Sometimes utilizing all those useful SEO techniques and writing tactics is not always easy for everyone to remember. This is one reason we created the 6 month free mentoring program to provide ongoing support for our students after their training.
For today, I thought I would present a priority checklist that you can keep handy, to help equip you to call some writing essentials to your memory.
Each time you create fresh new content, you should use the following tips to make sure that you apply as many of the items on the list as possible,if it makes sense to do so.
Priority Checklist For Creating Excellent Content:
Your Headline
It is simply one of the primary influences that cause people to decide to click or not click through on your content. Writing an influential headline takes some work. It is not easy. Many writers that I know may take up to nearly one-third of their time, crafting the ideal headline.
If the searcher is curious enough, they will absolutely click through. That’s when you know you have an excellent headline.
As a reminder, it is important that the content they click through to, satisfies the effort they made to click. We don’t want to disappoint them by having them land on something that is poorly written.
- Does your headline read compelling?
- Does your headline build the reader’s curiosity?
- Does your headline touch on something “nostalgic?”
- Does your headline appear to be “relevant” to the audience you are targeting?
- Does your headline influence the reader to be asking a question?
- Does your headline hint that it will settle some debate?
- Does your headline help activate one of the readers natural 5 senses?
- Does your headline reflect a newsworthy angle (perhaps touching on a hot topic)
Of course, this is just a starting list to keep in mind while you are working.
Another thing you can do is really become observant of other publications and the Titles that they come up with. This can often trigger even newer or fresher angles for your consideration.
2. Keep in Mind That Many Readers Tend To Skim over articles.
- Are you making the main points of your message clear and easy to understand?
- Are you presenting your points in the most effective sequence or order?
- Are you streamlining your dialog and breaking it up into easy to digest paragraphs?
- Are you making effective use of Sub Headers?
Remember that the reason people skim over articles, is usually to save their time. What this means is those sub headers can be very important and influential.
3. Content Is Comprised Of A Proper Balance Between Text, Graphics and the all important white space.
Very few people will read a long post that consists of nothing but a huge block text. White space is your friend and gives the reader room to breath. One study I recall said that the ideal mix between text and graphics, is about one image for every 300 words. Of course this may vary and also may take into account what type of content you are writing.
- Is it emotionally compelling content?
- Is it inspirational type content that leaves the reader inspired?
- Is it content that is filled with interesting statistical facts?
It totally depends on your topic and your niche, but you probably won’t want to exceed more than one image every 100 words in any case. So try and stick to somewhere in-between.
4. It Is Smart To Ask Yourself, “what does my content add of value” to the enormous volume of content already existing out there?
Your new content needs to be just a little better, a little bit more helpful or a little more useful in at least one significant way. If you can, you ideally want your content to deliver just a little bit more richness, more value in at least one way and ideally in more than one way.
Ask yourself if your article is:
- Easier to understand for the typical searching reader?
- Formatted as well or better than average?
- Has addressed any additional angles that a competitor may have missed?
If possible, take the time you need to improve it, add more value in as many ways as you can. This extra effort will help readers see it is something special that should be paid attention to. It will help your work become more recognized and your name brand to become more synonymous with quality.
5. Give Each Article A Minimum Resting Of At Least 48 Hours Before Publishing.
This is a real big tip and one of the very best things you can include in your priority checklist. This is the time to give your work the once over and to eliminate or trim out any fluff. A good writer can say some powerful things using only just a few words.
The other aspect is that in a 48-hour hold, it is amazing how many times you will come up with additional, value added material, even fresh ideas or re-workings to improve your final article before publication.
Always allow at least 48 hours hold and review time. You’ll be glad you did.
In Summary:
Creating above average content is not simple. Creating excellent content each and every time is even harder work. But if you take care to review some of these tips while writing your new content, you be on your way to consistently improving the quality of your posts and articles.
