Level Up Your Content Writing

Do you feel like your content writing could use a boost? Are you ready to kick things up a notch with some tried and true tips that are guaranteed to connect with your target audience?

If you answered yes to either of those questions, then you will want to keep reading…

Over the last several years as a professional content writer, I have learned too many do’s and don’ts to count. Some of these lessons were like little light bulbs going off in my head, while others were much harder to accept and move on from.

In this blog, I’ve decided to share my top tips with you in the hopes that I pass along some of this learned wisdom and also to prevent you from making some of those early mistakes like I did. After all, we content writers need to stick together!

Let’s get to your Content Writing Tips!

Start with the end.

What do I mean by this? Think about a recipe video. The chefs show you the delicious-looking finished product BEFORE they show you the list of ingredients and instructions, right? This is because they are looking to hook the viewer from the very beginning and get their taste buds watering.

The same thing applies with YOUR content. “After” shots, testimonials, or stories of the benefits of your product or service are powerful, so give them pride of place at the beginning of your content.

Mix it up!

Variety is truly the spice of life and your audience agrees. Some people respond best to videos, others become interested when a discount is offered, and many prefer an emotional headline. In order to appeal to a variety of people, mix up your content to maximize your impact.

Do less

You’re probably saying to yourself, “WHAT on earth is she talking about?”

Hang in there with me for a minute and I’ll explain. Sometimes, we business owners try to do TOO MANY things at once and end up doing none of them particularly well. Can you relate? A remedy for this is to scale things back a little. Set smaller, more achievable goals for yourself and don’t try to accomplish ten things all at once. Break things down into chunks and build skills in one or two areas at a time.

So, as an example, if your goal is to increase your blog readership, focus on that – don’t also try to excel at still photography or video, learn the ins and outs of SEO, and navigate Pinterest Tribes, all at the same time. That is a recipe for burnout right there.

What are the influencers saying?

If you want to know what the current trends are in your industry, look to the influencers. What are they talking about and how are they sharing it? What trends are they reporting on? This is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s hot and happening. If you think about it, food videos first went viral on social media because of food influencers, not because of food brands.

Make REAL connections

This sounds obvious, but don’t underestimate its importance. In today’s ultra-competitive market, it’s not enough to merely add followers and subscribers. We need to start new conversations and get to know our audience on a personal level. These relationships aren’t created overnight, but they can be worth their weight in gold.

You will want to learn things about them – gradually – like what products they like, and also, WHY they like them. Focusing not only on the what, but also on the why, allows us a more personal look at how we can add value to the relationship.When you level up your content writing, your connections will level up too.

Repurpose your content across multiple channels

This is a REALLY important one. It’s so important, in fact, that I have a free download on the topic. Check it out here.

If you think about it, your reader has the same 24 hours in a day that you have. They have minimal amounts of discretionary time and have to be strategic with their intake of social media. If you are only sharing your fantastic content in one or two places, you may well be missing out on a lot of potential viewers. Repurposing your content in several places will get more eyeballs on your words and/or videos.

I’m going to leave you with this final thought…

It is estimated that the average person scrolls their newsfeed even faster on mobile than they do on desktop (1.7 seconds compared to 2.5 seconds). This means we have even less time to catch people’s attention and draw them in.

In order to break through the noise (and trust me, it’s noisy out there), ask yourself the following content questions BEFORE you hit post:

Is this headline engaging and interesting?
Does this video say, “WOW. I want to watch this?”
What am I trying to say, and whom am I trying to say it to?
If I were a (insert target demographic here), would I want to read/watch/listen to this?

So, there you have it! Some of my top tips on leveling up your content writing to make an even bigger impact on your audience and industry. For more content tips, or for a consult on how I can help you take your content from good to GREAT, drop me a line here.