It’s 2021. January. We’ve had the first week back at work for many of us. Brainstorming, planning and calendars adorn our tables and walls – and bucket loads of coffee may well be high on the agenda to get us through it.
As we’re all donning our Sharpies and creating a bold and colour-coded creation, we thought our content tips for 2021 might come in handy.
With deadlines, campaigns and goals front and centre, it can be easy to forget that what we all love to read, hear and see is content that represents you and your brand. Content that connects, interests and provides genuine value. Content that reflects what we’re looking for from people and brands we admire, want to support and enjoy engaging with.
So, without further ado, if you’re looking for a sure-fire way to transform your storytelling, check out our seven content tips. Create compelling, captivating and creative content that converts with our top tips!
1. Attract with a Catchy Headline
Craft a captivating headline to stand out and capture your reader, listener or viewer’s attention. Headlines, after all, are the first thing we see. So it’s vital they offer something imaginative and appealing.
When it comes to creating your headline, think about ideas, reasons, secrets and facts. Tell and teach your reader something new, useful or surprising. Use digits in your headline instead of words and place them at the front of your headline (just like we’ve done in this blog). Keep your headline succinct and be specific to grab our attention.
2. The 3-Second Rule
No, the food-rule has not just diminished by a mighty two seconds. We’re talking about the 3-second rule of content. Beyond the headline, you’ve got three seconds to impress. Use them wisely. Wow them. Craft an interesting first sentence that naturally follows your headline and leads onto your first point.
Three seconds is all you’ve got to grab your reader’s attention. Create a hook that grabs the theme and metaphorically hits them between the eyes. It’ll pack a roar so loud they don’t want to scroll past you.
3. Create For Your Audience
Who are you writing your content for? What information do they search for? What style, tone and voice do they love and engage with?
Yep, your target audience forms the basis of your content writing, so it’s crucial you know who they are.
If you’re looking for tips on how to research and hone in on exactly who your target market is, check out our Ultimate Marketing Strategy Series Part 3: Target Market. Here you’ll find out more about why identifying as much as you can about your target market is important, how to hone your market research, and learn about your target audience/s.
4. Research Your Content Topic
Don your super-sleuth skills and get detecting. Research is an integral part of the writing process. Do you want to appear lazy and turn your readers off? Or become a thought leader in your field? It’s a no brainer, right? Well, it’s all in the details.
Go on, go all Sherlock Holmes to get right into the crux of your expertise, experience and business landscape. Find out what thought leaders, reliable organisations and expert influencers are saying about your industry, your audience’s interests and core values.
What are the key trends? What is influencing these? What does your target audience care about? What do they need to solve their problems and answer their needs?
5. Tell Your Story
Transparency and authenticity lead in storytelling. It can be scary and seem alien to what we’ve become used to in traditional business lingo. But it’s what helps you stand out from the crowd, build communities and get noticed. Be bold and fearless with what you say. Dare to speak with your honest and open voice.
Get creative too. Create with originality and quality. What makes you different? What makes people want to read and hear what you’ve got to say? What are you adding to the conversation? What you’ve got to say is important – your experiences, talents, knowledge and skills are unique. Fill your content with those.
6. Optimise Your Content
In the digital age, we’re often crafting content for people who are consuming, reading and absorbing your stories online. Optimise your online content to make sure it’s found and seen.
Think clear sentences and paragraphs, keywords and visual elements like bullet points and quotes. Use search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques, best practices and content strategies to maximise its appeal.
7. Edit Before You Post
Editing is a vital part of the entire content creation process. Don’t just take our word for it though, read writer Patricia Fullers’ advice:
“Writing without revising is the literary equivalent of waltzing gaily out of the house in your underwear.”
And who wants to make that mistake?!
Let editing be part of your content creation plan. It’s a necessary part of the process, after all. Just as much as forming your hook, carrying out your research and crafting great content is.
Editing is the gloss that really makes your content shine. Many writers recommend leaving time between writing your draft and editing it. We do too. We find all types of new ideas and better revisions when we’ve given it time to bed in and breathe.
Now all that’s left to do is create your stories. Happy creating! Happy storytelling!
For more info and support on creating content that transforms your storytelling or improving your business’s Content Strategy, contact Lion Spirit Media today.
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