The 5 Key Aspects Of Successful Content Creation In Your Creative Business

Awesome website content is hard to come by. I regard the following 5 aspects as the most important in content creation for any creative business.

Let me guess: there’s something you’re itching to tell the world, right?

Really, who doesn’t have something to say these days?

While some people “expressly express” themselves on social media, others are either changing WhatsApp and BBM display pictures by the second, or giving an author a piece of their mind in the comments on another blog.

In this age where content has become the lifeline of the internet, the last thing you want to do is contribute to all the noise.

If you’re looking to build your creative business online, you really don’t want to waste time and effort doing work that won’t bring you results.

You also don’t want to do things the wrong way, because that could mean months of hard, unnecessary work.

While I’m of the opinion that online, no one really gets it right the first time, you can still set yourself up for success.

For your creative business to grow online and bring you new leads and clients consistently, it needs life. A basic landing page with no support content or engagement anywhere online is actually dead. It’s only creatives who already have solid offline businesses that can afford to do that.

But I’m guessing you don’t.

So how do you give your online business the life it needs to start bringing results?

You only need three things…

A Cup Of Tea, A Bag Of Chips And A Blank Screen

Yum!

No really, I mean it. If you don’t yet start your day with some tea, mehn you’re missing out.

But here’s what I mean… you need refreshment to get ideas (the reason for the tea and chips) and you need a way to pour out those ideas (thus the blank screen).

What goes on a blank screen on your computer?

Content!

But remember you don’t want to join in on the noise that’s flooded the internet. You want to create content that’s important for your business.

You want to create content that makes your customers realize how different your creative business is.

And you want to see results.

As a freelance writer who creates content for clients (and myself) on a daily basis, I regard the following 5 aspects as the most important in content creation for any creative business. And out of these 5, only one rules them all (you’ll have to read on to find out which one). So here are 5 key aspects of content creation that would give your creative business the life it needs.

1. Qualify Your Audience Through Website Copy

This is different from blog content. Website copy is most times the first thing new leads interact with when they see your business online.

You see, if this copy is done wrong, you’ll lose ’em faster than it takes you to breathe. Now don’t get scared, this isn’t really hard. But have this in mind:

[Tweet “Your website copy must assure your potential clients that they’ve come to the right place.”]

Now how you want to define “the right place” is entirely up to you. In this aspect, I’ll put more emphasis on the homepage because it is where people visit the most on any website (that’s why it’s called home, duh).

You don’t want to fill it with technical jargon. Yes, it does make you look smart, but it sends your visitors packing.

So how do you write homepage copy that works?

I always prefer to use the Qualifier Technique. What this means is you force the visitor to qualify himself by asking whether or not he belongs to your tribe.

One easy way to do this is to start with a question.

Using my homepage as an example, here’s a demo dialogue that goes on between my copy and a visitor by the name Jane.

Me: Are you a badass creative professional?
Jane: Yeah, why do u ask?
Me: Good, then read the next line.

Now here’s the reversal:
Me: Are you a badass creative professional?
Jane: Nope.
Me: Good. Then get far away from me.
Jane: I think I’m just gonna click the back button.

Just as you can’t be friends with every Tom, Dick and Harry, you also don’t want everyone to be part of your audience but a select few.

I also used this technique for a client who runs a negotiation training company, but the effect was more…emotional.

People actually got angry by reading the text, which made it even more effective.

The copy read, “Negotiation For Smart People”.

When I showed people the website offline, their response was, “Are you saying I’m not smart?”

The truth is, I never said that.

But here’s what was fascinating: though they said it with a frown on their faces, almost by default, they started scrolling down the page.

Classic!

2. Build Empathy With Your About Page

According to a study by CallidusCloud Marketing Automation, the About page is the second most visited page for visitors from LinkedIn.

Now you may interpret this as, “Oh cool, so I have to put more info about my business”.

Wrong.

Every website visitor has an unanswered question in their minds whenever they stumble on a new site. All they’re asking is, “What’s in it for me?”

Talking about your business doesn’t show them what is in it for them. But talking about how your business helps your clients actually answers that question.

It’s on the About page that you state why your business exists and how it can help your clients. Yes, you can also talk a little about yourself (as I did on my about page), but ensure you answer that number one reader question earlier in the page.

An emotion you should strike on your About page is Empathy. It’s the emotion I try to strike on every About page I create for clients.

Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech would make a good About page. Yes, he was talking about his dream, but guess what? His audience had the same dream. All they needed was a figure who felt their pain and could show them the way forward.

That’s the same thing website visitors are looking for.

3. Educate with Blog Content

This is what a lot of people run away from. And I’ll tell you why…

Because it looks like work.

Guess what? It is work. In fact, it can be gruesome work.

Arrgh! It can sometimes make you want to pull your hair out (even if you have no hair).

The reason why people feel this way is because they haven’t realized the higher purpose of a blog.

Blogging is like religion. It’s a movement. Only this time, you are the Pope.

A blog is where you educate your audience (or congregation) on the practices of your business.

1. How do you create for clients?
2. What do you do?
3. What do people need to know to do business with you?
4. What do you believe in?
5. You want to change the world with your business? Show me how you’ve been doing it so far.

That’s almost all you need on a blog. Sounds funny right?

This post answers questions (ii) and (iii). I’ve stated several times that I create content. And I’m still telling you how to create content yourself.

But the main purpose of a blog is to build an audience that would either;

• share your content,
• buy your products,
• hire your services or
• become evangelists of your business.

Why do you need an audience in the first place? 

Online, it’s even more evident that you can’t do everything on your own. What happens when your client pool depreciates and you need more? Who do you run to…an offline marketer?

At this point, your audience can serve two purposes. A member of your audience could hire you (that’s after you pitch) or you could get a referral.

Now imagine you’re telling 1000 people that you have an opening for a new client. Do the math.

4. Build Your Tribe with Email content

According to the 2013 Email Marketing Benchmark Report, 60% marketers say email marketing is producing ROI. People are making a killing via email.

If you don’t understand what I mean, I’ll explain.

One of the rules of lead generation is that you use frontend content (website copy, blog, social media) to get targeted people who will interact with your business via email. Lead generation is incomplete without email marketing.

So all those newsletters you receive from companies like Amazon are considered email content.

But there are rules to making email work for you.

While it’s a good (and even the perfect) medium to pitch your service, it’s the best way to also give value.

Your email list is your tribe — your personal social network of people who want to hear from you.

Show some respect by giving some value at least.

What should you send to your email list?

• Your blog updates
• Valuable content not open to everyone.

Your email list is supposed to be your “secret cult” of people whose dreams you would help achieve faster than that of your blog readers.

Blog readers are still on the fence. Email subscribers are the initiated.

You are the initiator (give that last sentence some effect by saying it like Arnold Schwarzenegger).

5. Attract Likeminded People With Your Message

This aspect rules them all. Without this, your content is worthless.

Before you decide to start creating any content online that represents your business, you really need to know what your message is.

Your message is simply the reason why you do what you do. This is why I write a lot about entrepreneurship and creating through service.

The reason why this is so important is because if you don’t have one, you’ll attract an audience with different beliefs. If you express the wrong one, you’ll attract the wrong clan.

But there’s no pressure here. Your message doesn’t have to be perfect from the very beginning. In fact, it’ll modify over time.

How do you discover your message?

You can figure that out. It’s as simple as answering the question, “Why do you sell creative services?”

Figuring that out helps you infuse it into your website copy, About page, blog content and your emails.

The Life Of Your Business Is In Your Hands

Content creation gives your business a higher meaning because it shows that you’re not just here to make money but to help a group of people.

And it’s not as tough as it may seem. Once you can answer the questions I stated throughout this post, your content creation is already halfway done.

Your next step: Ensure the 5 key aspects are a part of your creative business. Check your homepage, read your About page, add “start a blog” to your to do list, read up on Email Marketing strategies, and most of all, have a message.

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