So, you’ve written your business piece, your blog, you’ve posted your post, typed your article, created your content, made your video. But does the middle part of your content seem muddled? Does it align with the message and tone of the whole piece? Does it match the question in the title? Does it correspond to the conclusion?
We spend a large proportion of our time perfecting our introduction, and tweaking the end, but does the guts of the piece fit in with your overall message?
This blog article is all about how you can help to keep yourself on track with ensuring your middle is baked to perfection and not more akin to a cake that looks better than it tastes when you bite into it.
Let’s start with the muddle part of your baked business content
The muddle is the middle. It’s what sits between your title and leads your reader through to the end.
It’s the juicy bit. The meat. The special sauce. It’s what gives your reader their takeaways from your content. It’s what your reader will learn. It’s what will guide them to the end. It’s your story.
As well as being gripping and interesting your content needs to peak enough interest to keep the reader wanting more. You want your reader to feel satisfied, empowered in some way, to have insight, to gain awareness and to enhance their knowledge of you and their reason for reading, viewing or watching what it is that you have to say.
As well as what you’re writing or presenting, your reader wants to see consistency in your content. But most of all they want to see value in your content. Don’t allow your content to veer off topic.
3 takeaways to consider for the middle part of your business content
1) Message match throughout all of your content that you produce. Relate it back to each section and then ensure it still relates back to your reader. What is the meaning of your message? Identify its purpose.
2) Keep it simple. Think with clarity. Make it easy for your reader to follow your message throughout. Make it digestible.
3) Who’s it about? Always make sure your reader is the star of the show. Your audience should always be at the forefront of all of the content that you’re creating. Think about what you are trying to tell them? What’s your unique selling point? Who are you aiming your message at? Does the content do its job? Does it make sense? Is it any good?
Some content creators like to use formulas and frameworks such as PAS (Problem-Agitation-Solution) and AIDA (Attention-Interest-Desire-Conviction-Action) to keep them on track. You may find that this helps your business to create the best content it can offer and to ensure the whole piece of content is focused rather than elements of it.
The middle is just as important as the end, the beginning and your call to action. It will all be for nothing if the pieces do not connect with one another.
Focus towards your one goal of the piece, with the content you are creating. Make your audience want to move in some way to connect further with you, your brand and your business.
Let’s address the star ingredient of your business copy and content – the reader
It’s always your intended reader. Your audience. Every last bit of copy and content that you produce has to relate back to your audience. It has to offer value. It has to offer learning. It has to offer something for your audience to take away. It has to offer enough to intrigue them to want more.
Have you got personas of your target audience? To create the best content and to relate it to your reader you have to know who they are. Knowing this helps you to know what content to write, to post, to blog, to put into video form. It allows you to use it as part of your content strategy.
On a star ranking blog written on the jeffbullas.com website they list 7 questions to get to know your audience. So, when you are wanting to make your reader the star of the show make sure you can answer these questions about them;
1) What are they like?
2) Why are they here?
3) What keeps them up at night?
4) How can you solve their problems?
5) What do you want them to do?
6) How can you best reach them?
7) How might they resist?
Could you answer these about your reader? This in turn helps to build your brand, your business. It adds authenticity, it adds weight to your marketing and your expertise. It’s also in understanding how your reader acts online that you can direct your content to speak directly to them. How is your reader likely to respond to your content?
Website content and your reader
Did you know that according to an article on crazyegg.comthe average reader will spend 15 seconds on your website content before clicking off?
That’s 15 second to make an impact. That’s 15 seconds to encourage them not to bounce. Make it count. Make it compelling. Make it persuasive. Make every part of your copy and content worth sticking around for. This of course will impact how Google will view your content and whether or not your reader returns back to the search page that they started on.
Social media content and your reader
Of course, it’s not just the copy or content on your website that you’ll be encouraging. It’s also your social media posts. Despite the reported drops in content engagement over the last few years, social media still plays an important role.
Not only does your social media strengthen your brand loyalty, and build strength in your relationships, it’s also still one of the most powerful conversion tools. Which is why it’s imperative to get to know your audience. To talk to them. Just like you were chatting to them in person.
That’s why social media is encouraging the “social” part. People want more from your content. They want to get to know you. They want to understand you and understand why that should matter to them. They want to engage and connect with your business and brand. Your audience wants to feel connected to you.
Being active with your reader and your content
Being active with your content and relating it back to the reader along with ensuring you are making it all about them –– is the goal. It’s the vital decoration on the cake. This ensures you are on the same page. The same level as your audience.
According to a SocialMediaToday article; 65% of brands post online but don’t engage. It’s one of the easiest ways to make it all about your audience. It shows that you’re real and that you care enough to want to respond to them.
So, make your reader the star of the show. Make them want to read what you have to say. Give them the lead role in your business and brand copy and content.
The icing on the cake: the Hollywood ending with your reader?
We’re not dancing off into the sunset. That’s only for the movies. But you can do a waltz with your audience; with your reader.
It can be hard to add personality and a human touch when you can’t see that person’s face but there is a person behind every profile. Make your brand human by showcasing your human side in every part of your business copy and content.
Find a way to connect. Let’s get social and let’s be authentic in our interactions with our copy and content. Let your business message and your goal also be to resonate with your reader in every aspect of your content. Let your content spark a response. Let your content create a conversation. And let your content offer value and learning.
After all what are you trying to achieve if not to build relationships that create value but that ultimately create long-term, long-lasting opportunities for your brand and business?
And cut the cake: It’s the summary
Each and every piece of your business and brand content is as important as the other. It doesn’t matter what content or copy you are creating, whether it be a blog post, a video, an article or a short form post for social media. Your goal is to move the reader along. Guide them to then end. Create authority for you brand and business.
Take your audience on a journey. Squeeze the value into everything that you do. Make sure your goal for your business and brand content speaks to your reader and keeps the action going right from the start until the very end.
So, what do you think: is your business and brand content looking like it’s baked to perfection?
Don’t stop there: head on over to my other blogs at simplyamberlou.wordpress.com; or you can email me for help with your copy and content needs at ambersmith@simplyamberlou.com, or connect with me on LinkedIn at Amber L Smith Twitter @simplyamberlou, Facebook Amber L Smith and Instagram simplyamberloucopywriting.