Writing Good Content

I’d like to swing onto the topic of writing good content today. ‘Content is King’ is the voice that has echoed through the communities for years. List after list, expert after expert have stressed on content being the ultimate key. But then if the content is not relevant or good, it might not serve your purpose.

What is Good Content?

Its difficult to jot some lines and term them as the perfect definition of ‘good content‘ as this can cause a little debate. Each person will define it differently depending upon their personality, their needs, the topic that they are talking about and perhaps even their ethics. Not only will writers have a different view on ‘good content’, but the readers might also want their influence to be felt. We at Word Chillies try to mix elements in proportion that suits the theme and the requirement. So the best way to decide ‘good content’ for yourself is by mixing and matching the elements and identify what works for you. Some of the elements of content that might make it good are:

1. Usefulness – No matter where your content is going to be placed – website, newspaper, brochure or whatever; to make your campaign successful, your content needs to be useful to your readers. I would say that every content writer should review their work by asking them this question continuously. Is your content useful? Start with your customers. Get into their shoes. Find out what they want and give it to them. It is essential that you are aware of your reader and that you create content that will add something to their lives. Give them something useful. Maybe top tips, quotes of popular personalities, unique facts, etc.

2. Uniqueness – Another factor to consider when thinking about ‘good content’ is whether it is ‘unique’. I see information overflow when it comes to sharing information. There are many cases where the content is useful but has no takers because people are finding that information in other places. So to bring uniqueness to your content – Distinguish yourself! Give some facts about your product which no one knows. Or create some bait strategies that might attract visitors simply because of its uniqueness (Remember you do not neglect the usefulness of your content or else your readers might get pissed).

3. Originality – My main advice on ‘original’ content follows from what James Stephens said – ‘Originality does not consist in saying what no one has ever said before, but in saying exactly what you think yourself.‘ So to churn out original content, be yourself. Don’t try to copy somebody. In case, you need to use other people’s content, always give credit to the concerned author. Try to stick to your views, because there are many who would be thinking on the same lines.

Bring together the elements of Useful, Unique and Original content and you will be one step closer to a attracting new readers and retaining your old ones.