7 Professional-Grade Content Marketing Tips

Avex Designs
  • Date Published
  • Categories Blog
  • Reading Time 4-Minute Read

Content marketing has never been more popular, or more important to your search engine optimization and inbound lead generation efforts. But, achieving a high ranking on Google and attracting the attention of your best prospects takes more than the occasional effort to post new material to your blog or Facebook profile.

To help you make the most of every article or idea you come up with, we’ve composed a list of seven professional-grade content marketing tips that leading internet writers use…

#1 Know Your Audience

If an article or other piece of content is written for everyone, then it’s likely to appeal to no one. You shouldn’t sit down to type a single word until you have a specific audience in mind. Then, you can shape your message in a way that informs and persuades them without going over their heads or simplifying things too much.

#2 Know Your Content Marketing Goals

Far too many marketers generate content just for the point of generating content. Every blog post or social update you create should be leading toward some bigger goal. Are you trying to generate click-throughs, improve your search engine position, or just start a discussion on some topic that’s relevant to your business?

#3 Never Stare at a Blank Screen

Writing doesn’t have to be difficult, but it’s excruciating when you’re staring at a blank screen with nothing to say. To prevent this issue, make a list of topics and outlines ahead of time. Even a few rough sentences or bullet points will help you get started and might prevent you from having writer’s block.

#4 Write for a Specific Person

The easiest way to turn ideas into paragraphs is to imagine your ideal reader is sitting across from you. But, instead of explaining things to them with your voice, you’re going to do the same thing on a page. Keeping that perspective will help your writing stay sharper and more conversational while keeping you from going off-topic.

#5 Don’t Rush Through Editing

Even professional writers produce first drafts that are clunky and unclear. The real magic of content creation is in the editing and proofreading process. Read through your finished piece a few times, and consider getting a second look from a friend or colleague. They might be able to give you a few helpful pointers and spot typos you might have missed.

#6 Back Up Your Words with Visuals

Humans are visual creatures. No matter how compelling your words are, they need to be backed up by strong visuals that make an important point or lasting impression. Don’t settle for the first stock photo you can find. Put some thought into the images you post with your content, because they help make it more effective.

#7 End Every Article with a Call to Action

Unless you’re writing in your personal diary, every post or article should end with a call to action that persuades readers to do something next. You might want interested prospects to visit your website, sign up for your newsletter, or make a purchase. Whatever your conversion goal is, ask readers to take it once they are finished digesting your thoughts.

If you’ve been disappointed with the results from your previous content marketing campaigns, it’s time to put these pieces of proven advice to good use. Better yet, use them as a reminder to schedule a free consultation with the Avex Designs team today and see how we’ve been able to help businesses just like yours to get ahead.

Article written by: John Surdakowski, founder of Avex