Think You Have Great Content? Here Are Three Ways To Know For Sure

11708_business-computer-laptop  As the owner of an online business, you can read all the advice you want about SEO, CRO, ROI, and all the other acronyms that provide great tips about boosting  the number of visitors to your website.

But the truth is that it doesn’t matter how many people you entice to your site if you don’t captivate their attention with eye-popping content that turns looky-loos into long-term clients.

And isn’t that the whole point?

It’s easy to lose sight of the goal when you’re inundated with so much information, but just remember:  content is king.

So with that in mind, here are three methods of identifying whether your content is up to snuff and able to hold the attention of those visitors you most need to impress.

Are You Offering Value?

The harsh reality is that making money in the digital world is a challenge, because competition is at an all-time high.

But with that competition also comes opportunity, because consumers crave value above everything else.

What is value?

It’s the thing that separates your company from another company that is offering the same products and services.

Your job is to ensure that your content – which is defined as the images, videos, page layouts and the prices and photos of products – stands out because it offers prospective consumers something that they can’t get anywhere else.

As branding guru Kim Garst references in this piece, engaging your consumers is only the first step. Getting them to take action is the primary goal.

Are you offering package deals? Discounts? First-time buyer reductions? Free shipping? Free returns? Free returns after 30 or 60 days? Twenty-four hour customer service?

Scour your website and evaluate what you’re really offering visitors, and whether those offers are of value, meaning, do they provide something more enticing than that of your competition?

Is Your Content Easy To Read?

Sounds simple, right?

But you’d be surprised how many landing pages are so stuffed with information and graphics that visitors are immediately turned off, and click to another site.

Don’t be tempted to oversell your site.

Simple and clear are the two most important words for your site’s layout.

You want to evoke a sense of pleasure and confidence in visitors when they first view your landing page.

That means bold but simple colors, easy-to-read text, short sentences, and form fields that are short and easy for visitors to fill out.

If your landing page looks like a single-spaced menu at a restaurant, you’re in trouble.

How Interesting Is Your Story?

Whether you’re selling premium ham, computer chips or consulting services, your content better tell a story that makes a connection with your target audience.

That story has to define your product or services in a way that is interesting and memorable, because consumers most identify with things that are personal.

Your story can take the form of a great visuals, a striking name and the background of how the product or service was created.

The goal is for that content to tell the story behind the product or service, to connect the visitor to what you’re selling in a manner that feels personal and compelling.

For example, a business that sells vintage toys such as Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch Kids, can tell the story of childhood memories by creating videos of adults who recollect their favorite moments when they first received these toys as gifts.

And as marketing expert Jay Baer writes in this informative piece, “storytelling in business is all the rage,” because it an effective tactic that simplifies your site by replacing things such as features and benefits with real events.

Baer even suggests that live broadcasting of your company’s activities is the kind of non-fiction that will become even more compelling in the years ahead.

Put Your Site To the Test

Put your website to the test by applying these three standards for great content to determine if you have done all that’s possible to maximize the likelihood of drawing and retaining the highest number of visitors. Great content is possible through a methodical process that requires vigilance and a willingness to pivot if your company isn’t meeting your goals.

Getting the best out of your marketing can be difficult. If you need more tips or you want marketing advice, contact us today. We have the expertise to help take your marketing to the next level, and can offer you techniques that can help boost your company’s profits.






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