You need more than just a creative flair for writing to make your content unique, interesting and valuable. Here are five useful tips on Moz.com from Isla McKetta about content creation. (See more at https://moz.com/blog/content-creation)
1. Give Your Team Time and Space for Creativity
Having a schedule will not only help your team stay organized but also gives writers more time and space to be creative. An editorial calendar is a useful tool to plan the rollout and flow of your content strategy. There are many options available and there is no wrong way to setting up a calendar as longs as it suits your team’s needs. For instance, you can use Excel spreadsheets, Google documents or be more detailed with a Gantt chart. Going old school and creating a wall calendar can also offer clear benefits—you can’t miss it if you see it all the time!
Make sure that whatever type of document you choose, it is regularly updated. Also, it is a good idea to start early with the content calendar. This way, you can avoid unpleasant surprises such as forgotten pieces and missed deadlines.
2. Pictures and Videos Are Worth A Thousand Words
“A picture is worth a thousand words”, – this may be an old-world idea but it applies perfectly in the new, digital world. As we access more and more content online and increasingly scan content rather than read it through, it is quick, easy and convenient to grasp information conveyed using graphics, images, videos and of course, Infographics. If you don’t want to spend money on Shutterstock or Fotolia, there are plenty of free photo tools; for instance, Morgue File, Free Images, and Flickr's Creative Commons. Additionally, there is a multitude of tools available to edit pictures or create graphics.
Videos today do not require much of an investment or professional equipment. Most smart phones are equipped with high quality cameras. It helps to invest in a microphone and a tripod so your videos turn out more professional.
3. Guest Writers Add Flavour
Not all content has to be created in-house. Drawing on other writers adds fresh perspectives, varying views and different styles to your digital content. An acclaimed expert with a huge following will also help to attract a greater audience and will be able to give a new spin on the subject matter. Moreover, it will give your regular staff some room to breathe, to try out new content or to dedicate more time to making in-house content shine.
While some experts may be happy to contribute a blog post for free, others will expect payment – this depends heavily on your industry. Also, you have to make sure that they are professional about the deadlines. Briefing them on what you need also takes up time, so don’t be mistaken that bringing on guest writers is fast or cheap—it may or may not be.
4. Don’t Let Your Content Kill Leads
Publishing too much content that adds too little or no value is meaningless. You will drive away leads instead of converting them. Quality before quantity! Make sure that your content is more than information—numbers, facts, reports, studies, etc.—explore some storytelling. Everyone loves a good story, so encourage your writers to add a little emotion.
5. Make Editing Part of Your Content Strategy, Not an After-thought
Make sure that every piece is edited before publishing by at least one other individual – either by peer review or a specially designated editor.
McKetta explains that while copy editing focuses mostly on typos, developmental editing also looks at the inner structure of a piece. Editing as carefully as possible will give your writers valuable feedback they can use for future writing.
Is your content boring, flat, repetitive and therefore, ignored by your target audience? Call MintCopy at 888-646-8003 or send us an email for more tips on how to take your content from flat to fantastic.