10 Traits of great Online Content

You know it’s important to create good content, but that’s easier said than done. Use this guide the next time you sit down to create great content.

from Reagan Writing & Editing 12 Nov 12 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz

In our present Online Content Marketing Era, there is no shortage of great info to research online. While this provides Web-surfing audiences with a plenty of details on everything from how to find the right case for your iPad to how to screen an Accounting firm, it also raises the bar on the caliber of content that will actually reach prospective clients/customers. When you develop Web-based content to market your business or non-profit, consider these 10 characteristics of great Online Marketing Content:

1. Visual. Pinterest is the fourth-largest traffic driver in the world, and Instagram’s weekly site visits recently hit 12 million, up from 56,360 in 2011. People are thinking visually. How can your small business or non-profit develop Visual content that resonates with prospects and further engages current clients? Think info-graphics, behind-the-scenes photos, & relevant workplace snapshots.

2. Share-able. The advantage of Online Marketing Content and the explosive growth of Social Media is, that people can easily share information with their clients, colleagues, friends & family. In many ways, this makes Content Sharing the online equivalent of Word-of-Mouth marketing—or should we say “word-of-mouse”? LoL Businesses, non-profits & Bloggers need to include Share buttons on their Blogs and other relevant online content, so interested users can share the information they find remarkable, with other like-minded users.

3. Timely. It is a lot easier to sell an automatic car starter in the middle of a chilly, snowy winter than it is on a warm & sunny summer day. Look for opportunities to tie your content in with timely trends—Holiday shopping, Tax season, Vacation time, etc.—to increase people’s receptivity to the information you provide.

4. Relevant. In addition to being timely, great content needs to be relevant to an organization’s target buyer persona(s). Understanding what makes clients tick, and what ultimately convinces them to donate or buy, is key to creating content that moves them to action. Develop content that is timely & relevant for optimal success.

5. Unique. With many organizations keeping their antennae up for timely marketing opportunities, the importance of giving your content a unique twist cannot be under-stated. Give people content, that is worth using & sharing. Develop content that sets itself apart from the competition and clearly demonstrates the organization’s unique Value Proposition.

6. Fun. It sounds a bit absurd when you think about more serious topics (such as the dreaded Audit), but when you execute it correctly, marketing good content that can make a big splash can be fun. Provide relevant & engaging content, on an unsavory topic, that is humorous and it’ll take the sting away.

7. Emotional. What makes a non-profit’s annual appeal letter effective? Copy that evokes a connection between the reader & the organization. The same can be said for Online content. Be it laughing, crying, smiling, smirking or shaking their heads, you want people to react to your content. It’s part of what makes it memorable. Look for ways to evoke an appropriate “emotional” response from your target audiences, to strengthen their connection to both your content & your brand.

8. Actionable. Following the rationale behind a non-profit’s annual Appeal Letter, the goal is to have members of your target audience take action beyond simply reading your content. For example, your non-profit may have recently written an eloquent Blog post featuring a Client success story. While sharing news of the great work your organization does within the community is important, equally important is providing those who are compelled to support your cause after reading the post, with an opportunity to do so. Something as simple as including a link to a Donation page can make Blog posts more actionable. You should apply this principle to all marketing content, from trade show displays to online advertising.

9. Inter-active. The rise of digital games is single-handedly making a continual stronger case for inter-active Online Marketing Content. While it may not be the best use of your resources to create the next Angry Birds, there are ways to apply gaming & reward principles to online content and further engage your audiences.

10. Credible. Attribution is key to building an online community. If you share a great statistic, acknowledge not only the source of the data, but the person or organization from whom you obtained it. Whether the research is third-party or proprietary, good data is important to developing credible online content.

Conclusion: Content Marketing is a powerful way for small businesses & non-profits get found online and attract qualified leads. Before you commit to developing a high “volume” of content, commit to developing high “quality” content. Prospective clients are concerned about the depth of expertise you share and how your content is “relevant” to them and/or their businesses.

Comments: Is there anything you can add about Online Marketing Content?