Creating quality and epic content takes a lot of effort and time. You can create amazing content out of passion, out of frustration, out of a genuine need to solve a problem in your industry. For most successful brands, blogging helps to connect better with their customers.
Writing great content is a choice. You can choose to put in the time and work required to create great content and build a prosperous brand.
For small businesses, blogging is a great way to attract leads, prospective customers and to educate your customers. Great content is still valuable and readers are always looking for the best content that can inform, educate or entertain. Be good at what you do and you will get attention and ultimately customers.
Here is why epic content is awesome for your brand
Creating amazing content is a smart business move because it will:
- Build your brand.
- Make selling way easier.
- Build an audience that trusts you.
- Overcome common prospect objections.
- Attract strategic partners.
- Deepen loyalty with existing customers.
- Build your reputation with search engines.
- Crush your competition.
These are a few characteristics and kinds of amazing content that converts.
1. For the most part epic blog posts are at a minimum 1,000 words.
2. Ultimate Guides: Think Quick Sprout guides.
3. A long post that drills deep into a topic can be an epic post. Again, Buffer does well in this category. Check out this post by Paul Jarvis on how to create an online course.
It explains everything you wanted to know about creating a $100k online course. It doesn’t get any better than that.
4. Step-by-step — Similar to in-depth is the step-by-step tutorial.
5. Lists — This is a classic form of epic blog posts.
6. Interview round-up post — Find several names to give you advice on a narrow topic, collect their answers, edit and publish.
Elements of an ideal blog post
There are lots of specifics and numbers that go into creating the perfect post, from idea to creation to publishing to tracking. The tangible aspects of blog posts and social media are vast. And then there are those elements that you can’t place a number on. These are the top elements of an amazing content, according to Kevan Lee, content crafter at Buffer.
- Is the content so good that you’d bring a coworker over to see it?
- Is the content so good you’d email it to a friend?
- The Forehead Slap Test: Does the content have a benefit so great that someone might wake up from a deep sleep, slap themselves on the forehead, and exclaim, “Boy, I need that!”
- Is it actionable?
- Will the reader learn something new?
- Do you feel a bit uncomfortable when you publish?
Focus on making your content Actionable
Your content should be geared towards educating, informing and entertaining your audience. Think about what readers will gain from your piece and focus on doing just that.
The best content gives the user a sense of how to apply the information. It doesn’t degrade users by telling them what to do, but rather respects them and provides them with assurance that they know best how to use the material. When you write your blog post, give users tips on applying what you are offering them. Many times, just writing well about a topic will spark some ideas for readers.Why do people read non-fiction? To learn and become better. Help your readers do the same.-Kissmetrics
Google loves original great content. And it is also good for search engine optimization. Find the right writing format you are comfortable with which can be consistent over time and just deliver your best content when share with your audience.
Focus on your niche
Niche content is ultimately where your ongoing focus needs to be, with all of the other elements essentially being there in place to support and market what you write about. This is of course the key part which needs to have your ongoing focus. When you get the content right, your target audience will pay attention.
What problem are you solving
You can proudly say you have good content if somebody’s problem is being solved or when a prospective customer is being educated and informed. The niche you choose will determine the type of content you can serve.
Related: The Anatomy of a Perfect Blog Post: The Data on Headlines, Length, Images and More
You can decide to focus on timeless content that will not seize to attract users and readers for a very long time. Content that focused on howtos, tools, tips, advice can continue to attract traffic for a very long time.
A good headline sparks interest and invites readers in.
Readers tend to absorb the first three words of a headline and the last three words. Your good content must be supported by powerful headlines that convey benefits. You should take time to craft your post title.
You may have very good content, but if your title as found on search engines, other blogs, or directories does not speak for itself, you will find it difficult to attract readers to your content.
Keep it simple, insightful and educative
People don’t just want answers, they want answers fast. So make your content easy to scan so people can pick up the juicy, important bits quickly.
Keep it simple and easy to read. Your readers may immediately leave or stay based on your style of writing. Make it easy for them to find your most important points.
Consistency is key
Professional bloggers publish an average of 4 posts a week. Now that is average. Those who have made it a full time publish more. And the important thing they all have in common is CONSISTENCY. Can your readers reply to deliver the best content always?
Companies like Buffer, Kissmetrics, Groove and HubSpot are good at creating the best content in their industries. Learn from them and do the same. Some of them encourage guest posting.
If you cannot be that consistent, invite others to submit posts. But it’s difficult to receive posts from others if your blog is not an authority in your industry yet.
You can also communicate better with images or videos
People learn differently. Some people learn better by reading while others learn better by watching or listening. What’s important is that no one learns less by having visual aids.
Whether you use pictures, videos, or diagrams, make sure they can help illustrate your point. However, only add images that help or add value.
Get inspired
Related: 17 Really Great Blogs That Can Help Your Startup Grow From $0 to $100K in Monthly Revenue
One thing you can do is to follow the big guns in your industry. Subscribe to their blogs and get updates. The bottom line is to stay educated and informed on good practices in your industry.
