5 Tips to Punch up Your Content
Keeping readers engaged is a key principle of content marketing. Follow these five easy-to-implement tips to energize your content.
Tip 1: Tell a story
People love stories. The trick is to present a story that has both entertainment value and a message that coincides with the purpose (or mission) of your content. Do this, and you’re likely to keep your reader around for a little longer.
Tip 2: Elicit an emotional response
A story that elicits an emotional response – even if that response is typically considered negative, such as anger, frustration, or anxiety – is more likely to engage readers’ emotions. Shape the overall tone of your piece to appeal to your target customer emotion. The resulting piece will be packed with more personality and also be more likely to be shared with others.
Tip 3: Ask rhetorical questions
Rhetorical questions get the reader thinking, rather than simply feeding them information. However, too many rhetorical questions can frustrate readers because they aren’t provided with any answers. Rhetorical questions have to serve a different purpose: get the reader thinking about your brand’s message and persuade them to act.
Tip 4: Include interesting facts
People read for two reasons: to be entertained and to learn. These motivations go hand-in-hand. Communication is difficult if your audience is bored, and their interest will wane if they are not expanding their intellectual horizons. Research your topic for fascinating facts, and sprinkle them throughout the piece to engage your reader.
Tip 5: Write like you talk
Taking a conversational approach will infuse your personality into your writing. Stay true to who you are, and don’t try to mimic someone else’s writing style. Make sure you use your unique voice.