Building great content is not just a matter of putting words on a page. Really good content has a purpose and supports the overall goals of the company, but creating it is very difficult. Fortunately, there are some tried-and-true principles that will help create great content for those who are trying to drive traffic to their websites and ultimately increase their bottom lines.
Here are a few content-writing tips that can help anyone create great content:
1) Assign a purpose to the content. Driving more traffic through strategic keywords is not the purpose of content, although it may perform that job as well. The true purpose of good content is defined as a specific goal that is reached through the content. For example, a purpose for the content might be to get more people to sign up for an email list or to introduce a new line of products. By defining the purpose of the content specifically, you are able to direct the writing process more successfully, and you will know when you have content that works for your website.
2) Determine who will participate in the content-writing process. Most content is written by general content writers or subject matter experts. If the content requires an SME, a good place to look for one is within your own organization. Do not assume that tasking the writing out to another writer will necessarily result in better content. Instead, let your expert write the content and pay someone to edit it carefully.
3) Use the right tools. While many content writers use Office Suite or some other purchased software, there are also plenty of free programs such as Google Docs that can assist in writing and distributing content. Whether you buy or use free tools, be sure that they support your content-writing efforts. If you are creating infographics, for example, you will need a different set of tools than if you are simply blogging.
4) Assess the process of content writing continually. Content writing is an ever-changing process, so do not be afraid to change your writing protocols as the need arises. Try out new ways of doing things and you may find more effective ways of writing content.
5) Engage the client. At every step, engage the client in the writing process to facilitate communication and a good final product.
By following these simple rules, you can create the best content for your needs.