Content Marketing: How to Create Shareable Content

In recent years, Google's algorithm has changed the way browsers discover content. If you're not aware of these changes, and you haven't improved your content to meet the algorithm's demands, you have likely found your once-popular site slipping in the rankings. (Photo credit). 

In the distant past, SEO firms focused on keywords and link building to attract an audience. With the emergence of social media, however, this paradigm has shifted. Google's recent algorithm updates have made this shift quite clear: to attract an audience, your great content must also be easily discovered and easily shared. 

This means your work does not stop once you've posted your content. In the new paradigm, sharing your work and inspiring others to share your work is key.

By now, most website owners know that sharing content is a mandatory part of any successful online marketing campaign. But sharing is not enough. How do you know people will actually click on your link? And how do you know that once-discovered your content "hooks" visitors?

To attract the audience you deserve, focus on three crucial tasks:

The No-Brainer: Create Great Content

Quality content is the key. This is the number one, eternal rule of online marketing. If you do not follow this rule, now more than ever, you will be, as David Foster Wallace says, "totally hosed."

Listen: "DFW's Inspiring Commencement Speech"

To create great content, your language must be mistake and error-free. No one wants to read content riddled with language and/or grammar mistakes. Errors turn readers away.

Your content must also be UNIQUE (like these people). Ask yourself: What am I adding to the conversation? If your content is not intriguing, or new, you're populating people's feeds with needless words. We all have unique perspectives. Every content writer. Every business. Speak from your unique voice and you will attract an audience.

Finally, remember, quality trumps quantity. It's better to create one well-written piece than three slapdash pieces. Take your time. Craft each piece. Write a rough draft. Then rewrite. Then edit for language and grammar mistakes. Revise your work at least three times before posting.

Use Social to Your Advantage

There is too much good content. You have to work beyond the writing to attract an audience. Social media is the perfect venue for sharing and promotion. Just remember the number one rule of social media: K.I.S.S. (Keep it Social Stupid). 

Read: "KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid) - A Design Principle"

This means that you must participate in the conversation. Read and share and respond to your followers. Talk to your followers. Don't pop in, post a link, then pop out. When you're a part of the community, your followers will be more likely to click and share your links.

One caveat: Do not annoy your followers with too many posts. Remember: quality trumps quantity. A good rule of thumb: Don't offer more than one link to your own brand per day. Too much "look at my stuff" posting gets annoying. It's better to spend your time interacting with your followers. Try it: You may be surprised by the attention you get. 

Optimize Your Content for Conversion

Attracting an audience is great. Just make sure you're converting your visitors. At SEO Sparta we believe conversion is the key to a successful online marketing campaign.

A conversion is simply a visitor who performs a desired action on your site. 

Whether you write a science blog or sell custom suits, the difference between your visitors and your converted visitors will define the success of your business. 

However, the desired action will be different for different sites. For a blog like the SEO Sparta blog, for example, the desired action might be clicking on multiple posts, writing comments, or following a link to our main site. For an online business, the desired action might be a purchase. For a Facebook post, the desired action might be a like, comment, or share.

2020: Here's to a Succesful Year of Content!

As we move into the New Year, the atmosphere of renewal presents the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate your online marketing strategy.

Of all the tools at your disposal, one reigns supreme: content!

Follow the three important tasks above and you'll be on your way to a wildly successful 2020. 

If you are interested in transforming your website into a money-making tool or are interested in exploring opportunities to outperform your competition, we encourage you to contact SEO SPARTA.

We combine traditional marketing methods and organic SEO--emphasizing natural website optimization--to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective marketing campaigns.

Contact us