September 17, 2019
by Sally Kane / September 17, 2019
Over four million blog posts are published on the internet each day.
That amounts to nearly 30 million new blog posts a week. And blog posts are only a small percentage of the content published on the web.
Given the incredible amount of content that is published daily, how can your content stand out? The best way to gain traffic and social shares is by creating amazing content. Today’s content must go farther to attract and engage readers.
You need to supercharge your content by providing unique and exceptional ways to present it to readers. Below are a few tips and tricks to boost page views, social shares, and engagement.
The following 10 tips will help you boost overall engagement on your blog, from driving traffic to increasing followers, and much more.
It’s relatively easy to produce blog posts regardless of your niche. However, to boost engagement, you want to aim for “10X content.” According to Moz, 10X content is 10 times better than other content on the web that covers the same topic.
Here are four types of content that can help you boost your content into the 10X category.
Data-driven studies help your readers get a better understanding of complex issues. In writing content based on research, summarize findings in an easy-to-digest manner to keep your reader’s attention.
When you piggyback on the latest news on social media, you take advantage of its popularity and drive traffic to your site. However, make sure you put your own unique spin on the topic rather than repeating what others have reported. Stories that are controversial or evoke an emotional response can be particularly engaging.
A how-to guide can help explain steps in a process to someone, show them how to do something, or provide them with an alternative method of achieving an end goal with clearly defined sections to follow.
Long-form content that helps readers find solutions to their problems and provides actionable takeaways are popular and effective. Providing exhaustive coverage of your topic will help ensure that it is the best answer on the web for that search query, drawing traffic and increasing engagement.
A recent survey found that interactive content grabs attention more effectively than static content. Interactive content pulls readers into the experience, engaging them more fully than simply reading words on a page. For example, interactive maps allow the reader to click on aspects of the map they want to view. Interactive timelines can communicate your organization’s story in a unique and engaging manner.
Website tools can also help boost user engagement. Incorporating a calendar or calculator into your content can boost engagement by allowing the user to schedule a meeting or crunch numbers without leaving your site.
Quizzes can transform educational material into a fun experience. Quizzes and polls hook readers and keep them on web pages longer. They also serve as tools for starting conversations that engage readers. To interact with your readers, use any of the free quiz plugins that are shareable on social media. These plugins are customizable and allow you to add questions and answers, insert images, and tally responses.
Videos are another powerful way to grab user’s attention and keep them engaged. Incorporating video attracts triple the amount of links as posts without video. Readers are also more likely to engage, comment on and share video content. In fact, 65 percent of viewers watch over 75 percent of a video. Text-based content generally does not boast the same engagement metrics.
Below are a few ways to create engaging videos:
Create videos that answer common reader FAQs |
Share existing videos that are trending in your niche |
Develop new videos that offer fresh insights |
Transform existing text-based content into engaging videos |
Turn data-laden report into a video infographic |
Livestream videos featuring events in your niche |
Create videos showcasing your products or services |
In terms of SEO, publishing video content increases the chances of landing on the first page of Google search results. A higher search ranking can increase a brand's visibility.
TIP: Not yet convinced that video marketing is the way to go? Read our rundown of over 55 top video marketing statistics to help steer you in the right direction! |
4. Listicles and checklists
Listicles are among the most popular forms of content on the web today because they are easy to understand and follow. They present a targeted way to organize actionable information, statistics, and hard facts. They also help readers retain key information without reading a long article.
Checklists are a list of tasks or items that a user checks off to complete a task, verify a list of requirements or collect materials. Here are a few tips to creating listicles and checklists that engage your readers.
A descriptive headline can raise curiosity and increase click-through rates. While spicing up your headline is important, make sure that your content lives up to the promise of your headline.
While it may be useful to crowdsource your listicle, original content will draw more traffic and engagement. Make your content stand out by injecting your own ideas and experiences.
Quick-read articles should be scannable and easy to digest. For your listicle, create a consistent structure using H1 to H4 headings with short paragraphs, then arrange your list in a logical order. Remember that a well-written listicle or checklist has the potential to go viral. When it does, your brand will reap the rewards.
Research-based content lends credibility to your message. However, a data-heavy article filled with facts and figures can be challenging to digest. Readers disconnect from the content and retain little information.
To increase retention, incorporate engaging visuals such as charts, graphs, and tables. These illustrate your data and research findings and enable readers to more easily grasp the information. Amplify the impact by using interactive content that keep readers engaged longer.
TIP: Create impressive charts, graphs, and tables with this graph maker! |
Images, memes, GIFs, screenshots, slideshows, and other visual content attract readers with short attention spans and hook the interest of readers. Integrating eye-catching visuals into written content gives the reader a break from overwhelming blocks of text. They strengthen the overall message and trigger emotions that elicit response.
In developing visual content, it’s important to be authentic and true to your brand. Create a style guide for consistent design format. Your style guide should reflect your company logo and colors to reinforce your brand identity and cultivate brand recognition.
Here are some ways to produce funny, engaging, and quirky visual content:
Share a popular meme |
Create a shareable GIF |
Assemble still photos into a short animation |
Craft unique graphics of key takeaways using graphic design software |
Punch up your content with free stock images |
Infographics are among the most shared types of content online. They convey a great deal of information at a glance and present complex information in a visually appealing way.
Your infographic design should be more than a visual representation of facts and figures. It should help you tell a story through compelling images. To increase engagement with your infographic, start with a compelling headline and use icons to highlight core information.
Choose an icon that is relevant to the content and make sure it helps your reader focus on the key points quickly.
TIP: To create the best looking infographics, you'll need to find the right graphic design software to make your brand stand out. See what real users say about the solutions that work for them! |
Recent updates to Google’s algorithm have helped long-form content perform better in search and garner more social shares. However, long pages of content can be cumbersome to navigate.
One way to improve the readability of long-form content is by incorporating a table of contents. A table of contents offers a quick overview of the article by listing all the main points and providing jump links to the copy. It allows readers to easily navigate to the sections of the content they want to read.
Incorporating a table of contents into your page is easier than ever. You can add it manually in your word processor or use plugins that automatically create a table of contents for designated posts. Most plugins use your subheadings to create the table, so make sure that your subheadings are descriptive.
Testimonials build credibility and establish trust among your readers. They boost conversions by providing an unbiased opinion of your brand.
To incorporate testimonials into your site, you can do the following:
TIP: Use customer feedback to create content that adds authenticity and credibility via G2 reviews. |
A compelling call to action (CTA) drives your readers to action. A CTA can also boost engagement by prompting your readers to take the next step, such as contacting your company, leaving a comment, sharing your content, or downloading an ebook.
Here are several ways you can optimize your call to action:
Use strong action verbs |
Personalize your CTA with text that targets your readers |
Make your CTA stand out by using creative images or text |
Have clickable CTA buttons |
Create a sense of urgency |
The web is populated with mediocre content. Creating one-of-a-kind, hard-to-replicate content that grabs attention and satisfies readers is not easy. However, the techniques above can help you create amazing content that inspires, educates, and engages.
Ready to take your content to the next level? Discover the top-rated content marketing software solutions to help you surpass your competition!
Sally Kane is a professional writer and content director for PaperStreet, a digital marketing agency for law firms. She has been writing on business and marketing topics since 2004 and her work has appeared in dozens of media outlets, including The Balance, Legal Management, The Writer and Law Practice Today.
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