7 Tips for Creating Engaging Content

Content is one of the three basic elements of digital marketing, so as a small business owner it pays to know how to create content that works. If you want to take your digital marketing to the next level, here are 7 tips for creating engaging content that brings in traffic and leads.

1. Identify Your Target Audience and Their Needs

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Before you write anything, get to know your audience: who they are, what they’re looking for, and what problems they want solved. Research their demographics, interests and concerns, and your content will speak directly to them.

For example, it’s a well-known fact that people don’t love going to the dentist. If you own a small dental office, your audience will be interested in tooth-care tips, common dental problems, and what happens at a regular check-up.

Content that covers those topics with useful information attracts your audience and keeps them reading.

2. Choose Your Topics Carefully

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“What should I write about?” is probably the number one question we get about content marketing. The best answer comes from keyword research: find out what people are searching for and which topics are popular in your industry.

If you sell organic beauty products, keyword research might show that people in the natural-living space search for skincare routines and the benefits of natural ingredients.

Content that covers those topics, using the words people search for, positions your brand as a leader in your industry.

3. Create a Strong Value Proposition

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A value proposition is a short statement of what your product or service does for the customer. It explains which problem you solve or which need you meet, and why your way is the one to choose.

Put simply, it tells someone why to choose you. Keep it clear, short and focused on what the customer gets.

For example, a value proposition for a new smartphone might be, “Our smartphone has a long-lasting battery, a high-quality camera, and a sleek design, making it the perfect choice for people who want a device that can keep up with their busy lives.”

That statement names the features and ties each one to what the buyer needs.

4. Use Compelling Headlines

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Your headline is often the first thing people see, so it has to earn the click. A strong headline invites people in to read.

Keyword research helps here too, because it shows you the words and phrases your audience searches for. Put those words in your headlines, along with specific numbers.

Words that carry emotion, such as “simple,” “proven” or “surprising,” make a headline more inviting. Numbers add specifics and credibility, as in “10 proven strategies” or “5 ways to grow your business.”

If your keyword research shows your audience wants to save money, you could use a headline like “The ultimate guide to saving $1,000 in 30 days” or “9 benefits of frugal living.”

Headlines built from keyword research, with an emotional word and a number, earn more clicks.

5. Use Visuals and Formatting to Make Your Content More Engaging

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People engage with content that looks good and is easy to read. Images, videos, headings and lists make your content more attractive and easier to take in.

A relevant, eye-catching image draws the reader in and makes your content more memorable.

Images also break up long blocks of text, and video adds another dimension to your content.

Headings and lists make your content easy to scan. Headings divide it into sections so readers can find what they want, and numbered or bulleted lists make information quick to understand.

6. Optimize Your Content for Search Engines

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You’ve done your keyword research and written the perfect headline. Now optimize the post so search engines can find it.

Ways to optimize your content for search:

• Target the right keywords. Keywords are the words people type into a search. Using the relevant ones in your content improves its chances of ranking for them.

• Write meta descriptions. The meta description is the short summary that appears in search results. A compelling one that includes your keyword invites people to click.

• Use header tags. Header tags (H1, H2 and so on) give your content structure and tell search engines what each section is about.

• Label your images and videos. Descriptive file names and alt text help search engines understand your media, so it can show up in search results too.

For more on SEO, read our article on the 5 Things Small Businesses Really Need to Know About SEO.

7. Measure the ROI of Your Content Marketing Efforts

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Track how your content performs so you know what’s working and what to change.

One key number is your search position. It shows how well your content ranks and whether your target audience is seeing it. Higher positions bring more traffic, more leads and more sales.

Other numbers that show the return on your content:

• Traffic. Visits to your website from your content show how well it reaches your audience.
• Leads. Count the email sign-ups, contact form submissions and quote requests your content brings in.
• Sales. Track the sales that come from your content to see the revenue it earns.
• Cost per lead. Divide what you spent on the content by the number of leads it produced to see how cost-efficient it is.

Compare those numbers with your goals and your budget, and you’ll know where to put your effort next.

Use these seven tips and your content will bring in more traffic and more leads. Review it regularly and keep improving the pieces that perform. If you’d like help planning your content, call or text me at (541) 226-8087.