Your business needs content to attract customers. I know, I know! Writing content can feel overwhelming! But it doesn’t have to be. In Part 1 of this mini-series, I showed you how to develop topics over 52 weeks based a year-long journey. Now I’ll show you how to take those topics and write content to engage your readers in five actionable steps.

1. Focus on the headlines.

The headlines will determine whether your audience will read what you have to say. It must get their attention, spark an emotion, or hint at solving their problems. Headlines are the key to grabbing your audience’s attention when writing content.

Pro tip: the headlines and subheadings should read like a paragraph. In the first part of this series, my headlines read: 

• Use a big picture strategy to content marketing.
• Step One: What journey will you take your clients on over the year? 
• Step Two: How do the holidays and events play into your content marketing strategy and journey? 
• Step Three: Shake out your content into weeks. 
• To write your content calendar, change your scenery for optimum creativity.
• What’s up next in content creation? 

This series of headlines reads like a paragraph – guiding the client down the page. Use questions to hint at solving a problem. The last headline, what’s up next in content creation, gives my audience a reason to check back. 

2. Hook your audience with the first sentence.

A great headline grabs your audience, a compelling first sentence hooks them. Here are three examples of first sentences all relating to writing content: 

1. Consuming great writing is like listening to a great singer. 
2. Content is as important as the design and aesthetics of your website because it drives search engine results, increases traffic to your page, and establishes your organization as an industry leader.
3. Content writing is the process of planning, writing, and editing web content, typically for digital marketing purposes. 

In the first example, the writer is being *cute*. It’s not bad. The second sentence continues with the singer analogy: If the performer makes an emotional connection with me … I eagerly listen to the rest of the song and anticipate the next performance. This is where the author falls short, in my opinion. I want to know about content and I’m tired of reading about performing arts. If you use an analogy, get to the point immediately! 

The second example is good. It would be great if it was shorter: Content is just as important as the design and aesthetics of your website because it is what drives search engine traffic. (I changed it up just a bit.) The lesson is to be succinct. Use the second sentence to talk about increasing traffic and establishing your business as an industry leader. 

The third example is basically a definition. Avoid using definitions as your opening sentence. Would you want to open a dictionary and start reading? No. And your readers don’t either. 

3. Write to your people.

I’m a content writer and marketing coach for women-owned businesses in the health and wellness industry. I’m super focused. And I don’t write articles geared towards people in the financial industry or any other industry. Know who your ideal customer avatar is and write to them. Specifically.

Really get to know who your customers are. When you know them well, you can give them the information they want. And make sure the dots are connected – your title matches the written and illustrated content. 

4. Use your voice and find your angle.

You’re telling the story. Be authentic. You can’t be someone you’re not. If you’re playful, use a playful tone in your writing. Your voice is who you are and what your business is all about – it’s your unique style, your brand. 

I recently took a class from Amy Porterfield (love her). She emphasized that no one does what you do in the way you do it! That’s your angle. It is what you can offer that no one else can. Add your spin on the topic.

5. Be succinct, create a plan, and use an outline.

Short paragraphs, bold headlines, and lists are your friend. Use 3- 5 sentence paragraphs under a bold headline. Use bulleted or numbered lists.

Always plan your content. In the first part of this series, we identified blog topics for 52 weeks based on a year-long journey. Use an outline to plan what to say about each topic. I recommend writing blogs in 4-to-6-week increments – meaning, write 4 to 6 blogs all at once. If this seems like too much, start with 3 weeks. This means, you’ll create outlines for all the blogs you’ll begin writing, whether that is 3, 4, or 6. 

OK, using last week’s example, blog titles for the month of January included: 

• Get Active to Shake Holiday Over-indulgence
• Don’t Forget to Stretch
• 5 Ways to Recover from Your Exercise New Year’s Resolutions Using Self-massage
• Using *Magic* Balm for Muscle Recovery

Taking the first blog title, Get Active to Shake Holiday Over-indulgence, your outline might look something like this: 

1. Introduction 
   1. Why people over-indulge
   2. Over-indulging through holidays is natural
   3. Forgive yourself and move on

2. How to begin an exercise program
   1. Things to consider
      • equipment 
      • time
      • money
   2. Start small, add incrementally

3. Get a buddy
   1. Benefits of working out with a friend 
   2. How to find a work-out buddy
   3. Sticking with it when your buddy poops out

4. Go for the gold
   1. Everyone wants to quit at some point
   2. How to beat the exercise “have-to’s”
   3. If you miss a day, that’s OK
   4. You’ve got this! 

Once you have your outline, write the content. Use time blocking techniques to get it written. Let it simmer overnight. Proof, add, delete, shape the piece to fit your style. 

Great content builds your trust factor and grows your business.

Writing great content is also about building your trust factor. Get your readers to trust you by linking to credible sources. And if you can get someone to link to your site, even better as long as it’s a credible source. Imagine if you’re a health coach and Huffington Post links to your site? Yeah, you! 

So, now you have all your content broken into 52 weeks. You’ve prepared outlines for at least three weeks. And maybe even written the blogs (or is that wishful thinking still at this point?). In the last part of this mini-series, we’ll take all this great content and integrate it across your digital platforms. Before we do, revisit what digital marketing is all about so you understand how you will be integrating your content across your social and digital channels. 

Reach out if you have questions and I’ll see you next week.

Content writing blogs references in this article:

• Content Writing
• 54 Content Writing Examples, Tools, Tips, and Resources
• 7 Easy Tips for Effective Content Writing