In this context, we are desperately looking for the simplest, most concise answer to the following key questions: Why is it so important to work hard to exceed our own content creation efforts on a daily basis? How do we make our writing stand out from the crowd? And most importantly, what are the secret tricks and tips that we could apply to craft eye-catchy, memorable content with a real substance? Let's find out.
Understanding the Challenges Posed by the Information Age
In 2015, we spend a lot of time filtering our sources of information. A century ago, some of the most well-read people were lucky to assimilate the info provided by 50 books during their entire lifetime. The continuous expansion of the Internet has changed the way in which we communicate and educate ourselves and has also increased our appetite for premium content. According to a recent study cited by The Telegraph, these days the average Joe has the ability and the opportunity to filter and assimilate a large amount of information representing the equivalent of no less than 174 newspapers of fresh data on a day-to-day basis. Our brains act like giant last-generation computers that help us avoid the unessential and scan, skim, memorize and revisit the things that interest us the most. In this context, it becomes obvious that modern readers have become increasingly selective and able to distinguish mediocre writing from the truly useful and engaging written masterpieces put at their disposal. This brings us to the next question on our list: what are the steps that we should take to revamp, beautify and individualize our writing?
10 Ways to Craft Strikingly Beautiful, High-Value Content
Wondering how you could add tiny hooks to your content pieces to make your audience read your written materials first thing in the morning, share them on social media platforms, provide feedback and land on your pages time after time? Here are a few pointers that you should factor in to enhance the practical and aesthetical value of your content without losing a wink of sleep.
- Unleash the Power of Quality Storytelling. A good copywriter knows everything about marketing tactics, conversions and sales and makes the most of his exceptional storytelling skills to promote any kind of concept, make it extremely desirable and encourage a certain action. We all love a good story. This is precisely why we read books, watch movies and enjoy the conversation that we get to have with an old friend whom we haven't seen in ages. Stories relax us and help us break the monotony. Stories lead to more stories and get people talking. Every single page that you create needs to be linked to another to add continuity to your story. In order to touch your readers' hearts and raise their interest and curiosity you should find the best way to:
- Introduce yourself and kindly invite your readers to sit down and enjoy the narrative ride
- Get your readers intrigued and build anticipation
- Present facts that your audience can actually relate to
- Rely on a unique approach that will individualize your writing style
- Stir up a mix of powerful emotions and explore your manipulative potential to stimulate your readers to respond to your subtle calls to action
According to Copyblogger, strategic storytelling can help you reach just about any marketing goal that may be on your mind at this point. You just have to figure out what your story really is and how you could wrap it beautifully and serve it to your public while it's still fresh, compelling and newsworthy.
- Create and Publish Shareable Images. High-impact, original images that evoke powerful emotions are a gold mine for copywriters looking for the easiest method to upgrade your content. We are all aware of the fact that a good picture is more meaningful than 1,000 words. What you may not know is that images boost recall 72 hours after a first exposure to web content. According to Brain Rules by John Medina, a relevant image can help you take your content from dull and unremarkable to memorable in a split second.
- Craft and Implement Attention-Grabbing 3D Pictures. If you are determined to give your website a quick, inexpensive facelift and turn your content pieces into beautiful masterpieces that your readers won't be able to ignore, consider adding a few well-chosen 3D images to your pages. According to boostblogtraffic, 3D images enable your prospects to visualize the elements that they could get by signing up, registering or making a purchase. In a world where your content is your only tie with potential buyers seeking products like the ones that you're selling, 3D photos are the bait that you need to boost your catches.
- Incorporate Infographics. We will let you in on a little secret: everybody loves infographics these days. As a matter of fact, as Search Engine Journal points out, the search volumes associated with these elements have witnessed an 800% growth over the last decade, proving that audiences have a huge appetite for neatly organized, information-rich, easy-to-read content. Infographics match this description and represent the handy visual aid that allows you to beautify, personalize and promote your content in the most effective manner, while also making it easier for your readers to assimilate the food for thought that you're providing.
- Use Behind-the-Scene Pictures to Add a Sense of Authenticity to Your Writing. Let's say that you've recently stumbled across some amazing facts that could constitute prime material for your next story. You write your content piece and get ready to publish it. But all the cool kids on your block will ask you: if you didn't post it on Facebook (Twitter, YouTube and any other popular social networking website), did it really happen? Assuming that you want to craft social media-ready content, what's the smartest move that you could make to achieve your goal? You can start by making sure that your writing is always accompanied by behind-the-scene pictures that enable you to make yourself (and your brand) recognizable, while building credibility and trust. While we're definitely not encouraging you to take a selfie every single time you're interviewing an industry expert for a new blog post, we can assure you that a photo of you working on your written masterpiece in a an appealing place (an elegant café or a picturesque, isolated beach) will help you connect with your readers and boost the aesthetic value of your writing.
- Add DIY Videos to Your Content Pieces. Following the same approach, don't hesitate to post videos that complement your written ideas and basically convey a very simple message: "I'm the author, I'm real, I'm here for you, my readers!" Whether you choose to record Skype interviews or combine text, images and music in simple programs such as Animoto to reach your audience, uncomplicated DIY videos will help you amplify your messages and boost their realness and overall power of seduction.
- Master the Golden, Unwritten Rules of Text Editing. Now that you know how to explore the tremendous power of popular visual aids to take your writing a step up, you may want to focus on the actual words that you use when putting pen to paper. Here are a few important text editing rules and guidelines that you should always apply to avoid the contagious yawning effect.
- Don't pad your writing with unnecessary filler words
- Stay away from weak verbs and adjectives that impact the pace and quality of your narrative (for instance, instead of using the construction "make it clearer", which lacks strength, you could replace it with the visceral verb "clarify", that makes the whole sentence become more concise and express more action.
- Make sure verbal colloquialisms and flabby phrases and constructions are not a part of your writing (for instance, don't write "Due to the fact that proofreading takes time, most writers skip this phase. Instead, write "Because proofreading takes time, most writers skip this phase.")
- Avoid additional embellishments that impact the readability of your text and add very little or no value whatsoever to your readers
- Pay attention to punctuation. At some point, you may realize that one missing or misplaced comma could impact the clarity (and quality) of your writing
- Rely on a Correct Journalistic Approach. Before actually focusing on the most suitable beautification techniques that you can employ to increase the attractiveness of your writing, make sure you've spent enough time tapping the substance of your content piece. In other words, according to Social Media Examiner, before turning your thoughts into words you must get your facts straight, conduct an in-depth research, learn how to earn trust, give credit to all your sources, apply the inverted pyramid pattern (most newsworthy facts at the top, background info and other details towards the bottom) and edit and proofread your texts.
- Use the Right Font to Beautify Your Content. Clearly, some of the best content pieces display a perfect balance between form and function. But what does the form actually involve? This concept basically refers to the mix of elements that influence the readability of your text, one way or another. From colors and fonts to layouts, all these factors are extremely important and should be carefully chosen to perfect your writing. You can choose from a wide range of free fonts. The key is to select the one matching your brand, products, vision, tone and approach. For instance, Amatic SC is a cool-looking hand-drawn font that would fit your artistic feel like a glove, reflecting your unconventional approach and original writing style. A Hubspot Blog post presents a list of some of the most effective fonts that you can use to beautify your writing; all you have to do is to embrace the one that makes more sense to you.
- Always Write with Your Readers in Mind. The truly beautiful content pieces are the ones that resonate with your audience. Beautiful writing is both catchy and appealing; it has a long shelf life and a high utilitarian value. Therefore, instead of pursuing more or less tangible aesthetic goals, focus on the practicality of your writing: Who are you writing for? What do your readers want to hear from you? How could your writing improve their daily lives and provide timely answers to their questions and concerns? Write with the your audience's needs, demands and expectations in mind and you will succeed in crafting high-value content that will be considered beautiful in all its aspects by your readers.
Our Perceptions Are Varied, But Being Useful Is Universal
Generally speaking, we all have a different perception of beauty, influenced by our personality, background, personal experiences and way of life. Nonetheless, when it comes to writing, we all share similar etalons to measure the attractiveness and usability of a content piece and we won't settle for anything less than stellar content that informs, educates and entertains at the same time. By ditching useless adornments, using clear everyday language and a tone adapted to your audience, perfecting your storytelling skills and making the most of a broad category of visual aids, you will succeed in individualizing and beautifying your writing style. In-depth research, creativity, a deeper understanding of your audience, an ounce of talent and a manipulative ability to play with different powerful emotions are the main ingredients that allow you to go beyond existing aesthetic canons and craft truly original, outstanding content that will always keep your readers coming back for more.
The post 10 Ways to Create Beautiful Content: Storytelling, Visuals & More appeared first on Express Writers.
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