3 Steps to Better Content

Market economics demand that we wade through an inordinate amount of words each day that are very busy extolling virtues and promoting The Benefits of Things. The overpopulated (and PR-driven) nature of e-commerce has added to this.

I think we can all agree that “content” has become rather profane. But it is an apt description of the language we are now reading. It is certainly not journalism, nor very creative and it is far from critical exposition. E-commerce writing, at its most banal, is exactly that: product.

Unfortunately, nothing better than SEO drivel has replaced it.

When contemplating the development of your “content,” ask yourself if this is something you’d read. And what are you really trying to say? I’ve talked previously about how SEO as we now know it is heading towards irrelevance. So with what you will replace its inanity?

Try these steps:

1. BE UNIQUELY SMART

It’s taken years for you to understand the intricacies of your industry. Be beneficent. Share it.

People really notice this.

Know the difference between your product’s specs and the competition’s? This is your chance to educate your consumers and, in so doing, become a trusted authority. Not sure about you, but I prefer to buy from someone who knows their shit vs. someone who is maniacal about simply selling. Shopping online is a uniquely individual experience. Add to it.

2. SHOW, DON’T TELL

I recently was shopping for new earphones. Do you know how many companies sell earphones? A lot. And I could easily plug in specs and see how that fell across several comparative sites. Who got my money? The company that took the time to explain why their headphones would produce a deeper and richer sound by getting very creative and personal with their copy.

3. KNOW YOUR MARKETPLACE

Shopping online really is a personal activity. And one in which the consumer chooses the flow of information. This is important. It’s as important as knowing the difference between broadcasting and narrowcasting (I do hate that word). There is no screaming needed. But you do need to know your stuff. And you need to realize that you are not all things to all people. In all likelihood, you are not Target.com. Get over it and start talking to your audience like you mean it.

Ready to start writing like you mean it? Contact me and let’s have a conversation about how smart content can (and will) deliver results.