(Editor’s note: This is the second installment in our Secret Recipe series. If you missed the first helping of our tips on content marketing greatness, click here.)

Main ingredient alert: We’ve reached the part in the Brandsplat Secret Recipe where we disclose a big, protein-dense tip on successful content marketing. It’s the one that has moved more than one client to accuse us of using slight of hand and other forms of magic to boost their website traffic and conversion rates. (Hey, we’re not above that; if your coven has any tips, please let us know.) But getting more visitors to your site isn’t magic — nor is getting them to offer up their email address for your newsletter or to engage with your company or brand on social media. [Read more…]

 

(Editor’s note: This is the second installment in our Secret Recipe series. If you missed the first helping of our tips on content marketing greatness, click here.)

Main ingredient alert: We’ve reached the part in the Brandsplat Secret Recipe where we disclose a big, protein-dense tip on successful content marketing. It’s the one that has moved more than one client to accuse us of using slight of hand and other forms of magic to boost their website traffic and conversion rates. (Hey, we’re not above that; if your coven has any tips, please let us know.) But getting more visitors to your site isn’t magic — nor is getting them to offer up their email address for your newsletter or to engage with your company or brand on social media.

In our first post, we listed several key ingredients to tasty content:

• Focus on benefits, not just features;

• Use the active voice;

• Use bulleted lists (see what we did there?); and

• Be brief.

And those are great tips. But this one’s even better:

Write to one audience member.

We know what you’re thinking: “What in the heck does that mean?” We mean you should write like you’re having a conversation — like you’re sitting with your next potential customer or client at a T-ball game, cheering on your kid’s team and chatting between at-bats. Write like you’ve just finished listening to them describe their needs and have an idea to share. After all, your business is built on anticipating those needs.

Writing with this in mind helps build a real connection between you and your audience for one simple reason: They feel that you are dialed in to them and their needs. They feel seen and heard and recognized. In a world in which most people struggle to connect meaningfully with others, this is a powerful tool — one that sets you apart from your competition.

So how come we’re giving away this tip? We know writing to a single audience member is a lot harder than it looks. It takes time, patience and creativity (in addition to awesome writing) — and most companies simply don’t have the resources to keep awesome writers on staff. That’s where we come in. If you’re looking to boost your Internet conversion rates, let us hear from you. Together, we can cook up a mighty fine dish. And stay tuned for more tips!