There’s no getting away from it – content is King. Whether you’re launching a website, sending a sales email or conducting a PR campaign, you need content. And if you want to convert prospects into leads (or leads into sales) you need well-written, effective copy. Run with anything else and you’re simply throwing money away. But how do you recognise good content when you see it? Here are a few things to look out for.
Here are five things to consider next time you review a piece of work from an agency (or from your in-house creative team.)
It’s unlikely that your audience is reading your marketing content for fun. Make sure the headline leads with a clear benefit to the reader or solves a common problem.
People don’t read web pages the way they read books. They typically scan the page looking for the information they need. The same is true for emails, off-the-page ads and all sorts of other marketing material. Structure your content so the reader can get straight to the bit that’s relevant to them. Use sub headers and bullet points. Can you get the gist from the headers alone? If not, it needs work.
Sadly, your product or service doesn’t excite everyone as much as it does as you. To keep your audience interested, make your copy really easy to read. Write short sentences. Break complex ideas down into simple ones. Use everyday language. Avoid corporate jargon.
A key thing to remember when producing any marketing material is ‘don’t make your audience work’. If your copy leaves unanswered questions, your reader may look elsewhere. That’s bad for business.
If you’re really lucky, your audience might not want to read your content at all. They may be ready to buy. Make this as easy as possible. Avoid vague calls to action like ‘Click here’. Instead use a clear signpost – such as ‘Download the free guide’ or ‘Book an appointment now’.
Follow the steps above and you’ll be on the way to delivering more engaging, effective content. But that’s only part of the picture. You also need to make sure you deliver relevant content to a receptive audience. For that you’ll need effective content marketing plan. Luckily for you, Resonates can help.
