I\u2019ve spent a large part of my career focused on both sides of the equation. In fact, I\u2019ve run experimentation and growth teams, in addition to having built a B2B content marketing agency<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this post, I\u2019ll teach you how to create content that doesn\u2019t just drive visits and readers, but actually contributes to your business goals and content marketing KPIs<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n High-converting content is any piece of content (e.g., a blog post, an ebook<\/a>, a white paper) that’s been created with the specific goal of driving conversions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is, getting the reader to take a desired action, such as signing up for your email list, downloading an ebook, or scheduling a consultation call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A conversion can be many things, from a demo request or product sign up all the way to a pitiful little email list signup<\/a> (just kidding – email signups are great!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n How you define a conversion depends on your particular go-to-market strategy and business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What \u201chigh converting\u201d means to you is also subject to nuance. For some, a good last click conversion rate for content could be 0.5%. For some it could be 5%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It depends what your conversion is, how well optimized your conversion funnel<\/a> is, the price of your product, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For what it\u2019s worth, if you can convert above 1% of readers to some product related offer (an interactive walkthrough<\/a>, a demo, freemium signup, talk to sales), that\u2019s quite good in my experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For content offers (ebooks, email courses, email list signups), you should be able to convert somewhere between 1-5% of readers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the rest of the article, I\u2019ll walk you through 9 tips for producing high converting content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026And topic selection starts with an understanding of your audience’s pain points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Only after understanding the buyer’s journey, your buyers’ pain points, and search intent, can you effectively choose topics that map to those pain points (and weave your product or solution into the content). Keyword research becomes a tool to find and map to pain points, not the starting point itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s just think about the buyer\u2019s journey from a very high level. Say you\u2019re selling content marketing services (meta, huh?). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take three topic ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I made up the search volumes because I want to illustrate a point about prioritization that most fail to consider: traffic for traffic\u2019s sake is worthless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If my price point is $10,000+ per month minimum, how many people who are looking up the definition of content marketing do you think are ready to purchase or will be in the next year? <\/p>\n\n\n\n So those 10,000 visitors, while perhaps interesting in that they could sign up for my email list, are likely less valuable than the 100 people searching for content marketing agencies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is all about \u201csearch intent\u201d and the buyer\u2019s journey. Some keywords are \u201chotter\u201d than other keywords. \u201cWhat is content marketing\u201d is a cold keyword. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You always want to match your offers to the \u201ctemperature\u201d of the keyword and buyer\u2019s journey stage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Johnathan Dane at KlientBoost made this point with regards to PPC campaigns as well:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Image Source<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n So how do you choose high intent topics and keywords?<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s a whole course on content strategy.<\/a> It\u2019s predicated on a solid understanding of your customers\u2019 pain points and the voice of customer language they use to describe them. These often map directly to high intent keywords<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, you can use proxy metrics for the intent of a keyword. Usually, if a keyword is longer tail and higher CPC, it\u2019s a pretty lucrative term (the thinking being if people are bidding money on it, it\u2019s probably ROI positive).<\/p>\n\n\n\n When in doubt, look at what affiliate marketers in your space are writing about. They\u2019re directly incentivized to drive sales (not just traffic), so their content is often very BOFU<\/a> in nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n After working with several dozens of clients as well as working in-house at startups all the way through public companies, I can tell you the easiest and most overlooked thing content teams can do is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mention your product in the content you create.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yup, that\u2019s it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most content marketers avoid mentioning their product for fear of being \u201csalesy.\u201d But that\u2019s silly. Second, you don\u2019t have to do it in a clumsy way. We call it \u201cproduct-led content<\/a>\u201d when your product is a central component to the messaging and narrative of the blog post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically, you interweave your product at the right points in a blog post. If you\u2019re writing a blog post on \u201chow to build an email list,\u201d for example, you might as well mention the importance of using email verification tools<\/a> or that your company sells email marketing software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some content is naturally product-led. For instance, \u201cBest X Tools\u201d lists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But even at the top of the funnel, say a piece on \u201cthe ultimate guide to email marketing,\u201d you can almost certainly find natural points in the content to drop your product while adding value to the reader. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ahrefs<\/a> is a master at this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n You have a very short amount of text to make a very big impression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So don’t underestimate the power of an effective headline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A great headline will grab attention, communicate the value of your offer, and encourage clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is especially important for SEO, where you\u2019ve not only got to map your blog post title to the search intent of your target keyword, but you\u2019re competing on the SERPs for click through rate as well. That\u2019s where a little bit of copywriting skills come into play. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For content on social media platforms, it\u2019s also important to capture attention quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone\u2019s got way more information than they could ever use or need. You need to break through the noise, not just among B2B marketers on LinkedIn, but you need to compete for attention with everything your target audience could potentially be consuming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Headline formulas and templates for SEO are pretty straightforward: include the keyword, put a unique spin on it, but don\u2019t get too clever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This post, for example, is targeting the keyword \u201chigh converting content.\u201d We could play with a few different titles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For social media, it\u2019s a bit trickier and more of an art form. It also takes a lot of practice. Mischa Vaughn, who used to work on content at UpWorthy, told me on the podcast<\/a> that they would write 25 headlines per blog post before choosing the final option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For inspiration that isn\u2019t cringey and clickbait-y, I like to look at The Atlantic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your readers don’t care about your product or service nearly as much as they care about how it will benefit them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People talk a lot about benefits vs features in copywriting. But what\u2019s is actually mean?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It means, unless warranted by the intent of the topic and the target audience\u2019s pain points, don\u2019t dive too far into the weeds of super niche specifications with regards to your product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, at the very least, know when it is appropriate and inappropriate to go into feature details. Because sometimes features do sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in a piece of TOFU or MOFU content, you\u2019re better off focusing on providing education through valuable content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s go back to that example of \u201chow to build an email newsletter.\u201d<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you spent half the article walking through the mechanics of why your form builder is technically superior to every other form builder out there, you\u2019re going to lose the interest of the audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Best to sell the benefits, the future world that could be experienced by your reader, and to casually drop your product as a solution that helps get them on that path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Copywriting frameworks like PAS and AIDA can help you with this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to web copy, less is almost always more. Unless you\u2019re an awesome writer that can keep things engaging, or the context warrants depth and complexity. But as a rule of thumb, think about this question, \u201chow long should a man\u2019s legs be?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long enough to reach the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically, even in long form content, you want to get to the point as quickly as possible and cut the fluff. Chop the long winded introduction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Short sentences. Short paragraphs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Write for people whose attention is splintered. Give me bullet points, headlines, subheadlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So aim for clarity over cleverness<\/a>, and resist the temptation to stuff your pages with too much text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The bottom line is that people don’t read online\u2014they scan, until they\u2019re interested enough to read thoroughly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for by keeping your copy concise and easy to skim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is true in long form blog posts, social media marketing, SEO content, email marketing<\/a>, and pretty much any type of content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Images and other visuals are essential for making your content more visually appealing and easy to consume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, articles with images get 94% more views than those without images.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n So don’t forget to add images to your blog posts and other pieces of content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bonus: even if the images are irrelevant, they help break up the text visually. Nothing worse than a wall of text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Best, obviously, if the images are relevant. If you can, avoid using graphs, charts, and branded content from other blogs. Instead, create your own. It\u2019s easy in tools like Canva. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I also love to create my own little animations and charts<\/a> to showcase technical tutorials that I\u2019m walking through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And if it\u2019s tutorial-based content, adding a Loom video or at least some annotated screenshots are almost more valuable that any text you could potentially write. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A call to action (CTA)<\/a> is a brief statement or button that encourages readers to take a specific action, such as signing up for your email list or downloading an ebook. CTAs should be clear, direct, and actionable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And they should be placed prominently throughout your content so that readers can’t miss them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When in doubt, add more CTAs. But make the CTAs consistent. You don\u2019t want to have three different offers. But you should have three different CTAs promoting the same offer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I like to have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can see our email list CTA prominently on the right hand side bar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want people to take action on your website\u2014such as signing up for your email list or requesting a consultation\u2014you need to have forms<\/a> set up on your site.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n But simply having forms isn’t enough; you also need to make sure they’re optimized for conversions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That means keeping them short (one field is ideal), making them easy to find, and using strong calls to action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caveat: sometimes you want to add friction to help qualify leads for your sales team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In our case, we don\u2019t want to be chatting with a bunch of leads who have no budget or intent to actually work with us. So our form is long AF with many fields (and automations to disqualify those without adequate budget or company size).<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n More than half of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices, so your site must be optimized for mobile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If it’s not, you’re likely losing out on a lot of potential leads and customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available to help you make sure your site is mobile-friendly, so there’s no excuse not to take this important step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating high-converting content doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming if you know what goes into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By following the tips in this post\u2014from writing compelling headlines to incorporating visuals\u2014you can create content that converts like crazy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly: center your content strategy<\/a> on business and product goals, and interweave the product into the content itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is High Converting Content?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9 Tips for Producing High Converting Content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
1. High converting content starts with topic selection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image1-9-1024x519.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image3-15-1024x319.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Interweave your product into the content<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
First, your job is to sell things. To generate revenue. To be ROI positive. Get over the discomfort of being up front about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image4-10-1024x602.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Start with a Compelling Headline<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image5-6-1024x567.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Write Benefits-Focused Copy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image7-11-1024x526.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n6. Keep It Concise. Get to the point.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Also, try to summarize the content<\/a> whenever possible to make it digestible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n7. Incorporate Images and Visuals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image2-9.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n8. Use Effective Calls to Action<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image6-7-1024x588.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n9. Optimize Your Forms for Conversions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"high](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/image8-7-1024x805.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n10. Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile-Friendly <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Content](\"https:\/\/beomniscient.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Content-Strategy-framework-1024x535.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"