Okay, so you bought into content marketing.
You and 91% of B2B marketers, according to the 2013 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends.
But let’s be honest. The fact that you started to create content doesn’t mean you’re happy with the results.
Based on the statistics in the report, nearly two-thirds (64%) of content creators struggle to produce enough content. More than half (52%) struggle to create content that actually engages their readers.
It appears that quality and quantity are our chief problems.
Not from what I can see
In my opinion, quality and quantity aren’t actually the problems. They’re symptoms of a much bigger problem.
There’s so much lame content on the Web — even some of the content produced by big brands — that the real struggle is to know what engaging content looks like in the first place.
So in this post, I’d like to give you two examples of really good content and talk about a few of the simple techniques their writers used to increase engagement.
Add them to your own content marketing bag of tricks, and you can start making your own content seductively engaging.
Make a good start
One of the best blog posts I’ve read in a long time (if ever) is one I recently found on Kissmetrics, entitled How to Write Seductive Sales Copy Like Apple.
The first thing you’ll notice is how long it is. But that’s not why it works.
First of all, the title is strong. Because it promises to let you in on Apple’s secrets, it instantly gets your attention. After all, who doesn’t want to know how Apple works its magic?
Because the title tells us exactly what the article is about, this articles doesn’t need much of an introduction. Still, it needs to have a powerful beginning.
In this case, a question starts the conversation: How does Apple do it?
A short, pithy statement is a great way to start your post. It’s how some of the greatest books in history were started too:
Moby Dick: “Call me Ishmael.”
Pride and Prejudice: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
Farenheit 451: “It was a pleasure to burn.”
It works in content too.
State your point
Once you have your readers’ attention, get to the point.
Here’s how the Kissmetrics post does it:
Apple seduces with great design. It creates a big buzz for each product launch. And it has evangelists and raving fans.
But its sales copy plays a key role, too.
Apple copywriters know exactly how to sell with words. They know the copywriting tricks, techniques, and formulas that sell products. And they understand which words to choose to help you justify your iPhone 5 purchase. Even if you possess a still-fully-functional iPhone 4S.
How does Apple’s sales copy captivate your attention? How does Apple fascinate, engage, and persuade you to buy a new iPhone?
By studying the iPhone 5 copy, you can learn how to write persuasive sales copy. And master the techniques for turning doubters into buyers. And gain more sales. Sounds good?
It then shares 11 copywriting tips, based on Apple’s iPhone 5 advertising copy.
Notice how well the introduction flows. The writer gets your attention, arouses curiosity, and makes a valuable promise. Namely, that you’ll learn the secrets to Apple’s advertising.
Use a powerful structure
Let me begin by saying there’s no one way to do this. I’ll evaluate another structure in a moment. But when you’re trying to inform your readers, the structure of the Kissmetrics post is a powerhouse framework.
The writer makes a point, illustrates it, then evaluates why it works. Sort of a 1-2-3 punch.
In this case, she makes her point in a subhead.
1. Command attention with one big idea
Immediately under the subhead is a screen shot from Apple’s advertising that illustrates the point. Each of the pictures has a caption that restates her point.
She then talks about it: How they do it. How you can do it. What you need to think about.
As a side note, this method doesn’t need to be reserved for numbered lists. In fact, I’m using the same structure to write this post.
If you notice, I give a step in the process of creating engaging content, then give you a good example and tell you why it works.
Now let’s look at another
Copyblogger’s blog is one of my favorites. Why? Because it explores interesting ideas and shares useful techniques. It also does it with style.
One of its posts has a similar title to the Kissmetrics post we just looked at: How to Quit Publishing Bad Content. But it couldn’t be more different.
To start with, the intro isn’t a one-liner.
2012 was the year that mainstream businesses started to get it. They realized that content marketing is where they should be putting their time and energy.
It doesn’t grab you immediately because it states a known fact. That’s okay, though, because the next paragraph gives an interesting perspective on the topic.
And inevitably, when a particular term gets a lot of coverage, you’ll see a backlash. I’d start watching for “Content Marketing is Dead” posts around the first of next year, if not earlier.
There are three things I want to point out here.
First, this paragraph begins with “and.” That ensures the more powerful second paragraph connects with and supports the weaker one above it. Even small transitions like this one can keep people reading.
Second, this paragraph has more grabbing power than the lead paragraph. It has a slightly sarcastic edge and promises a different take on content marketing. At this point, I’m a little curious about how she’s going to develop the “Content Marketing is Dead” thing.
Third, while it’s a decent intro, it doesn’t work alone. These two paragraphs sit beside a picture of a woman doing a kettlebell swing. The copy, so far, hasn’t mentioned anything related to exercise, so I want to read on to figure out how this picture relates.
What comes next is the point of the post:
And what will those misguided posts be pointing to?
They’ll point out that an awful lot of content is … how can I put this delicately?
It’s really, really bad.
The more “fashionable” content marketing becomes, the more bad content we’re going to see.
So today I want to talk about what makes bad content … and how you can turn that around and start creating something worth reading.
That winds up a great introduction. It exposes a problem. One that no content marketer wants to be guilty of. Then it promises to help you avoid that problem.
Now for structure.
This post doesn’t have the 1-2-3 punch of a point-illustration-evaluation style. But it’s still engaging.
The writer tells a story related to the picture. She ties that story to her main point of bad content. Then she gives the solution to the problem that was introduced at the beginning of the post. In this case, hire a writer.
The point is made in a linear fashion, one idea leading to the next, much like a syllogism. If A = B, and B = C, then A = C.
It’s a common structure for content. And here, it works extremely well.
There are two reasons for that.
Stories sell. Tell a good story, and people will read.
Good writing makes a difference. Conversational writing is okay, but exceptional writing wraps you around its little finger. In truth, it’s hard to resist.
The take-away
How do you create content that’s as seductive as these examples?
- Find topics that are interesting to your readers. Talk about issues. Solve problems. Explain how to do something.
- Use a proven structure for delivering your information. If you have a case study or personal story, use a story structure. You could also organize your information into steps or create a list. Or try the point-illustrate-evaluate structure.
- Write it well. Don’t get lazy just because no one is grading your work. Good content depends on good writing.
- Pay attention to what connects with your readers and do more of it.
That’s it. The secret is, there’s no deep secret.
Content marketing takes time and effort, and if you’re willing to invest, you’ll get the results you’ve been looking for.
