Writing high-quality content plays an important role in marketing your business; however, the design and layout are just as important to leave a lasting impression online. There is no secret formula to creating a fully packaged article, but here are several tips on creating effective content.
A) Choose your topic:
The very first step in the content creation process is choosing your topic. It can either be from your approved Authority Plan created by StepForth or a topic that will resonate well with your audience. The topic can be broad and is further refined in Step B.
B) Research your topic and pick your POV:
Now that you have your topic we are going to research and pick the POV you want your article to have. For example, your topic may be healthy eating, and after you’ve conducted research you choose to focus on healthy eating tips for moms with small children.
C) Brainstorm media ideas and opportunity for downloadable:
Next is brainstorming. This is where you think about adding extra value to your article. Not every article needs to be enriched with extra media such as videos, infographics, feature downloadable (ebooks ect…) or have email signups but major articles should have that extra touch. Take notes on what media will further your article and we will revisit it at a later step. You may skip this step if necessary.
D) Come up with a working title:
Now that you have had the opportunity to hone in on your topic and the media you may wish to add, it is time to create a working title. You should not spend more than 10 minutes on this step as you will refine it later once your article has fully taken form.
E) Write your intro paragraph:
With your working title in hand, write your introduction paragraph. This paragraph is crucial as it sets up the reader for the progression of the article and communicates the POV. In classic writing, the introduction is where you cover all the main points you will further discuss in your writing. These are also known as your subheadings.
F) Create an outline for your article:
Let’s create an outline. With your intro paragraph at the top of your document, extract the key subheadings you cover in the intro and label them 1 – 5+. Under each main subheading add 3-5 points you will discuss in that paragraph. A good article at a bare minimum has three supporting paragraphs plus an intro and conclusion.
G) Write your blog post:
This part should be easier now that you have the entire article outlined. Once done, make sure to edit your work or send it to an editor for refinement.
H) Refine your title to make it catchy:
Now that your article is fully formed it is time to refine your working title into something catchy that will make readers want to click on your work. For example, your working title may have been healthy eating for small children but your refined title might be ‘Moms: Healthy eating made easy from babies to tots!’
I) Collect images and create any downloadable or media at this point:
This step is about using your earlier brainstorming to make your article come to life. Collect images (be sure to cite where you got them if necessary, etc…), videos, make your downloadable PDFs, ebooks, infographics, etc…
J) Finally, the most important step before your article goes live on your site:
Now it’s time to add links to your completed article. Critically review your article and see where additional resources or learning can be inserted. A useful study you referenced in your article, or other informative articles can be added. This is also a great opportunity to leverage your own site’s internal structure. So be sure to look for opportunities throughout your article to link to other articles where you talk about a similar topic or reference a resource page. For example, in your article on healthy eating for children, you might want to link to another article you wrote called ‘10 min breakfast ideas for toddlers’ or link a resource page on your site where you list all the pediatricians in your service area.
K) Post article:
You did it! You wrote your first article. Click post and let your marketing company know that you have created and posted new content. From there, they should go through and optimize the post for you. Now all you have to do is share your new article over social media and your other online communities.
Happy Writing!