Outstanding content that’s helpful, inspiring, insightful, or entertaining is great, but it’s only worth so much to a brand if it’s not converting. While good content usually leads to increased website traffic and more social media engagement, what helps a business meet marketing goals are getting new clients and improving retention, not Facebook likes.
While taking advantage of content marketing services will ensure that you’re getting trained experts who know how to create content that converts can be a great idea, if you want to create your own, this is what you need to do.
Create Titles That Captivate
If your title doesn’t entice people to click, your content won’t convert. In fact, the title of your content is the most important factor when it comes to engaging, as a significant majority won’t click on it if it’s not captivating enough. There have been multiple studies that prove just how important a headline can be, including one by computer scientists at the French National Institute and Columbia University that showed 59 percent of links shared were only shared because of the title. Most people are retweeting news based on the headline without ever reading it.
You need something with the right word balance, simple to digest, and scannable, which isn’t always easy, but tools like Headline Analyzer can help create a magnetic headline that people are more likely to click on. Enter a headline, and it reports back with a grade and suggestions on how to improve. But don’t forget that getting someone to click on the title is only part of the equation, you need to be sure the content fulfils the promise of the title, or your site will soon be one that visitors consider untrustworthy.
Motivate
There are a number of approaches that are better than others when it comes to motivation, which cuts to the heart of writing content that converts. That includes peer pressure, showing people that others are experiencing things, or engaging in things that they aren’t. Self-improvement is a big one too, which means framing your title and content to be something like “5 Things You Missed…,” “10 Things You didn’t Know…” or “7 Ways to be Better…”
Fear is another big motivator, such as the fear of missing out on an opportunity.
Lessen Anxiety
Why should your visitors believe your recommendations and trust you know to download something or make a purchase? Aim to reduce anxiety by educating readers about something they’re concerned with while also showing that what they’re reading is coming from an experienced, credible source who understands their wants and needs. Many people don’t trust CEOs, sales reps, and the like, but they will trust those they feel are just like them.
Close With a Good Call To Action
The best way to convert your visitors once they’ve read your content is to include a call to action at the end of every article. Perhaps you can offer a resource that can be downloaded in exchange for filling out an email subscription form. Having a call to action can make the difference between someone deciding to simply bookmark your page to read later, which oftentimes they never do, or becoming an actual email subscriber. You might write something like, “Start receiving weekly insights from experts by signing up for our RSS feed now.”
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