Times have changed and with it the marketing strategies. Previously, to generate mass attraction, marketers had to invest heavily in print media, commercials, billboards, etc.
Today, attention-grabbing tactics have enhanced and morphed into content marketing and social media campaigns. Digital marketing and content creation tools have empowered marketers to create ample buzz around their products and services without emptying their pockets.
But with empowerment comes great responsibility, the responsibility to create quality content. The ease of producing content has led to an overwhelming aggregation of content that drowns the users seeking to gain valuable insight on a topic.
Entrepreneur Mark Cuban says:
So how can your content stand out from the digital deluge of words?
The answer is 10x content. A term coined by Rand Fishkin, in a Whiteboard Friday video Why good content needs to die.
What is 10x content?
The literal translation of “10x content” is the content which is ten times better than the barrage of blogs out there. Basically, it refers to the content which:
- Is a combination of high-quality, insightful, trustworthy and brilliant
- Is remarkably distinctive in scope from the content catering to the same user
- Provides a plausible solution
- Evokes a genuine emotion
- Offers excellent user experience and is compatible to the varying UI on different devices
- Is delivered in unique, pleasurable style
According to Fishkin, good content is just not enough anymore. He believes we should strive to stand out from the content saturation currently plaguing the digital space and deliver posts which offer actionable insight in an unexpectedly creative way. Following is the process of how you can do that:
1. Understand the topic in depth
Once you have finalized an idea of the topic, you want to address, dive deep into its content and learn everything relevant about it. Read the content already written on the subject, evaluate the articulation of the posts, analyze the user experience of the content by looking at the engagements and shares it garnered, and understand why the people are interested in the topic.
The extensive overview of the topic not only enables you to gain the valuable knowledge required to craft a quality post, but it also helps you identify any lacking in the coverage of the topic and how you can improve and enhance it to create better content than the ones already floating around the cyberspace.
2. Discover your unique angle
The key to creating 10x content is to pinpoint exactly what’s missing from the material available online and strive to fill the gaps. Every imaginable idea has a plethora of information readily available at your fingertips. But if you delve deep into these contents you can discover your unique angle and present it with your imaginative twist.
Take the term “10x content” for example. Content creation has been around for ages and gaining traction every year with more and more organizations realizing the importance of creating brilliant content.
In fact, 88% of the B2B companies identify content marketing as an integral part of their marketing strategy. Despite that, the term “10x content” provides a whole new perspective to content creation and elevates the credibility of the posts generated by keeping this phenomenon in mind.
Similarly, you should think outside the box and produce something exceptional to excel. Don’t be afraid to experiment and push the boundaries.
3. Deliver it with panache
The prowess of a well-crafted, eloquent blog is undeniable. Conversely, the visual elements of a post enhance the overall user experience and make the content more engaging and influencing. They break the monotony of the post and give the readers a visual break from blocks of text.
Improve your content strategy
Now that you have understood the steps required to create powerful content, let us discuss how you can improve your existing content strategy to up your game.
User experience
According to a Smart Insights 2015 study, mobile usage in the U.S. has gained leverage over desktop usage with 51% users accessing digital media from a mobile platform. Therefore, the sensible course of action dictates that you should optimize your content for mobile readability to enhance the user experience and increase the outreach of your content.
Build content that seamlessly integrates with social media by providing easy options to share it on various social media platforms to increase engagement.
Viral content
“Make it go viral” is the new buzz phrase which consistently repeated in every marketing team’s meeting. However, in the bid to make content go viral, don’t disregard the importance of relevant context, target audience and the brand image.
Stay true to the inherent nature of your branding strategy and share authentic content which resonates with your target audience. As a result the post will become viral on its own accord.
Raise the visual quotient
Only 37% of marketers say visual marketing is an important aspect of content for their business. But to attract and retain the audience’s attention, you need to employ visual marketing.
Include compelling infographics and engaging graphs and charts to increase the effectiveness of your content and to make it more comprehensive. Attractive visuals can be the defining factor between good content and 10x content.
Give precedence to quality
Incessant substandard content creation to acquire rankings may have worked a decade ago. With search engine giant, Google’s algorithm change in 2015, it has become even more crucial to create top-notch content to remain relevant in the SERPs.
Good content is not enough to make your mark in the digital market brimming with articles. You need to deliver more value and better quality than anything the audience has encountered before. Even though the content is still the king. Finally it just needs to be ten times more powerful to regain its throne.
About the author:
Alycia Gordan is a freelance writer who loves to read and write articles on healthcare technology, fitness and lifestyle. She is a tech junkie and divides her time between travel and writing. You can find her on Twitter: @meetalycia
