Experienced writers wants to do their best to create quality content, whether they are creating a blog or some other kind of web content. A blog needs to do more than just provide information; it needs to truly be a content asset and provide something both the potential reader and the customer can expand on in order to help them move their business forward.
Use Video
In order to keep up with all the new directions in which businesses are going, even the most experienced writer needs to look beyond the written word in order to produce the type of quality content that businesses are looking for. Incorporating video and other multimedia into a blog is one excellent way to accomplish this and make for an even more valuable content asset. One of the things that draws people to the Internet is its interactive nature. People don’t just want to read a blog; they need to experience it. An experienced writer that can put forth quality content that allows people to participate actively will be able to keep their edge over content that is simply made of words.
Remember the Community
In the same vein, a question-and-answer or open forum is another way bloggers can engage an audience. The Internet has produced thousands of little communities all over cyberspace. If neglected, many of these communities become ghost towns, but when properly nutured they can spark virtual billion-dollar metropolises. One of the greatest content assets any company with a website can use is its own community, and any community is game, whether the goal is to fix a carborator or get a newborn to sleep through the night. Even people who never type a response in a comment box will have opinions that they will articulate—even if only in their own minds. Once you get people thinking, it is only a matter of time before they start buying.
Star Power
Is somebody who is somebody using your product or service? Don’t let that detail go unnoticed. Whether we like to admit it or not, we are obsessed with the habits of celebrities although many of their activities really aren’t all that extraordinary. We like to see famous people being normal like the rest of us, using products that are not out of reach for commoners. In the mind of the consumer, there is a connection to something better. This may or may not be true, but in at least some small way, connecting with a star makes many people feel like they are special too, and those who feel special often come back for more. Any niche celebrities (or local celebrities, depending on the market) that could do a guest interview (even in video!) would be an excellent asset both for promotional and for reader goals.
Be a Quiz Master
Another tactic bloggers can use is to put their readers to the test, literally. Once again this goes back to the interactive nature of the Internet as well as people’s general nature to prefer to feel intelligent. By developing quizzes and tests that will allow potential consumers to display their knowledge, you engage your audience, allow them to feel more involved and at the same time acquire information that can be used for future marketing endeavors. It’s a win-win for all.
Gretchen B. is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments. WriterAccess is powered by ideaLaunch
