The 4 processes I use to create engaging content that converts
Posted: Tue Dec 03, 2024 9:05 am
There are around 2 million blog posts written every day. No matter what your niche is, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out with your content as time goes on. In a world full of fluff and content written solely for the sake of writing, it’s getting harder and harder to engage with your target audience.
However, the data never lies and says that content marketing works , if you do it right. The first part of an effective content marketing strategy is writing quality content that engages and converts. Here’s a quick overview of my own process that I use to write content that readers love.
Base your article on proper research
Unless you are writing about a norway phone number library topic that only you know about, you will need to use some sources in your writing. The difference between a good and a great article is often research.
Once you know the topic you're writing about, do some basic research. Do a Google search and look at the results on the first few pages. Open the pages and read them; here are some things to pay attention to.
– Is the content based on adequate research?
– Who is the authority behind the posts?
– Does the article present facts or is it tinged with emotion?
– Is the writing biased or objective?
– Do you cite relevant, high-authority websites?
– How recent is the article and the data it is based on?
There are a variety of other factors to rely on, but this should get you started. If most of the content that ranks well isn't well researched, that's both good news and bad news . The good news is that you can do better. The bad news is that you'll have to do extensive research on your own to find something better.
When I write and research for my own articles, I always try to reference relevant, high-quality sources. However, don't fill your article with links, because...
It will make you look like you don't have an opinion of your own.
It must not be very good for SEO
I tend to write mostly about marketing, so when I need some sources, I turn to well-known names like Kissmetrics, SearchEngineJournal, AdEspresso, Neil Patel, Hubspot, and others. If you're writing about a topic you're not familiar with, don't worry.
Once you find the article you want to reference and you’re unsure whether you should use the link or not, do some more research. First, take a look at other articles on the website – do they seem credible? Second, run the main website through an SEO research tool like Moz, Ahrefs , or SEMRush , to see what other websites point to it.
hubspot1
Moz
If there are a lot of links to the site, it's probably a relevant resource. Ahrefs and SEMRush are tools you have to pay for, but you can use the Moz OSE tool for free.
Finally, make sure that the data you are referring to is recent. For example, an article on the state of the labor market in 2018 needs unemployment rate data from 2018, not 2004.
Think of an attractive title
Of all the time spent writing an article, I would say that about 50% of the time I spend thinking about the title. It is the most important part, since 80% of readers will read only the title , without even opening the article.
Writing great headlines is truly an art form and it takes a lot of experience to get it right. Here are some of the ways I approach it.
First things first, you should never have just one title . I always choose 5-10 alternatives and write them down in a separate file so I can pick the one that sounds the best.
There are a few tools you can use to help you avoid relying solely on your creativity. One of the most popular is CoSchedule’s free headline analyzer . Simply copy and paste the headline and you’ll get a rundown of the common, uncommon, emotional, and powerful words used in it, and how you can improve it.
coschedule headline analyzer
coschedule headline analyzer
Another tool I use is called Headline Analyzer (again) by the Advanced Marketing Institute. It uses an algorithm to calculate the EMV (emotional marketing value) of your headline. You don’t need to use both headline analyzers; one will do the job perfectly.
Headline Analyzer
Headline Analyzer
For some more technical stuff, I always try to keep the title between 50-60 characters so it looks good in search engine results. One of the things I used to have trouble with is the use of upper and lower case in titles. For this I use the Title Case tool , which is really simple and works with a variety of writing styles.
Finally, stay away from clickbait. It will do more harm than good.
Make it readable
By readable I don't mean following basic grammar and spelling rules. I often see good quality content that looks very unattractive to read. Here's how you can avoid it.
Nobody likes walls of text . If the article looks like it's going to be hard to read, almost no one will read it. The average reader's attention span is about 3 seconds, and you need to capture it as soon as possible.
The first way to do this is to break up your text into sections with headings. For SEO purposes, format them as H2 or H3. Just like the title, keep them interesting and related to the text below them. Many times, readers will simply skim through the paragraphs and only read the subheadings.
Second, break up sections into paragraphs. Whitespace is your best friend, as it will make the text look more readable, even if it really isn't. I try to keep paragraphs under 4 lines , although this isn't set in stone.
Third, alternate sentence length and structure.
So, for example.
If all your sentences are the same length and tone, readers will tune out and get bored at some point. Make it a good mix of shorter and longer sentences – it will keep readers’ attention.
Four, insert some images. Written content with images gets 94% more views , so it’s a good idea to insert an image about every two paragraphs. Ideally, this should be your own photo, but you can always use screenshots or stock photos. Alternatively, you can use someone else’s photo – just be sure to reference the original source.
Five, put the most important parts in bold or italics . It will give some variety to the text and will make it easier for readers to skim through it.
Go the extra mile
Remember how you did your research to see what ranks on the first few pages of search engine results for your topic? As you review articles, pay close attention and see what you can do better than the rest. If not better, then different.
As content marketing exploded, there has been a lot of noise over the past decade. Many articles are filled with fluff content that is far from actionable and provides very little value to the reader.
When you set out to write your next piece of content, think about what you can do to write something that is on a completely different level from everything else that has been written on the topic. Whether you want eyeballs or links on your site, it won't just happen on its own.
Hubspot2
Source: Hubspot
One of the techniques to make this happen is called the Skyscraper Technique , and it was popularized by Brian Dean of Backlinko. It’s a simple three-step process that works:
Find great content with potential
Create something 10 times better
Reach out to the right people to get you connected
The skyscraper technique is one of the most effective ways to get great results with a relatively small volume of content. However, it requires a lot of outreach and link building in addition to writing.
Try it yourself
Whether you're a born writer or just someone looking to get started in content marketing, writing engaging content isn't an impossible task. If you do your research, structure your content well, pay attention to the title, and do your best to write the best article on the topic, you'll have an article that your readers will love and want to share.
However, the data never lies and says that content marketing works , if you do it right. The first part of an effective content marketing strategy is writing quality content that engages and converts. Here’s a quick overview of my own process that I use to write content that readers love.
Base your article on proper research
Unless you are writing about a norway phone number library topic that only you know about, you will need to use some sources in your writing. The difference between a good and a great article is often research.
Once you know the topic you're writing about, do some basic research. Do a Google search and look at the results on the first few pages. Open the pages and read them; here are some things to pay attention to.
– Is the content based on adequate research?
– Who is the authority behind the posts?
– Does the article present facts or is it tinged with emotion?
– Is the writing biased or objective?
– Do you cite relevant, high-authority websites?
– How recent is the article and the data it is based on?
There are a variety of other factors to rely on, but this should get you started. If most of the content that ranks well isn't well researched, that's both good news and bad news . The good news is that you can do better. The bad news is that you'll have to do extensive research on your own to find something better.
When I write and research for my own articles, I always try to reference relevant, high-quality sources. However, don't fill your article with links, because...
It will make you look like you don't have an opinion of your own.
It must not be very good for SEO
I tend to write mostly about marketing, so when I need some sources, I turn to well-known names like Kissmetrics, SearchEngineJournal, AdEspresso, Neil Patel, Hubspot, and others. If you're writing about a topic you're not familiar with, don't worry.
Once you find the article you want to reference and you’re unsure whether you should use the link or not, do some more research. First, take a look at other articles on the website – do they seem credible? Second, run the main website through an SEO research tool like Moz, Ahrefs , or SEMRush , to see what other websites point to it.
hubspot1
Moz
If there are a lot of links to the site, it's probably a relevant resource. Ahrefs and SEMRush are tools you have to pay for, but you can use the Moz OSE tool for free.
Finally, make sure that the data you are referring to is recent. For example, an article on the state of the labor market in 2018 needs unemployment rate data from 2018, not 2004.
Think of an attractive title
Of all the time spent writing an article, I would say that about 50% of the time I spend thinking about the title. It is the most important part, since 80% of readers will read only the title , without even opening the article.
Writing great headlines is truly an art form and it takes a lot of experience to get it right. Here are some of the ways I approach it.
First things first, you should never have just one title . I always choose 5-10 alternatives and write them down in a separate file so I can pick the one that sounds the best.
There are a few tools you can use to help you avoid relying solely on your creativity. One of the most popular is CoSchedule’s free headline analyzer . Simply copy and paste the headline and you’ll get a rundown of the common, uncommon, emotional, and powerful words used in it, and how you can improve it.
coschedule headline analyzer
coschedule headline analyzer
Another tool I use is called Headline Analyzer (again) by the Advanced Marketing Institute. It uses an algorithm to calculate the EMV (emotional marketing value) of your headline. You don’t need to use both headline analyzers; one will do the job perfectly.
Headline Analyzer
Headline Analyzer
For some more technical stuff, I always try to keep the title between 50-60 characters so it looks good in search engine results. One of the things I used to have trouble with is the use of upper and lower case in titles. For this I use the Title Case tool , which is really simple and works with a variety of writing styles.
Finally, stay away from clickbait. It will do more harm than good.
Make it readable
By readable I don't mean following basic grammar and spelling rules. I often see good quality content that looks very unattractive to read. Here's how you can avoid it.
Nobody likes walls of text . If the article looks like it's going to be hard to read, almost no one will read it. The average reader's attention span is about 3 seconds, and you need to capture it as soon as possible.
The first way to do this is to break up your text into sections with headings. For SEO purposes, format them as H2 or H3. Just like the title, keep them interesting and related to the text below them. Many times, readers will simply skim through the paragraphs and only read the subheadings.
Second, break up sections into paragraphs. Whitespace is your best friend, as it will make the text look more readable, even if it really isn't. I try to keep paragraphs under 4 lines , although this isn't set in stone.
Third, alternate sentence length and structure.
So, for example.
If all your sentences are the same length and tone, readers will tune out and get bored at some point. Make it a good mix of shorter and longer sentences – it will keep readers’ attention.
Four, insert some images. Written content with images gets 94% more views , so it’s a good idea to insert an image about every two paragraphs. Ideally, this should be your own photo, but you can always use screenshots or stock photos. Alternatively, you can use someone else’s photo – just be sure to reference the original source.
Five, put the most important parts in bold or italics . It will give some variety to the text and will make it easier for readers to skim through it.
Go the extra mile
Remember how you did your research to see what ranks on the first few pages of search engine results for your topic? As you review articles, pay close attention and see what you can do better than the rest. If not better, then different.
As content marketing exploded, there has been a lot of noise over the past decade. Many articles are filled with fluff content that is far from actionable and provides very little value to the reader.
When you set out to write your next piece of content, think about what you can do to write something that is on a completely different level from everything else that has been written on the topic. Whether you want eyeballs or links on your site, it won't just happen on its own.
Hubspot2
Source: Hubspot
One of the techniques to make this happen is called the Skyscraper Technique , and it was popularized by Brian Dean of Backlinko. It’s a simple three-step process that works:
Find great content with potential
Create something 10 times better
Reach out to the right people to get you connected
The skyscraper technique is one of the most effective ways to get great results with a relatively small volume of content. However, it requires a lot of outreach and link building in addition to writing.
Try it yourself
Whether you're a born writer or just someone looking to get started in content marketing, writing engaging content isn't an impossible task. If you do your research, structure your content well, pay attention to the title, and do your best to write the best article on the topic, you'll have an article that your readers will love and want to share.