Content is the meat of any website, but there is more than one prize in that box. All types of content can work with any website, but having a good mix will make it rich and much more interesting.
Most people focus on creating articles, or having writing services do it for them, and some advocate long-form articles for better ranking, but not everybody likes to read all that much. Other types of content that uses the written word sparingly are:
- Charts and graphs
- Tables
- Photos
- illustrations
- Infographics
- Maps
- Memes
- Slides
- Timelines
- Videos
Visual content is particularly effective because it transcends language barriers. It also helps to break up long-form articles into manageable pieces. However, it is still better to include copy to give it more clarity. Here are some strategies to create great copy for any type of content.
Focus on one idea
Most visual content has a much better impact when you put in a funny caption or additional information that drives in the same idea. Keep your content on point and it will help your message immeasurably.
Highlight the most important points
If you have a video or infographic that discusses several interesting points. It would be helpful to provide a summary of these points. It will also help your website to rank well when you use important keywords.
Keep the content as short as possible
The main purpose of using visuals and videos in your content is to break up a long article. You want your copy to be short and to the point. Ten words or so should do the trick.
Use phrases
You should consider using phrases when appropriate, and never mind grammar rules. The thing is to bring your point across, and broken sentences such as “No kidding” or “The best ever” are perfectly acceptable in some situations. Sound bites or quotes from famous people or characters can also work very well if used judiciously.
Use technical information and statistics for comparisons
People tend to remember numbers used in context. For example, if you want to emphasize how well a material performs, you could say that “anodized aluminum is 23% more flexible than stainless steel” or something like that.
Tell stories
Images and videos can tell a story without words, but well-placed text can help tell the story better. Timelines are particularly good for telling stories, but keep the descriptions short. You can also use product reviews, which tell personal stories.
Provide solutions
People like facts when they can relate it to their own lives. You can use this to your advantage by presenting your copy to provide solutions to common problems of your target readers.
Overcome objections
The purpose of a website is to convert, and not necessarily for sales. You can convert your readers to your way of thinking, or get them to agree with your point by using effective copy. Anticipate what objections your potential reader may have and overcome them one at a time.
Use power words
Copy for any kind of content should resonate with your audience, so you have to choose your words carefully. Pay special attention to using power words. These are words that make it easier for the reader to believe that your content is especially for them. This includes words like you, your, and imagine.
These are just very general descriptions of how to create great copy, but they work very well. Check out your favorite websites and see them in action. It takes quite a bit of practice to get the hang of it, but with practice, and a little help from professional editors, you should do just fine.
