In online spaces, it is difficult to stay relevant with so much content being posted on a daily basis. In this blog, I will break down ten tips to make your content stronger as you fight to stay relevant. Beth Dornan was kind enough to give us these main points, and I (Carson) will be elaborating.
1: Be Relevant
This one is pretty obvious. You have to make sure your content is of value to your audience. As Beth says, “If they don’t care, they won’t share”. There are plenty of ways to stay relevant among the audience you are trying to reach, and keeping up with trends is key. Brands and influencers are always trying to stay relevant, and it is easy to get lost in the crowd. As long as your focus is on making valuable content that appeals to your audience, you will be fine.
2: Make it about them
Make content about what your audience cares about. Most brands spend too much time talking about themselves, and while this may be beneficial in some circumstances, focusing on your audience also plays a huge part in strong, engaging content.
3: Get to the benefit fast
Don’t “puff and fluff” your way through your content. Allow readers to get the main point quickly, and efficiently. If you do not, your readers will not stick around to listen.
4:Use attention-grabbing content devices
Examples of these include alliteration, numbers, and abbreviation. These literary devices can help engage readers, but a little goes a long way. You want to be careful not to include too many attention-grabbing devices that could cause a lack of credibility and reputability.
5: Use clear, simple language
Don’t talk like you are writing a formal academic paper. Nobody wants to read that. You need to talk in a relatable, casual way. A way in which you are simply talking to another person. People enjoy reading this type of language because it does not involve a large amount of their mental capacity. It will help convey your message in a way that is easy to understand and will get your point across.
6: Be inclusive
Any language and visuals you use in your content should be in accordance with your audience. You need to allow the audience to feel like you are talking to them. It’s not about you, it’s about them. Being inclusive and sensitive can be the biggest reason for growth or lack thereof.
7: Be visual
As humans, we remember 10-20% of what we read, but when you add visuals our retention jumps to 65% and as high as 95% with video content. Moral of the story: create more engaging video content to get your point across.
8: Be less corporate
This point coincides with point #5. Describe products and services in a way that is easy to understand and uses relatable language. Don’t try to “sound more educated” or talk in corporate language. This can cause a lack of retention and boredom. Do be aware of your topic though, if your topic requires this language to reach a specific audience then it may be necessary.
9: Be transparent and trustworthy
Say what you can as soon as you can say it. If you don’t know the answer to something, offer to find the answer and say that you do not know. It is okay to not have all the answers, but it is not okay to ignore your audience while you figure it all out. Issues with transparency have been detrimental to brands in the past, and if you are able to be transparent with your audience, do it.
10: Be brief and show them where to go for more.
Instead of cramming every little detail into your content. Keep it brief, and link to another source in which you can find more information.
