Coming up with new content is challenging. It seems like everything there is to say has already been said, but you do have one advantage: nobody else has the exact same experiences as you.
Even if a topic's been hashed out already, you can introduce your own perspective, opinions, advice and humor into the mix. There's even a simple formula that you can use to make sure that your content stands apart from the rising deluge saturating the web - write content that covers these key elements: practical value, entertainment, awe, and credibility.
PEAC content
A good way to remember this is to strive for the PEAC (peak) of great content whenever you create.
There's a lot of content out there that will hit one of these elements - for example, there are thousands of how-to articles that offer practical value to readers, but are not very entertaining to read. Or they'll offer practical value but not any indicator of credibility, causing readers to doubt the validity of the information. On the other end of the spectrum, you might come across content that's entertaining but offers no practical value.
Content that hits one element of PEAC content might earn a click and a quick read-through, but the odds of someone linking back to it are slim.
Ideally, you need your content to hit all four letters of PEAC content - at a minimum, you'll want to hit a combination of two. The more your content has to offer readers, the higher the chances of your content being shared will be.
How do I create PEAC content?
This is going to sound cliché, but it's worth reminding ourselves: whenever you create content, put yourself in your audience's position and think, 'is this content that they will like?' 'Is this content that I would share on my own social media profiles?' 'Is this content that I would share with my friends?'
Face it, if you don't find your own content entertaining, why would anyone else?
PEAC content doesn't require a big budget, but it does require planning and work. Take, for example, this article that Venngage published on their blog on how to create the perfect Pinterest infographic. They compiled their own primary research and interpreted it, using graphs and charts to visualize the data.
Pinterest is a topic that many people find entertaining, and the visuals make the post interesting for readers; the numbers are awe-inspiring (who would have guessed that serif fonts were the most popular for infographics?); the numbers also enforce credibility, as they back up the interpretations in the article; and the article offers practical value to readers, as they can then follow the formula to create a successful infographic for Pinterest.
The result is content that garners many shares and multiple backlinks because it becomes a source for people to reference again and again. Not only does creating PEAC content show that you put the thought and effort into it to deserve people's attention, but it also establishes you as an authority on the topic. Striving to achieve PEAC content, every time, will enable you to achieve content excellence.
Here is an infographic summarizing what makes for PEAC content.