Sometimes, writing isn’t as simple as sitting in front of your computer and allowing the brilliance to flow out of you: More often than not, banging your head on the desk is closer to the mark when you’re having a bit of writer’s block. Creating great content is even more work. It’s not just about making a deadline, but making content that will resonate with readers and add value to their life (and your website’s rankings). Current SEO practices currently ‘focus on fresh’, but it’s not as easy as posting all the time. There has to be something about your content that sets it apart from other, comparable content. A combination of relevance, digital marketing tactics, and timing will set your content apart from others, and give you the edge you need to separate you from the competition.

Importance and Interest

Having the most relevant and useful content is futile if it doesn’t attract an audience. So, how can you make your work relevant AND interesting enough to gain an audience? First things first: easy to read paragraphs. Basic internet rule of thumb: Make Reading Easy. If it’s too much work to read, it won’t be read. Start with white space – a decent amount of space around and between smaller paragraphs. Sub titles, images, quotes VEN diagrams – anything that improves context and maintains interest: There’s nothing worse than a thousand word essay with no breaks. Not only does it lead to higher abandonment (bounce) rates, but makes it less likely that people will be inclined to read your work in the future.

Tactics

There are some ways to incorporate digital marketing techniques. Organic keyword placement is one of the first and easiest ways to ensure your blog or copy is found by search engines. Keeping them in the Headers and copy in a natural, non intrusive way is the best way to have your work ‘spidered’ by the ‘bots. Using different variations of these words will also help. Just keep in mind how your audience searches for your information, and mirror that in some of your language. If you’re not sure, ask a friend or family member how they would search for it – a different perspective always helps.

Utilizing social media to build an audience and share your work is an effective method of self promotion, for not only your work but your personal brand. Beyond the common platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), there are other networks that could be beneficial, depending on your audience, organization, or the nature of the work. For instance, if you’re targeting a female demographic with creative-based content, Pinterest is ideal for your needs. You might find LinkedIn best to promote corporate writing or interests, while Google Plus is great for localizing search results and filtering content to the right audience.

Another benefit of working with Google Plus is Authorship: yes, I talk about it often, but only because it is the best way to incur long-term benefits with search rankings. It gives people a sense of trust when sifting through search results, allowing you to build an audience and increase links and results. But it also has more weight in search algorithms than an author who lacks Authorship, and is an enormous opportunity to differentiate your work and website. Establishing Authorship is an essential task in leveraging social media.

Timing

The more unpredictable element, this is one element you can’t fully control. Yes, you can improve the likelihood of changing this situation through strategic choices, but you can’t know for sure if your work will resonate with people, or if it will even be seen. This is where timing becomes essential: Often, the day and time you publish or promote your work can influence its success. Try using tools such as FollowerWonk to determine the time of day that your audience is most active on social media.

Scheduling your promotions at strategic times of day is the best way to ensure the likelihood that you’ll reach your audience. You can also repost again later, but be sure to create unique messages with your link every time – duplications aren’t ideal because they can alienate your audience. These are simple, time-saving ways you can improve your reach and entice your audience.

By using a combination of timing, digital marketing tactics and interest, you can develop content that adds value to your site, educates your readership and improves your site’s ranking. Formatting your work in an accessible way will keep people entertained. Harnessing the power of social media will build and increase your audience. Timing your sharing efforts correctly will mean your work gets to people when they’re most likely to see it. Creating great content isn’t always easy, but ensuring its accessibility will help make your efforts a success.

Have any tips for creating great content? Let us know in the comments.

About the Author

Bria Jordan is a Search Engine Optimization and Social Media consultant. A published writer for the last 14 years, she can often be found celebrating her off-time by bicycling through the city or cooking. She currently lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and two cats.