Write content that captivates: 5 keys to kill them softly | Killer Articles.

by Cat on January 29, 2012

Write killer articles

Over the past 2 weeks, I have received several inquiries from newcomers to the internet marketing world who have been asking me about how to write content on their blogs.

This brings up an essential question that is asked frequently:

How can I write content for my blog that people actually READ and benefit from?

I’ve put together a brief checklist of 5 of my favourite killer article tips to help you write content that engages and gets read!

Killer article tip #1: Hook ‘em in the headline

Catchy headlines can go a long way in helping you get your article read. The how-to’s of writing content should always include a strong impression. What better way to do that than to include a catchy headline!?

One of my favourite tools for helping draft catchy headlines is Headline Analyzer.

Killer article tip #2: Relevance is your friend – write content that counts!

This is paramount.

Your blog is your place to share what you want to share. Hopefully you’ve taken the time to focus your content to your niche. (If you haven’t done that yet, this article on developing an internet marketing success strategy may be of interest.)

If I’ve seen it once, I’ve seen it hundreds of times that there’s a mismatch between the keyword stuffed headlines and the actual content of the article.

You want to make sure you’re weaving your keywords into the content, sure, but you also want to be sure that your content is reflective of the subject. It does little good to direct people to an article based on headline appeal only for that reader to quickly depart from your page because the information doesn’t deliver on the promise of what the headline represented.

Killer article tip #3: Dazzle with your brilliance – Inform and over-deliver.

Let’s assume we’ve hooked them with a catchy headline, you’ve gotten them to your killer article and shown that you’re writing on-topic. Now it’s time to pony up the goods.

Serve up the information. Do your best to give a little bit extra so that you can stand out from the others who may write on a similar topic, lest you appear to be “watered down” next to others.

Killer article tip #4: Be thorough, yet concise.

Take the time to direct your information in the most effective delivery you may sculpt. Making your content flow so that it is simple to understand and digest is a very important thing to do.

Pay consideration to how you phrase when you write content, giving the reader enough space to grasp key points.

It demands much of the reader to consume long paragraphs with no line breaks between successive thoughts or concepts. Breaking the content into stanzas or separating them with the aid of related images will go a long way to keep the reader engaged through longer articles.

This will allow you to be thorough on any ideas which are being expressed, while breaking up the material into “bite sizes.”

Write content with the help of an editor.

Killer article tip #5: Get feedback, edit and refine.

Treat your killer article in progress as a draft until you have gotten some feedback on it.

It’s common for the author who writes the content to hold certain biases. For this reason, it’s important to get a second set of eyes on the work to be sure that the information is delivered effectively.

There may be logical, grammatical, typographical, or other errors which should be corrected.

The use of poor grammar, spelling, word usage, and flow of concepts could deter readers. By taking the time to call upon the wisdom and expertise of a qualified editor, you’re more likely to hold the confidence of your readers. Additionally, an editor may provide insights which didn’t occur to you, giving you the opportunity to refresh the article’s perspective and increase its scope and range.

Looking for a way to delve into the expert copyrighting world? The best copyrighting course I have received is a part of the Inner Circle trainings from Empower Network (learn more here). Since having studied this, I have learned to write content which produces significant returns. write content

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Tagged as: Alexandra Marketing Group, Empower Network Inner Circle, internet marketing success, killer article, who is Catherine Alexandra, write content

{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }

Jamella Biegel January 29, 2012 at 4:40 pm

Hey Cat,

Looks like all of your killer tips are included in this post. I saw your post on Facebook, and the headline made me want to visit your blog and read the post immediately. Thanks for sharing these important killer tips! They are useful to new bloggers as well as those who’ve been blogging for some time.

Until next time.
Jamella Biegel recently posted..Movies That Inspire Me

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 30, 2012 at 10:56 am: Hey Jamella,

I love that you were “hooked” by the headline! That’s actually one of the top tips for getting some good hits!

I’m also glad you enjoyed these killer article tips! I hope they come in handy for you!!

Have an excellent week!

Cat

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Sylviane Nuccio January 29, 2012 at 6:57 pm

Hello Cat,

This is my first time here, I’ve seen your link on the Empowered Tribe group which I a new member of. I love blogs about writing, since this is one of my own niche and trade.

The title of your article is really important, because it’s really like the window of your shop. If you want people to come in it needs to be attractive.

Then, once they come in you want your shop to deliver, that’s why you have to have content of consistence so they will stay there, enjoy, and want to come back. Great points here
Sylviane Nuccio recently posted..Interview With Barry Wells

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 30, 2012 at 11:11 am: Dear Sylviane,

Thanks so much for taking the time to share and meet with me here, it is sincerely my pleasure. I have met some absolutely fabulous people in the Ken Pickard’s Empowered Tribe. I have a lot of respect for Ken.

Always nice to meet writers such as yourself. I always find that I learn so much just reading the blogs of people who are active in the blogging community.

I love your shop window analogy! This is such a fine way to explain the importance of catchy headlines. And yes, it’s equally as important to truly deliver once we have people “in the shop,” so to speak.

Thank you for sharing your insight here, Sylviane! I’m going to go check out your blog and I would love to stay connected with you this year! Please come again soon!

Best regards,
Cat Alexandra

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Dr. Bob Clarke January 30, 2012 at 5:04 am

Hi Cat,
All great tips — I like being thorough yet concise. Not always an easy balance. I’ve heard people say that blog posts shouldn’t be too long or you lose your readers. But I don’t think that’s true.

In my experience, if the contest is compelling enough I will read forever. Doesn’t need to be short to be good. The best “pillar” posts tend to be lengthy.

I would add one more tip — tell stories (when they fit). I’ve become a student of storytelling on my blog and to my email list and people really seem to like it. I know I always enjoy a good story, so long as it relates back to the main points of the article.
Dr. Bob Clarke recently posted..Your Fastest Shortcut To Success in Online Marketing

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 30, 2012 at 11:48 am: Hi Bob,

I love your tip about storytelling. This is definitely a big value-add, thanks for that! There’s that saying, “People tell, stories sell.” It’s a genuine truism.

I’ve found that life and business are a delicate negotiation if we care to examine. Blogging is no different in that there is a balance factor we must learn in order to get it right. Kind of like driving a stickshift, you can learn the theories of “how to” but til you get the stick in your hand and the clutch under your feet, you never really “feel” how that balance affects everything. Some things we may only know experientially, so I say just go out there and feel for the balance.

I also agree with you regarding “pillar” posts. If the content is compelling, people will not only read thoroughly once, but they’ll come back to it again and again.

Thanks for always dishing some value back in your comments, Bob! You’re so very much appreciated!

Cat

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Michael Burns January 30, 2012 at 7:29 am

Fantastic article and tips Catherine. Content is obviously the most important part of a blog. Design helps, but the content is what really brings readers in.
Michael Burns recently posted..5 Free Lead Generation Techniques

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 30, 2012 at 11:50 am: Hey Michael,

Glad you enjoyed it, amigo! And yes, I agree that content is what brings people in. I think you made a good point here that it’s the most important part of one’s blog. I have actually seen a number of blogs that were not so visually appealing but who were top ranked due to the amount of quality content shared on the pages. Very interesting indeed!

Thanks for sharing your wisdom!!

Cat

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Adrienne January 30, 2012 at 2:51 pm

Those are all definitely killer tips Cat, boy do I ever agree.

I think writing blog posts is just something that everyone is going to have to just start doing and they will all start to find their own voice over time. Writing killer headlines and grabbing your readers attention will all come with time but just share your content in your own words. I can’t say that enough because that’s how people will be able to relate to you.

All great tips to follow for anyone just now learning the ropes and wanting their voice heard over the crowd. If they follow your advice they should be just fine.

Great job Cat and hope you’re enjoying your day!

~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted..Are You Pinging Your Content?

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 30, 2012 at 3:14 pm: Hi Adrienne,

I think you just said a mouthful! It seems like a bit of an oxymoron, but I’ve found that I hear from newcomer bloggers that one of the top things they ask about is how to find their own voice! This is pretty interesting considering that in a conversation, they have no issue with this.

I think it all just goes to show that adapting a real world cinch may take a little time to adapt to the online world. It seems so simple to me because I just write like how I would “talk” to others. I reckon that it’s very easy to overanalyze simple stuff like this because it all just “feels” so new when someone is getting started.

Your point is very well taken though! Just be YOU first of all. Everything else comes into better focus with a bit of time and patience!

I am indeed having a great day here. It feels like spring and I just feel absolutely spoiled to be here enjoying it!

Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Adrienne!

Cat
Cat recently posted..Write content that captivates: 5 keys to kill them softly | Killer Articles.

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Samantha Bangayan January 30, 2012 at 5:39 pm

You definitely caught my attention with your title, which is a great example for why titles and headlines mean so much! It’s all people will see when your content is shared on social media and it’s the difference between a click or an ignore. =P I especially liked your fourth tip on finding the balance between detail and conciseness. That’s what I personally need to work on the most! =)

Loved this post, Cat! =) You’re an expert!
Samantha Bangayan recently posted..Now a Real Peruvian: A Milestone

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 31, 2012 at 2:25 pm: Dear Samantha,

Thank so much for that helpful feedback! I was aiming to catch some attention with the title and am glad that it was effective!

I’m happy that some of the info resonated with you. It seems that the basic truths are universal and that many who are on top of their game are usually in agreement on them.

It’s a delicate negotiation to be thorough and concise at the same time. This always reminds me of something Albert Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” There is a challenge in that statement if we care to notice it for what it is. This is something I keep in the forefront of my mind before I go trying to explain things to others. If I can not do that without being convoluted, it’s my evidence that I need to keep working at it before I go patting myself on the back! lol

Thanks so much for your awesome feedback and your kind praise, Samantha! You’re most definitely appreciated!

Cat

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Pj Zafra January 31, 2012 at 9:02 am

Love it Cat! Love the tips and insights you’ve shared here. You’ve shared awesome tips from a killer article on how to make another killer article. lol Keep it up!
Pj Zafra recently posted..Sean’s Thoughts For The Week Ahead – 22

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 31, 2012 at 11:28 pm: Hey Pete,

Thank you thank you! So glad you enjoyed the killer article on writing killer articles! lol

Have a rockin week, amigo!

Cat
Cat recently posted..Smart Media Technologies | Smart Media Desktop | Home Page Pays – A Review

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Dan Sumner January 31, 2012 at 9:13 pm

Hey Cat, Great tips. Your title did get me as I was on the home page of your blog from Sergio Felix’s blog.

I like to add lists to my posts as it helps to break up the content and helps reading the post easier.

I never thought of an author checking my work before. I have seen critique available on Fiver, but you don’t know how you can trust? I have been meaning to get my writing style checked out for a while, but would I lose my voice if someone tries to change me?

Great tips Cat thanks for sharing.
Dan Sumner recently posted..Are You Multi Format Blogging

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa January 31, 2012 at 11:57 pm: Hi Dan,

So nice to meet you!

Ya just have to love the brilliance and simplicity of CommentLuv! lol I am constantly saying “Wow, this is TOO COOL!” because of all of the fantastic people I’m able to connect with as a result of the go-giving link love that is shared on user blogs! Thank you for letting me know how you got here! I will also have to say thanks to Sergio for being a CommentLuver!

I know what you mean about the trust factor at play when considering a qualified 2nd set of eyeballs. I think a good alternative is to lock arms with a pal who you know to be astute. Many bloggers work together in collectives, such as tribal syndication groups, this could be a great pond to go fishing in to find the right person to work with. It could be mutually beneficial to work with someone who all ready has a vested interest in your success.

I don’t think you necessarily have to lose your voice or be changed to use an editor; but again, there may be some trust concerns there, so I would first go to my respected colleagues. Once you know who you potentially could trust with your work, propose a working relationship to have one another’s back in providing constructive feedback on the articles, looking for opportunities to expand the ideas and article’s appeal, et cetera.

I’m guessing you may have someone like that who you co-blog with all ready. Am I right?

Would love to stay connected with you! Gonna hop on over to your blog to check out what you’re sharing! Thanks so much for visiting and please come again soon!

Best regards,
Cat Alexandra

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Barry Wells February 1, 2012 at 10:26 am

Hi Cat, made here at last

I think your tips are spot on. When it comes to a catchy title this is really important as quite often we’ll see those titles as links on other blogs we visit, just as Dan mentioned above, and the catchy titles make people inquisitive and often bring them over to our blogs.

Keeping the content relevant to the title is a must in everything, Articles, blog posts, emails you name it. If i land on a blog via its catchy title only to find it has nothing to do with it I will never visit that blog again. Likewise if I receive an email and the title and content don’t match I unsubscribe 9 times out of 10, and one the one that I don’t I will reply and give them a piece of my mine.

White space is really important, a mass of text is so hard to read, by the 5th line on a mass block of text i’m getting lost and if I get lost to often I close the page. It’s so hard to read and take in when its like that.

Great post Cat, keep them coming

Take care, Barry
Barry Wells recently posted..You Have The Passion For Working Online But What Comes Next

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 2, 2012 at 1:42 pm: Dear Barry,

Hey, yes you did make it here at last! And how nice it is to see you and your lovely and awesome comment!

I must say that your tough love approach in terms of how you handle mismatch between titles and content is refreshing to me. See, this is a HUGE thing these days, especially in light of the new previews we receive at a mouse-hover when running searches on Google. Honestly, we may not even get a click if there’s a big discrepancy nowadays since all people have to do is hover over the sites populated in search to see whether the site is even worth click on! An unsubscribe is feedback to people, if they care to listen to it.

I am also in agreement with you regarding good ol’ white space on the page. I can’t tell you how many times I have felt inconvenienced enough to back out of a website because the content just went on and on and on in one huge chunk. It’s too demanding on the eyes to digest content in this way and I am a firm believer that in this fast-paced world of plenty, discriminating readers (most of us are, by the way) will quickly opt to another resource to get the information!

Thanks so much for taking the time to connect with me here, Barry! I am honoured to be connected with you and hope you’ll come again soon!

Highest regards,
Cat Alexandra

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Linda February 1, 2012 at 11:01 am

Excellent tips here, Cat.

I never heard of that headline analyzer. I will be checking that out – thanks

Linda
Linda recently posted..Build a Mailing List with JV Giveaways

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 2, 2012 at 1:44 pm: Dear Linda,

I’m so glad to have been the one to bring this headline analyzer to your attention! I hope that it comes in handy for you. I simply use it as a guideline to help me increase the impact of the headline ideas I come up with. It’s been a real gem for me!

Let me know how you like it!!

Cat

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Barry Overstreet from leadership February 1, 2012 at 11:34 am

Hi Cat,

Thanks for the great information! Writing content that actually gets read is the biggest challenge anyone faces. Getting traffic is important, but having something people want to read should the first priority.

Your article puts all the key tips in one spot for easy reference. It also gives me a couple of areas to tweak so I can make my blog better!

Thanks again and I hope you’re having a great week!

~Barry
Barry Overstreet recently posted..5 Critical Leadership Mistakes To Avoid

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 2, 2012 at 1:48 pm: Hey hey Barry,

How very cool to connect with you here! I love your comment!

I agree with you that getting people to READ our content is the big challenge – we must, therefore, be vigilant in our quest for efficacy when we sit to write content! It’s all about presenting the content in a way that “answers” the questions being asked by the potential readers we’re attempting to capture…because after all, they are the ones performing the searches that may lead them to us. – But we can’t just stop there, we need to be able to “hook ‘em” with our mini-pitch (or headline) so they even give us a click in the first place.

I’m really glad you enjoyed the tips and find them useful! Let me know how your new tweaks work out for you and let’s definitely stay in touch!! I am indeed having a fab week here. It’s my birthday week, so tomorrow I turn the big ol’ 35! I’m smiling ear to ear and am really happy to be having so much fun in my 30s! Life is good, amigo! So hope you’re having an awesome week too!!!

Highest regards,
Cat Alexandra

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Hiten Vyas February 3, 2012 at 11:36 am

This was a brilliant post Cat!

I loved the point you made about over-delivering. I’ve been using this in my own way recently. When I’m writing a post and I feel like I’m completely exhausted, I give myself one more go to keep at it, and improve the post a little further. This is usually by adding another point or share another tip, which can help the reader apply what I’ve been explaining in the post.
Hiten Vyas recently posted..Justin Mazza reviews EmpowerHour coaching!

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 7, 2012 at 2:38 pm: Hi Hiten,

Thanks so much for stopping by to read and contribute to the conversation here.

I’m glad to know that you’re one who practices over-delivering for your own readers. I think that going the extra mile usually can be a very good move on our part. It has done a lot in terms of getting some loyal readers on my site!

I hope you and I can keep in touch this year, Hiten! Please come back again soon!

Cat Alexandra
Cat recently posted..Network Marketing VT (100% Commission) Review

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Chadrack February 7, 2012 at 11:07 am

Hi Catherine,

You indeed killed this one, softly!

Every point here is a killer. You’re entertaining, captivating and truly informative. Thanks for the tips.
Chadrack recently posted..Circus Elephants, Distorted Beliefs and Entrepreneurial Success – Charting Your Path to Stardom!

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 7, 2012 at 7:07 pm: Dear Chadrack,

Hey amigo, so good to hear from you! Thanks for checking out my article! I am thrilled to have your seal of approval on my points! I love the endorsement of “greats” in the online world such as yourself, so thanks a million for that great feedback!

Best regards,
Cat Alexandra

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Jeevanjacobjohn February 24, 2012 at 8:27 pm

Hey Cat,

Awesome tips

I believe that, writing awesome content is all about “over-delivering” (I kind of hate this word, because many so called Guru bloggers have used it too much) or providing more than they expect – awe people by giving them something beyond they expectation. When you do that, they are more likely to stay, subscribe and return back for more.

Writing awesome content is also about providing solutions to your customers – based on your experience and experimenting (I believe that bloggers – not only bloggers, but people of all jobs expect for may be brain surgeons, you don’t want them to play around with your brain ) should spend a lot of time with experimenting stuff).

Anyways, thanks for sharing your experience,

Jeevan Jacob John
Jeevanjacobjohn recently posted..Are Your Call-to-Actions Powerful Enough?

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 25, 2012 at 10:15 am

Hey Jeevan,

Thank you thank you!

I will admit that I’m also kind of *done* hearing certain buzz-phrases that have been tattered to pieces by the “guru”-types. lol Some ideas have been bastardized and cheapened along the way, no doubt. What is funny, though, is that some of the original essences such as “over-delivering” are actually core elements to success when applied – versus – simply being made “lip service.” Maybe that’s why I roll my eyes a little when I hear the trite buzz-words, because so many say it and don’t “DO” it. (I think you may get my drift here.)

The idea of truly packing awe-inspiring punch into our content is a sure bet for drawing a crowd. It is also what determines the kind of praise that elicits a sale and equates to return-readers.

lol You are a funny guy, Jeevan. I think that you are absolutely right about how it’s not only safe as non-brain-surgeons to experiment with how we provide solutions to our customers.

Thanks for bringing some humour to the table with your shared insights. You seem to have mastered an art, if you don’t mind my saying so.

I do hope you have a fine weekend and that you’ll visit again soon!

Cat

Jeevanjacobjohn February 25, 2012 at 5:12 pm: You are welcome.

Yes, many of those gurus write about it, but they themselves don’t follow it. What sense does that make? (but still, people just follow the crowd, because of their “greed” for money – true, we are all greedy to an extent, but once we blog for some time, we realize that making money is not that easy. They follow these so called gurus because they hope to make money fast and easy.

Thanks, Cat

Thanks for the compliment, Cat But, I believe that I still have a long way to go – lot to learn and experiment on (In fact, I don’t believe anyone has mastered it – because mastering something is not possible; you can only get better at it ).

But, I think you have done. You are a better blogger than many others out there

You too, Cat.

Thanks for the reply!
Jeevanjacobjohn recently posted..Are Your Call-to-Actions Powerful Enough?

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Chrysta Bairre February 28, 2012 at 9:00 pm

Great tips and I agree on all points!

I think it’s also important to mention to keep writing! Our blogging gets better as we write more and more, so keep up the good work. Practice makes improvement.

I currently work full-time, blog, and hold a Board position with a professional association. I admit there are days I can’t spend as much time as I would like writing my blog posts. On these days I focus on doing the best I can with the time I have, and trusting as I keep writing I will only get better and better. I’m happy to say that some of my posts I consider less polished are posts that resonate well with my readers.

Great tips! Thanks!

Chrysta
Chrysta Bairre recently posted..Be Happy. Give Yourself Permission To Be Who You Are.

Cat Twitter: catherinealexa February 29, 2012 at 1:15 pm: Dear Chrysta,

I’m so glad you enjoyed the article!

And wow, you are one busy lady! It’s awesome that you blog regularly and share as you do with your readers! I’m not surprised that it’s some of your more raw material that gets a lot of love from your readers. I have found that point also to be true for myself. It seems like sometimes a little more of the initial instincts that go into the writing get edited out or diluted a bit in our process of preparing the content for publishing…when we can keep more of that original essence intact people to seem to jive with it better!

That’s a good tip to keep in mind. Thanks for that!

And thank you for such a great comment, Chrysta! I hope you have a fantastic rest of the week! Please come again soon!

Cat

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