Want Content That Spreads Organically? Pay Attention to These 5 Things
Increased organic reach is “music to the ears” of every business owner struggling with their marketing efforts.
Let’s face it, creating the kind of content—whether written, viewed, or heard—that drives traffic to your site, converts visitors to clients, and keeps your followers coming back for more is a lot easier said than done.
Pay attention to these five essential elements and you’ll produce a higher caliber of content—than your competitors—every time.
1) Give Them What They Want
Analytics, insights, and surveys, oh my!
(You don’t have to nerd-out on numbers to appreciate these.)
Never assume that you KNOW what your potential clients want. Use the data available to you.
If you’re creating posts for Facebook or Instagram take a weekly look at the Insights tab. There is so much value there, right at your fingertips. Learn what kind of content gets the most engagement, reach, comments, and sharing.
Then repeat those types of posts.
Regularly monitor comments on blogs and check your stats on podcasts. If certain types of articles or shows get more feedback or downloads then begin to shape your content calendar to reflect this.
Conversations with your audience through emails, surveys, or face-to-face coffee dates, are another powerful way to learn what they’re looking for.
LISTEN, and be willing to make the changes based on what they REALLY want.
2) Solve a Problem With Each Piece
Visitors go to your website, listen to your podcast, or follow your brand on social media for one of two reasons:
Either they need a problem solved OR you’ve provided value in the past.
If you look at EACH and EVERY piece of content through the lens of, “What can I DO for my followers that will help them with their challenges?” then you’ll naturally produce enticing content.
Don’t be afraid to share the information they need. If it feels like you’re giving away all your secrets, then you’re probably doing exactly what you need to, to keep them coming back for more.
3) Avoid Boring Headlines, Always
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. And nowhere is this more true than your headline (title, subject, or first few words of a post.)
Truth be told, you need to spend as much time on a strategic headline as you do on the rest of the content.
Your headline “sells” your content.
Producing an entertaining podcast, writing the most thorough article or clever post, is great but it doesn’t do your business ANY good if it never gets read or heard.
There are many formulas to help you come up with irresistible headlines but here are a few of the tried-and-true:
Refer to secrets, reasons, facts
Use numbers
Create urgency
Be specific
Pique curiosity
Ask a question
Connect to emotions
Keep it simple
Make an ambitious claim, and keep it
4) Tell Them Next Steps
If you’re doing your content right, then your followers are getting a TON of value-rich information every time they read a post, tune into a podcast, or watch a video. And this can lead to analysis paralysis.
That’s why a clear call to action, or CTA, is a crucial piece of all content.
Your followers NEED to know what a sensible “next step” looks like.
WHERE a particular person is in the sales funnel journey will determine what kind of CTA will be most effective. But it will always encourage some type of engagement with your brand.
Here are several to consider:
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5) Choose Images They Can’t Ignore
Eye-catching images captivate us.
They add depth to a viewer’s experience. And they can stop the scrollers in their tracks long enough to read your well-written headlines—which in turn, draws the follower further into your message.
Even when your content is in the form of a podcast, “visuals” can be created by the stories you tell. Podcasters that paint a picture for their listeners enhance the experience and as a result strengthen their brand.
Never underestimate the power of the visuals you use. And always remember to keep in mind the overall aesthetic you’re creating for your brand.