Back to Basics with Content

Do these headlines look familiar?

• “10 Reasons Your Content Isn’t Getting Enough Attention Online”
• “How Long Should Your Meta Descriptions Be?”
• “125 Words and Phrases That Convert”
• “30 SEO Tips to Improve Your Content”

Yuck, yuck and yuck.

We all know how important it is to create content for our target audiences, especially when the demand for content is the highest it’s ever been. A recent study shows that the amount of content produced across all print and digital channels in 2015 rose 35%. Whoa.

Notice the study didn’t attribute the amount of content as being “great”, or “first page search results worthy”, or “highly shared.” Simply, just content. Wonder where I’m going with this? Let’s find out.

Businesses are learning more and more about what they can be doing better, whether it’s improving their SEO, click-through-rates, conversions, headlines. . . (the list is endless.) All of these components are important to help your business grow, however people think too much about the specifics and not about the big picture. Your consumers will read your blog, social media post, or other forms of content regardless if you used those extra 20 words an article suggested or incorporated the latest SEO tricks—IF they are interested in what you have to say.

For example, let’s talk about a Green Bay Packers game (GO PACK GO!) As you head over to Lambeau on game day you park really close to the stadium, your ‘layers of clothing to type of weather’ ratio is spot on, you grab an infamous Miller Lite beer, you sit in your awesome seats, and you enjoy the game. What’s the main reason you go to a Packers game? Duh, to watch the game! You don’t go for the great parking spot or the location of your seats, or even for the beer—you go for the main attraction, the game.

Yes, those extra perks at Packers games are great ways to enhance the experience. But they aren’t deal breakers. If you focus on the main points of your content, everything else will follow. Don’t stress over counting the amount of keywords you use, the number of characters in your meta descriptions, or if specific words you chose will dictate if your consumers convert.

The world of producing content needs a breath of fresh air, so don’t get caught up with the nitty gritty details. Focus on topics your consumers care about. Focus on what’s happening in your industry. Focus on showcasing your brand’s personality. Just please—for the love of the Packers—don’t worry so much. As Aaron Rodgers says, “R-E-L-A-X.”