Your content can be airtight and brilliant, written with the aplomb of a literary genius and still miss the point. In other words, will your content help the reader with information they want and can use, a solution they need, or simply guide them to a smart next step?
If not, then it’s time to return to the blank page and start again.
Your reader wants something from your content. If they are intrigued or entertained along the way, all the better; but be prepared to give them something they can use.
These are just a few of the ways your content will get noticed if you’re doing your job well. But where do you start? You start with your cornerstone.
Your cornerstone is the foundation. In a building, a cornerstone is the base of a corner of a building, joining two walls. On your website a cornerstone is an important quality or feature on which your site is based. It reflects your values and mission.
Let’s say you’re a personal fitness guru. Your website extolls years of training and education you have acquired to position yourself as a top-tier, personal fitness trainer/coach. Your cornerstone is based on your expertise to deliver fitness results for your clients. It is your unique plan, program, or process that sets you apart.
When people come to your site, they’re looking for something they cannot find elsewhere, so your cornerstone must be solid, credible, and show some proven results. That might come in the form of satisfied client testimonials, or better yet videos that show before and after visuals with testimonials.
Do you have a story? Of course. you do. What brought you to this point in your life? How did you know you would be good at personal fitness? Sharing the backstory of how you have succeeded, overcome, risen to challenges is an honest and transparent way to gain people’s confidence. Readers are more likely to trust your content when you share your challenges, not just your successes.
Make access easy. When you ask for an email address or other personal information, do so with the assurance that you respect the reader’s confidentiality. It’s also been proven that giving them something in exchange, whether it’s a free download or a product sample, has positive outcomes.
Most importantly, remember who your readers are and be confident of the value and purpose of what you, your product, and/or service have to offer them.