5 tips to get your content noticed

The term ‘content’ is broad, and as such refers to many different things, from blog articles to e-newsletters to social media and increasingly more exciting content like data visualisation. With an infinite number of blogs being churned out each day, it pays to be different.

  • 19th June
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In the IT and technology industry, the creation of content is ever competitive with the race to get on top of emerging trends and the flood of constant news keeping you on your toes. However, since your competitors are largely focusing on the same key areas as you, your content can be a needle in a haystack so you need it to stick out. Now, for example, cloud continues to be the talk of the town and has been approached from almost every angle by a wide range of contributors. Making your offering sound brand new and exciting is therefore a huge challenge.

So, what is the best way to go about this? How can you demonstrate that your content is worth reading above other leaders in the sector?

Find your niche

In the colossal world that is IT, what is your niche? You have something to offer people that others don’t, so make this apparent in your content. You are an expert in your field, a fact that needs to be exploited wherever possible. If you can manage to introduce something completely new, or even put a new spin on something that might have been old news then this innovation will get noticed a lot quicker.

This can also be reflected in your writing style – having a clear voice that is interesting and consistent, but unique, will make readers want to seek out other work you’ve done too.

Localise

Depending on who you are looking to target as your demographic, localising your content to a specific area can be a huge draw. On social media, using region hashtags in your Tweets or ‘pinning’ locations on Facebook makes your posts much more focused and most audiences will respond to this geo-targeting far more readily.

According to Nieman Journalism Lab, localised content is actually six times more successful with engagement than content that’s not.

Make the most of visual aids

This is a brilliant tool on social media, especially as it is checked on the go, more frequently and in short bursts. It can take something particularly special to catch a would-be customer’s attention and images that accompany text can provide further stimulus to emphasise the objective of your post.

Well-made infographics can be used to replace traditional content, and as many readers find facts and figures laid out in a visual format more digestible, they are a fantastic way of getting straight to the point.

An attention-seeking headline: Choose your words wisely

This may sound obvious, but sometimes we can underestimate the power of a catchy headline. The very first impression readers will get from your content comes from the headline, making or breaking their desire to read the rest. Headlines are a hook to grab readers’ attention and ignite that spark of interest to get them to find out more. Some successful examples of headline techniques that do this particularly well are:

  • Rhetorical Questions that provoke the reader to find an answer
  • Short, snappy lines that don’t give too much away
  • Using numbers, whether statistical or a ‘Top List’

The form it comes in is only a small aspect, however. Choosing which words are going to make up that headline is arguably the biggest challenge, mainly because you’re having to incorporate the message of the entire piece of content into a single line of text whilst keeping it thought-provoking. A challenge, indeed.

Admittedly, this doesn’t take into consideration social media content, but the same principle can apply here too. In fact, in many instances social media posts such as Tweets can act as headlines when accompanied by links to other content, so getting your wording exactly right is imperative, especially as you are given a character limit. Every single word counts.

Make it an interactive, engaging experience

The whole purpose of content is not solely to be read. Customers want to be able to engage with what it is you are writing and hopefully give their own views and opinions on your chosen subject matter. Content is also there to inspire and to educate, and readers should come away satisfied because they have learned or gained some insight from it. Ultimately, though, it can be a powerful tool for generating sales leads. It establishes you as an authority, is a catalyst for dialogue between you and your customers, and piques the interest of new and potential customers by giving you more visibility. It must also be an experience that encourages your audience to interact with you and build long-lasting relationships.

If you would like any further advice on any of these tips or creating engaging content please do get in touch, we’d love to hear from you.

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