Your business needs content to attract clients—it also needs content to rank on Google and other search engines. But hammering out article after article is a daunting task…even for me! However, there are some tricks to writing great content that will simplify the process. And of course, getting a little help from AI is smart and makes the job easier.
I always begin with a content calendar. I also repurpose the content. Now, let’s dive in.
Focus on the Headline and Subheadings
The headlines will determine whether your audience will read your message. It must get their attention, spark an emotion, or hint at solving their problems. Headlines are the key to grabbing your audience’s attention when writing content.
I write headlines and subheadings to create their own “paragraph”—meaning that if your reader only reads the headline and subheadings, they will get the key points from the article. For example, if you were only to read the heading and subheadings of this article, it would read:
Focus on the headline and subheadings. Hook your audience with the first sentence. Write to your people. Use your voice and find your angle. Be succinct, use a plan, and create an outline. Great content builds your trust factor and grows your business.
This series of headlines reads like a paragraph, guides the client down the page, and delivers the key points.
Hook Your Audience with the First Sentence
A great headline grabs your audience, and a compelling first sentence hooks them. Here are three examples of first sentences, all relating to writing content:
- Consuming great writing is like listening to a great singer.
- Content is as important as the design and aesthetics of your website because it drives search engine results, increases traffic to your page, and establishes your organization as an industry leader.
- Content writing is the process of planning, writing, and editing web content, typically for digital marketing purposes.
In the first example, the writer is being cute and can work if it’s not overdone. If you use an analogy, get to the point immediately.
The second example is too long. Break it up into three to four sentences: Your words can make or break your brand/website/etc. Great content is a dance between message and delivery. It fuels search engine results, attracts visitors, and positions you as a leader in your industry.
The third example is a definition. Avoid using definitions as your opening sentence. Would you want to open a dictionary and start reading? No. And your readers don’t either.
Write to Your People
Before you begin writing content, you need to know who you’re writing to. Who is your audience? What do they like? Where do they work? What businesses do they own? Where do they shop? How much money do they make? These are all questions you should answer when building your client avatars or buyer personas. The more detailed you are, the easier it will be to write to them and for them to hear you!
Understand the pain points for your ideal customer and solve those.
Use Your Voice and Find Your Angle.
You’re telling the story. Be authentic. You can’t be someone you’re not. If you’re playful, use a playful tone in your writing. Your voice is who you are and what your business is all about – it’s your unique style, your brand.
No one does what you do in the way you do it! That’s your angle. It is the one thing you can offer that no one else can, and it’s largely based on your story. Stories connect with your audience. In fact, people are more likely to remember stories over any other content.
Add your spin using creative storytelling that’s tied to your life—that’s your hook!
Be succinct, create a plan, and use an outline.
If you’re not in love with AI technology, maybe I can change your mind here. Using AI to create outlines is a true time-saver. This is what I would type into ChatGPT:
Hey there! I’m writing a blog about fashion week in New York for a high-end fashion designer client based in LA. Their clients are emerging celebrities who have at least one motion picture under their belts. I want to write about what it means to be on the runway at fashion week and where the hotspots are to rub elbows with top designers. Please provide an outline for a 750-word blog. Include two main headings: what it means to be on the runway (you can modify this heading) and where the hotspots are to rub elbows (you can modify this title). Include 3-4 hotspots.
In 30 seconds, an entire outline is created. I keep what I like and ask for a redo on what I don’t like until I have an outline I can use.
Once the outline is created, I begin writing. I often use time blocking techniques to stay focused. I find that letting my article simmer overnight gives me the space I need to come back and make it shine.
Here’s my number one tip: If you can say it in 500 words, don’t use 501 words.
Great content builds your trust factor and grows your business.
When your content speaks to your people in an authentic way, it creates a connection and builds trust. People want to do business with people they know, like, and trust. If you capture the know, like, and trust factor, you will grow your business.
Links are another way to build your trust factor—as long as the source is credible. Reach out to your network to build backlinks into your site. This will boost your domain authority, which improves your search engine results page (SERP) rating—you show up higher on the search results page on Google, Bing, or other search engines. If you can get a company with a high domain authority to link to your site, even better.
Imagine if you’re a health coach and Huffington Post links to your site? Yeah, you!
