Recommended
More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (20)
Similar to Engaging Marketing Content 101
Similar to Engaging Marketing Content 101 (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Engaging Marketing Content 101
- 4. “Good content is clear, useful, and friendly.” Nicely Said, pg. 4
- 5. • Content above style • Always have a goal • Be useful • Focus on the reader • Be natural
- 6. Specific things to do when writing marketing content
- 7. Make these changes: 1. Limit exclamation points 2. Avoid clichés 3. Avoid passive voice 4. Focus on the benefit to the reader 5. Act like a real person 6. Write like you speak ○ Contractions ○ Weird structure ○ Formal words/phrases
- 9. Times to avoid using exclamation points ● Selling stuff ● When you already have an exclamation point somewhere else If it feels forced, it definitely is.
- 11. Appropriate times for exclamation points • Genuine encouragement • Genuine excitement
- 12. Ways to resist using exclamation points Warm up your writing: ● Try a different sentence structure ● Switch out words ● Vary sentence length
- 13. Does it sound fake? Judge if an exclamation point is appropriate:
- 14. Does it sound desperate? Judge if an exclamation point is appropriate:
- 15. 2. Avoid clichés
- 17. 3. Avoid passive voice
- 18. Passive voice diffuses responsibility + slows the reader down Passive voice = verb comes after subject ● Passive: The problems have been fixed. ● Active: We fixed the problems. → Take responsibility → Be assertive Helpful trick: “...by zombies” test
- 19. Passive voice = clunky and often a sign that a sentence needs work/a thought isn’t finished Taking apart a sentence that uses passive voice: ● Do the fonts used by the organization remain consistent across all applications? ● Do the fonts the organization uses remain consistent across all applications? ● Do the organization's fonts remain consistent across all applications? ● Are you using your fonts consistently in all applications? ● Are you using your fonts consistently every time you create something?
- 20. 4. Focus on the benefits to the reader
- 21. Sell the good night’s sleep, not the mattress.
- 23. Show, don’t tell Example from Nicely Said, pg 53: With our intuitive design tools creating the site you’ve always wanted is easier than you ever imagined. (www.godaddy.com) Choose from simple templates or customize your site over FTP.
- 24. Questions to ask yourself ● Does anyone care about this? ● Am I talking about myself or am I helping the reader? ● “Ideal after” exercise from Digital Marketer
- 25. 5. Act like a real person = be a friend = be authentic
- 26. Act like a real person Emotions and motivations
- 27. Real people like being clever when representing themselves (like Allie)
- 28. Real people like to ask questions
- 29. Real people like to get positive reinforcement – ex: by getting a laugh
- 30. Helpful tricks for acting, posting, sounding, creating content like a real person Social media: ● Would I/my mom/the dream client express something like this on [platform]? ● Does this make me react? Newsletters/email: ● Would this be helpful/motivating if it showed up in my/my mom’s/the dream client’s inbox? EVERYTHING: ● Does this sound like selling?
- 31. 6. Write like you speak
- 32. Write like you speak: use contractions I cannot believe that! → I can’t believe that! Who would have guessed? → Who would’ve guessed? You will want to stay all day. → You’ll want to stay all day.
- 33. Write like you speak: loosen up your phrasing An example from Nicely Said: We regret to inform you that this item was so popular that it has sold out. → We’re sorry, this item is out of stock. Want us to email you when it’s available?
- 34. Write like you speak: don’t push your word choice Link to source
- 35. Read what you wrote out loud – does it sound like a conversation?
- 36. So… What have we learned?
- 37. Great content needs to be: ● Useful ● Focused on the reader ● Natural
- 38. DON’T: ● Overuse exclamation points and cliches ● Use passive voice
- 39. DO: ● Focus on your reader ● Act natural ● Write like you speak