Content. It’s everywhere to be found. A simple Google search can lend millions, hundreds of millions, billions of results. Content is text, images, videos, audio, interactive content. It is everywhere. We all engage with it day after day. We know what it looks like. Children today are wired to interact with it from the moment they can understand and watch a television, or play on their mothers iPhone.
It’s no wonder content delivery has become such a vast business. From blogs (curated by novices and experts alike,) to YouTube channels, to professional curated websites, and a whole lot of weird stuff in between, internet content makes plenty of people plenty of money each year. As a blogger, it can feel tempting to pay some of that insight forward. Content delivery advice is often fairly rudimental and filled with common sense, but then again the most true things often are.
If you run a blog yourself, or any form of content online, consider these tried and tested tips:
The Package
Refined content catches eyes. While the content of your package is important, you must also consider the wrapping it’s provided in. This means that a good use of video editing, graphic design, competent and readable fonts among many other decisions (often aesthetic) can lend your efforts a professional feel. While it’s idealistic and nice to wish people would simply engage with the content of your thoughts, people will often make a decision within moments of seeing the package of the page they’re visiting. A few correct options (it needn’t even be that refined,) towards a stylistic approach can help you tremendously.
Consider the context of what you’re delivering, as this will help you know HOW to deliver it. To use an example, the New York Times’ website could be considered antiquated upon first glance, until you realize it’s super-simple aesthetic implies a newspaper quality, drawing attention to the text and images and nothing else. On the other hand, personal blogs may decide to use more of a unique layout. Consider the publishing format. A squarespace template might be more refined than a wordpress blog, but neither should be considered the ‘right’ option, only ‘the best for you.’
Relevance
Content cannot be farmed. It used to be. SEO is a worthwhile and impressive marketing option, but when it wasn’t regulated by algorithms as well as it is now, irrelevant content and boring copy flooded the internet. Now, Google and search engines like it are catching on. They know how to distinguish between badly written and too keyword-heavy copy, and they can adequately discriminate against it. That means you need to work on your content. If you hope for it to have any impact, you need to refine it. You need to build your reputation through it. Then you can apply SEO techniques to help it become seen. This is how content formats are monetized.
Be relevant. Be insightful. Build a core community, no matter how small. And of course, the most fundamental aspect of all, have something to say.
Social Media
You need to provide your content in a three sixty degree experience. Without this, you can often find yourself wanting for more exposure. Backlinking to your other blogs, using social media to promote your content, and providing it in different forms can be worthwhile. Let’s say a company offers for you to review one of their products, free of charge. Why only write a post when you can record a video, or perhaps also stream a live review and unboxing?
Social media, and integration with other platforms can help not only expose your content to new audiences, but helps you make use of fresh hashtagging platforms wherever you go. It increases the dominance of websites referring to you in any search engine. It also helps you cater to many audiences at once. It’s not hard to see how this habit can proof fruitful. You need only look to the future to see how you could implement it successfully.
Care
Your content is you, in some part. Try to keep it necessary, relevant and regular. Curate your honest opinions, or network at the right events. If hoping to monetize your platform, take it as seriously as any other job. Learn the metrics such as a comprehensive library of scripts for Adwords automation. Make every word, second of video or height of audio matter to your firm. It’s with this effort that you can structure your best content developments.
With these tips, you’re sure to become a content delivery superstar.
