If you missed our last piece, we covered why syndicated content is not ideal when seeking a return on investment from your businesses website and marketing.
This week, we’re going deep on how to fix the problem.
We’re going to discuss how to write amazing content for a blog, among other things.
We’re also going to compare the differences of authentic content versus syndicated stuff.
#1 Authority, authority, authority
As we covered in part one, your goal when creating content is authority.
Authority is defined as web content that’s so awesome your readers eat it up. They share it. They comment on it. And you gain street-cred, in your specific niche’, from the influence that’s derived from this authoritative awesomeness.
With authority, comes trust from the search engines. Trust with Yahoo, Bing, and Google, that’s developed by producing high-quality content for years and years, gets you and your website better search results. The result of better search results is increased traffic, leads, and a consistently full sales pipeline, from this activity.
You know what else comes from creating content that has authority?
Positive SEO results.
By developing content that has authority, your IT business will see improved search results and better awareness of your brand. Syndicated content does not give your business this value.
SEO that’s focused on authority, centers on quality and consistency, above quantity. This doesn’t that mean you can post one blog piece or PR piece and expect an awesome outcome. The web doesn’t work that way. In order to gain true authority from your reader, as well as Google, Yahoo, and Bing, your goal should be to create content that meets the key metrics of the web. Once you consistently meet these metrics through quality stuff, your website, your content, and the pages on your site will gain favor. Favor equals getting found when people are searching for your products or services, online.
#2 Comparing costs
In terms of costs, there’s no way to sugar coat it. Content syndication solutions are on average less costly than hiring a professional writer.
(but isn’t cutting your lawn with a pair of scissors cheaper than using a lawnmower?)
Even without hiring a copywriter, if you create your own monthly blog, it will cost you time. When quantified, this definitely equals money.
This is why there’s a lot of appeal for small business owners to use syndicated content over hiring a professional copywriter. It’s usually not a dramatic cost difference, but enough to attract our penny pitching tendencies.
However, you’re going to take a significant hit in quality of content if you go with syndicated stuff. It’s similar to hiring a painter to build your new home, versus a professional construction company.
#3 Actual writing with authenticity in mind
When you work with a professional copywriting firm, it’s a vastly different experience than working with something of lesser value.
You’re working with writers who specialize in creating words for people first, then search engines second. They are not one trick ponies, but individuals who are dedicated to crafting engaging content for readers. They know how to make sentences meld, and mold so your readers are not tricked into contacting you through a web form, rather compelled to do so.
Content syndication firms are a bit more like ad agencies.
There are marketers who are mainly trend watchers or strategists, and usually are limited when it comes to performing the actual task of drafting alluring content your potential customers would want to read.
The difference is similar to a professional cake baker over you at home making box cake mix.
Both are good for their respective purposes, but one is going to be a lot more captivating and engaging than the other.
The greatest sin of syndicated content is it creates articles that few want to read. You can post it all over the web, but if no one finds it fascinating, you’re not receiving a product that’s of value.
#4 Reaching your audience
Going off of the previous point, syndicated stuff is pretty generic.
A great copywriter puts in time and research to learn about the topic they’re writing about. They want to know what your reader aspires to, so they can craft a message that is both persuasive, yet empathetic. A great writer desperately desires to connect with your audience by telling a story, not by spewing a collective sum of random words together.
Don’t assume that you know that your audience wants generic, low-quality content.
Here’s an example. Our sister company, ConnectBooster, made the same mistake in assuming they knew where their audience engagement was on social media. They assumed that most of their prospects and customers were on Twitter (and LinkedIn) and not Facebook. When they dove in and researched their audience, they found that 80% were active and on Facebook, 50% were on Twitter, and while 90% had a Linkedin profile, they weren’t really active.
If you don’t work with a company that’s able to understand your specific audiences questions or concerns, they will not be able to write for your prospective customers.
Not sure how to get an ROI on your website content?
Shoot us an email at design@bngdesign.net, we’ll give you a free consultation on how to avoid the pitfalls over syndicated content and answer whatever questions you have.