As writers, there is nothing more satisfying than to keep readers glued to our posts, and knowing it has been impactful to them. Engaging the reader from the beginning to the end of an article takes effort, and it very much depends on the quality of the content.
Research-based ingredients for high quality content
1. Good Ideas
There is high expectation placed on a writer to always have something good to say. Ideas must stand out; ideas that expand your target groups and keep your readers anticipating your next article or post. There are certainly other writers who write on the same topic as you, so you need to be better than all of them.
2. Early Planning
When you know you have something to write about, start long before the deadline. Do not wait until you have to rush it because of time constraints. Write when you have time to reflect on more ideas, conduct research and check for errors in your work. Plan the points that will help your ideas flow when you start writing.
3. Group Your Headings
This way you will know which topics or articles are related. It will help you avoid repeating the same ideas, or merge them to create more reliable information and give different perspectives. It is not fun to read different points speaking about the same thing, or two different articles that sound similar. A reader would feel it is a waste of time, or think the writer is not knowledgeable in their field of work. Worse, they might believe the writer does not care about their audience.
4. Random Ideas
Our minds focus on things we see, hear, read or think about. When this happens, be sure to jot it down. This strategy will come in handy when you start writing, when you get stuck or when you urgently need to start writing and are looking for a great idea for a post. Sometimes you will remember an idea that popped into your mind, but you can’t use it because you did not take the time to write it down.
5. Chronobiology
Take note of the time when you work best. That is the time of day, or night, when you are most active, most creative or most inspired. This not only ensures you get your ideas flowing freely, but also that you do your work easily and enjoy it. This will be reflected in your article, making your content interesting to read and easy to relate to.
6. Avoid Distractions
Great content needs to have a flow. Do not lose your reader in the middle of the story. To achieve this, you need to avoid distractions that cut off your line of thought. Set yourself up to work in a peaceful area where your ideas can flow in a logical manner, and you can immerse yourself in whatever you are writing. Keep in mind that once you lose a reader their interest in the article will fade quickly. We all love articles that do not require too much thinking to stay captured.
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7. Simplicity
We all want to produce something worthwhile for our readers. Do not overthink what you are writing. Complicating an article by using difficult words or styles is not a guarantee of great content. Know your audience and what appeals to them, and write as simply as you can. Great content needs to be understood, and not make the reader wonder what you are talking about by using obscure metaphors.
8. Your Goals In Writing
You want your audience to get something from your article. But how do you convey your message? Do you pass responsibility to your reader, or point a finger at them in any way? Readers love to feel accommodated by the articles they read. Feeling comfortable and secure will get a reader rating an article as having quality content.
9. Give Your reader The Priority
Give your reader the priority as a writer. Think about what they want to hear, and what problems they would like the solutions to. If you know the characteristics of your reader or target group, even better. That way you can relate to them, so it can be about them and not about you. It is the only way to connect, and make them feel important. When a reader feels the article is not about them, they will not continue reading.
10. Be Original
Produce your own ideas. This means it is something you have invented, or created on your own. When you get your ideas from different sources and research, make sure to write them in a way that gives personality to your story. Don't let your article sound or read like something we have all read before. Readers will assume they already know how the story ends, and will most definitely stop reading.
11. Always Have A Checklist
Write down pointers for your article. It helps to make sure you do not lose your flow, and reminds you what you have already included in your story. It will help you remember important aspects or points, and makes it easy for you to go back to check your article. You will know which point comes where, without having to reread the whole thing.
12. Accuracy
Readers are intelligent, and can see mistakes that were left uncorrected by a writer. They will probably think the writer is not so smart, not dedicated to their work or inconsiderate of their readers. It is a sure turnoff. Also, writing serious unverified information is not good. Whatever you are writing about, let the reader know whether it is factual or just your own opinion. If you are writing about facts, you need to make sure you have done your research thoroughly and consulted professionals related to your article topic.
13. Style
Content can be made great by using different modes of conveying your information. You can achieve this by including pictures and videos that relate to your article. This makes your message easy to understand and absorb. Photos and funny videos can be used to reduce the seriousness of an article, or to teach in “how to” type articles.
14. A Trigger
Good content should trigger some reaction from the reader. Change, persistence, encouragement - anything the reader can take away from your article - should be included. When your readers feel empty after reading your article, or there is nothing there for them to take home, then the quality of your content is questionable.
Over to you
Quality is sometimes a personal measure, and might vary from one person to the next. However, this cannot be an excuse to produce substandard quality. Using the above tips will make sure your writing appeals to a large group of people; that your articles will be widely accepted and make an impact on more people.
Have these tips been helpful? Let us know by leaving a comment in our comment section below. Share it with other writers to help their progress.
