The term “quality content” gets thrown around a lot. Does anyone really know what that means? What makes content high-quality or compelling?
To connect through content, the key is to shift your perspective and view things the way your target audience would. When it comes to making content more attractive, the secret is to make is easy to consume for the people who matter to your brand most.
Your content has the best chance to get noticed when you stop trying to target as many people as you can and focus on keeping the attention of the audience you already have.
While it’s true that content marketing is meant to create brand awareness and extend your reach, gaining the attention of an already captive audience is the best chance for your content to be consumed.
Here are some tips to make your audience stop and focus on what you have to say:
Readability and Clarity
Think about how many times you have started reading something and paused when you read an overly complicated word such as sesquipedalian? Sesquipedalian is an adjective to describe a long word; the word itself is considered sesquipedalian. It is also used to describe someone who overuses big fancy words.
The average reader will stumble over complex words such as that and find themselves disconnecting from the content. Rather than risk encountering another challenging word, they end up abandoning the content altogether.
In his book Thinking Fast and Slow, Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, outlines how the brain loves shortcuts. This cognitive “quirk,” as he describes it, may explain why people prefer shorter sentences and shorter words. Quite simply, shorter words and sentences are easier to consume.
Create Content for Your Best Prospects
Many brands make the mistake of being unrealistic with who their target audience is. They cast a net that’s far too wide or aim to attract a market who can’t relate to their brand. Instead of forcing yourself on the wrong demographic, focus on the one that you best serve. And more often than not, they’re already the audience you have. They’re the ones signed up on your email list, following you on social media, or visiting your website regularly.
You want to talk directly to that group of people you know you can help. Your content should feel personalized, address their challenges, and relate to their experiences. Instead of focusing all your efforts on generating more leads, nurture the one you already have.
Create content that builds a relationship. Study your existing social media followers and website visitors. Engage in social listening to identify what type of content they want to see more of from you. It could be how-to’s or explainer videos. It may be behind-the-scenes live videos of your events or introductions to the people behind the brand. They may even want to hear your backstory.
The secret to making content that is monumental is creating it for those who matter. Don’t make it all about your brand by trying to impress others with big complicated words and risking readability and clarity. And above all, content has to be useful and provide an added value to your stakeholders.
When you speak directly to your audience, you have a bigger chance of turning those fans into prospects and eventually, into long-term business collaborations. Because the content was created especially for your existing audience, they will like what they read, share it and ultimately, increase engagement which results in improved brand awareness.