If you don’t get out on the right foot when creating a new piece of content, it’s bound for the trash can.
The proof is in your preparation. Here are two simple ways to guarantee helpful content for your audience.
Establish your promise & audience before writing
We’ve covered idea generation. After you come up with your idea to write about, write your promise and audience at the top of your page so you don’t forget why and to whom you’re writing.
Your promise is the result your audience gets from reading your article.
- Will they learn 2 ways to never stare at a blank page?
- Will they discover the reason for their perfectionism?
- Will they uncover 3 tips to write for a niche audience?
Your promise is an observation. Keep it top of mind throughout your writing, so your reader knows exactly what they should take away.
Next is your who. Who are your writing this content for? This ensures you don’t change voice or audience.
Be specific.
No. More specific than that.
Write down an actual person’s name from your audience and act like you’re talking to them. Nice and casual.
No one wants to read scientific, academic works. Eliminate the jargon. Do not get fancy.
Map out your page before writing
(Or “prep your page” as digital writer Nicolas Cole calls it.)
You wouldn’t go on a trip without first buying tickets and planning your days. It’d be difficult to write a book without first creating an outline.
Same goes for content as simple as a Tweet. Seriously.
What message do you want to get across? Create headers and formatting to make that message understandable.
Live example! You’re writing 3 ways to monetize your audience. Well, what are the 3 ways? Make those your headers. Add another header at the end to help the reader put those 3 lessons to action.
- Monetize your audience with ads on a shared platform
- Collaborate with brands & partners
- Make exclusive content for a premium tier of your audience
- Download the monetization guide to make your first dollar online
(Hint: Don’t write your title until after you’ve written all the content. Headlines can be hard.)
That took me all of 11 seconds to write. You have a full-fledged outline. Now, fill in the blanks.
To avoid writer’s block and write content that kills every time, establish your promise and who. Then map out your page with headers that make writing much easier.
You just cut your writing time in half. Boom!
Time saver, money maker.
