How to write Engaging Content to Gain Attention in Covid-19 Times
“Hey, this is unbelievable, I actually earned my first lockdown income today,” exulted Shilpi over the phone. Her friend Gurjeet was not surprised. Having been in the business of content development for a decade now, she was aware of the income opportunities in store. Shilpi had just joined the bandwagon. She had a long way to go.
“Please help me understand what else to do to kickstart my career as a writer. I need your expert tips and advice,” Shilpi was unstoppable. The excitement of adding something to her kitty, for the first time since March 2020, was palpable in her voice.
Gurjeet had helped many writers find their bearings, before and after the Pandemic hit. She knew what tips to share so that Shilpi and others like her could churn engaging content to keep clients satisfied during Covid-19 times. She rattled off knowingly.
Tips to Develop Engaging and High-quality Content
- What’s Your Topic for the Day?
Original content is loved by all, the search engines included. They provide more credence and exposure to the sites where they are published. Besides, you can avoid fees and penalties by keeping duplicate content at bay.
The problem is that original topic ideas are difficult to find and nurture. They do not appear at all times or when you want them to. It’s also critical to come up with original content ideas to add to the posts you plan to write. A good way of going about this step lies in keeping a list of ideas ready on your desktop or mobile. Titles, notes, comments for highlighting your post – these three columns can be used to streamline your ideas.
- How to Make Old Ideas Sound New and Fresh?
You may want to go through the saved ideas occasionally and weave the content in your head. It helps to keep churning, aligning and flipping the ideas to improvise on them.
First-time writers can generate fresh and better content with the following tips in place.
- Try to fix together two ideas that seem to be unrelated or distant.
- Use of a negative can change the essence of most pre-published ideas. Why not use “How not to do something?” rather than “How to do something?”
- Try writing a follow up on the content that is yet to be written. This tip is recommended by many authors who know how to write killer content in just a few steps.
- Keep your eyes, ears and mind open to new and old ideas alike. Read the content written by others and also your own to get more ideas and insights.
Even as you look for unique and truly new content ideas, the results may not be what you desire in most niches. Learn to innovate slowly but steadily. It’s absolutely okay to borrow the ideas of those who may have written on the same topic before you. Just remember to create value and give your writing a fresh angle. That should work!
3. Work on Developing Strong Eye-catching Headlines
80 percent of readers will take a look at the headlines of your script. However, only 20 percent of them will proceed to read what the remaining content offers. You may want to keep this in mind to create headlines that spark instant interest. Your topics should make readers attentive and pull them into your post or article. In a nutshell, try adding enticing and positive headlines. Take time to work on them as your headlines cast the first impression and decide the outcome of your content writing efforts.
4. Find Your Unique Voice
The content you write has to deliver a unique voice that’s yours and only yours. This will not be easy in the beginning. One fine way of attaining this is by going through the work of skilled writers and trying to copy their flow. Soon enough, you will find an exclusive style creeping into your content.
Generally speaking, expect to pass through three different phases of development – copying, mastering the art of writing, and then bringing in change through innovation. Start by imitating the writing style of your favorite writers. Thereafter, develop your own style by using what you pick up along the way.
5. Write Less but Write Well
To prevail in the industry, choose quality over quantity. Write a blog a day if more becomes a big deal for your energy levels. Don’t rush to complete illogical or less-thought of deadlines. In case of the slightest hesitation, tone down your commitments and ask for less stringent deadlines. Learn to set up your work calendar and tracking sheet so that you don’t spend sleepless nights working as a writing machine.
6. How to Write in a Shorter Time Frame
- Don’t waste time hunting for writing ideas or looking for what to write on the topic provided only at the last moment. You will fail pathetically. The solution lies in scanning varied and new ideas consistently and without fail to apply when needed.
- You may want to create a separate email folder to save probable headlines, research materials and newsletters for later reference purposes. Conversely, searching for material to write on when the time is ripe for submission will only consume your resources needlessly.
- Think ahead and plan your daily, weekly and monthly work calendar. Create meaningful and doable goals and timelines. Having a clear and organized mindset will reflect in the quality of your content.
- Group the topics you want to write, spin connected posts into a series of content to better your writing flow, etc. Do not jump topics or genres as you will be lost for ideas and words.
Write More! Write Original, No-fluff Content
Always remember that whether you are getting more traffic or cash through your content, your hosts and clients will always demand high-quality content, and in good time. Try to write for the same brand or product to understand the sort of difference you can pull in. In a matter of days, you will have other writers vying for your style of content! “Thanks a ton, you have given me plenty of food for thought. I am sure that these tips will help me emerge from these difficult times gradually. You have given me new hope, thanks again!” Shilpi concluded gratefully.
