Elements of Great Content

Focus Keywords

The first element is the pillar which ties together an entire piece, called focus keywords.  It’s extremely important to do plenty of keyword research before starting to create any content.  Ranking high on search engine queries will mean having to know what keyword phrases your audience is searching for.  Marking down the phrase you want to base a piece on will provide the stepping stone for it.

[Don’t know how to find your focus keywords? We can help!  Click here to get started]

Innovative

Your content should be innovative and original.  This may seem daunting as it often feels like everyone has posted, written or captured everything there is to know already, but luckily we all have our own voice and unique business ideas.  Create something that people will want to see or read; Provide your opinions, freshen up old information, write from a new perspective. Doing so will help your content stand out from the thousands of other sites.

Readable

The goal is to have your content at a readability level of a middle school student.  As bizarre as that might sound here’s our understanding of this: while many people can read at a higher level than this, most people are skimming for the most important information needed.  So, having your engaging content readable at a lower level will allow site visitors to access the information they need in a timely manner and will envision your website as great source. Therefore they will continue to seek information through other pages on your site.  It’s also important to understand that while humans are reading your content, so is Google. If Google can easily understand your content than it can easily rank you accordingly.

Reliable

A twofold element, your content needs to be what it says it will be about and it needs to provide plenty of information.  Consider the Panda update Google pushed out in 2011.  The main point was to ensure that sites that provided the information stated in their title and subsequent posts were what they say were going to be.  To back up your matching title with information, it’s important to provide a lot of information. Try pulling out an extra piece of information on each item in a piece.  Can you provide further detail or guidance to the reader? Stay focused on your main topics and readers will come to know you as a reliable source.

Meet a Need or Improve a condition

We’re not suggesting that you focus solely on curing world hunger as improving a condition, but instead focusing on what you can to enhance the lives of your readers.  Are you answering a question, educating on a new subject, providing a unique opinion? Meeting their needs will get their attention to read your words

Not sure where to begin with this?  Start by asking existing customers, friends, prospects, online group chat boards, etc.

Avoid Mazes with a clear direction

Imagine trying to get from point A to point B.  It would be easiest to walk in a straight line along a path that takes directly to your destination.  The same applies with reading. Be sure to guide your content down a direct path that leads readers to the answer/s they are looking for.  As opposed to mis-directing them into a hedge maze, where writing goes too far down a dead end path, only to backtrack to the point, and again down another sideways passage.  Be sure your content flows smoothly.