How to Create Content That Makes You Stand Out

The secret's out – content marketing works. So well in fact, that virtually everyone seems to have hopped on the content marketing train in some way, shape or form, meaning the amount of content floating around the online universe is exploding at rates that are tough to keep up with.

For instance, within the minute that you spent clicking on the link to this article and reading the first sentence alone, 350,000 tweets were sent. By the end of today, 95 million new pictures and videos will be posted on Instagram. By the end of this month, 79.7 million new WordPress blog posts will be published. Have I scared you away from ever practicing content marketing? No? Good.

Not to worry, the copious amounts of content out there doesn't mean that you shouldn't create content as part of your marketing strategy. What it does mean is that you have to create better content than your competitors, as well as everyone else competing for your audience's attention. It's a big task, as making a statement with content marketing isn't as easy as simply buying a fancy car or showcasing a new hairdo. Read ahead for some quick tips on how to make the most of it!

Keep it relevant.

No blog posts, pictures, or adorable puppy videos (yes, even puppy videos) will be effective in creating your desired ROI unless they are relevant to the audience you are trying to reach. If you haven't already, take the time to formulate clear personas of your target audience. What are they interested in? What are their demographics? What kinds of information might they find useful? Find the topic sweet spots that get people engaged and use them to focus your content.

Visuals are key.

You want to catch people's eyes, so keep things visual. To break out some stats here, articles containing images have an average of 94 percent more views than articles without images. High quality media is key for strong content creation, so be sure to invest in the resources you need to create it. Videos, images, and charts are all strong performers. Keep in mind that 60 percent of people will watch a video prior to reading an article if it's available, so better position them front and center to get people hooked and invested in your content.

Make it a conversation.

Engaging with your customers is practically marketing 101. They want to get involved, and encouraging them to do so will only help you become a better agent and a much more effective marketer. Incorporating "ask the audience" style posts will make them more likely to comment and engage with you directly. Creating custom hashtags, polls, and hosting contests are great for engagement as well. Here is a list of even more ideas to keep the two-way conversations going strong.

Straight to the point.

Don't you just hate it when you read an entire article, only to find that it fails to actually contain the kind of information you were looking for in the first place? While creative titles can be fun, make sure that they are informative enough that the reader can feel confident that diving into your post will be worth their time. This can also help with your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts which, by the way, are definitely worth brushing up on.

Quality over quantity.

Similar to the idea of keeping content relevant, keeping your content quality high is a must when it comes to its effectiveness. Instead of publishing content just for the sake of publishing content, ensure that you are creating content that is meaningful and purposeful, and at a pace that people can keep up with. The ultimate goal is to increase conversion rates—don't forget it.

Get the timing right.

To put it simply – there's a reason we don't see popsicle commercials in the winter. Timing plays a key role for every business, as you want your content to always fit your client's current needs as best as possible. Instead of simply guessing when the time is right to reach out to clients with certain kinds of content, utilize data and insights to get it right.

Make it scannable.

The reality of today's mobile word is that we tend to get the bulk of our information while on the go. This means that it's important to make content scannable, so readers can quickly get to the information they are looking for. Breaking up your content using lists, bullets, and subheadings will help guide the reader through your content with ease and ensure a positive experience that will keep them coming back.

Knowing how to craft your content will help your audience become further invested in you and make them more likely to convert into customers. Instead of focusing on the amount of content you produce, focus on incorporating aspects like these to make your content the shiny penny that can't be missed!

To view the original article, visit the Moxi Works blog.