Creating content is more than just lining up a few words about a particular topic. Content that is written for the web has to do many things, only one of which is to provide information. It must also catch the attention of the reader, help the reader like the company or person, and hopefully convert a few people into leads or customers. If your content seems to be falling short of those goals, see if you're making any of these 5 content mistakes.
1. Me, Me, Me
Content that focuses too much on you or the company you are writing for is terribly boring for the reader. It doesn't address any of their needs or answer any of their questions. Instead, focus all of your content on what readers are looking for. When they turn to the internet for answers to their questions, the first thing they want to find is confirmation that someone else understands what they need, and then they'll be receptive to solutions. Always focus all of your energy on the reader.
2. The Same Old, Same Old
Now that more and more companies are starting to use content to reach new people, the amount of content on the web is accumulating quickly. A lot of the most basic topics have already been covered so there's really no reason for you to cover it, too.
To be successful, you at least have to find a new perspective on old subjects. For example, nobody needs another article telling them to stock up on rock salt and canned beans before a snowstorm. On the other hand, a recipe for homemade ice cream using a bit of rock salt and a few handfuls of snow could come in handy when you're snowed in.
3. Break it Up
We all know by now that internet readers like to skim and jump around on the page, so you have to make it easy for them to do it. Don't just put in a bunch of white space between paragraphs or try to write super short paragraphs just to make space. Instead, use lots of subtitles that accurately and interestingly describe the content that is about to follow and use lists and bullet points to summarize steps to take or characteristics to describe. These tactics help people efficiently skim the page so they can quickly determine that this is where they need to be.
4. What Should I Do Next?
If you're providing unique, interesting information that is easy to read, chances are you're starting to make a few readers feel like they want to learn more about you and your company. If you don't tell them exactly how to go about doing that, they might sit and wonder for a second about what they should do next. No reader should ever be left with this question at the end of your content.
Each blog post or article should finish with a call to action that is directly related to the content. It should inspire the reader to take the action rather than ask them to, and it should be crystal clear what they should do. Use words like call now, click to schedule, learn more, get it now, or other words that are full of action.
5. Get the Picture?
The last mistake that many content writers make is failing to understand the power of a visual aid. It's an understandable mistake because, after all, writers spend most of their time using a thousand words to say what a picture could in just a few seconds. Long lists of numbers, survey results, and other groups of information are almost always easier to understand in a graph. A numbered list of items is easier to process than a long sentence with a dozen commas. Pictures and visuals also make posts and articles more pleasing to look at and provide a momentary rest for eyes that are busy skimming text.
Get Results
Informing is only half the battle; content that works will bring people in, it will instill confidence, and it will convince people that it's time to take the next step. Now that you know which mistakes to avoid, you can create content that gets results.
