Creating engaging content online can be a commitment, but it can really start the cash flowing if you do it correctly. You’ll constantly be creating content for your blogs, for email autoresponders, for social networking posts, info products, free reports and more.
Everyone has a different set of skills they possess in how they communicate, but regardless of which one you feel you’ve mastered, you should always mix things up and provide a variety of formats for your audience.
You may find that your readers love it when you stray from your normal routine, such as sending them a video when they’re used to getting text from you (or vice versa). Multimedia formats don’t have to be complicated, expensive endeavors – there’s an easy way to use this approach for your audience.
Creating Engaging Content with Text-Based Information
When you’re using written content to convey your message to your target audience, it’s important that you understand whether or not you have a true talent for writing. Some people simply don’t have the skill to communicate well with written text.
There’s no shame in that. The key is to be honest with yourself and know whether or not written information is something that you need to either outsource to another party or improve your skills with.
There are many marketers who outsource their content to freelance ghostwriters. This frees them up to handle other areas of their business. You can find freelance ghostwriters directly on their websites using a search engine, or on a site like Upwork or Fiverr.
On Upwork, ghostwriters will be bidding on your project and you can evaluate their talent in their portfolios. On Fiverr, each of the freelance writers has their own profile that outlines the details of working with them.
They will charge by the word and you can often see some of the examples of their previous writing. Before you hire someone, you can (and should) communicate with them directly and iron out the details of the work.
If you’re using text-based information, you want to create a unique slant. Many marketers worry that most information itself is stale and has already been done before. As long as you are offering a new take on the same old data, even merging two ideas together, it will serve as an interesting piece to your readers.
Don’t simply go to someone else’s website, copy their content and then rewrite it. This is a form of plagiarism that many marketers engage in that should always be avoided. Instead, take time to educate yourself about a topic and then write everything from scratch.
Make sure you’re writing in a conversational way, but not using slang that makes it even more difficult to read. You don’t want to be so stuffy that it feels like the reader is having to pour over a college dissertation or scientific journal.
A good way to get a feel for the kind of writing you should be doing is to read consumer magazines. Some people worry about the length of their content, but you should only write as much as the reader needs to understand the topic.
You want to avoid using fluff and filler in your writing. This is obvious to the reader and makes your content boring. Your text-based content should be information that is well researched and you should be sharing your take on the subject matter – never be afraid to voice your opinion. Your readers WANT your opinion, so give it to them.
You also want to polish your content before releasing it to your readers. You can do this by either hiring an editor to go over your content, or using sites like Grammarly to ensure you don’t have any glaring mistakes. If a customer brings it to your attention that there is a typo or error, simply thank them, correct the mistake, and upload a new file.
Adding Images to Enhance Your Message
If you’re a marketer using text, then you’ll also want to enlist the help of images to break up your content and keep the reader engaged. You don’t have to be a graphic designer in order to utilize images in your written content.
There are many ways to add images to your text or even to be shared on social media without additional text. You’ll want to add images to the posts you make on social networking sites like Facebook.
This helps them show up better in someone’s stream – it stands out. You can use them within your blog posts, so that they not only break up the text, but so the image also shows up whenever someone shares your blog post on social media.
Images can also be used within the body of your emails. So if you are promoting a product to your subscribers, you can include a picture of the product within the body of your email and even hyperlink the image.
Another way to use images is to break up the bulk of the content within your info products and reports that you give or sell to your audience. Where do you find images to use in your online marketing efforts?
The first place many marketers go is to stock sites that have a wide variety of niche images. There are free stock sites like Pixabay that you can use where you don’t have to give attribution to the creator of the image in most cases.
Always check the rules before using it. There are also paid stock sites that have a wider variety of better images that you can use in your online marketing efforts. Sometimes, you can find bulk sales of image packs.
Another way to secure images to use in your marketing is to take your own photos. If photography is not your strength, you may want to have someone take them for you or use an app that can help you spiff up the images for your marketing efforts.
If you’re in a niche where you’re showing someone how to do something online, then you may want to take screenshots and walk them through the process. You can embed these images into your report so that as they’re reading your instructions, they can see what you’re talking about.
Whenever you use images, you can also use tools that will allow you to add branding to them where you showcase your URL at the bottom of the image. You can also add quotes to the image that will motivate, inspire or inform your reader. There are free and paid tools that can do this, such as Canva.
Making Videos When You’re Nervous to Be on Camera
Many marketers avoid using video as part of their content approach because they don’t like to be on camera. Some people (like myself) are simply introverts that don’t feel comfortable on camera.
There are others who genuinely feel as if they’re not pretty or handsome enough to compete with other niche marketers. Some even cite their age as the reason they won’t go online and put themselves on camera.
And of course, there are valid privacy reasons for many marketers to avoid making videos. The great thing about video marketing is that there are different ways to approach it so that you don’t have to worry about putting yourself on screen.
You can screen capture your computer and record something like a PowerPoint presentation as you speak. This would be perfect for someone who wants to approached their niche under a pen name and keep their real identity a secret.
You don’t need any fancy equipment to create videos for your online marketing efforts. True, there are some people who have complete studios with green screens, lighting and top-of-the-line equipment.
But all you really need is nothing more than a smart phone and a clean space to record your videos. If you want to use screen capturing software, you might look at my favorite solution, Screen-Cast-O-Matic. They have a desktop based solution as well as an app for smartphones.
If you do try recording videos for your online marketing, try to do it without reading from a script. While it is tempting, since you don’t want to mess up your speech and have to start all over, reading from a script makes your recording seem stiff and unnatural. You want it to seem very casual like they’re listening to and watching a friend. Instead of using a script to read, give yourself nothing more than a set of talking points.
These will be plenty to guide you through your thoughts and allow you to have a casual conversation with your viewer. These should be simple words or phrases to jog your memory and remind you of what you need to talk about.
Whenever you record a new video for your niche, you want to include a viable call to action at the end. Make sure that you encourage your viewers to share, like, subscribe, and comment. This type of engagement isn’t automatic, but when you prompt them to do it, they will often take action.
If you’re serious about turning your videos into income, enlist the help of someone who is already earning their living with video and affiliate marketing. Here’s one such person you can trust.
In closing…
To be successful with content based marketing, you need to use a variety of formats and mix it up occasionally. Try to incorporate images and videos along with your text based work. You can do it in your blogs, your social media and your emails. Your audience will appreciate it and you’ll be able to better monetize your efforts.