There are lots of bases to cover with your website, but content should be number one on the list. Regardless of the subject, whether it’s boring or not, great content encourages readers to make a conversion and to share with their friends. It’s not impossible to create a fantastic user experience with words on a page and high-quality videos.
In this blog post, we’re going to show you the ten best ways to boost your content so that it packs a punch. With the following tips, you’ll be able to improve your website, increase conversions, and compete with rivals, and stand out from the crowd.
1. Don’t Be Disorganised
Look at your content – is it easy to read and navigate? Plenty of web pages, post articles and guides that are full of important information which gets zero traction. The reason is simple: everything is disorganized. Readers want clean, sharp content that looks professional as aesthetics are a big deal.
Headers are an excellent way to break up the text so that your browsers can skim through without any hassle. Bullet points are also a brilliant formatting trick. “Bounce rate is affected by slow loading pages, adverts and clickbait” isn’t as appealing as “Things which impact bounce rate are:
- Slow load-up times
- Intrusive adverts
- Clickbait
2. Never Underestimate SEO
Search engine optimisation isn’t the new-age tactic it was five years ago, but it’s still a vital part of your online presence. Without SEO, it’s tough to raise awareness of the business through search engines. The right keywords and phrases will propel you to the top of the likes of Google and Bing search results where millions of people search each day.
The key is keyword research. Far too many companies use words and phrases they assume correct yet don’t relate whatsoever. A basic tip is to write down the main topics and assign them an expression. To check it, use a ranking program or consult with your google analytics software. Always keep tabs on users’ searches so that you can change them accordingly.
3. Get Visual
Reams of text on a page are boring. Browsers want exciting, interactive mediums to grab their attention. The video is now the king of content for this reason. People can watch informative vids and learn without having to exert too much energy. A digital marketing strategy without video content won’t benefit from YouTube’s 1bn users or the fact it will account for 80% of traffic by 2019.
You can also use charts and infographics to break down information.
4. Jump Off the Page
The market is saturated, so bland and jargonistic language won’t work. The words need to jump off the page and excite the reader. Otherwise, they’ll gloss over the message. Shareability is linked to how much the audience connects with the content. Rather than being stuffy and safe, try and be funny and witty and take chances. Mix content with GIFs and embedded images for ultimate results.
5. Target an Audience
Marketing to a demographic which isn’t interested is a waste of time and resources. Still, it’s incredible how many websites try and sell hip, modern clothes to middle-aged men and women. As a rule, the clientele is going to be young and contemporary, so your content marketing should be tailored to their needs.
It’s better to milk sales and conversions out of one group of dedicated shoppers than it is to get middling sales from uninterested customers.
6. Offer Solutions
Readers are looking for answers to their questions, which is why you should provide them wherever possible. Content needs to tackle the topics of the day head-on, particularly the ones they’re interested in the most. Think about what roadblocks the subject matter throws up and address it with facts, figures, and links to quality examples.
An FAQ page is another excellent idea. Try and include:
- Headings
- Subheadings
- Interactive graphics
- Calls-to-action
Also, the lead of the first paragraph is vital as you want them to read on and take in the informative body of the text.
7. Keep It Evergreen
Nothing turns readers off faster than content which is outdated. And, it’s easy to do as techniques change at a rapid pace in this technological era. To avoid seeming old-fashioned or archaic, you should avoid using dates or times or anything which anchors the post in the past. For example: “Check out the best SEO advice of 2018.”
Once 2019 rolls around, the post is irrelevant and obsolete. If there are things which aren’t evergreen, do a roundup or expand on it with new tips and recommendations.
8. Write for The Web
Your audience doesn’t have time for colourful language. They want to get in and out as quickly as possible. With this in mind, tone down the flowery prose and hit them with the truth. Tell them who you are, what you do and how you’ll benefit them. In general, you want to use short, snappy sentences with powerful verbs.
9. Edit
Some people won’t notice the odd grammatical mistake, but the ones who do will think twice about working with you again so will help to pay attention to your grammar. Typos are a reflection on the business. They say the content is sloppy, which means the service is likely to be the same. Editing takes a couple of minutes and can encourage a significant amount of lead generation.
Look to an app such as Grammarly for advice. The software points out any fatal errors in red and things which can be improved in yellow. Alternatively, professional writers will proofread your copy.
10. Guest on Other Blogs
Content can be incredible, yet it might not have the right audience. Posting on different blogs allows you to cast a net far and wide. Regular readers of the platform connect with your articles and begin searching for them elsewhere. And then, bingo: they find a treasure chest of content on your site.
Heightening your content can seem daunting, but that’s why we’re here to help. At Click Through Digital, we offer everything from marketing services to web design and consultancy. So, if you need advice, we’re only a phone call away.
