May 13, 2014

Is Creating Engaging Content a Challenge? Don't Worry, You're Not Alone

Did you know that Tumblr blog owners publish 27,778 new posts every minute? Or that Twitter users send over 100,000 tweets per minute? Let’s face it; with loads of content being shared across the Web, it’s hard to get noticed.

But creating content that stands out from the rest can be a daunting and difficult task—just ask enterprise marketers. According to Content Marketing Institute’s latest, “B2B Enterprise Content Marketing: 2014 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends – North America” report, 59 percent of enterprise marketers stated that producing engaging content is one of their biggest challenges.

So what’s the secret to success? Below are five important elements to consider when creating content that converts:

1. Be original: No one likes a copycat. While you may be tackling the same subjects as other enterprises, it’s about all about giving readers a fresh perspective. However, while finding a unique angle on a mundane topic isn’t always easy, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Remember; your business is filled with industry professionals that are passionate and have real opinions. Tap into their expertise to give your content that much-needed spark.

2. Give it life: Not only does your content have to be thought-provoking, but it has to look good too. Simply throwing in a hilarious GIF or celebrity meme won’t cut it. You have to make content visually digestible. For example, make use of bullets, numbered lists, bolded sub headers, and images to help content look less daunting and more inviting to readers.

3. Lend a helping hand: Speak to your customers’ pain points—not just about your newest product launch or company update. When creating content, be helpful. Lend your professional advice to help educate your readers, whether it’s helping them navigate Google’s newest algorithm or LinkedIn’s newest content marketing dashboard.  

4. Take risks: Don’t be scared to take risks with your tone, choice of topic, or opinion. You might think a particular subject is a little “out there” or offbeat, but that’s what makes it captivating. Try taking on a controversial topic or interjecting some humor into your next blog post. You never know what effect it will have unless you try.

5. Be human: There’s a difference between being professional and coming off as a robot. When creating custom content, be relatable. Write how you naturally talk and avoid using business babble that only confuses readers.  Just because you use “big words” doesn’t mean you’re better than the next guy. 




Edited by Brooke Neuman




Comments powered by Disqus


Related News