At the Mesh Marketing conference held in Toronto on Thursday, marketer Ann Handley reminded attendees of the importance of high-quality content.
“One of the tenets from my journalism school days is this: no one has to read this. My professors were always telling me, yes, you technically get a paycheque from the newspaper, magazine, or publication. But ultimately, you are serving the reader,” Handley told an interviewer.
The sheer volume of content shared online means that audiences can afford to be picky about what they spend their time reading. Uninspiring, mediocre content will not stand out from the competition, and does not compel site visitors to return.
In her book, Everybody Writes, Handley discusses the importance of creating content that appeals to the reader. Marketers would often prefer to talk what they find interesting — usually, their brand — but a reader-centered approach is almost always more effective.
In her book, Handley recommends keeping posts short, succinct, and relatable.
“We’re all capable of writing more effectively, more efficiently, with more focus on the person we’re trying to reach,” she says.