CREATING QUALITY CONTENT

5 ways to create content that connects

A COmpLETE GUIdE TO

2

CONTENTs

Foreword 3

Why You Need to Create Awesome Content for Real People 4

Do You Really Know Your Audience? 6

You Need to Get Emotional With Your Audience 8

Your Audience Requires Consistently Great Content 10

A Few Nifty Tricks to Connect Your Content With Your Audience 12

Your Content Success: Create, Curate, Community, Consistency 14

In Closing 16

3

FOREwORdAbOUT IRA HAbERmAN

From a very young age, I wanted to get involved in storytelling, and that life long goal lead to me a career in radio As a kid of the 70s, I drove around in my Dad’s Plymouth Valiant listening to some of the greatest broadcasters in Canadian history I fell in love with them, their voices, and most importantly their stories I was young but their stories resonated with me They drew me in and I was captivated Much later in my career, I had the good fortune to work with some of the people I idolized as a six-year old It was those experiences - those stories - that I heard as a kid that helped shape my passion for not only great content, but also community

It’s that deep connection to storytelling and my career in broadcast journalism that has led me to Atomic Reach and the very powerful platform we provide

Our guiding principle is that writing great content simply isn’t enough if you don’t understand the audience you are trying to connect with I am a prime example – as a kid, I wasn’t part of the demographic make-up of that news talk station I fell in love with, but I was one of its biggest fans They spoke to me, I understood them, and it created a deep impact on my life

Our mission at Atomic Reach is to help content creators produce the best content possible, so that they can establish a real and significant connection with their audience. The purpose of this is e-book is to reveal to you the importance of creating audience focused content in a new and exciting way that drives meaningful and complete results

Ira haberman is the Marketing Director at atomic reach. Prior to joining the team at atomic reach in the winter of 2014, Ira was involved in digital content strategy for one of Canada’s biggest broadcast Corus Entertainment, specifically in the Radio division. his passion for great content has seen him interview athletes, musicians and newsmakers while also creating national syndicated programming for both broadcast and digital mediums. Ira lives and breaths awesome content and believes that the Grateful Dead deliver that content experience for him every day.

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wHY YOU NEEd TO CREATE AwEsOmE CONTENT FOR REAL pEOpLE

Content marketing is not just about telling a great story, but rather, the marriage between a great story and its value and relevance to the audience that we serve

As marketers, it is within our mandate to establish ourselves and by extension our brand as thought leaders, with an intent to create a stronger connection with our clients and community To achieve our success we spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about the topics and themes that will form our content

However, how much time do we truly spend thinking about our audience—and more specifically our audience in the context of “real people”?

Real people require content that is thought-provoking and emotional, content that connects on a personal level.There are many tools in the marketplace that help marketers measure an audience, but they typically look at segmentation with a demographic and psychographic point of view With access to so many digital devices, the Internet and social media platforms, audiences are more knowledgeable than ever before, making traditional models and methods of audience analysis inherently limited

As a result, the demographic set and its very construct are broken The idea that panelists (even in a diverse set) provide ratings data that extrapolates to the general population is biased

Today, the many ways in which an individual can ingest and connect with content has dramatically changed We are no longer bound to the morning paper, radio news, television news or even sports highlight shows

Now, we have access to copious amounts of real-time news content and analysis — updates from real people involved in producing information through social media, and commentary from the celebrities and athletes we follow as part of our daily lives

We decide when and how we want to watch our favorite TV shows, where we get our news and what platforms and people we want to engage and connect with

The reality is that we’re not even learning about products or services from traditional information platforms like television, newspaper or radio anymore We can get closer than ever to the brands that we love and constitute those interactions on our own terms – including place, medium and time

How important is your audience to you?

a decade… that’s how long I’ve been sharing my findings on the Marketing technology blog. I remember when daily visits grew to over 100 visits like it was yesterday. I was ecstatic, filled with a sense of accomplishment and now accountable to those that had entrusted me to their subscription or visit. Fast forward and now we reach over 100,000 marketers via our site, our email, our mobile applications, our podcasts and our videos. I still wake up and am inspired to write great content every single day to these people. I owe them my my career, my authority, and my business. how important are they? they’re my friends and I feel compelled to help them however I can.

Douglas Karr @douglaskarr

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wHY YOU NEEd TO CREATE AwEsOmE CONTENT FOR REAL pEOpLE

The very way we create content has changed as well.There has been a massive surge of content resulting from free social tools that provide audiences with ubiquitous access to the creation and consumption of information

Whether that’s videos on YouTube, pictures on Instagram or even a comment on Facebook, everyone with something to say can and will share their content

We have seen many “do-it-yourselfers” come to the forefront during this technologically advanced and socially connected time Savvy users can become immensely influential, garner substantial audience and build huge communities around their work

It’s quite mind-boggling that all of this is happening around us in such a rapid way We live in an incredibly immersive and exciting time Our children are learning how to use the tools and platforms we create for ourselves at a substantially faster pace, and older generations are embracing this digital age with youthful spirit and enthusiasm

What were once tools of big business and enterprise are now being used by kids and retirees alike.Facebook is no longer a platform for college students In many cases they’ve moved on to other networks, and filling their spots are their grandparents who use iPads to share stories with old friends So how do we now create content that will actually resonate in such a crowded environment?

Some have attempted to use shortcuts and try to create content for search engines in an attempt to game the system and gain audience. Unfortunately, that strategy is fleeting. It speaks to the general populace without taking into account the very art of content creation and its importance in our lives Creating content in that way is like writing a pop song just to sell downloads versus writing a beautiful song filled with meaning and substance.

We believe that there is a better way to create content that will not only connect with your audience, but have a lasting impact on them as well.We’ve seen the results and writing content for real people that they truly value is the only way to cut through the clutter and deliver your message in a relevant and meaningful way

Why create content in the first place?

It all started with a book club. we met once a month and discussed the latest marketing or leadership book. eventually the subject of discussions (also known as “content”) moved to online marketing and more and more questions were asked of me. I received questions via phone and email… from the immediate network then on to the distant network. I figured out that I had knowledge of a growing industry that others were starving to figure out and to discuss. Distributing the answers had become unmanageable, so I turned to blogging. the content I create is very much like an investment into a retirement account. Post after post was deposited and over time, the interest compounded. the demand grew until 5 years ago when I made the move, left the “job” and launched my own agency, DK new Media. Five years later and the content continues to drive traffic, engagement, trust and authority. content is the differentiator in my business… moving the conversation to the close instead of the sale. the companies we do business with come to us because we already have an established reputation and expertise that they need. content is the foundation of my business, and now we help other companies lay that foundation for theirs.

Douglas Karr @douglaskarr

“”

6

dO YOU REALLY KNOw YOUR AUdIENCE?

Your audience has a proficient understanding of content

or theme

Your audience has an advanced understanding of content

or theme

Your audience has a basic understanding of the content

topic or theme

Your audience has an expert understanding of the content

topic or theme

Your audience has a superior understanding of the content

topic or theme

So how does one put pen to paper, or rather, fingers to keyboard, and create content that is appropriate for their audience?

Until now, editorial guidance is limited to the persona of the audiences’ age, income, or social status, which provides a valuable but limited view of the audience

What if there was another way to group people in an environment based on something other than their age, income or social status?

When it comes to content creation as well as ingestion and connection, there are better filters for your content.

One filter that you may want to consider is your audience’s knowledge around a specific topic. When engaging with a topic for the first time, we learn at a level appropriate for our knowledge We seek concepts that are easily understood and shy away from things that we do not yet have the acumen for. We all have different needs that guide our individual interests, but when learning, we gravitate to content that is appropriate for us based on our knowledge level around a specific topic.

Some of us become avid fans of a sports team and learn all there is to know about the specific sport, the athletes, or even the business around the team, while the others may avoid that kind of in-depth analysis and prefer just very general information about the sports teams in their town

Content that targets the audience by age, income or social status is less likely to connect The same goes to content that does not match the audience’s level of understanding No matter what the circumstance, knowledge around a specific theme based on experience and interest will create better engagement with the audience

When your content matches the knowledge level of an audience, the story and brand message will better resonate with the audience because it is inherently more meaningful and relevant.Have you considered your audience’s knowledge around the content you are creating for them? Perhaps they are not as knowledgeable around a specific topic and are coming to your blog or publication to learn more about your product or service

spECIALIsT

GENERAL

KNOwLEdGEAbLE

ACAdEmIC

GENIUs

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It may in fact not even be about the topic It might be about the way in which the structure of a piece of content compels an audience to connect with an article Consider the impact of content with language that is too advanced for their level of knowledge

The words one uses, the length of sentences, and the size of paragraphs all become increasingly important when considering the knowledge of an audience and how content will resonate with them

Examining reading behavior can also be a valuable method for a marketer to gain insights about an audience Are they skimming content on a smartphone or deeply immersed on a tablet?

In this context one must not only consider the linguistic structure of content (a knowledge match), but also the device the audience is using to engage with the content

There is a direct correlation between the content’s structure relative to the way an audience reads content.Here are some simple proven suggestions to consider Deliver the topic using language that is appropriate for the audience and structure content in such a way that makes it easy to understand in driving a much deeper connection with your audience

When you write to your ideal knowledge level, you see an

average jump in pageviews of

46%When you write to your ideal knowledge level,

you see an average jump in social engagement of

86%

pAGE vIEws

sOCIAL

dO YOU REALLY KNOw YOUR AUdIENCE?

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YOU NEEd TO GET EmOTIONAL wITH YOUR AUdIENCE

As discussed, writing to an audience’s level of knowledge around a topic is of significant importance, so too is the notion that content must evoke a degree of emotion to achieve a deeper connection

We all engage with content that strikes a chord with us on some level. Consider for a second all the stories of world events, local movements, and BACON we connect with on our various social platforms Content that is meaningful, resonates on a personal level and makes an emotional connection with the audience is the content that passes through social networks with unprecedented velocity The reason why memes (viral videos, pictures, etc ) spread like wildfire is because they elicit a positive or negative emotion from each of us

Is there a way to create content that can consistently tap into an audience’s emotional state within the confines of writing to their knowledge level?

In a recent conversation with a content marketer, she relayed a story about a teacher telling her son to use juicier words when writing his assignments That example is at the heart of what one should consider when writing content

There are words that by their very nature create a visceral response from an audience, and developing an understanding of emotional connectivity is critical to the goal of creating that kind of resonance. Topic or theme aside, writing with emotional connectivity through your language, will help you create a better connection with your audience

This is not a new concept by any means The great writers and lyricists of our time who have illustrated their own authentic experiences through the use of language have inspired us all In order for our content to connect in that same manner, it is important to not underestimate emotional connectivity in language

It’s our mandate as content creators to shape our stories in such a way that they not only educate, entertain or demonstrate thought leadership, but also, create a meaningful connection with our community

When your content excites & engages your audience, they will find your content emotionally influencing.

When your content excites & engages your audience,

you evoke strong negative or positive emotions from

your reader

Your audience will find your content emotionally influencing

when you evoke strong negative or positive emotions

from your reader

When you evoke strong negative or positive emotions

from your reader, your content excites & engages

your audience and they will find your content emotionally

influencing.

ImpACT & FORCE TIp

ImpACT & pOLARITY TIp

FORCE & pOLARITY TIp

ImpACT, FORCE & pOLARITY TIp

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Inspiration is just one emotion that one can achieve when writing with more pronounced language and words Have you considered words in persuading your audience to take action? Of course we ultimately all want to see some kind of return on our investment in content creation, but just providing a mechanism for content marketing is not enough We need to see results from our work, so that we can continue to do the kinds of things that will have a lasting impression on our audience

No matter what the context, ensuring that our audience is getting something from the words is of paramount importance If we can somehow move the needle and persuade them to align with the message, our work is well on it’s way to having a meaningful impact

Language and the use of words can help one achieve just that

Sometimes, a piece of content does not have to force an audience to take action, or even be persuaded to do anything at all Sometimes language can just provide an experience

Regularly consider the words that you are using to promote your brand within the context of your content

Are you providing a positive or negative experience? Are you doing all you can to create the best message for your brand? It is important to establish the language of your brand, regardless of the subject material

Always use language that will establish an emotional connection with your audience. There is no substitute for emotional words in content Traditional SEO methods of stuffing content with words that may resonate with a search engine is not the same as impacting your story with language appropriate for real people In the long run content creators will be way more successful with content that connects on that higher level. That is ultimately a more effective method of building a lasting community around a brand

relevant high quality content attracts an audience which you can build a relationship with and this in turn will help grow your business.

Ian Cleary @IanCleary

“ ”

YOU NEEd TO GET EmOTIONAL wITH YOUR AUdIENCE

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YOUR AUdIENCE REQUIREs CONsIsTENTLY GREAT CONTENT

How do you know that you are creating content that consistently offers the audience something that they will connect with?

There are all kinds of post analytic tools that let marketers know how content performs after the fact, but there are not as many that are predictive of content performance prior to it being published.The problem is further compounded when writing content that is predictive in terms of search rank, but not in terms of an authentic connection with an audience While data provides critical insights that yield positive outcomes when used correctly, producing content for search engines may deliver short-term success but will fail in the long-run – authenticity, relevance and connectivity are significantly more meaningful and engaging attributes of success

There will always be outliers within your content repository and certainly failures, but concentrating efforts in the very juicy middle is where one will ultimately have the biggest opportunity to affect change and enrich the audience’s connection

Structure content in such a way that demonstrates your knowledge of your audience’s interests and you will establish a more reliable framework with greater predictability and better engagement results.That’s how you will craft exciting, original and provocative content that will deliver consistent results Think about the arc of a story, song structure, style guides and the like They all provide structure and patterns that come out of an understanding of how audiences ingest and relate to content in various forms

If you are able to bring a little science to the art of storytelling within those confines, your audience and your brand ultimately benefit.

I create content to share my experiences as a freelance writer on the front lines of the social and content intersection. I am learning right along with everyone else in the ever-evolving tech world. when I see something that’s working or not, not only does writing about it educate my audience. It also helps me retain the lesson, and showcase my writing abilities and experience.

Shay Moser @ShayMoser

“”

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Combining the structure of content for an audience while using appropriate and connective language may indeed be a model for consistently delivering better engagement and ultimately community around a brand or story All of this done within the context of matching an audience’s knowledge level around a topic is sure to not only raise your content’s quality, but also the depth of that community

A mechanism that can help you score your content, not only for the sake of understanding your content’s quality and relevance to your audience, but that also acts as a benchmark of predictability and consistency with your content creation endeavors is an extremely powerful tool.Imagine if that same platform provided an understanding of what structure and language your audience required based on their knowledge level as part of the scoring scheme Helpful right?

Tools that help you consider this consistency and all the elements required from an audience’s perspective before you publish become that much more powerful With an understanding of how content performed in the past against a set of metrics and diagnostics, you can perfect, or at least get a lot closer to a model of consistency in a predictive manner moving forward Setting benchmarks and targets at an organizational level is a critical component within the process

It’s a lot easier to hit 300 if you have a coach reminding you of what you need to do versus you just guessing when you hit a slump

Ideally, leverage tools that not only guide you but also help you improve your content during the creation process

YOUR AUdIENCE REQUIREs CONsIsTENTLY GREAT CONTENT

the audience is important but it doesn’t necessarily have to include everyone. you’re looking to create content that resonates with people with an interest in your product.

to me, content is the way that I do marketing. It delivers value-added information and establishes me and my brand as a thought leader.

Mark Evans @markevans

“”

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A FEw NIFTY TRICKs TO CONNECT YOUR CONTENT wITH YOUR AUdIENCE

When you are able to structure your content correctly for digital audiences and use language that is appealing to them, you are well on your way to connecting in a much more impactful way Taking the guesswork out of this by using tools designed to help you can only improve results

There are a few other things that can help you entice your intended audience to connect, share and come back for more content These recommendations are nice arrows to have in your quiver, but remember that you need to consider each with your audience, their knowledge level, and the use of engaging language These suggestions will draw your audience in and keep them with you

TitleIn a world filled with both great and not so great content, it is important to stand out from the herd Creating a title for your work that will entice your audience to read your piece over someone else’s is increasingly important In most cases it’s your title that gets shared on social platforms, so the title is the calling card for your work If your audience shares your content, it will be your title that the secondary audience will consider before they come to your site

There are a number of really good tips to use when creating a title, but what you need to do is consider your audience The best advice is to keep your title positive with language appropriate for them Use personal pronouns, establish your title with superlatives and generate excitement about what they are going to read

Paragraph DensityWhile you are certainly considering your audience, their knowledge level and the structure of your content, also consider your paragraph density Your readers are likely on the go, viewing content on a smartphone or tablet, and they will scroll past lengthy paragraphs Each sentence does not need to stand on it’s own but consider the viewing area of these devices as you construct your paragraphs The greater your paragraph’s density, the less likely it will connect in a meaningful way

Write a “Listicle”

Start with a number

Questions make powerful titles

How-to articles offer useful information and methods

An ideal length is 5–11 words

Write in the present tense

TITLE CHECKLIsT

mORE HINTs

Write with emotion

Address the reader

Pack a superlative

Capitalize your title

Use keywords

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You should also consider their cognitive state when reading your content They likely aren’t reading your content in a vacuum apart from their daily lives, so daunting paragraphs will alienate them

Your goal is to connect with your audience and provide them with something that is either informative or entertaining Imagine being presented with a volume of content filled with dense paragraphs. If it looks like homework or a PHD thesis, the engagement that you draw from that piece of content will be low Of course, always consider audience, and how they want content structured In certain scenarios, denser paragraphs are appropriate Consider the context of your writing relative to the needs of your audience

Passive vs. Active VoiceIt is a commonly taught rule in journalism schools to keep your audience’s attention, it’s imperative that you write in active rather than passive voice. Great writers can flip back and forth between active and passive voice and do it so well that the author is often unaware

Data science demonstrates that active voice engages and passive voice detaches, resulting in costly lost opportunities When you consider a digital audience at any knowledge level, they are looking for information that is quick and easy to understand If they are reading your content from a mobile device, they are less likely to spend time deciphering a sophisticated writing style and will stop engaging with your content Creating meaningful content that considers your audience first is how you will build and deepen your community

audience is everything as great content and conversation provides no value without a community of people listening, consuming and amplifying your story!

content gives you the opportunity to share your story, provide value and pay forward the lessons and information you’ve found value to help others!

Brian Fanzo @iSocialFanz

“”

A FEw NIFTY TRICKs TO CONNECT YOUR CONTENT wITH YOUR AUdIENCE

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YOUR CONTENT sUCCEss: CREATE, CURATE, COmmUNITY, CONsIsTENCY

As content marketers, creating compelling content is the most important thing we can do to gain our audience’s attention and trust

We’ve outlined some ways that you can deepen that connection with your audience: specifically by providing them with content that considers their knowledge level, uses engaging language and provides structural consistency to drive engagement

However, content and its creation are only the first part in your journey at excelling as a content marketer If you create content that is compelling and geared towards your audience, there are two absolute benefits. You will deliver quality content and increase the community around your brand When you create content that engages and moves, that movement (the commenting and sharing) is your ultimate return on investment

Simply creating content is not enough though and creating enough content to satiate the needs of your audience might be difficult. You can also show your thought leadership around a particular topic by curating content and sharing it to your various platforms If you can provide utility with your content, imagine how much your audience will love you if you can act as a filter for other content on their behalf Being a destination for all content on a given subject has tremendous benefit to your brand and your community

When you connect and grow with your audience, what you are actually doing is growing community around your brand, products and services. That community is a powerful force, not only evangelizing on your behalf, but also helping you create content with forums, user-generated content requests and other promotions The size of your community doesn’t determine how effective it is.

Your community only needs to understand and connect with your brand to carry your message If you are successful in communicating to your community in a relevant way, you will begin to shape the way they talk about you Remember to always listen to your audience

If you have an important message and a vision behind that message, that’s why you create content. have a plan and know what you are trying to accomplish with each piece, blog post, video, image, etc. you create content to help people, to make their lives easier and more enjoyable, to share your knowledge to ideally make the world a better place.

Britt Michaelian @BrittMichaelian

“”

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Eventually, your audience’s knowledge and understanding of your brand will change, establishing a stronger connection You can apply the same methods to the pursuit of a new audience

If you have the right tools and skills in place, dealing with multiple audiences within your community will be as easy as dealing with one.None of this will matter though if you can’t repeat the steps of your success on a regular basis By consistently making a commitment to understanding your audience and writing engaging content for them, you will gain richer insight into how they are connecting with your brand When they begin to depend on you, that’s a relationship that shouldn’t be taken for granted

Consistency with your brand, its message, and the attention you pay to your audience is paramount to your marketing success All of this starts with creating great content for real people You will transform your content marketing strategy by not only creating, curating and building community around your brand, but by always considering your audience

YOUR CONTENT sUCCEss: CREATE, CURATE, COmmUNITY, CONsIsTENCY

16

IN CLOsING

The goal of this e-book is to assist you in your thinking about your content strategy, your audience, and how you can create content for real-people in a much more compelling way

We spend a lot of time thinking about our audience and how to gear our content for them Have you stopped to consider how your content resonates with your audience from a knowledge and structural standpoint? Do you use emotive language with an engaging tone to elicit a more visceral response?

When you realize that real people make up your audience and you begin to create great content for them, the connection will deepen We’ve relied on search engine algorithms to guide our creative process instead of letting our art speak for itself

There is definitely a place for science and data to help inform the way we write for our audience but the creative process cannot be undermined We need tools that help us understand our audience in new and exciting ways so that we create deeper connections

We hope that you begin to think about creating content for your audience with their knowledge level in mind We hope that they connect with your brand in a meaningful way because you have created stimulating content After all, that’s why you began this content marketing journey in the first place.

atomicreach.comfacebook.com/atomicreach twitter.com/atomic_reach

we think creating great content for real people is how you build a lasting connection with your audience.

we help you identify who those people are and how to write for them. when you know which segment they

fall into, you can perfect your message.

Love your audience and they will love you back.

atomic reach - helping you create great content, for real people, on whatever platform you use.