Today we are going to share with you some amazing tips on crafting compelling content. You could be a seasoned professional or just a beginner starting your digital marketing journey. Whatever you are, we believe you will succeed with this guide. So, let’s not waste any more time and dive headfirst into the wonderful world of content creation.
Contents
What is Compelling Content, Anyway?
You, content creators, what is compelling content and why should you care about it? That’s the big talk we need to discuss before we get into the nitty-gritty. Imagine entering into a party and finding a group of people laughing so hard that their drinks spilled. What’s so funny, you are wondering. So, you find yourself wandering over to that group of people, and joining their circle. Someone from the group greets you with an epic tale that is a combination of hilarious jokes and a mind-blowing fact. Now that is compelling content.
The power of compelling content is pulling you in, making you a part of the conversation, and leaving you hungry for more. In the digital age, our attention spans have become shorter than a goldfish’s memory. Compelling content will make your place in their minds and hearts so that they become your customers. To get to that stage, you will have to know your people.
Know Thy Audience
Imagine throwing a birthday party and you don’t know anything about the birthday person—what they like, what they dislike, etc. And if you have to order a birthday cake, it will end up covered in broccoli frosting. Crafting compelling content is just like that. You will have to know your audience as well as your know your spouse. Learn what makes them laugh, what makes them cry, and the things they can’t stop thinking about. Your best place is social media and forums where you will find people talking about different stuff. Conduct surveys if you could, whatever you have to do— do it. But get to know your audience like you know your best friend.
Remember the Three ‘E’s of Compelling Content
There are three rules that you must follow when you are creating content that you want to be compelling. These three rules are the three ‘E’s of compelling content: Educate, Entertain, and Engage.
Educate
Educating your audience through the content you are delivering is the first and foremost necessity. Don’t let your audience walk away empty-handed. Provide them with enough value so that they feel compelled to refer your content to others. But to create content that is that informational, you must be an expert in what you are talking about.
Entertain
Don’t increase the number of bores in the digital world. Make something entertaining that sets you apart from the rest. The humor or anecdotes you sprinkle on your content will do the job for you. Laughter makes the distance disappear between two people. You would want your audience to feel like they are bonding with a friend over the coffee table.
Engage
Your content should not feel like you have dropped a knowledge bomb and disappeared into the digital void. The best way to engage your audience is by asking them for feedback, or questions, and running polls. And while you are at it, don’t forget to reply to their comments. In short, build a community and not just a following on your social media.
Keep Your Content Snapy
Attention spans nowadays are shorter than a Vine video (RIP Vine). So, now you have only milliseconds to engage your audience. Whenever you are creating content, get to the point. The opening sentence in the introduction should be as irresistible as a puppy holding a bucket of roses. Don’t write long convoluted sentences that reduce the readability. Instead, keep your content snappy.
Incorporate the Power of Storytelling
There is only one thing more exciting than a good thriller movie— a well-told story. We humans have liked stories ever since we were children. For the same reason, whenever we are reading something, we expect it to tell a gripping story. Incorporate the power of storytelling into your content by sharing your personal experiences, and creating relatable characters, or case studies. Your job is to take your audience on a journey that they will want to come back for more.
Use The Power of Visualization
The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is still true in the digital age. Except it is not limited to pictures. If your content has well-placed GIFs and attractive infographics, it will be engaging to the customers. Create infographics that will break up your content with eye-catching visuals. This way you will not only be able to engage your audience but will also explain complex ideas more easily. More kudos to you if you can create hilarious memes while educating the audience in the process.
Conclusion
When you are writing content, make sure it is SEO-optimized, otherwise, how will the algorithms find you? Use keywords on your content as naturally as possible and let Google do the magic. While crafting a compelling content piece, don’t forget the things we said above. Blend art with science, and see the result. It is about knowing your audience, staying authentic, telling captivating stories, including visuals, educating, entertaining, and engaging.
Keep your content snappy, and do not forget to edit. Your work does not end after creating and sharing content with your audience. In fact, you will have to keep doing that, and you will have to keep updating the old content regularly. Just remember that Google likes fresh things, and so is your audience.
