Let’s face it; there’s an endless supply of online content clamoring for the attention of viewers. And competing with entertaining pop-up reels featuring dancing dogs isn’t an easy task. Deliberate, focused and exquisitely crafted content is imperative to capture (and retain) those views. Read on for 15 content marketing do’s and don’ts to capture viewers for your blog posts, email marketing, social and video marketing.
1. DO: Awaken your inner storyteller
Weave a compelling tale with a robust sensory experience, complemented by strong visuals and carefully honed content. As we shared in this post about storytelling, ”Meaningful imagery creates mood and sentiment, drawing in the reader. Thematic and well-crafted language that echoes the visuals further engages the audience.” Include sensory words which the brain processes more quickly.
2. DON’T: Pontificate
Skip the soapboxing. Attention spans have diminished, and readers are impatient. To keep their attention, hone your content ruthlessly. Get to the point (and make sure it’s a good one), provide actionable information — and then exit center stage.
3. DO: Build kinship with relatable experiences
Don’t be afraid to show your softer side. Humor and heartbreak are both relatable — and each forges an emotional connection that draws in your audience. Share a childhood memory, reflect on a common experience, or open up and be vulnerable on occasion.
There are times — and we’ve been through some in recent years — when blurring the line between personal and business is the right thing to do. Build kinship by tapping into your customer’s biggest worries, motivations and dreams – or sharing yours.
4. DON’T: Bore readers with the obvious
Generic, uninspired industry content won’t attract new customers. Resist the urge to blog about a topic if you don’t have unique knowledge to share. Get “into the weeds” and develop your own specialized approach to solve a common issue to pique your audience’s attention. With the massive availability of information online, users demand each interaction be efficient, productive and fruitful. If you don’t have anything new to say, keep mum.
5. DO the hard work
Often, readers are seeking help or information. Court contacts into customers with useful tools and tips that solve problems or make their life easier. Nurture prospects along by offering useful resources like FAQs, helper videos and downloadable resources.
6. DON’T: Settle for unremarkable headlines or subject lines
Headlines matter – a LOT. Great online resources are available to help you refine and finesse your headlines and blog titles. The choice of words, headline rhythm, and length are among the factors impacting the success of your headline or post title. This article discusses “neuro copywriting” to craft content titles that motivate readers; it includes some unusual ways to amp up your headlines.
An empty subject line, or one from “Newsletter from Business Name” is the beginning of the end. It signals to your recipients that you have no particular words of value to impart. An intriguing subject line is key to trigger a prospect to engage.
7. DO: Translate the gibberish
Don’t be one of those people who talks over the heads of their audience. Lose the acronyms and the attitude. Convert industry jargon into the parlance of would-be clients searching for your services, and sideline the expert content for a future post.
8. DON’T: Write without a thesaurus
Don’t just whip out content. Optimized writing takes time and focus. Research creative synonyms and variations to express nuances; enliven cadence with phrasing alternatives and alliteration. As we discussed in a prior post: “Capitalize on the power of three. Information presented as a series of three elements is more easily absorbed and retained, because readers expect and anticipate the third item in a series, increasing their involvement.”
9. DO: Help prospects to get the picture
Employ a mix of approaches to help your audience absorb your content. Include compelling and thematic images that complement your copy; visual learners especially benefit from this approach. Changing up the post format will not only keep your creative juices flowing, but also appeal to readers: A Q&A format, interview, case study or video post can be more visually appealing than a text-only post.
Lists are especially popular, and for good reason: They’re easy to scan and understand. Finally, make use of formatting options like callout text, quotes or colored backgrounds to reinforce a key point or break up copy.
10. DON’T: Plunge in without a lifejacket
Despite the best of intentions, even the most dedicated can be challenged to maintain content marketing cadence. Two strategies that help fill the gaps on your social, blog and email marketing calendar are evergreen posts (to fill in when needed) and creation of an editorial calendar yearly. Among the key benefits of the editorial calendar are:
- Includes an appropriate mix of categories and topics for your business
- Jump-starts your writing with a post idea already penciled in
- Captures seasonality or recurrent events in a timely manner
- Serves as a repository for content ideas that strike like lightening (and can be lost as quickly!)
- Plots out items that require advance development, like downloadable how-to guides
11. DO: Finesse key content elements to trigger action
Want a reader to take action? Finesse your subject lines and calls to action. Pose emotive questions that tap into a reader’s needs and wants, or cast doubt to pique interest. A post title formatted as a question can also be very effective in search results. Play with negative headlines … phrasing your point as a negative can resonate with a reader’s worries and stimulate a response. And maximize the effectiveness of your call-to-action buttons with compelling text that inspires action.
12: DON’T: Be lazy in your writing
It’s on you to get readers to sit up and notice. Start with power words on your headline — so they’ll be visible in the email preview pane in your recipients’ inbox. Before publishing, re-read, critique and edit your phrasing to maximize impact. Minimize passive voice, use parallel structure and employ writing techniques like the power of three. Need more? Revisit # 6, 7 and 8 above.
13. DO: Act with grace
We’ve all been hounded by aggressive marketing approaches. And I’ll go out on a limb and say none of us appreciate it. To maintain your manners in business marketing, abide by a few reasonable rules:
- Enable recipients to choose topics of interest
- Ask permission prior to sending marketing texts
- Same-day follow up via email or text is too soon
- Don’t imply a relationship that doesn’t exist
- Allow subscribers to reduce cadence without penalties
14. DON’T: Meander aimlessly
While the act of writing can take a circuitous path, you should have an idea of your end game from the start. What’s the point of your article or post? Which format makes the most sense? Take a page from your school years, and start with an outline. Use sub-headings to organize your content, and challenge yourself to get your point across with as few words as possible.
15. DO: Echo the call of the loons
Loons have four recognized vocalizations. The wail is used most often when they become separated from their young or their mate. This call is haunting, compelling and memorable.
Seek a similar poetic approach. Create insightful parallels, use vivid vocabulary and rhythmic sentence structure. Choose strong visuals that complement your phrasing and provide an emotive pull.
Need help abiding by these do’s and don’ts to encourage prospects to flock to you?
Read more posts here — or if you’d like to talk directly, or contact us to discuss your needs.
