How to Eliminate Fluff From Your Business Blog
I don't like fluff on my sandwiches or on my computer screen.
How many times have you read a long article or blog post and wanted to yell "Duhhh" at your computer or phone because the content was so obvious and unhelpful? One too many times I'm sure. I read a great deal of content on a daily basis, so this happens to me almost every day, and I always wish I could have spared my wasted time on uninformative articles. AG Salesworks posts new content on a daily basis. How do we create helpful posts without turning our content into "fluff?" Here are a few tips on how to keep your content and points of view fresh for your company:
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Have multiple people generate content. It would be difficult for a single person to generate eye-opening content for a business every single day. Everyone has specific views and tones, so in order to incorporate fresh ideas, switch up the content between a few people. It's OK if they weren't in the Hemingway club in college; they can generate new perspectives and you can always make the proper edits before publishing.
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Engage people from different departments and positions. I bring in content from various positions throughout the office, from inside sales reps and Directors of Client Operations, to the President of the company. Every department and position runs into unique challenges and as a result, they may have interesting points of view on different issues specific to their position. Outside of the CEO or CFO, very few positions interact with every level of the sales funnel. Therefore, use that diversity to your advantage to generate unique content.
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Host guest writers. To keep content fresh, invite other industry professionals to contribute. You probably have a general understanding of the working sales and marketing gears of your company, but let's face it, every company is different and is comprised of unique methodologies and office environments. Use those differences to spark a new idea for complimentary content. In addition to supplying your usual audience with useful information, you will also reach your guest writers' audience, extending your reach.
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Only publish content that is relevant and useful. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience. Would you want people to visit your website knowing that your new post will be worth the read because the information is always helpful, or do you expect them to scan your content to see if its worth their time to read? Personally, I find myself in both situations every morning. Some sites may not post every single day, but when they do it's excellent content and I'll always take the time to read it. Lastly, be sure that the topic is relevant and/or trending. If you're publishing content on cats with laser eyes, bacon, content strategy, buyer personas, or communication between generations I think you've nailed it!
I hope these tips will give you the courage to shake up your content, as it's proved to help my company and our traffic. Readers shouldn't have to waste time on "fluff" unless they've spilled some on their shirt from their award-winning PB & fluff sandwich they had for lunch. How do you and your company keep your points of view unique and your content fresh and fluffless?
