Back
in the good old days when blogging first started all you needed to do was WRITE
great content and you were set. These days however the web has come a long way,
making it simple for bloggers to create dynamic content that can grab a users
imagination both on-site and off-site.
Whether
you’re writing a political blog, a blog about technology or managing a site
about healthy eating these five types of content can help better engage your
audience while providing more ways to reach new followers.
1.
HD Video
I
recently purchased a new HD (1080P) camcorder from Samsung for $250 and it’s
the best investment I’ve made in years. These days readers want to put a face
with content and if possible they want to see example for what you write about
(sweeping landscapes for a travel blog, tech reviews for a technology website,
etc). HD video allows users to become even more engaged since they are likely
to watch your videos in full screen mode which means they are giving you their
full attention.
A
word for the wise, don’t simply write “watch my review of this product” instead
give a full write-up on the page where your video is being shown, this
increases time-on-site, helps your page get indexed and gives users who can’t
watch a video at the time reason to stay on your site and read the written part
of your content. If your written content is really good that user might go back
and watch your video when they can.
2.
Podcasts
I
can’t possibly stress the importance of podcasts for developing a rabid
following. While some users will sit in front of their computer to listen to
what you have to say podcasts really shine when a user must walk away. I have
numerous friends who actually listen to audio clips from their favorite
websites when they drive.
While
Podcasts are great for on-site listening they also get users engaged off-site
which can in turn make your property more attractive to advertisers.
A
quick tip with podcasts, make sure to always tie some of your conversation back
to the website. For example you might say “I wrote a nice piece about
co-blogging on the site yesterday.” This ensures that your listeners convert
back into readers by leaving something to desire for at a later time.
3.
Infographics
I
hate telling writers to jump on the bandwagon but
readers love love love infographics. First this is really easy content to
create, simply read the infographic and write about it. I typically give the
main gist of the infographic then display it. I also find that using
[Infographic] at the end of the title is the best way to attract attention to
the fact that this isn’t your regular post.
Infographics
are nice because a lot of web readers like to absorb information quickly and in
a visual manner and infographics allow that to happen.
Helpful
tip: Create your own infographics with useful information and other sites will
grab the graphic from your website, share it on their own and provide a link
back to your website. There are literally companies that will sell you
exclusive rights to infographics that match your industry and then help you get
it displayed on many websites with link-backs.
4.
Slideshows
You
may have noticed lately that a lot of blogs and general websites have added
photo and video slidehows to their pages. This type of content is nice because
it forces the user to interact (typically with back/forth arrows or play/pause
buttons). Slideshows are also nice because they come off as professional. When
I think of a slideshow I think of a well thought out business presentation.
Slideshows
are also nice because they can let you determine the “flow” of your content by
pushing users in a certain direction while they think “what’s next.”
A
well thought out Slideshow allows you to direct your content and because it
takes time to interact with it allows for longer “time on site” statistics
which advertisers love.
5.
PDF & Other Document Downloads
I
know a lot of users who find it silly that some websites still offer PDF and
other document types for the content they create. I personally find this type
of content however to be some of the most engaging. A user who is willing to
print out a webpage is probably an engaged user who will print and share your
posts with others. For example an inspiration post may be handed out at a
meeting which in turn will lead to more readers. With documents I suggest you
make sure your website’s URL is printed somewhere on each page.
PDF
and other documents don’t necessarily need to be based on the content on the
site, you could be providing a free e-book in PDF form or offering supplemental
directions for a how-to-article you just wrote. The trick is to make the
downloadable content engaging and something users don’t just need to read once
to fully comprehend.
Those
are just a few tips on content creation. The trick to remember is that your
users want to be engaged immediately, conveniently and if possible once they
leave your website, you just have to give them those options.
