Content marketing acts as a lever on organic traffic when handled well. However, if you are failing to capitalize on potential opportunities, you’ll find that less traffic is available to convert into buyers, new subscribers, and more.
Here are seven tips for leveling up your strategy for content in 2021.
1. Improve the Copy
Whether the content is more along the lines of copywriting where selling is involved, or it’s informational to assist site visitors, better quality matters more than ever.
The cat is out of the bag when it comes to content. Many sites are using it to attract more eyeballs and engage with new potential paying customers. Therefore, to rise above the general interest level, it’s necessary to overdeliver on content. This approach beats just doing the minimum and expecting to achieve your content marketing goals.
Using engaging writing through shorter sentences, interesting word choices, and effective presentation makes a difference. Taking shortcuts won’t get you to the intended destination.
2. Add Media and Other Extras to Content
Don’t rely on content alone. Provide other ways to engage with visitors using different presentational forms to get their attention.
Consider using charts to provide a clearer explanation about data points. Use a diagram, infographic, or other visuals to get a point across. Add custom photography instead of obvious stock photography. Also, either embed a YouTube video by another creator or produce one in-house.
By adding multiple types of content in a single piece, it’s possible to engage visitors on several levels at once. It also gives Google more to chew on and an easier decision about whether the piece is offering enough to their searchers or not.
3. Kick Research into High Gear
Many articles today use online information as a reference to provide the copy faster. As a result, the level of original thought is lacking, and it often shows through too.
Instead of suffering from the above problem, produce in-house research to add something beyond what competitors are doing with their content efforts.
For instance, don’t just say that prices have risen in this or that sector or industry. Call around the top providers, ask for price quotes, or look online to see if the information can be sourced from their sites directly. Put what’s learned into a table and make it clear when the data was gathered (and how it was collated).
Readers and Google alike will see that the site is going the extra mile. It should lead to more social sharing and additional inbound backlinks, especially if the content later ranks highly for relevant search terms too.
4. Mobile First for Content Too
Mobile used to be a secondary consideration, but now Google has a mobile-first orientation, with tablet and desktop running a distant second.
Therefore, any website design needs to look great on a smartphone or iPhone. The images must scale properly, and the text and headings should use large enough font sizes to be easily readable too.
The flow of the content must use smaller paragraphs and sometimes even shorter sentences if the audience is primarily mobile. Bear in mind that a long paragraph can take up the whole mobile screen for some visitors; this can cause them to feel lost on the page.
So, it’s not only about the web design but also the visibility, readability, and flow of the content on a mobile device. When produced incorrectly, it won’t have any of those beneficial features.
5. Target Broadly or Tightly?
Decide on your strategy for every piece of content and where it fits into the overall content strategy too.
When aiming for small niche topics, the possible searches for that subject matter will be lowered. The potential for organic traffic will also be reduced; however, the visitors may be more valuable because they’re narrowly focused.
On the flip side, a broader topic can potentially bring in a larger audience. One strategy here might be to cover various topics in one and funnel visitors off to secondary pages that are more targeted. It depends on the level of motivation of the visitors and how commercially oriented they are. Choosing targeted search phrases with an appropriate level of commercialization is necessary to get the best results.
6. Create a Stronger Relationship Through Communication
Passively providing information won’t work well to create a relationship with the reader. A friendlier, even conservational tone connects better with people, ensuring that the business doesn’t come off as cold or unhelpful.
Using active language rather than a passive tone also provides immediacy. When wishing to encourage visitors to take the next step (make a purchase, opt-in to a newsletter, etc.) then suggesting the next actions are preferred.
A balance must be found between being somewhat promotional in tone and presentation versus annoying the visitor because they feel like they’re only being sold to. Being helpful first and offering solutions to advanced problems second, creates a mutually beneficial relationship. If necessary, IT support should be available.
7. Publish Slower
A requirement to publish every weekday or multiple times a week can produce a draining conveyor belt-type effect. Just like when a canteen is trying to produce 300 meals every morning instead of a restaurant serving 50 meals a day, quality tends to decline when accelerating production.
To avoid this and especially when wanting to increase the quality of the content, it’s often necessary to deliberately slow down. While this may be perceived as offering fewer opportunities in the future, the less is more approach can cause content to be better received.
The added value will resonate with current customers and those on the fence who need that extra push. Also, the number of social shares is likely to skyrocket in comparison to what was happening before.
When wishing to level up content this year and beyond, site owners must take a pragmatic approach to publishing. Trying to re-double existing efforts often results in more of the same but just in greater quantities. Instead, aim to improve the quality to stand head and shoulders above the competition. Only by doing so can a company aim to compete in a world where content marketing is commonplace, and it’s become harder to stand out.