14 Feb 2024
- 15 Dec 2015
- 8 Min read
8 steps to producing linkable content
- by Lois Bell
In content marketing, the challenge is always to produce well-written content that is engaging enough to be shared across the world. There are content sites using clickbait headlines and cutting corners to boost engagements, but there is no reason why a piece of content can’t be both good quality and engaging for all the right reasons.
We have already established that long-form content performs better than short-form, but what about the contents of the resource? The following guide will explain a number of ways you can enhance your content to make consumers and industry influencers much more likely to hit ‘Share’.
Utilise egobaiting
A problem with producing content for a field in which you are unknown is that people may not consider your opinion credible. One way to immediately legitimise yourself is to make reference to someone in that field — either a commentator or a person of interest. Use a quote by them to back up, or form the basis of, a point you’re making. Complimenting or praising them will make them likely to share your content from their social media pages, which exposes your content to relevant audiences that you may not otherwise be able to reach in such a targeted manner.
Mentioning a person or quote that contradicts your point to create a more balanced argument. Referencing a wide range of sources adds weight to your content and can be equally beneficial for each party, while creating content that incites debate/comment is good for shares and engagements.
The idea is to use facts and opinions that are already out there — proposed by someone who could be considered an industry leader — and use them as a launching point to bring attention to your own content. Like a rock band supporting a larger band to raise their own profile and reach a new audience. Only do this if it adds value to your content, however, otherwise you’re just ripping people off.
Be original
While using others’ data is a good starting point, you should always strive to do your own research where possible too. High-performing content regularly contains unique information or research, whether it’s comment from an industry influencer or statistics from a survey.
Consider is the purpose of your research and whether people would find it interesting — one of the simplest mistakes to make is assuming that people will find your research interesting; do not be too proud to concede that it isn’t. But good research alone won’t produce good content: it’s all about how you present it and who you present it to (see format and target audience sections).
Target the right audience
Content that plays on pop culture is not difficult to outreach, as it is relevant to a large group of readers — no specific group has to be targeted. Content for more niche subjects, such as specific industry developments, can be much trickier to outreach — it will only be relatable or relevant to people within that corresponding industry. However, it’s better to target fewer people who are more likely to engage with it than a general audience that is mostly uninterested in your brand. You will have to find a way to target the relevant people, and not waste time showing it to people who wouldn’t find it interesting.
If your website publishes content often, you should also consider whether the content you’re working on is something that your regular readers would expect from you. If not, it should leave them feeling positively surprised, not shocked or confused.
Think big
When creating your resource, always consider how you can make it better. Unless yours is the most innovative, informative, creative, interesting or well-designed resource out there, it probably won’t be as successful as it could be. As a general rule, if there is a resource out there that already details what yours does, you will have to find additional information or place a spin on yours to make it stand out.
If you choose to hone in on a specific topic, make your resource a comprehensive guide to that topic. Or why not cover the larger subject? If you are writing about a disease that affects a particular type of plant, why not invest additional time into it and create a resource detailing the most common diseases which burden a larger range of plants? Better still, a gardening guide on how to protect your plants from diseases.
Even ask yourself questions as to which section of your target audience you’re looking to appeal to — if you’re creating a gardening resource, are you targeting beginners or confident gardeners? Also consider creating related content. If you sell pre-natal vitamins, why not create a resource on the best things to do during pregnancy? Just because it doesn’t mention your product specifically, doesn’t mean that it won’t be helpful. Raising awareness of your brand will always be part of the aim. As long as your content and structure are relevant and engaging, you will stand a good chance of capturing interest.
Make your content topical
Pay close attention to the news and what is trending on social media. If there are relevant stories in the news, piggyback those stories when presenting your research to make your content topical and relevant. If you can find a way to present your content in light of, or making reference to, current affairs or trending topics, you are automatically giving people a reason to read it. Creating content around topics that have a heavy traffic/search volume will capture the largest audience possible, as long as you strike while the iron is hot.
Consider seasonality when writing your content. Publish your content around a month before interest peaks so that there’s enough time for it to build momentum. Leaving a Christmas resource until mid-December won’t allow enough time for your audience to become aware of it.
Do what others aren’t
Identifying gaps in content marketing gives you the opportunity to be the first resource to cover a certain subject or question. If you can, try to answer questions about a certain topic while, or before the public even has the chance to ask them. Being ahead of the curve ensures that your content is the go-to resource on that subject, and gives competitors less chance of producing content that will rival or overtake yours.
If you are struggling for inspiration around a subject, a good idea is to browse related forums. If you see a question that is constantly being asked, the likelihood is that there’s no authoritative answer out there. Here is an opportunity for you to be proactive and answer this question in the form of content marketing. As well as forums, you should also research the type of questions that people are putting into search engines. A great way to do this is to have a look at what shows up in Google Autosuggest when searching around your topic. If this didn’t give you enough ideas, maybe consider using a paid service such as the Keyword Tool.
Optimise for search
Ensure that you have optimised your content marketing project with natural keywords and relevant heading tags. Remember that your content may be the most information-rich and well-presented resource out there, but if it is not optimised to show up in a Google search, you may as well be hiding it in your sock draw. If you are new to the world of SEO, it is recommended that you undertake some reading on the topic if you want to create well-optimised content.
Choose the right format
Always consider which formats would be the most user-friendly for those in your target audience. If your content is targeting children, it wouldn’t be appropriate to present your content as a long text resource — why not consider a video or a graphic presentation? A lot of it is common sense, but sometimes to produce good content you must go back to basics.
Consider the tone and medium of your content and whether you are looking to entertain, inform or educate. Infographics tend to perform well for statistic-heavy content, but don’t use an infographic if it would not be relevant — saturation is why this format has become less favourable in recent times.
Hopefully this guide will have opened your eyes to how you can improve your content marketing, but the important thing to remember is to put yourself in the position of the intended reader. If you were them, would you find this interesting, useful, or entertaining? If the answer is no, then you should consult the previous tips to find out where your content is lacking. Your resource won’t enjoy massively increased traffic overnight, but considering search and user benefits will have a positive impact on your content in the long run.
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