Writing engaging online content & why nobody cared 13 years ago
Recently, Facebook kindly reminded me of some statuses I shared 13 years ago. As expected, they were super cringe. This is what I decided to share on the internet, verbatim:
is going to bed:)
Is doing homework ugh
Is havin dinner
I chuckled at this. The first thing I asked myself was, why did I think anyone cared? What made me want to share this information?
And I wish I had an answer LOL.
But it’s clear that truly nobody cared that much given the lack of engagement with any of these posts…no likes, shares, or comments at all…unsurprisingly.
What could I have done better for even one person to care? I believe I have the answers for that one that will help your content writing today.
Before we get into it, I don’t want you to miss out on improving your portfolio TODAY. My guide walks you through different writing samples you can create to “wow!” your prospects. Let me know what you think!
When you’re writing online content—whether it’s a blog post, social media post, email, etc.—there are several elements to keep in mind to ensure you’re writing something that your audience won’t always turn the other way from.
Here are two main points to focus on for each piece of content you write:
1. Know your audience
Clearly again, I did not understand that my Facebook friends didn’t care if I was doing homework, eating dinner, or going to bed. But if I was at a friend’s house and texting these updates just to my mom, maybe she would be more interested in what I was up to (thanks, Mom).
When you know your audience, you usually have an idea of what they care about and what to give them. You know what voice and tone will resonate with them and some of the time, you can even anticipate how they may react to your content.
2. Ensure that you’re offering value
If your audience doesn’t find any kind of value in what you’re saying, they’re not going to care. Harsh, but true (I wish I knew this 13 years ago, even if it was just Facebook posts for my friends).
Think about when you’re scrolling online—if you’re not getting something out of a post, it doesn’t interest you, right? You want to be:
- Entertained
- Informed of something important
- Taught about something interesting
Right? Otherwise, *yawn* and you continue scrolling.
Make sure to give something to your audience each time. This will ensure a quality, valuable piece of content that’s more likely to pique their interest and make them want to engage.
Ask the right questions
Before you publish content, there are some important questions to ask yourself while you’re writing, including:
- Is this offering value?
- Is this educational?
- Is this inspirational?
- Is this entertaining?
- Is this telling a story?
- Do I sound human? (Be yourself)
- Is there action my audience can take from it?
If your content addresses one or more of these, you’re on the right path! Just focus on giving your audience something, like a little gift each time you publish.
At least my old Facebook statuses provide some entertainment value now…13 years late. LOL
And another note: you could include all of these elements discussed above in your content and still get little or no engagement, especially when you’re just starting. In that case, I encourage you to keep being consistent and learn from each post. The algorithm can also be tricky, so one piece of content may work one day (or one hour), and it may not the next day (or hour lol). But once you keep at it and build your audience, you’ll begin to see your engagement increase. Just keep publishing consistently and keep learning!
What else do you think makes engaging content? Comment below!
