While anyone can create content, the key is creating engaging content that helps your brand achieve your goals on social media and beyond.
Engaging content is all about getting results, such as:
- Click-throughs to your website
- Overall increase in website traffic
- Social media mentions, likes, comments and/or shares
- Opt-ins
- Conversions
- Sales
Ask yourself what you want your target audience to do when they consume your content. The extra effort to put out great (rather than just good) content is worth it.
The following are 10 tips for creating engaging content that will drive results for your brand.
Strive for originality
Easier said than done, right? Keep in mind that even though someone else could be talking about the same thing or using a similar image, but it’s all about your unique voice and spin.
Consider leveraging your personal experiences or even customer experiences, depending on what makes sense for your brand. Those are truly unique to you and your brand.
And lean on what makes your brand itself original. Not sure what that is? Check out our nine tips that can be considered a branding walk-through.
Think actionable
When engaging content translates into results, what action do you want your audience to take?
Consider your goals.
For example, let’s say that you want to promote a new product you’re launching. A salesy blog about the product probably won’t do the trick. Instead, think about creating an “unboxing” video, formatted differently for each social media platform, that can generate interest with a call to action directing consumers to your website to find out more (or offering a discount code to save on purchasing) is a more engaging way to go.
Of course, there is not a one-size-fits-all single piece of content (no matter how engaging) that will work. Think of every piece of content as simply a drop in the bucket that you can keep adding to in different ways with different angles.
But always keep the point of your content in mind. Draw their attention in and show them the next step that you want them to take. Just keep it simple.
Use (accurate) data
Numbers and statistics can be incredibly engaging in your content. An interesting fact (whether stataed or visually displayed) can catch internet users’ attention. But make sure that whatever data you’re using is accurate and up to date.
Anyone can post anything on the internet essentially. So, double check that you’re pulling your data from a trustworthy source.
Then, use relevant statistics wherever it makes sense to do so. What you use can easily inspire an infographic or a topic for a Facebook or Instagram Live conversation.
Explore storytelling opportunities
While numbers are great, stories are even more compelling.
Storytelling can help you connect with your target audience and boost your authority on a topic, depending.
Be sure to speak or write in a way that’s relatable to your audience, maintaining a conversational tone. Depending on the nature of the story, you want to spur emotions, such as joy or sadness.
Consider a fitness blog. Would you as a consumer want to know the fitness trainer’s list of certifications, or the backstory that inspired that person to get certified in the first place? The two are not exclusive. It’s just about the angle that the content creator takes to engage you. The list of certifications is not going to engage you, but that story might (and you can still see the list, too).
Think about real-time engaging content
The more you know and understand your target audience, the easier it is to identify their interests and plan your content accordingly. Consider asking:
- What events are they interested in?
- Which television shows or movies are they watching?
- What holidays are significant?
- Are there any special times of year for them (such as summer vacations, tax season or school exam periods)?
Creating content around and related to these real-time events and interests will be that much more engaging for your audience.
Provoke thought
Simply put, you want to make your audience think. Many topics that are related to your industry and brand might fall into a gray zone, where opinions reighn supreme. The idea is to ask the right open-ended questions in your engaging content to spark discussion.
For example, a baby supplies brand could ask its audience what the top tip is that every new mom should know. This can be presented a simple graphically designed image post on a social media platform with the goal of a robust comment thread.
Explore humor
Humor is an excellent way to engage with your audience. Making people laugh forms a stronger bond with your brand.
This can involve sharing a meme, celebrating an unusual holiday or just asking silly questions. Just make sure that what you think is funny is actually funny and not inappropriate, confusing or even offensive.
Humor can definitely go wrong, so tread carefully and stay true to your brand. Check out whether humor is right for your digital marketing.
Involve your followers
About 85 percent of consumers think that visual user-generated content (UGC) is more persuasive than branded photos or videos.
UGC is unpaid or unsponsored social media posts that consumers share about a product or service. Essentially, it’s content created by your audience that you then are resharing with that audience. Not only is it engaging, but it takes some of the burden off of you to create every piece of content from scratch.
Check out our 10 tips to encourage more user-generated content.
Visuals are a must
In this era of digital marketing, your visuals are everything. Images and especially videos are the most engaging types of content online.
Half of social media users prefer video over other types of content, and users share video content with others twice as much as any other type of content.
Take and use original photos as much as you can, and embrace video. Just keep in mind that a vast majority of videos (particularly on Facebook) are watched without sound.
Consider the 10 types of videos you can use in your digital marketing, and check out these video-editing apps that you should know about.
And when photos or videos aren’t an option, consider infographics and other graphic images that you can use. We found these 11 free graphic design tools for the non-designer.
Plus, the right visuals can even increase your email conversions.
Mix up your content
Hold yourself accountable for keeping a fresh mix of content publishing from your brand. The same thing over and over is going to lose your audience’s interest and lose engagement.
Mix in videos with blog shares, polls with photo galleries, whatever makes sense for your brand.
A content calendar can help you stay organized with all your planning and ensure that you’re not overlooking the overall mix of your content. Check out our eight tips to create an effective content calendar.
In conclusion
Creating engaging content takes work, but that work is worth it. Remember your goals every time you plan and execute a new piece of content. Make sure that you’re not just sticking with “good” content but that you’re striving for “great” content.
See our seven tips to level up your content marketing.
As you create more and more engaging content, consider optimizing your digital marketing process, such as automation, audience segmentation and enhanced email marketing capabilities, to name a few. DailyStory can help. Schedule your free demo with us today.
