Writing content doesn’t always have to be laborious. It can be fun! Here are some tips to writing content that’s efficient, effective and drives engagement.
Have a goal. Know what you want your content piece to accomplish. This blog for instance? I want to help you write content in an easy, comprehensive manner.
Chamber tip: If you don’t have clear business goals, take a step back. Our Denver Metro Small Business Development Center’s Leading Edge class could help.
Be reasonable. We don’t all have huge budgets or extra hours on our hands. Create content that fits within your piggy bank and your timeline. Maybe you need to scale back your grand idea. Even better…take that idea and break it up into snippets across a month. You’re done!
Think like a journalist. How would a journalist best approach this assignment? What would their steps be to find the best information most efficiently? Focus on the value you’re giving your audience, tell the truth and use credible sources. This shows you’ve done your research like a good reporter.
Let your brand speak. According to Kentico, 74 percent of people trust content from businesses about their area of expertise. Don’t claim expertise if it’s not in your wheelhouse. Find a partner who is an expert to help you relay the information. Make sure the topic areas align with your brand and your audience.
Chamber tip: Need to find an expert? Search the Chamber member directory to find your perfect match.
Competition is healthy. Competitors can help drive your content. Do a comparison to see what’s working, but also find the gaps that your brand can fill.
Audience is everything. Audience, customer, user or whatever term you prefer, know who they are and what they want. How do they behave? What do they like or dislike? What devices are they engaging on? Know them inside out, listen and respond directly.
Balance content over brand. The story is in the words. Let your audience read, comprehend and react before you throw your logo down their throat. Visual brand should be there, but not so much that it draws attention away from the relevant content you spent time creating.
Read, view, watch. What format speaks to your audience best? If you’re not sure, test, test, test! And, don’t be afraid to partner with the experts. Try a written article, an infographic, a video or even a podcast.
Chamber tip: Try something, even if it doesn’t stick long-term. We launched a podcast with our President and CEO Kelly Brough. Have a listen.
Think about the user experience. Put yourself in your viewers’ shoes…er, seat. How will they navigate your content? Is there a call to action or strategy for how you want them to engage? Think of how you can lend a hand in finding more information, cross-promoting or at least how your content looks across different platforms and devices.
Use the World Wide Web to your advantage. I think it’s going to take off. But seriously, think about how you will distribute and reuse your content. If it isn’t strategically planned, then what’s the point of creating good content in the first place?
Go crazy, writers and wannabes. These key efficiencies will help guide you through even the darkest of creative blocks. To break it down even further, think about who you’re writing for, where they are and what they want to hear. Put yourself in your viewers’ shoes and run like the wind. You got this!
Maggie McEntee is the digital communications and brand manager for the Denver Metro Chamber.