News stories are some of the most widely shared pieces of content on any given day, especially as consumers are becoming more opinionated on various topics, and eager to share their opinions. These news pieces are a content strategy that has the ability to go viral, and can inevitably help similar pieces find virality as well.
Lessons that content marketers should learn from journalists include:
- Writing a magnetic headline. Your headline is the number one factor in whether or not someone will even click to open and read your content. Journalists (and their editors) have mastered the art of crafting compelling headlines that demand to be read. Interested in learning more about how to write a captivating headline? Be sure to read this article from Copyblogger.
- Be curious. Journalists are always trying to find out more about a particular story. They search through every crevice for nuggets of information that may not even be published! Likewise, your audience will be able to tell if you're writing a superficial piece, or whether you're truly adding value with your content.
- Do your research. Once you've established curiosity, it's crucial to follow it up with strong research. Unless you're writing an opinionated piece, you need statistics, hard data, or experience to validate your words.
- Keep a wide reading list. Journalists read as much as they write. Likewise, are you keeping up with the latest news in your industry? When was the last time you sifted through a competitor's blog? Staying well-read will only improve your content marketing efforts and ideas, and help you avoid those topics that have been covered to exhaustion by others already.
- Keep evergreen content in mind. While we live in a 24/7 news cycle, there are some pieces that are timeless in nature. Evergreen pieces typically have higher long-term ROI, as organic SEO will keep driving targeted traffic to these posts. Keep a balance between evergreen content and timely, shelf-life content to keep your traffic up.
- Be concise. (See what I did there?)
- Remember, quality trumps all. At the end of the day, it comes down to whether or not you're providing quality content. This not only ensures your short-term success, but will define the reputation and personality of your brand.
Does your business produce quality content - evergreen and timely - that visitors want to read?