by Sofi | Sep 28, 2018 | Other
Everyone has told you that great content is key for your brand’s online success. So you regularly post great content on all of your social media, your website, your blog, etc…now what? Having online content is not enough to build your brand; you also want to attract the attention of your audience in a way that generates click-throughs. Here are five tips on how to get more clicks on your content.
#1 Create Catchy Headlines
Whenever you are creating a headline, you want to make sure that it does two things: grabs attention and peaks interest to find out more. There’s an overwhelming amount of content online, so your headline has to first make someone scrolling stop in their tracks. Then, it has to make them want to follow through by clicking on the content. One good method of achieving this is to leverage the “curiosity gap.” Headlines that use the “curiosity gap” are specific enough to intrigue the reader but not so specific that they satisfy the reader’s curiosity.
#2 Promise Value
Have you ever seen something online and questioned why it mattered? Your audience is more likely to click on content when they know exactly what value the piece is offering them. Many advertising copywriters suggest using the phrase “how to” in your content to provide a specific direction and what to expect. Your content should speak for itself as to why your audience should pay attention. It should be simple and straightforward so there is less thinking involved and more clicking!
#3 Clearly Address Your Audience
Part of creating great content in the first place is having a clearly defined audience. Do not be afraid to directly shout them out to direct them to your content. This lets the reader know that this material is right for them, and they should continue paying attention. You can grab attention by stating who the content is for or asking the reader if they fit a certain profile, such as “Beginner’s Guide For Small Business Startups” or “Are You an Independent Writer Seeking Work?”
#4 Include Visuals
No matter what device or platform your audience is using, images and videos attract more attention than plain text. Social media posts should always include visuals whenever possible to draw attention and stand out amongst a flood of other posts. Blog posts can use visuals to help the reader immediately understand what they are about to read and engage them to continue. Websites should use visuals, whether images or graphics, to direct the viewer as to what actions they should take. Visuals provide cues for your audience that help generate clicks.
#5 Place Links at Beginning of Posts
Social media is a great place to promote links and generate click-through traffic to websites and blogs. Generally, more people click on links provided in social media posts that are placed a quarter way in from the start. Although placing links at the very end can be more convenient, it is proven that the positioning does not lead to as many interactions.
These five tips on how to get more clicks on your content can make your posts more valuable for your business. Always keep in mind who your audience is and what action you want them to take.
by Sofi | Sep 21, 2018 | Other
Writing good copy for your website is very important if you want to keep visitors interested in your business and products. The advertising pioneer Shirely Polykoff once said, “Copy is a direct conversation with the consumer.” So, it’s up to you to make the conversation enjoyable for your consumers.
If you want to start writing great web copy, try the following tips:
#1 Write clear and comprehensive content
First and foremost, the content you write on your website needs to be clear, to the point, and easy to understand. Also, you need to make sure you don’t have any grammar or punctuation mistakes. If your visitors don’t get what you’re saying, they will lose interest and leave your website.
#2 Be concise
When writing copy, try to use short words, short sentences, and short paragraphs because most people have short attention spans and avoid content that is too long to read. Make your content short and simple yet memorable.
#3 Make your content skimmable
To make your content skimmable, use informative headings, create numbered lists, bold important words and phrases, adjust font sizes, and use enough white space between paragraphs.
#4 Use active voice sentences
You should tend to use active voice sentences to provide a better experience for your readers. Active voice sentences are usually shorter, clearer, and more direct as opposed to passive voice sentences.
#5 Be positive
Positive words have a huge impact on people’s emotions, and they are more likely to remember them. This is why you should include as much positive language in your web copy as possible. There are times when negative language is appropriate as well, but you should be very careful of when and how you use it.
#6 Avoid using jargon
If you want your website to look professional you should avoid using jargon. If you use jargon, you risk getting misunderstood and some visitors might not take your website seriously. Instead of using jargon, stick to words that target your audience.
#7 Use storytelling
Build relationships with your customers and keep their attention by telling a good story. Honest and compelling storytelling will get your customers more interested in your business and products, and it will make you seem more credible and authentic in their eyes.
#8 Include visuals
To improve your audience experience on your website, enrich your content with different types of visuals whenever appropriate. You can include photos, videos, infographics, or any type of visual that will make your content more appealing and/or informative.
#9 Create CTAs
Having great web content is not enough if you want to convert your visitors into leads and customers. Encourage your visitors to take action on your website and move them down the sales funnel by creating a powerful call-to-action. Depending on your specific goals, you can create CTAs such as: Subscribe Now, Sing Up for Free, Download Brochure, etc.
#10 Include relevant sources
Back up your claims with relevant sources. For example, you can use statistics, articles, case studies, and other relevant sources to prove the information you share on your website is true.
#11 Proofread and edit
However confident you are that your web content is great, there is always a possibility that you made some mistakes. Therefore, always proofread your content to make sure everything is correct, and if necessary make some edits as well.
by Sofi | Sep 14, 2018 | Social Media Marketing
As one of the leading innovative social media platforms, Instagram released it’s newest feature over the summer: IGTV. This feature allows users to take longer videos in a vertical format suited for mobile devices with enhanced discoverability through channels. Instagram took advantage of the statistics revealing more people are watching digital videos than television, with mobile videos accounting for the majority of mobile data traffic. Using a simple and intuitive design fit for your mobile device, anyone can create content on IGTV. So, how can you utilize IGTV for your business? Check out these tips.
#1 Build stronger connections with customers
Use these longer and more permanent videos for deeper storytelling behind your business. IGTV allows for videos up to an hour long, and it stores them on your personal channel. This can be used to a brand’s advantage by showcasing other dimensions of your business without being limited to one type of content, length, or format. Sharing stories that resonate with your customers will build a stronger relationship between them and your brand. Meaningful connections that show the human side of your business are longer lasting.
#2 Create a better mobile experience
With 800 million users, it’s important to cater to the mobile Instagram user in a way that best suits their mobile experience. One of IGTV’s biggest boasts is the vertical format that perfectly fits mobile screens. Do not repurpose and upload old horizontal videos. Instead, start fresh and take your time creating new content that embraces the vertical format. Online audiences are more in touch with amateur videography than that of professionals. Vertical videos feel more personal, less produced, and are therefore more appealing to your audience.
#3 Know when to post
The general social media tip of knowing what times are best to post to reach your audience still applies. Instagram is currently giving IGTV priority by adding notifications for new videos, so users scrolling through their feed will instantly know when you upload content. This makes posting when your users are most likely using the app very important. Now is the time to take advantage of this new feature’s extra promotion. Be one of the first to step out and use IGTV! Consumers will remember that.
These tips will help you take advantage of IGTV as a feature. However, you might be wondering what kind of content will help you grow your business on IGTV. Check out these video content ideas.
#1 Frequently Asked Questions
Do your current and prospective customers continually ask the same questions on your posts, website, by email, and by phone? You can film a weekly Q&A answering all of the frequently asked questions you collect. This provides your customers with important information with a personal touch that can build their relationship with your brand. With some luck, you can save customer service time as well!
#2 Behind the Scenes
Everyone feels more connected to a brand when they can see what happens behind the scenes. You want your audience to respect your work and feel loyal to your brand. Bringing them behind the scenes, even digitally, makes people feel included. Customers want to see the real you, and using IGTV provides a more authentic approach.
#3 Product Reviews
Most likely, your Instagram followers follow you because they are already interested in your product. IGTV is a great way to give more in-depth product reviews that are visually appealing and personal. Tag other accounts that are relevant or included in your product reviews to make them aware of your content to increase reach.
