There has been an explosion.
Content has erupted all around you, leaving your ears ringing and your hair blown back.
That’s what it feels like anyway.
There is so much content out there, that some people misunderstand what they need to do to create content that is compatible with the fallout of this era.
So many people think that this is a competition.
That this is an arena where you fight for your content to be read to get ahead of the other players.
But it’s not.
As a writer, you must learn what it takes to build articles that helps people.
This is what they mean when they say “Content shares itself” because when you can create something truly helpful, people will amplify it.
Let’s look at the ways you can do this:
#1: Compelling Content
To create a compelling piece of content, you must first be interesting to your target market.
That is why it’s so important to understand the people you are writing to. I talked to Katy Katz about why we should be building social persona’s for our business to understand these metrics of writing.
A cook isn’t going to be interested in a video game blog.
So, in order to be compelling, you must first learn how to be interesting.
Another great way to build a compelling article is to craft images and text that mold perfectly together. Nothing says compelling like an image that draws people in from social media, and then have a great copy to follow.
Here are some great ways to be compelling in your article:
- Writing great headlines. Try this one out. Or this one if you still need help.
- Write a list post that shares something special about your niche.
- Keep the reader reading. Short paragraphs and sentences work well.
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#2: Correct Content
If you want to be considered an authority as a blogger, you must learn to keep your content correct.
Make sure that what you’re telling people is the truth.
Give them places to go so they can learn what you’re telling them is correct as well.
Not only does the idea of the content need to be correct, but the grammar itself needs to be correct as well. There is nothing more daunting than someone coming to your content only to find that it’s inundated with bade speelling, wrong punctuation! and weerd wordz.
There is a formula with writing great content.
You don’t have to sound like you know it all with huge words, as long as you are being honest with people and telling them the way you see things in your own words, then that will help you build trust with them.
Don’t inoculate them with a word slap.
#3:Clarity in Content
Clarity bridges the gap between the communication of the reader and the content. The determining factor to how well your reader understands what you’re writing to them.
If the reader isn’t doing much after they come to your article, then you may have a clarity problem.
Usually clarity is pretty easy to understand in writing, but there have been a few cases where even I have left scratching my head after I’ve published an article.
One of the many instances of not having clarity with your content is because you’re not seeing the content the way your reader is seeing it. You have content goggles.
Remember, if you’re unsure, then the reader probably is to. That is why it’s really important to write about things you understand. When you understand it, then its easier for you to communicate your understanding to the reader.
#4:Conciseness in Content
This involves the elimination of certain words that you have grown habitually fond of in your writing.
Plus, this is something that I have trouble with myself. I want to type “really” a lot, among other words, and they do not help the article at all. They are redundancy words that I have to hunt down and kill every time I write an article.
Really really really….whew, that felt good
A good fix for this is to sit down and write casually without any edits. When you have finished, come back through it and police the words that you see happening a lot in the article.
Another good way to find these sneaky little buggers is to monitor yourself when you have conversation on social media.
You will see them rear their ugly little heads in sentences and paragraphs, and it will help you understand which words you have a weakness for.
On the other hand, and I think I just noticed this, I think I have a problem with the word “however” too.
Crap…oh well, it’s a never ending process.
#5:Controlled Content
Again, this is yet another aspect of my writing that I haven’t solidly nailed down yet, but to have control in your writing, to me, means that each paragraph and point flows effortlessly into the next one.
Control in your content makes it easier for the reader to read, and if it’s easier to read, then there is more of a chance that the reader will perform some type of action on your blog.
Control also means that you have mapped out which way your article is going to go as you write.
Demian Farnworth talks about how he uses a whiteboard to map out his articles throughout the week so he can better understand which way the content will go as he writes.
To have control means that you have preparation, and when you have preparation, you have an understanding for how you are going to bring this particular article to life for your reader.
Final Thought
As a blogger, you have to learn the best content writing tips that will help you become a better writer for your readers.
I’m going on my fourth year as a full time writer and still have a lot to learn about this whole content marketing idea. Yet, I love the fact that there are still doors that have yet to be opened, opportunities that give me a chance to learn something better, and I think that’s the way you should approach your writing as well.
Embrace the evolution of the writer that is inside of you, always tweaking, always trying to be better, knowing that you’re getting better, not only for you, but for your readers too.
This is a journey that we are all taking, and I’m “really” glad that you decided to take it with me.
Wade Harman
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