Get ’em interested enough to read on
The first paragraph of your press release should include the whos, whats, whens, wheres, and hows of your announcement. Then take a deeper dive in the second paragraph. Just the facts up-front!
Read MoreUse your “mental scissors”
When you finish your next piece, make one more pass. Look for any word over eight letters, and cut it in two. Every time we swap a long word for a short one, we make our message twice as easy for the reader. Shorter and simpler for the win!
Read MoreHeadlines: One rule you should break.
When it comes to headlines, use numerals instead of spelling out numbers. This better grabs the reader’s attention, even though it makes your 7th-grade English teacher wince if the number is under 11. Digits for the win!
Read MoreBullets: Aim for consistency.
When crafting a bulleted list, make sure your items follow the same structure, such as starting each with a (different) verb or making each item a question. The goal? Clean, consistent, and clear!
Read MoreBe a thoughtful guest.
When pitching guest blogs to other websites, they probably won’t be interested in more of the same stuff that their own writers produce. Aim to give them unique-but-related expertise that’s also within their editorial standards. Balance blending in and standing out!
Read MoreQuestion me an answer.
When crafting content for your product or service, think about the questions your customers might be asking, and make sure your value props answer them. Search engines will also reward you with better results. Keep it conversational!
Read MoreMake it personal
Draw your audience in by sharing personal accounts and anecdotes. When readers personally identify with content, it can actually lead to better site traffic and higher engagement. And If your platform permits it, encourage readers to share their own experiences. Creating a sense of community goes a long way to fostering loyalty to your organization…
Read MoreEstablish credibility.
Did you ever see someone pull out big numbers and make bold statements without showing anything to back up their claims? Taking that extra time to cite your sources or add a hyperlink can mean the difference between being perceived as a thought leader and a sweet talker. All information comes from somewhere—say where. It’s…
Read More“This is the second blog in our series…”
Okay, but where is the first part?! Readers won’t bother going out of their way to try and find it – they expect you to lead them to it. If a blog post is part of a series, link it to the prior piece and note when the next part will launch.
Read MoreYour snippet can make or break your content.
The number of “no-click” searches is on the rise. Although we’re all tempted to be quirky with our headlines and meta descriptions, sometimes keeping it simple drives more engagement. It’s important to ensure your featured snippet is concise, yet highly descriptive. Use more long-tail keywords to target specific “How do I” questions, and let users…
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