January, 2012 | Content for Biz Inc.

How to Prioritize Your Content

Information needs to be served quickly and accurately to be effective. Some companies stick to a consistent schedule of key messages. Others rely on intuitive thinking. Others get lost in a sea of reactive response. I have seen businesses falter when it comes to prioritizing their content. The result may be an outdated website, missed opportunities to engage audiences and failure to influence.

With so many ways to meet information demand, how do you prioritize your content? I asked Chris Brogan, digital media advisor and president of Human Business Works, how he prioritizes the incredible amount of content he produces each day on social media, newsletters, blog posts and for clients. Within an hour I received his response via email:

“I write mine based on themes that roll into my head at any given time. Sometimes, I’m on a tear and have a series in mind. Other times, I just create based on something that I’ve been asked or from some observation in the ‘real’ world.”

He often begins with social channels which he says leads to a blog post, which leads to a newsletter article, which leads to a potential conversion/sale.

Here are some ideas on how to prioritize your content.

Segment Your Audience

List the different audiences who need or want your information. There are lots of people who may read your website, social media channels, blog, newsletter or email. List priorities for each group. Refer to the list to stay focused.

Know the “Must Haves”

In the “real” world information may be required by law or regulation. Or, a CEO directive. This may be paramount, priority number 1.

Is it Mission Critical?

When information is critical to program operations or service offerings it becomes a priority. Relevance and timeliness are important factors in business. Do not linger.

Stay Responsive

When the company is being inundated with questions on a particular topic/product/interaction address it now in your content. In fact, become proactive when you find your audience lacks clarity about an issue.

Be Ready

Monitor industry news to find out what’s happening currently. When appropriate, determine how your company can add to the topic using its expertise. These opportunities are fleeting so they become high priority. After the fact attention won’t cut it.

Review your high-traffic pages. Consult your experts to determine what content will have the most immediate impact, then create and publish.

Adhering to content priorities reduces guesswork and positions the company well to feed the thirst for information. How do you prioritize your content?

Take Advantage of “Halo Effect” in Content

The halo effect describes how one characteristic can affect the perception of another. If you have a beautifully designed website, chances are its content will be viewed favorably as well. Such influence impacts how the whole company is perceived. The opposite is true too. A poorly designed website and one with weak content can reflect badly on the company.

The halo effect can be applied to the sequence of descriptive words in a sentence. Psychologist Solomon Asch used the following two descriptions of two people and solicited comments on their personalities.

Allen: Intelligent – industrious – impulsive – critical – stubborn – envious

Ben: Envious – stubborn – critical – impulsive – industrious – intelligent

Most people viewed Allen more favorably than Ben. Sequence matters because it forms first impressions. Subsequent information may get lost. Good content writers are sensitive to such nuances and craft content to make a good impression.

When customers have a great experience on your website, they most likely will assume you are a good company to work with or buy from. Once that momentum occurs, it’s important to affirm the customer’s positive perception with consistent, high value content.

How to Write Potent Headlines: A Lesson from David Ogilvy

I think advertising man David Ogilvy would have enjoyed online marketing for the instantaneous feedback it provides. His rules about advertising weren’t based on opinion, but years of research.

Ogilvy’s advice on headlines is as relevant today as in 1963, the year he published his book, “Confessions of an Advertising Man.” Ogilvy stresses the importance of the headline in a chapter on writing potent copy. “Five times as many people read the headline as the body copy. If you haven’t done some selling in your headline, you will have wasted 80 cents out of your client’s dollar.” For every ad he never wrote fewer than 16 headlines.

Rule No. 1: “The headline is the ticket on the meat.”

Ogilvy promoted the use of keywords in the headline, before keywords were keywords. “If you are selling a remedy for bladder weakness, display BLADDER WEAKNESS in the headline. If you want mothers to read your advertisement, display MOTHERS in your headline.”

Rule No. 2: “Every headline should appeal to the reader’s self-interest.”

Ogilvy insisted headlines provide a benefit to the reader. If your headlines aren’t offering a benefit, scrap them. A reader may not care that your machine has new engine (feature), what he cares about is five percent greater fuel efficiency (benefit).

Rule No. 3: Always try to inject news into your headlines.

“The two most powerful words you can use in headlines are FREE and NEW. You can seldom use FREE, but you can almost always use NEW – if you try hard enough.” With new technologies being developed faster than ever before in our markets, Ogilvy’s message stands the test of time. B2B buyers need to know about new products and services, so don’t leave it out of your headline.

Rule No. 4: Other words that work

“HOW TO, SUDDENLY, NOW, ANNOUNCING, INTRODUCING, IT’S HERE, JUST ARRIVED, IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVEMENT, AMAZING, SENSATIONAL, REMARKABLE, REVOLUTIONARY, STARTLING, MIRACLE, MAGIC, OFFER, EASY, WANTED, CHALLENGE, ADVICE TO , THE TRUTH ABOUT, COMPARE, BARGAIN, HURRY, LAST CHANCE.”

Look at your best read posts and pages. Do the headlines include any of these words? Ogilvy told writers,”They may be shipworn, but they work.”

Rule No. 5: Include the brand in the headline.

If they only read the headline, you want them to at least know the brand name.

Rule No. 6: Include the selling promise in your headline.

Ogilvy didn’t strive away from a longer headline if it included the selling promise. Over time I think headlines have gotten shorter, and perhaps less effective. According to Ogilvy his best headline was 18 words. At Sixty Miles an Hour the Loudest Noise in the Rolls Royce Comes from the Electric Clock.

Rule No. 7: Headlines should arouse curiosity.

Successful headlines lure a prospect to read on.

Rule No. 8: Avoid tricky headlines.

Ogilvy wasn’t a fan of puns, literary illusions or other obscurities. “This is a sin,” he said.

Rule No. 9: Avoid negatives in headlines.

Ogilvy felt it was too easy for readers to miss the negative and come away with a different meaning from the headline.

Rule No. 10: Avoid blind headlines.

Ogilvy didn’t like what he called “blind headlines.” These were headlines that required further reading to figure them out. “Most people don’t (read on),” said Ogilvy. With website visitors spending less than 20 seconds reading an average web page, this is probably good advice.

Traditional advertising may not be as effective as it once was, but Ogilvy’s headline rules have a lot of relevance for writers of blog posts, website pages, B2B articles and even social media posts. What types of headlines work best for your business? With website analytics you have more information than ever before to see what headlines engage readers. Use it to your advantage. I think Ogilvy would have.

Content Pays Homage to Craft & Materials

I read this quote in a furniture catalogue by woodworker George Nakashima: “Ultimately the woodworker’s responsibility is to the tree itself, which has been sacrificed to live again in the woodworker’s hands.” I wanted to know more about Nakashima’s work so went to his website where I learned about him, his family and their act of product creation. There are many lessons on this site that go beyond woodworking. The content engages the visitor by paying homage to the man, materials and craftsmanship. It integrates art, story and e-commerce.

Be Visually Unique & Unexpected

The first thing I notice is how strong the images are of materials, people, sketches, and environments. Like the products produced, the images are unique and telling. I am surprised and pleased to see this unexpected image when I click on Custom Designs.

Tell a Story

On the About Us page is this stated philosophy toward the kind of work they do: “In a world where manual skills are shunned we believe in them, not only in the act of producing a better product, but in the sheer joy of doing or becoming. We feel that pride in craftsmanship, of doing as perfect a job as possible.”

Nakashima’s bio tells the story of a Japanese American born in Spokane, Washington who traveled throughout the world. In 1942 he was sent to the internment camps in Minidoka, Idaho. He moved on to win awards from prestigious organizations including the American Institute of Architects and held shows that inspired generations of architects and designers. He died in 1990.

Position the Product

Nakashima’s book The Soul of a Tree can be purchased on the site. The furniture, inventory, and custom designs are available too and managed by his daughter, Mira. A separate page introduces each facet of the business. The Inventory and Furniture pages look like a catalogue clearly indicating this is e-commerce. The other pages position products as art pieces and “installations”.

Share the Process

Under the Custom Designs menu, processes and finishes are described. How to Set Up an Appointment orients the visitor on working with the company including the sharing of ideas, selection, production and delivery of products.

Invite Visitors to be Part of the Mission

Nakashima’s Foundation of Peace began with his wish to build “Altars of Peace” in each of the seven continents. Three have been completed. Donations are being collected through the Nakashima Foundation for a fourth to be located in South Africa.

The content on this website engages visitors. Better yet, it inspires.

Credible Content: Walmart Enlists Customers to Help Fellow Shoppers

I don’t know about you, but when I shop online, I gravitate toward reviews. They contain sweet bits of information that manufacturers sometimes forget, or would rather not disclose: like how many hours will it take me to put that stereo cabinet together, and what is the size of that center opening, because I need to fit a big fat stereo receiver in it.

Reviews are a reality for B2C marketers and the smart ones have embraced the opinions of the online public. They know they can give consumers the confidence to click on the “purchase” button or send them running to another product. Walmart takes reviews to the next level with its Customer Q&A Exchange. Who better to answer questions about its products than customers who have already purchased them? Credibility is powerful content.

I don’t want to know how long it takes a Walmart employee to put together this stereo cabinet. I want to know how long it will take someone like me. “About an hour,” said one of the reviewers. I can only hope.

B2B marketers need to recognize that reviews and customer-generated content are coming to websites near you. Bring your own credible content to your website.