they are the most common reason behind lost followers. Another all-too-common problem concerns the content itself; it”™s not new and original. Instead, it is merely rewritten and reformatted content that can be found on numerous other online sites.
What does stand out is great writing and content. It”™s why everyone follows certain writers and blogs ”“ because they are well-written and provide great content.
It is targeted and provides great value
Several months ago, I attended a webinar in which the presenter discussed how she landed several accounting clients because she had a background in accounting and could speak their language. The same was true for a technical company I used to run. Having a technical background, I could answer all of the technical questions on the spot while most of my competitors had to call in a technician.
The same holds true for your writing. The better you understand your target audience, the better your content can be directed toward their needs. Remember that it”™s their needs and not your products that they are most interested in. If you can provide them with new and interesting content that addresses their needs and interests, they will follow you. They will also comment and discuss your content. Listen closely to them and be willing to discuss all aspects of your content with them. It will enhance your ability to communicate with them and to better understand and address their needs. You will also gain additional insight concerning which keywords are particularly effective in generating traffic.
It is clear and concise
For most articles, the optimal length is 450 to 700 words or roughly, one single-spaced page. Most people will not read an article longer than 700 words, with the exception of studies and white papers. Keep the articles short. Many top online writers place their most captivating (and important) information in the first two paragraphs of an article because they realize they will gradually lose attention and readers throughout the course of the article.
Since the attention span of readers is very short, it is also critical that the content be very concise. A writer does not have much space ”“ and readers have less tolerance ”“ for meandering or confusing text. Being clear and easily understood is the goal of any writer ”“ particularly those that are online.
Spend time on your headlines
It”™s sad to admit that headlines are extremely important. You can write the greatest articles in the world, but with bland headlines you will not generate the attention and buzz that your articles deserve (unless you are an industry leader and people will automatically follow you). Be cautioned however, that even with a great headline, if you have substandard or even mediocre content, you will still have a limited number of followers.
Great content that you consistently promote to your audience will help brand you as an industry leader and differentiate you from your competition. It will drive traffic to you and generate significant buzz. In a future article, I will discuss how you can take advantage of some of the online writing, content and distribution services that are currently available to help build your audience.
Bruce Newman is the vice president at The Productivity Institute L.L.C. in Carmel. He is also a social media strategist and the designer of a new service, wwWebevents.com. Follow him on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and the Productivity Institute blog. He can be reached at bnewman@prodinst.com.
