5 Ways to Boost Your Content Marketing Effectiveness in 2022

Generating traffic and increasing sales are possible with a solid content marketing strategy. As the world has grown faster and busier, few people will have the time to read your full-length articles in their entirety. But if you can cut down on lengthy reading time, you can increase readership for any type of information you publish online. To boost your content marketing effectiveness, try using these tips:

1. Use Headlines that Match the Reader’s Interests

Your headline is the key to whether your reader will continue reading or not. Make sure it grabs them and is intriguing enough to make them interested. To pick an attention-grabbing headline, know your audience.  

If you’re marketing a product or service for children, for example, use “funny” or “cute” type headlines since those fit your customers’ personalities. Be sure the headline is one that will resonate with your audience. For example, don’t write humorous headlines for an article about funeral services.

The headline of an article or piece of content can make or break the article. If the headline doesn’t entice enough to get readers to click, your article won’t serve your audience and your company will get fewer leads. Action verbs and powerful adjectives keep your headline short and believable. Remember, people aren’t as interested in clickbait as they once were.

2. Break Up Text into Digestible Chunks

A common way to make longer articles easier to read is to divide the text into defined sections, then use a heading for each section. Make sure your headings include relevant keywords to increase your search engine rankings. It’s also helpful to weave in different types of content to create interest. For example, use bullet points and quotes to break up the text.

Why is it so important to use sections? Beyond better search engine rankings, it will help you retain readers. People are turned off by a page filled with words with no white space to rest the eyes. Keep your paragraphs short, around three sentences each. Comb through your copy, eliminate excess words and stay away from the “fluff” and your message will be concise and powerful.

3. Use Visuals

Don’t limit yourself to only words. Visuals are powerful ways to engage and connect with your audience and make your content more digestible and easier on the eyes. Photos are the obvious choice, but you can also add infographics, illustrations, videos, charts or other visual aids to help your readers understand and retain information easier.

In a world where everyone gets information from a smartphone or a tablet, and they’re bombarded by all sorts of information from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed, visual content is essential to making an impact. It’s another way to break up blocks of text, too.

4. Answer the Most Common Questions Related to Your Topic

If you answer the questions your target audience is asking, they’ll keep coming back for more. Go to a site like AnswerthePublic.com and type in keywords related to your site. The site will return a list of common questions people ask about that keyword. Write content that answers the relevant questions people ask about that keyword to gain traffic and customers. By answering these questions, you’ll develop a reputation as an authority on your subject matter and that’s good for the future of your business.  

5. Include a Call-to-Action that Excites

Don’t forget the all-important call-to-action! All content marketing needs one — even if you’re not trying to sell a product. A call-to-action is your chance to invite your reader to take the next step and go from casual reader to engaged potential customer.

For example, you sell dog treats. In your content piece, include a call-to-action that says, “Want to learn more about how your dog can have better breath and stay healthy? Visit us online at www.awesomedogtreats.com.” This type of call-to-action gets your reader to link directly to your website and potentially take a subsequent action, like signing up for your email list.

Now Take Action

Content marketing is one of the best ways to establish you or your company as an authority and gain new visitors and customers. Make sure you’re getting the most out of each piece of content with these tips.

An effective content marketing strategy attracts your target audiences and can lead to increased sales, awareness and customers. Appleton is an award-winning, full-service advertising agency in Orlando, Florida that specializes in delivering a strong, unified visual and verbal presence through branding and messaging. Appleton works with local, national and international clients to build a strong and cohesive brand that standardizes any company’s look and communications across print, web, social media and video. Your branding goals are worth a conversation: contact us at 407-246-0092 or info@appletoncreative.com.

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