How to Combat Reader Fatigue to your Content Marketing Campaigns

Does your content generate more yawns than leads? Is your content just another copy of 100 similar articles clogging up the search engines? Hopefully not, but even if you think your content has an impact, there is always room for improvement.

Are sales or web traffic down? Boring content could be to blame

Nobody reads boring content. Data collected by Chartbeat shows that most readers only scroll halfway through stories on Slate.com. That’s about four paragraphs. The takeaway? If your content doesn’t grab a reader’s attention by the fourth paragraph, it’s boring.

Boring content repels readers and deters sales. The good news is you can revive bored readers by launching a highly targeted content marketing strategy.

Content marketing isn’t supposed to be snooze-worthy

Your content should inform, entertain, or inspire readers to take an action. If you’re pumping out generic content on a frantic schedule just to meet arbitrary deadlines, your readers are probably bouncing fast. A targeted content marketing strategy will slay your bounce rate and start generating leads and sales. All you need to do is create irresistible, interesting content.

If you’re new to content marketing you might be wondering how to come up with interesting topics and align your content with your brand. We published a content marketing guide that answers these (and other) pressing questions.

In a nutshell, you need to figure out what’s not being addressed in your industry and write about those issues in a way that adds value to your readers’ lives. For instance, say you’re a plumber. Some of your readers might be homeowners who don’t know using commercial drain cleaner can destroy their pipes. Write an article explaining why drain cleaners are bad for pipes, translate the damage into dollars, and explain how to prevent clogs in the first place.

Add a twist to standard topics

General topics are easy to come up with, but to capture attention you need to get specific. For example, if you’re a dog trainer it’s easy to create a training guide titled Teach Your Dog to Sit. It sounds like a good piece of content, but it’s actually quite boring. Thousands of similar guides already exist. Unless yours stands out, you won’t capture much interest.

What would be interesting is a guide titled Train Your Dog to Stop in Their Tracks and Sit Without Saying a Word. Now you’re speaking to dog owners with stubborn, independent, and distracted dogs. You’re going to capture their attention with your title and if you can deliver on the content, they’ll be more likely to heed your call-to-action at the end.

Share content you should be charging for

One of the best ways to capture your readers’ attention is to share content you should be charging for. By sharing information you’d normally charge for, you’re not only giving readers a special deal, but you’re earning their trust at the same time.

When a reader recognizes the value you’re giving away, that automatically makes your content more interesting. They may not be on the edge of their seat eager to know all the secrets to negotiating a 75% commission for affiliate products. However, since it’s free information they know should cost money, they’ll read it anyway. They might even sign up for your newsletter in hopes that you’ll share even more information.

Create subheadings to make your content skimmable

Statistics show that 81% of website visitors scan articles for subheadings and don’t read until they find a heading that stands out. Make the most of your headings within each piece of content. Consider that your headings might be the only text some visitors read.

Create your subheadings knowing readers will skim your content. Try to make all subheadings informative, but also interesting. If any of your content is highly important, use attention-grabbing subheadings to ensure skimmers take note.

A marketing agency can help make your content engaging

If you’re struggling with traffic, leads, or sales, a professional content marketing campaign will help. While it’s possible to manage your own content marketing campaign, it’s easier to let the pros handle it.

By working with a content marketing agency, you won’t need to create all of your own content. You’ll need to come up with basic ideas for the kind of content you’d like written, but the agency will handle all of the writing and distribution.

Most of all, content marketing agencies know exactly how to write engaging content that people want to read. If you want engaging content that generates sales and leads, consider performing an audit and working with professionals; it’s what all the top businesses are doing.