You've probably heard about the Pareto Principle—the idea that 20% of the content online gets 80% of the views.
But here’s the truth: that’s an understatement.
It's closer to 5% of content getting 95% of the views. Why? Because most content out there is, frankly, boring.
Repetitive, cliché, and as dry as a desert in summer.
So, how do you make sure your content stands out in that elite 5% instead of being lost in the dull 95%?
The Secret to Creating Content That SELLS (Without Feeling Pushy)
Step one is easy: stop writing like you're sleepwalking through it. Add some life, some spark, some energy to your words.
How do you do that?
Write like you’re having a conversation with a good friend. Keep it casual, keep it real—just like I’m doing right now.
Imagine you’re sitting in a café or at your favorite bar, chatting with someone you genuinely like. That’s how your writing should feel.
Short, punchy sentences work best. Sure, you can toss in a longer one here and there for variety, but overall, keep it snappy and to the point.
And those giant walls of text? Break 'em up! Nobody’s got time to slog through a marathon of words.
Your goal is to make your content easy to read and even easier to skim.
Grabbing Attention With Razor-Sharp Hooks
To hold your reader’s attention, you need to hook them right from the start—and keep that grip tight.
Your goal? Make it impossible for them to stop reading. Get them to devour one sentence, then the next, and the next, until they reach the end, hungry for more.
So don’t waste time with the typical:
“We’re the best at what we do. We’ve been around for 20 years, and we really care about our customers.”
That kind of copy is weaker than decaf coffee. It’s what everyone else is saying. And worst of all? It’s boring. Boring doesn’t sell.
When readers first land on your content, they’re just window shopping. It’s your job to make them stop, look, and eventually buy in.
How? With killer headlines, subheads, and paragraphs that lead them through your message, step by step.
Make It All About THEM
The golden rule of content? Make it all about the reader.
Not to burst your bubble, but people don’t care about you. They care about themselves.
They will be ready to listen to your story only when they see that you’re genuinely trying to help them.
So keep your focus on what your content does for THEM. How does it solve their problem?
How does it make their life better? That’s what matters.
Skip the Fluff, Be Real
Here’s the final piece of advice: don’t tiptoe around skepticism or objections. Face them head-on.
Remember what David Ogilvy, the father of advertising, said: “The consumer is not a moron. She’s your wife.”
Acknowledge what your readers are probably thinking, and then address their concerns with logic, empathy, and cold, hard facts. Be straightforward with them.
I wanted to talk about Call to Actions as well but that deserves its own article. So we’ll cover that in a future installment.
Talk soon,
Hayden Conklin
Commentaires