After last week’s INBOUND 17 conference, we’re buzzing with ideas about how to create great content.
The energy in the showing room and during every keynote speech was tangible. Even someone who’s never heard of content marketing (and probably just bought passes to see Michelle Obama) could sense that.
My conversations with other content creators got me thinking, what if there were a foolproof formula to delivering great content every time you sit down to write?
Surely some must think there is. (I mean, why else would there be so many content creation platforms–WriterAccess being one of them–in the INBOUND showing room?)
But what is this magical formula? How do we boil the act of content creation down to a simple step-by-step process?
Though I don’t claim to be an expert, I think this guide will be somewhat helpful–especially if you’re new to content creation like I am.
Step 1: If you want great content, you’ll need a great topic. Check out this WriterAccess tool that can help you find great ideas for blog posts, social media updates, or whatever it is you’re writing.
Step 2: Create an outline. Even if you don’t sit down and physically map out your ideas with a pen and paper, it’s never a bad idea to at least think about the direction you want to take your content in.
Step 3: Make sure your writing flows by keeping proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation rules in mind. (Who wants to read an article or a blog posts that doesn’t maintain verb tense?)
Step 4: Add a little spice. People want to read something that elicits emotion…otherwise, it’ll just seem boring. One of the best ways to elicit emotion through your content is by adding humor.
Step 5: Check things over. If you proofread your own work, be sure to check out this month’s Talent Q&A for some insights from an experienced editor.
Of course, this still leaves the business of keywords and optimizing your content for search engines. But we’ll save that for another round-up.
Until next time…
