Strategize, Capitalize, and Optimize Your Content in 2021

Strategize, Capitalize, and Optimize Your Content. So, maybe you are in the process of launching a new business and are looking for ways to gain a following.

Or, maybe your business has been around for a while, but your content is feeling uninspired and in need of a refresh.

As a professional content writer and storyteller, I am always looking to stay informed about what is working and what isn’t in the online world – both for me personally, and also for my valued clients.

As we all know, the online marketplace is ever changing and it is competitive. In order to stay relevant, it is important to keep up to date with both the trends and the forecasts.

Here is what I am predicting will be top of mind for content creators, small businesses, and their consumers as we head deeper into 2021:

Be an authority figure – regardless of what product or service you represent, use first-person terminology (“I” or “we”) and ensure that your copy is credible and on brand. It’s important to sound confident and knowledgeable – no one wants to buy things from someone who sounds wishy-washy.
Optimize, optimize, optimize – SEO continues to be a huge priority for businesses this year. If SEO is not at the top of your priority list, reach out to me so I can help you to recognize the difference it can make in everything you put online.

A general rule of thumb is to target roughly 80% evergreen keywords and 20% trending keywords.

If you are new to the content world and interested in how to create evergreen content, then head to this blog where I share my top tips on creating content that has a long and lasting lifespan.

Know your customer – I can’t stress this enough. In fact, I have a free download on this exact topic.

If the content you are creating is aimed at an unidentified, mass audience, chances are, you will miss your mark altogether. The more specific and intentional your content is (and the more it is directed at YOUR target customer), the more likely you are to convert searches into sales.

I like to think about it this way: A business’s overarching goal should not be to sell to EVERY one; it should be to sell to the RIGHT one.

The power of headlines – On average, 5 times as many people read the title or headline of your body copy, so make it appealing, catchy, AND ensure it contains your target keyword. Essentially, you want to make sure your headline is appealing to both humans and to algorithms.

A couple of other tips about title tags:

Aim to keep them short (50-60 characters is ideal)
When it applies, use numbers (ex. “25 Reasons Why…”)
Parentheses (also known as brackets) seem to lead to more click-throughs

Be human – Today’s consumers are looking to be inspired, moved, and motivated. In many cases, they want to identify with one of the brand’s values. And, the more your content sounds human (relatable, honest, and sometimes, even vulnerable), the more likely someone is to connect with your words and story.

Strategize, Capitalize, and Optimize Your Content

Add value – I’m sure you’ve heard me say this before, and, there’s a very good chance you will hear me say it again. Empty content – that is, content that doesn’t really say anything, which lacks a purpose or intent, and which many businesses resort to when they think posting something is better than posting nothing, is really not advisable.

From experience – and you can trust me on this – empty content just gets drowned out by the noise. Strategize not only when you post, to whom you post, but also WHAT you post.

Value-added content is purposeful.

It is intentional. Its aim is to educate, help, or entertain. It is other-focused and solution-based. It has a clear message and typically (but not always) ends with a call to action – for more info on how to write a strong call to action, check out this blog here.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of how to strategize, capitalize, and optimize your content creation this year, but it should be enough to get you started. Another thing we should all remember is that we humans have a short attention span. Even if I were to give you a longer list of tips and tricks, the likelihood of you reading them all wouldn’t be high.

It’s the same with the content you create for your business or brand. Keep it short, keep it sweet, and follow the tips I shared above.

As always, if I can help in any way, reach out to me for a conversation about optimizing your content.

Use your Voice, Make an impact.

And remember, Strategize, Capitalize, and Optimize Your Content!