Ahh, quality.
This is a word that is used a lot, but it can be hard to define. If you are someone who wants to have a clear definition of this word, then you probably came to this page to learn more about what makes content high quality.
What Is the Mark of Quality Content?
The thing is, “quality content” is entirely subjective.
But there are a few objective and scientifically proven traits that make quality content, well, “quality.” Here are some tips on how to make your content full of quality:
1. Credibility
If this book were instead about dogs that dug deep-dish pizza, it would be a great book. However, the author’s credibility would be called into question because they are a cat lover who is allergic to pizza.
This example demonstrates that it is important for your content to be credible. Credibility does not have a “tell” or an obvious sign that it is credible. It is up to the readers to decide if they believe the content is credible. The best way to make sure your content is credible is to do research.
Here are some ways to make sure your credibility is on point:
- Writer. It’s the writer’s job to keep the content honest, real and relevant.
- Tone. This means a balance between serious information and voice. Let’s be honest: Most online content is way too serious. Whether your natural “writer” voice is funny, frank or motivating, you should use it freely when you write. Your voice adds authenticity, which easily translates to credibility.
- Subject matter. Make your content meaningful to your readers. Always offer value in a clear way. Whether you’re giving career advice or supporting a controversial viewpoint about cats (who eat pizza), you need to come across as an “expert” about your subject matter without sounding condescending.
- Unique perspective. If you’re rehashing the same material as everyone else in your industry, your content may not be perceived as “quality” because nothing sets you apart. Instead, infuse your content with your personal or professional perspective. When you integrate your personal experiences with your professional perspective, you can create content gold.
2. Virtuosity
Virtuosity is when someone has an appreciation for something that is considered to be a work of art. So in other words, it has nothing to do with the content.
Well, like art, content creates conversation and connections, both of which lead to business. And since I believe that marketing your business is an art form, virtuosity is the path to connect.
Some ways to determine if your content has virtuosity:
- Design. Your content should live on a website that has a simple, stunning design. High-quality images (that you create yourself) always help too. You don’t always need flashy colors (or God forbid, flash) to make your web design stand out. You just need simplicity. Let your words be the focus of your site.
- Grammar. Grammar is a staple of quality content. Just keep in mind that some of the best writers follow in the footsteps of Pablo Picasso, who encouraged learning the rules like a pro, “so you can break them like an artist.” You don’t always have to worry about misplaced commas when writing for readers of the web – but please, please avoid lazy, purposeless typos.
- Story. If design is the heart of quality content and grammar is the mind, then stories are the soul. Just like a good movie or book, stories reveal the invisible lines that tie your content’s purpose together. Regardless of content format, be clear about your story before you write a single word, or design a color palette.
3. Engagement
Put your hand up if you like engagement. Now, keep your hand up if you raised it the first time.
If you just raised your hand, we’re engaged in the sense of getting to know one another.
I’ll just leave a {hashtag/engagement} right here.
Engagement is key to creating quality content because it provides context. Without engagement, a piece of content is just a piece of content. With engagement, however, that piece of content becomes high quality and shareable.
Here are a few tips to engage with your audience on the most popular distribution platforms:
- Blog Content. You’re a whip-smart human, so you may already know this: One of the easiest ways to engage on your blog is to allow comments. This builds a two-way connection with your readers, where comments allow the writer to see the reader and vice versa. (Just make sure the writer of the article replies and interacts with the commenters).
- Facebook. Facebook is one of the noisiest platforms, so create a value plan before you publish anything. Don’t just post a link to an article. Rather, create context for everything you share. Make a bold statement or ask a question. Whatever you do, don’t push the “publish” button until you have clarity around your message, and you know what action you want to incite.
- Twitter. When sharing an article on Twitter, tag the author. If the article is relevant to certain influencers, tag them, too. This increases engagement and lets the author know that you’re reading and sharing his or her work.
- Instagram. Instagram has a whopping 300 million engaged users each month.To engage on this platform, you have to be selective about what you share. Only post high-quality images, and be sure to target your desired audience by utilizing hashtags and trending conversations.
- Pinterest. On Pinterest, each article that you create must have a beautiful image to go with it. Consider using a plug-in like the “Pinterest Pin It Button for Images,” which allows readers to pin your images onto one of their boards using a single click.
Now that we know the objective aspects of engaging content, we can work on the subjective aspects of “quality” content. By laying an objectively high-quality foundation, we can experiment and have fun, knowing that the quality will shine through.
Benefits of Content Marketing
1. Your audience will stick around longer.
Well-crafted content is a valuable asset. It can generate positive experiences for your potential customers, encouraging them to come back for more. Good content is your key to capturing your audience’s attention and continually reinforcing a positive brand impression.
2. You’ll have better traction on social media.
If you’re wondering how to increase your business’s social media following, consider using content marketing. Quality content can help you gain followers on social media.
HubSpot’s analytics software can help you see how well your content is performing.
3. Your audience will trust you.
Building a relationship with your audience is key to success. You can do this by creating content that is useful to them without expecting anything in return. This will make them more likely to trust your judgement and follow your recommendations.
If your content is relevant and timely, and reaches the right audience, it will improve your company’s reputation. The more quality content that potential customers see, the more likely they will have a positive association with your company.
4. You’ll generate more and better leads.
Content marketing not only has the ability to generate leads, but also increase sales. By creating content that your audience finds value in, they are more likely to purchase from you in the future. Additionally, if you include calls-to-actions (CTAs) in your content, it provides an opportunity for your sales team to generate new leads.
So, how can content generate leads?
According to Lindsay Kolowich, content is a great way to guide users to a landing page. This is because when you provide visitors with free, useful information, they are more likely to click on your call-to-action and move onto your landing page. You can place CTAs anywhere in your content, such as inline, bottom-of-post, in the hero, or even on the side panel.
5. Original content can improve conversions.
What you post online affects how many sales you make. If you post interesting and informative content, it will help potential customers get to know you and give them the information they need to make smart buying decisions.
If you’re looking to use your blog to bring in traffic, try using original graphics instead of stock photos. Marketers have reported that stock photos are the least effective method for meeting their goals.
Your content should always include a CTA (call to action) and guide your reader on what they should do next.
6. Your business will become more visible thanks to SEO.
The better your SEO efforts will be if you produce consistent, high-quality content.
Your content should help your business become visible online, build trust and authority with your audience, and rank higher in search engines.
7. Great content can position your company as an authority in your industry.
Publishing quality content will help build your business’s credibility online, which in turn will lead to higher search engine rankings.
Additionally, your customers will be more likely to trust you if they see you as an expert in your field. Your content should show off your expertise in your industry and provide answers to questions your audience may have.
How can you be successful at content marketing?
If you want to know how good your content is, one way to find out is to score it. Content scoring is a great way to measure the quality of your content.
Now that more businesses are increasing their content marketing budget, it’s a good time to start using content scoring metrics in your marketing campaign.
Content scoring allows you to track and improve your content marketing strategy and offer your audience more value.
8. Quality content can build brand awareness.
Content marketing can help build brand awareness in a unique way.
Surround Sound is a marketing strategy where you create content for each stage of the buyer’s journey.
This content strategy not only ranks your blog article on page one, but also makes your content and brand appear in many places where your potential customers are looking for your product.
One way to get customers to start associating your brand with great content is to write about topics that they are interested in.
9. You’ll cultivate loyal brand fans.
People who are fans of your brand and talk about your content are very likely to become advocates for your brand, even if they have never purchased your product.
Wait, what?
Brand fans can have a lot of influence on the buying decisions of their friends and family. One way that companies can make use of this is by content marketing.
I’m not looking for kids meal plans because I don’t have children, but I love the Kids Eat In Color blog and Instagram. I tell my friends and family with picky eaters to check it out.
10. You’ll save money on your marketing strategy.
Over the past ten years, content marketing has consistently been the most cost-effective marketing strategy, according to HubSpot.
The upfront cost for content may appear to be steep, and that is a valid point.
You could pay a freelance writer anywhere from $150-$3,000 per blog post, or you could hire a full-time staff writer to produce content for you regularly.
In the long term, content will be more successful than paid advertisements, video marketing, and traditional marketing, according to Frank from finance.
Start Creating Consistent Content
figuring out what works for your business in terms of content is one of the most important steps you can take for your marketing team. Take an audit of your current content to get a better idea of where you stand and what needs to be changed.
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