5 Secrets of Effective Online Content
Have you ever wondered why some content performs so well and some does not? Great content not only captures your readers’ attention but also leads to conversions. To take your content from good to great, it needs a few things. Let’s explore five key elements that all high performing content should include.
1. Keywords your audience is searching for.
In order to make things happen with your content, you need traffic. The best way to drive targeted traffic to your website is to include keywords that your audience is searching for. To do this, you’ll need to know the intent behind the search. The four types of search intent are:
- Navigational. The intent is to reach a specific site (i.e., pestcontrolcompany.com).
- Informational. The intent is to gather information regarding a particular issue (i.e., signs of carpenter ants).
- Transactional. The intent is to purchase something online (i.e., hire pest control services).
- Investigational. Investigational searches are a combination of transactional and informational searches. The intent is to find information about products or services to buy someday in the future.
2. Helpful, compelling titles.
When done right, headlines make people want to read more. Here are a few things that should be included in your headlines:
- Describes the content – no clickbait!
- Sets realistic expectations
- Uses powerful wording
- Builds trust
3. High quality images to illustrate your point.
It should come as no surprise that images should be included in your content. The key is to select the right images and put them in the right places. Don’t forget that images can do more than look pretty. They reinforce your message and appeal to visual learners. To make your content more memorable, include screenshots, graphics and other illustrations.
4. Click-worthy calls to action.
Great content usually inspires people to do more. But, you need to create opportunities for users, which can be done with CTAs. in common. First, they are tied into the content and feel like a natural progression. Second, they contain persuasive words that make people want to click. Lastly, they include some type of button or graphic to make them visually appealing.
5. Value pointed out from the start.
If people don’t see the value in reading your content, they’ll bounce off your page. Show readers what to expect from your content. Include the topic, why readers should care and what readers have to gain in the first few sentences. Your text should be free from spelling and grammatical errors, but do write to capture people’s attention.
High performing content shares these five characteristics. If your content hasn’t been giving you the ROI you had hoped for, optimize it with new keywords, headlines, CTAs and images. In many cases, this is all that’s needed to have more effective content.