The Road To Success Is Paved With Freakin' Great Content!
Great content is worth its weight in gold. Or Platinum. Or Lithium. Or Rhodium. Or whatever the most precious metaphor is these days (t's just so hard to keep up with alternative investments). Anyway, the reason great content is so valuable is because great content is still the most effective way to build a successful, recognisable and profitable brand - the kind that will one day get made into a bronze statue and dropped into a media-luvvie part of town.
"How is all this possible through the archaic medium of words?" Simple. Great content is known to deliver improved web traffic on a silver platter, produce the kind of SEO rating you've always dreamed about, thrust your credibility and trust into the stratosphere, and cement you as one of the most revered experts in your field (which, if you were to ask us, is quite a nice feeling to cuddle up to at night).
Of course, just writing any old nonsense isn’t going to work (spoiler alert: it will actually do your brand serious harm; more harm than Donald Trump has done to the world). But before you start shouting in a foreign language because there are kids around - merde! - take a deep breath, rub your earlobes and then read on because I am going to tell you exactly what makes great content so that you can start using words in a way that will make your business perform better, much-much better.
Failing In Originality Is Better Than Succeeding At Imitation
Creating original content goes a super long way in pleasing both Google and your audience. Flip that, and what you’ll find is copying other people’s content is going to knock you down the pecking order which, let’s be honest, isn’t going to help your bottom line.
Titles So Strong They Can Bend Metal
Getting your title-slash-headline perfect is absolutely key when it comes to making your content work. If That’s because eight out of ten people will read your headline, but only two out of ten will read on. So if your headline is flatter than every single character on Marvel's Agents Of Shield then everything you write afterwards is going to be a big fat waste of time. I know that is a lot of pressure to handle, but don’t worry too much about getting those five or so words absolutely spot on because subheadings can have a lot of influence too. Think of them as a second chance.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
There is a difference between function and benefit, and that is what you need to realise with your content. Want an example, then look at that company Steve Jobs started. Seriously, it’s something Apple does way too well. Yes, their adverts tell you about all the new features their latest iPhone comes with, but what they do impossibly well is convince you that a life without the new iPhone is not worth thinking about. In theory, it’s just a phone, yet the world goes totally bananas for them. It's like they've found a solution to famine, natural disaster and the population problem all at once.
Keep It Fresh Prince Of Bel Air
While original content is absolutely key, constantly updated content is imperative. This can be time-consuming, we know that, especially as digital marketing is all about timing. That is why we recommend you use a content management system that will not only help your relationship with Google but also get your content seen by the right people at the right time.
You Can't Help Without Answers
People are on Google because they want answers. It really is as simple as that. They want to know what DNA stands for, how they can bootstrap a business and what the funniest cat video is this week. This need for answers goes beyond Google, though, because everyone reading your content is reading it to get answers, and to get those answers quickly.
Only Fool's Lie
We mentioned the credibility thing above, and we’re mentioning it again. By incorporating fake facts into your content, you are reducing your credibility. That affects Google’s opinion of you, and it affects your reader’s opinions of you, which could be seriously bad for business. So only quote stats and facts from reliable sources, and then link to them, accurately.
And there we have it, proof the keyboard really is mightier than the sword.
accurately.
