The short answer – the way we should always write content; answer the intent, have a point, be clear, be succinct, and add a little character.
Here’s 5 Tips for Better Content in 2019
1. Answer the Intent
Write for your reader. They got to your page mostly because they had a question or some specific reason. Answer the reader. Satisfy their intent for visiting the page. Even if Google and SEO did not exist, this is just good practice.
Google, a-la Mel Gibson in What Women Want, is sharpening its tools to figure out what their searchers want and then finding the best possible options for them.
Get feedback
When you write a blog or any page, have someone read it. Ask them what they got out of it. They should be able to repeat the main idea. If they don’t know what it is or giving you something else, then that’s great feedback. Rewrite, simplify, clarify, and retest.
2. Have a Point
This ties in with answering the intent. Have a point. Blogs appear to be the easiest here but product pages also should have a point. What does it do? Don’t be vague. Clearly explain and clearly direct.
Since I’m writing this a week before Thanksgiving (even if I weren’t), it is ALWAYS appropriate to share this pure gold of a scene from one of my favourite movies.
3. Be Clear
Jargon is okay. Sometimes, the people you write for might prefer cliche jargon like “…with the proliferation of…”. That might be unavoidable. B2B is tough. There is no more B2B. We write for humans. A person, a thinking, feeling, person is reading. Try to be clear in the points we make. It’s better to be clear than cute. I heard someone say, and in most case, there’s truth to that.
4. Be Succinct
The worn out phrase “If I had more time I would have written less” applies all day every day and all the time. Write, get feedback. Rewrite and remove fluff. Fluff is just the writer being selfish without thinking about what the reader wants and needs or is even interested in.
5. Have a Tone and Voice
Most B2B websites should just use tumbleweed as featured images. The tone is so grey and stripped of all character. It’s okay to add tone and voice. Communicate with your reader. Influence a smile, influence emotional reactions. Write with a voice; a character.
Tell a story. Tell a really good story. Stories unite us, they move us. Stories are age-old traditions and they touch upon something primal.
Good luck and have fun. On a related note, you might want to read up about how to make your content algorithm proof. Meaning how do you stay unaffected (negatively, at least) by any algorithm update.