6 Ways to Make Your Content Stand Out in the Online World

If you can connect to a computer, you are a content creator; but not all posts are created equal. The perfectly snapped photos you’re putting on Instagram are likely far better than the odd, slightly incoherent status updates your mom is posting on Facebook. Whether you’re a teenager trying to gain likes, or a business trying to grow your base, now is the time to brush up on your content creation skills and make your content stand out.

According to a report by Technavio, the content marketing industry is expect to be worth over $412 billion by 2021. Over 3.2 billion people have access to the web, and a growing number are turning towards social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to connect with friends, family, and their favorite businesses. If you master digital content creation, they could connect with you too. 

UNDERSTAND YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

If you want to go viral, it’s important to understand your audience. According to Gizmodo, there are over 300 million photos uploaded to Facebook a day. Less than 1 percent of those go viral. To ensure your photos success, take some time to understand who you are posting that photo for. For example, if your followers are mostly moms, you’ll want to post content they are likely to share with their other mom friends. Kraft foods is one of the top Facebook pages followed by moms because of the tasty recipes and beautiful food pictures they share. Similarly, Huggies pulls in those new moms and grandmas by posting advice for when baby arrives. 

FORMAT YOUR BLOGS IN A READER-FRIENDLY WAY

If you’re going to put the time, energy, and money into starting a blog, make sure people aren’t going to click away at first glance.  It’s better to write short paragraphs than long, prolific blocks of text. When users arrive on your site, they are going to skim it before they dive deep into your writing. If readers are overwhelmed when they click on the page, they will click off and find a blog that simply looks better. Furthermore, separate each topic with a header, like the one you see above. That will help readers find the exact information they are looking for. 

Publish About Current Events/Trending Topics

When you’re creating content, make sure you’re keeping up to date on the latest trends. The hottest memes seem to change by the hour nowadays, so you need to keep up or you may end up looking like the old guy in the room. Consumers want to feel like your company cares about them. Posting engaging content about the latest trends in the world, or the latest viral memes, shows users you are on their same level. If you can do this effectively, you will be able to connect to your base, but it is a fine line. If you post about a topic too late, or use it in the incorrect format, you can quickly become a laughing stock online. 

DON’T IGNORE SPELLING AND GRAMMAR

Yes, even in today’s world of spell check and autocorrect, people still make ridiculous spelling and grammar mistakes. We’re out of the early 2000s, using shorthand “txt” speak isn’t cool anymore. Whether writing a blog online, posting on Twitter, or putting captioning on a video, make sure you are double-checking your work. It’s always best to have a second pair of eyes as well. Before blasting an email to your entire customer base, have a friend or colleague check your work. That extra step can save you from having a “covfefe” moment. 

FINDING THE PERFECT PHOTO

Thanks to smartphones, nearly everyone is now a photographer in some sense of the word. So when consuming content online, users have begun expecting to see a photo with every post. According to Social Media Strategist Jeff Bullas, people are 37 percent more likely to engage with your post if there is a photo. When choosing which photo to use, it really depends on the context of your work. If you’re writing a blog about cats, obviously find some cute photos about cats; but if you’re writing about the complex analysis of next quarter’s financial data, you might want to create your own photo, using Photoshop or a similar platform, that will engage your readers while breaking down the complicated subject matter. 

WHEN IN DOUBT, CITE YOUR SOURCES

This cannot be stressed enough. Cite. Your. Sources. You aren’t expected to be an expert on every subject you write about. It’s completely okay to borrow other people’s ideas or statistics, as long as you give them credit. When writing a blog, that may just mean linking to the original source of your information. Or, when on Twitter, include a link to the article you’re citing. If you tag that individual or organization, they may even retweet your original post, which will boost your engagements. 

What are your favorite tips to make content stand out online?

Thumbs up

Like this post?

Find out how Content Cucumber can write blogs like this for you.