Take Off Your Invisibility Cloak: Why Your Content Is Going Unnoticed
by admin
Posted on September 24, 2015 at 15:46 PM
The Internet is a hodge-podge of information, a beautifully woven web of viral videos and factual business tidbits, how-to articles and DIY ideas, stunning photography and not-so-hot selfies. With all of this digital buzz, how can your web content stand out? If your blogs, social media and other content are losing traction, there may be some obvious flaws to your online approach. These no-no’s may seem simple, but the small things count when a customer is deciding whether to buy from you or your competitor.
Your grammer isnt rite. If your writer doesn’t have an impeccable eye for grammatical accuracy and tone, you’re turning away the more discerning consumer. These days, it’s a common occurrence to see glaring spelling errors or grammatical mistakes on social media (the kind that are the visual equivalent of nails going down a chalkboard), but in business it can be the kiss of death for online validation. Quite simply, make sure your writing is spot-on. Make sure it’s edited by a second or third pair of eyes before it goes live. In a recent analysis by Acrolinx, over 70 percent of companies profiled were missing the mark when it came to quality content. Some of the common mistakes found were grammatical; subject/verb agreements, double negatives, the use of pronouns, and so on.
YAWN. Nothing screams low-quality like boring copy. Quality content is considered to have a good balance between readability and perceived ease of understanding. Hard-to-read content is equated to difficult activity or business. Easy-to-read content gives the impression that doing business with you will be a breeze. Quality content also impacts your search rankings, with a strong correlation between Google Panda’s algorithm reward system and unique, valuable, well written content.
So how do you take your content from ‘ho-hum’ to ‘holy-moly!’? Think about quality, not quantity. Be sure you’re answering the questions your customers will be asking as they visit your site. Secondly, keep it simple. Don’t get too dense or technical in your content! Your customers should leave your site better educated about you and the information you’re providing, not scratching their heads.
You’re talking to an empty room. You’ve written a great article or blog and you post it on your website. It’s your best work to date and you’re so proud you sent it to your grandmother. A week later it has only five views. What happened? Companies need to distribute these assets of information through social media, email marketing, and other outlets appropriate to your business. How can you expect others to share your information if you aren’t even doing it yourself? Pay-per-click advertising, guest blog opportunities and other similar marketing tactics can also assist you in casting a wider net.
Don’t stop with social media. Once you’ve shared your content, don’t let it collect dust. How can you re-purpose that cool video you produced for the website, or that fun white paper you sent through your last email blast? In many cases, marketers can re-use these items for an upcoming seminar, presentation, television spot or any other countless number of opportunities. Turn that white paper into an infographic and post it on Pinterest. Your short video can be used as pre-roll on YouTube advertising. Each piece of content should be wrung dry of its life span.
Remember, the most compelling reason why people share content is to entertain (proven by a study by Fractl, where 44 percent of responders agree.) The desire to educate is the second most important reason to share content, followed by showing brand support. Whatever content you publish, keep these things in mind. Suffice it to say: have a personality, know how to spell, make friends and have something useful to say!
