photo credit: Search People Blog
It has been repeated over and over, “Content is King” well, as it is. It is the start of the branding process through your initial message. Who are you talking to, what do you want them to believe?
Content is also the driving force of getting found. It controls so much of the success of your business as good, relevant, targeted content = more visitors = more customers. What is good content? This is very subjective as what I may view as good may have someone else breaking out the red pen. Ideally knowing who you are speaking to is getting more difficult with the new shiny new tools as who is flocking to the new platforms and if I am there will I fit in? Is what I am writing acceptable to the community? If it is not, then it is not retweeted to the gills or shared on Google+. Do we have what it takes to be shared? Does being shared matter as much when it relates to our target market or is it a stroke to the ego? Have we ever looked at if our target sees what we say or is the social media community bearing more credibility?
4 Characteristics of Good Content
1. Provokes thought. Content that provokes thought ranges from how your product/service will add value to their lives, providing different insight that makes readers wonder, “Why didn’t I think of that,” or “Hmm never thought of it that way.”
2. Entertains. This is not necessarily all about the laughs but more content that engages readers to read on and also return. Entertaining goes further than the blog post, how are we on the social media platforms?
3. Educates. Education is not limited to school anymore. Blogs and websites are a great source of education where readers are seeking out some sort of an answer. The answer is h0w do I replicate that you are are doing. Each post we write educates or resonates and when it resonates really it has people think and that thinking has them take it into making it into their own. Isn’t when they are able to walk away with something that has them making it their own education?
4. Informs. Breaking news, updates to stories as well as new product information. We know that when something new comes out that we flock to learn more and as we learn, why not write about what we have learned? Good content is not always the big words, the buzz, sometimes informing goes a longer way than we think.
Ultimately you need to know your readers and what they are looking for so you can create content that they can relate to and elicits trust in your company.
Good content is not limited to blogs and websites; it is also very important when commenting on blogs, forums as well as tweets on twitter, updates on Facebook and LinkedIn,etc. It builds credibility and trust. Good content affects so many factors of your company and really can make or break you. I am not willing to take that chance are you?
Additional thoughts on what makes good content? Its relevancy?
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