Why it pays to create smarter content

by Darren Clare

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You’ll have heard of the expression ‘by cheap, buy twice’ – and this is particularly relevant when creating content. There is so much noise online – adding to it with mediocre content won’t get you far. Instead, we look at why investing in smarter content lets your budget go further, and saves you precious time and energy both now and in the future.

With great content, every word works harder 

Whether you’re writing a 260 character tweet or a 5,000-word e-book – each word needs a purpose. No filler, no fluff, just added value for the reader. By investing in smart, well thought out content you’re giving yourself a much better chance of capturing and keeping, elusive attention.

It’s much easier to repurpose

With 72% of customers wanting to be engaged through an integrated marketing approach, but only 39% currently getting that, there is a great competitive advantage in providing content across multiple formats. Whilst your copy should be tailored depending on the channel you’re using – having an expertly written ‘hero’ piece is going to make the job of carving up the content much easier across your platforms. 

Google will thank you for it

Gone are the days of keyword stuffing to get you into prime position for search results. Algorithms are smarter, which means your content has to be too. It’s looking like 2021 will bring a big push on user experience, which means your website not only needs to work well, but your content needs to enable users to find what they need quickly. All keywords and no purpose may well land you in trouble with the Google gods. 

It builds your authority 

Uncertainty brings an opportunity to cement yourself as an authority in your field.
This authority is at risk of being undermined by badly written or mistake-filled copy, so don’t let your content detract from your expertise and thought leadership.

It future-proofs your content (as much as it can)

We see a lot of clients asking for help to update their old content – we’re not complaining, but we can also see how they could have saved themselves lots of time and money by getting their content right the first time. Of course, the world changes and so do ideas – so we’re not saying articles won’t need to be updated in the future. However, if the writing is solid – then updating them is usually much simpler.

Examples of smart content done well

Here are three recent examples of content-led campaigns that we love.

Blood without bias

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/unilad-brings-real-blood-streets-london-policy-change-plea/1669095

What it is: An out of home campaign by Lad Bible Group’s Unilad to highlight and protest against the current UK blood-donation policies for gay and bi-sexual men.

Why it works: It’s hard-hitting, distinctive and memorable. Whilst the main highlight of the campaign was the out of home element, the use of emotive language helps to invoke passion – which is one of the main drivers for change.

Puffin Storytime

https://www.education-today.co.uk/childrens-publisher-puffin-offers-a-rich-programme-of-online-storytelling-and-at-home-activities/

What it is: Children’s publisher Puffin replanned its 80th birthday celebrations in light of lockdown rules, to bring its work to more children online.

Why it works: Puffin is an authority in children’s books, and launching their campaign in a time of great change is a reassuring step for the general public. By using numerous online channels including Facebook, Twitter and Youtube they are able to expand their reach – and use a specific hashtag ‘#PuffinStorytime’ to tie it all together.

Castello – five steps to satisfy

https://www.creativemoment.co/castello-feeds-your-senses

What it is: Castello created a series of long-form videos, using culinary experts to explore and explain three different taste profiles; sharp, creamy and crumbly

Why it works: There is no shortage of food content on the internet, so Castello had to find a new angle to cut through. By focusing on the sense and evoking a sense of story to their videos, they’re able to create informative and entertaining content that captures imaginations.