The First 5 Steps To Improving Your Digital Content
If you’ve spent any amount of time in the search engine optimization industry then you’ve heard the phrase “content is king.” Users are demanding higher quality content and search engines are adjusting their algorithms to deliver up the best of the best. As a result, businesses now have to put even more emphasis on high quality digital content, but few know where to start. The team at Power Digital Marketing agency San Diego stresses that a good foundation is the key to creating high quality digital content. There are a few essential steps to follow if you want users to discover and read your content.
Step 1. Create Unique Content That Offers Value
What value does your digital content provide? For example, this article is providing step-by-step instructions on how to create a good foundation for great digital content. Each page should have a purpose. It can explain services, provide comparables or be a how-to. Know the purpose of the digital content you’re writing and consider how you can bring value to the reader. Good digital content is also unique. Plagiarism won’t get you very far online. And if a topic has been covered repeatedly you’re less likely to attract readers. Common topics can be used, but find a unique angle that hasn’t been explored yet.
Step 2. Good Descriptive Title With A Hook
The only thing you can guarantee a user will read is the title. The title is like the cover of a book, most users are going to gauge whether they want to read more based on that alone. A great title is one that is descriptive and has a hook. The hook is something that grabs the user’s attention and makes the title stand out. It’s important that your title is reflective of what’s actually on the page. If not, users will bounce right back to the search results and have a less favorable opinion of your site for wasting their precious time. There are two page titles to consider: the H1 (main title) on the web page and the meta title that shows up in the search engines. For some pages, it’s fine to use the same title for both, but there are length limitations to the meta title.
Step 3. Scannable Formatting
Online users don’t read pages word-for-word like they would a book. They scan for key elements before deciding to read, which may sometimes be just a chunk of the whole. There is a famous study from the Nielsen Norman Group in which they used eye scanning technology to discover the majority of users (79%) scan pages in an F pattern. The group identified a few trends in regards to what made a page easy for users to scan and find the information they need. The research suggests you do the following when formatting the page:
- – Links can be used as a highlighter that draws attention.
- – Color and bolding can also draw the eye of online readers.
- – Use bullet lists whenever possible.
- – Add a meaningful sub-title to each section.
- – Start with a summation of the conclusion, then break the information down.
- – Limit it to one idea per paragraph and keep paragraphs short.
Step 4. Works For Mobile Devices
At one time web owners only needed to worry about one type of screen and a few different browsers. Today there are hundreds of combinations, and you have to tailor content to the smaller screen size. In 2016 the tipping point was reached, and usage statistics showed that mobile devices were used more than desktop computers. In addition to the scannable format above, you also have to keep in mind how users read on mobile devices and what makes it more convenient. Some of the top features to include are:
- – Short pages so there’s less scrolling.
- – Larger font sizes so there’s less squinting.
- – Simple text so there’s less thinking.
When people are on their mobile devices, they’re more likely to be in a distracting environment or multitasking. The simpler and easier the content is to read, the more likely users are to actually read it.
Step 5. Add Imagery
Content is needed if you want to be found on Google, but sometimes that’s not what gets an online reader interested. Interesting imagery and rich media should accompany your text. If you aren’t the best wordsmith or simply don’t have time to produce high quality content while running a business, it may be time to interview a few digital marketing companies. As long as the company takes the time to understand your business and delivers as promised, the added value should be worth the investment.
