Creating content for marketing campaigns
How to create content that is valuable to your audience, including getting the headline right and using evergreen and topical content.
To create quality content for your audience, you should base your decisions on research and an analysis of past content. When you are starting out you should trial various content formats and topics so you can compare the results.
Aim to create content that is valuable to your audience. Generate content that is:
- informative
- entertaining
- accurate, where facts are included
- relevant
- original
- offering a solution to a problem
- thought provoking
Headlines
Getting your headlines right is important to grab your audience's attention and for search engine optimisation (SEO). Consider the following best practice:
- Make sure your headline is accurate and relevant to the content. The user should have a clear expectation of what the content will be.
- Use the right keywords. Consider the kind of language your audience will search for.
- Keep it interesting. The headline is your chance to draw your audience in. Make the value of the content clear and use emphatic language.
- Ensure your headline is concise - otherwise it will get cut off by search engines and social media platforms.
- Try using numbers in your headline. People enjoy reading list articles as they know they will get a quick summary of information.
Images
Images are a useful way to break up text-based content and to illustrate information. Consider using a combination of text and visual content such as photos, graphs, infographics and videos.
Topical vs evergreen content
Some content is topical and current, for example news articles, seasonal content, statistics or pieces about recent trends. This kind of content will be effective at the time of publishing and works well on social media.
However, 'evergreen content' will remain relevant and retain its value over time. This type of content may include how-to guides, templates, videos and top tips. With the right keywords, it can drive search engine traffic to your site in the long-term.
You should consider using a mix of topical and evergreen content as part of your content marketing strategy.