An innumerable amount of content is consumed every single day by each one of us, whether it’s a Buzzfeed quiz on what our star sign says about our career or reading up on what’s happening in Big Brother – even though we’ve never watched it.
Monotonous and guilty-pleasure content fills our feeds day in, day out, and as a content writer, this can make things seem a little boring. After all, what value does reading what ‘What Celebs Looked Like 10 Year Ago’ really add to your day?
That’s why high-quality content should become a priority.
As a small business, you want your readers to value what you have to say, which is why looking to write in-depth feature pieces that dig deep into a subject should be at the top of your list.
If you’re struggling to create high-quality content for your website, here are seven key steps to help you get a head start.
1. Research
No matter what type of content you’re writing and how well qualified to write it you are, the more research you do, the more interesting to read it will be.
This is because you’ll be more likely to be informing people about something they didn’t already know.
If you do little to no research, it’s probable that you’ll simply be rounding up ideas that they could have thought of themselves.
As you research you’ll also be learning more about writing, helping you finesse your skills and create both a well-presented and interesting post.
2. Focus on long-form content
Once you’ve put in all that work to researching your chosen topic, it would be a shame if it went to waste on a small piece of content that doesn’t allow the information you read up on to really shine.
Instead, look to create longer pieces of content that can make your website become an authoritative source of information within your industry.
1000 to 2000 word pieces are the ideal length to be able to really sink your teeth into a subject without waffling.
3. Be motivated
Motivate yourself by writing on something you really care about. This will make the content 100% better than what it would have been, as your passion for the topic will come across.
When you write about something you have an interest in any way, it’s natural that this will be more interesting to read.
People will be genuinely interested in what you have to say, and for you that means more people clicking through and reading your post.
Choose a topic that makes you tick to not only get conversions coming through but to help make your brand become genuine, personable and relevant.
4. Write when it works for you
Forcing yourself to write during work hours when you want nothing more than to grab a cup of tea and read the morning news will not be a productive start to your content.
Instead, take time when you need it and write when it works for you. Working on your own schedule will mean you’re more productive and less stressed about managing your work with other commitments.
5. Get creative
The best quality content won’t always follow the guidelines that others set out for it.
Rather than sticking to what’s expected, get creative with your writing. This will make for a more interesting and unexpected read and will be a refreshing change for those who are used to trawling through the same format of content every day.
Whether you decide to hire a graphic designer or simply start your article with an anecdote, there are plenty of ways you can get creative with your content.
6. Edit and proofread
With any writing you’re looking to publish, you should always edit and proofread.
Once you’ve typed everything up, your job isn’t over. From here you’ll need to fine-tune your first draft until you’re sure that you’re happy with it.
It can be tempting to hit send before having a read over what you’ve written – especially if it’s a particularly long piece.
However, this is even more reason to proofread as the more work you put into a piece, the more you should want it to stand out for all the right reasons – and not be held back by a simple typo or grammatical error.
7. Market it the right way
Once you’ve written up an interesting, in-depth and high-quality blog post, it’s all about marketing.
Giving it a good headline and getting the right image will set the tone for the piece – especially when you share it on social.
Make sure you get it right by thinking about how you will brand the piece and how you want it to appear to potential readers. While you should attempt to hook people, a click-bait headline is transparent and will be easily seen through.
You should also consider what platforms you want to publish on, and at what time. These can be crucial in getting your post seen by as many people as possible.
Do you need a hand with your website’s content? Then look no further! Our experienced team create high-quality content for small businesses regularly, which means there’s no-one better qualified to look after your blog. Grab a free review and quote here.
