If you think of transition words as unnecessary frills, think again. They’re powerful weapons in your content marketing arsenal. Transition words move readers along your conversion funnel, just like clear site navigation and calls-to-action (CTAs). From a logic and flow standpoint, transition words enhance readability. Clear writing helps readers understand and engage with your message. Crucially, it’s something Google pays close attention to. For search engines, readability means a strong UX. It helps crawlers index your content and shows off your expertise and authority.

 Using transition words is essential to effective content creation. Getting better at using them will captivate readers, improve SEO, and boost conversions. Discover our practical tips, strategies, and tools for using transition words and phrases to elevate your content for impactful, seamless communication. 

What Are Transition Words and Phrases?

Transition phrases and words are mini bridges connecting sentences and paragraphs so readers can easily follow along. These little guys might seem like extras, but they play big roles. They show readers when you’re changing gears, introducing a new idea, or hammering home a point. Moreover, they make the reading experience more enjoyable by shaping the emotional arc and determining logical flow.

For readers to engage with your article’s message, they have to understand it. Sounds obvious, but it’s easier said than done. That’s because when you write, you know exactly what you’re trying to say. It’s easy to forget that readers aren’t inside your head. 

To follow along with your writing and remain enthralled, readers need an extra nudge in the right direction. Transition words offer that guidance.

Innovative strategies for using transition words and phrases 

If you have some writing experience, you likely know that overusing “and,” “but,” and “also” is a no-no. There’s a good chance you already connect paragraphs and sections with logical transitions and prioritize readability and clarity over excessive bridging. But there’s so much more to effectively using transition words.  

Marketing expert Chase Dimond’s tried-and-true tip for starting paragraphs with an arresting transition is a good place to start.

Let’s explore more strategies for using transition words:

• Genre-specific strategies: Tailoring transition choices to specific content types elevates their impact. In a narrative, transition words keep up the story’s momentum by signaling time, location, or perspective changes. For example, words and phrases such as “meanwhile,” “later,” and “the next day” indicate shifts in the timeline. With technical writing, precise transitions such as “therefore” or “conversely” clarify arguments and move readers along. In commercial copy, transitions like “crucially” and “as such” influence how the reader interprets your writing. Understanding which transitions work best for each type of copy is vital. Using scientific, stuffy transitions in a blog post about cute dog outfits is just as bad as not using any.  
• Strategic omission: Deliberately leaving out a transition in a high-stakes moment can build suspense. For instance, “The door creaked open, revealing darkness. Silence. Nothingness.” This device is especially effective in storytelling. 
• Rhetorical questions: Asking questions engages readers by drawing them into and guiding them through the article.  
• Technology: Text-to-speech software with advanced language modeling can make suggestions for transitions. 
• Categories: Get up to speed with which transition terms best suit each narrative function.

Some transition phrases and words improve structural flow, while others connect ideas. They can subtly influence readers’ opinions and add weight to your arguments.  

Transition Words List 

Smooth transitions are the bedrock of clear writing. Imagine building a house without beams and supports – it would quickly crumble. Similarly, writing without transition words makes content choppy and unclear.

Here are the key transition categories, their functions, and sample words and phrases for each. 

Structuring your writing 

Have you ever watched a movie that cuts to a new screen saying, “One year later” or “Five years earlier”? Much like those cinematic shifts, the following structural transition words can set the flow of your content, allowing you to pivot seamlessly.  

Use introduction transitions to set the scene:

first

to begin with

who would have thought

to start

today

these days

since 

Condition transitions introduce hypothetical situations:

if

provided 

unless

Time — these transitions establish the order of ideas or events:

after

afterward

before

as soon as

currently

during

finally

firstly

in the meantime

initially

lastly

presently 

meanwhile

next

now

subsequently

then

thereafter

to begin with

ultimately

whenever

Order transitions arrange points logically:

first

next

second

then

third

Conjunction transitions link sentences and paragraphs:

and 

but

for

nor

or

so

yet

Use summary transitions to wrap up your main points and make a memorable impression:

all in all

in brief

in conclusion

in essence

in short

in summary

on the whole

overall

wrapping up 

to conclude

to summarize

Connecting ideas

Transition phrases that connect ideas show how your ideas relate to each other. They create a smooth flow and help readers see the bigger picture.

Digression transitions add brief thoughts or comments that support or challenge your main idea:

by the way

incidentally

that said 

on the other hand

Use agreement transitions to show how your ideas connect in support of each other:

also

additionally

fortunately

what’s more

in addition

besides

correspondingly

equally 

further

furthermore

in the same way

in the same vein

likewise

moreover

similarly

too

Add nuance to your ideas by using comparison transitions:

although

conversely

despite

even though

however

in contrast

on the other hand

otherwise

regardless

still

while

yet

Guiding the reader’s understanding 

When you’re writing copy with a purpose, it goes without saying that you want to influence your audience. But guiding their understanding isn’t as straightforward as presenting an argument. You have to make sure they’re following you along every step of the way. How? By writing in a clear and engaging way, using these transitions to highlight key points and demonstrate authority. 

Probability transitions set up your opinions and nudge readers toward a desired outcome:

likely

perhaps

probably

By using certainty transitions, you signal your authority and build trust:

certainly

as soon as

definitively

undoubtedly

without a doubt

Use emphasis transitions to highlight key points and ideas and secure them in readers’ minds:

certainly

definitely

in fact

indeed

notably

significantly 

importantly

in particular

interestingly

more importantly

of course

perhaps most importantly

quite

what’s more

remarkably

specifically

truly

undoubtedly

Fine-tuning your argument

Transitions that fine-tune arguments add depth, nuance, and power to your writing. They acknowledge counterpoints, rephrase ideas for clarity, and show the cause-and-effect relationships between concepts.

Transitions that return to the main point help you circle back and reiterate your primary argument:

anyhow

anyway

on that note

that said

at any rate

in any case

Illustration transitions set up quotes and data — which are essential for making solid arguments:

for example

take

a study found

evidence shows

for instance

specifically

Similar to emphasis words, restatement transitions add weight to key points, but they do it via repetition:

in other words

put another way

to rephrase

Concession transitions acknowledge opposing views and demonstrate fairness and a well-rounded approach:

admittedly

although

even though

granted

of course

still

yet

Cause and effect transitions establish the causal relationships between events or ideas. They help readers understand the “why?”:

accordingly

as a consequence

as such

as a result

because

consequently

for this reason

hence

if so

since

so

therefore

thus

Transition Words and Phrases in Action

Engaging copy doesn’t have  transition words in every sentence; it strikes a careful balance. Here’s an excerpt from LinkedIn’s most-read article of all time:

There’s no formula or perfect number of transitions per paragraph or 100 words. However, with millions of views, almost 40,000 likes, and 4,661 comments, Dr. Bradberry’s article is a resounding example of engaging copy. He uses transition words to clarify arguments, guide readers through the piece, and signpost salient points. The post has made — and continues to make — such an impact because it’s useful, actionable, and easy to follow. 

Clunky, choppy, disjointed, and flat-out writing often needs smoother transitions. Dr. Bradberry’s article showcases readability’s power to make audiences and search engines happy. 

Good vs. bad transitions in writing

The University of Alabama, in Huntsville, provides a solid example of ineffective vs. effective transitions in writing:

In the poor transition example, the two sentences lack a smooth connection, which may cause readers to take a moment to discover or realize the connection. Therefore, readers might lose interest or stop trusting what they’re reading at that moment. As a brand or marketer, your ability to convince and convert rests upon that trust — so each transition is precious. 

The better transition example makes it clear that the sentences are connected, guiding. readers, along so they understand effortlessly.

Pressbooks’ Writing Textbook provides another example of bad transitions in writing. This post highlights how effective transitions are by removing just 16 words from a passage of text.

Look how much of an impact omitting the transition question between the two paragraphs has:

The writer outlines their argument in a rhetorical question that concludes the first paragraph. They answer it in the second, tying the ideas neatly together. See how much of a difference a simple transition can make?  

How to Weave Transition Words Into Your Writing

Now, you’ve seen how other writers use transitions to clarify their writing and engage readers. It may take some practice, but learning how to use transition words effectively will be time well spent  

Here’s a quick guide on using transition words in your writing:

• Map your masterpiece: Before putting pen to paper, brush up on transition categories and words. Then, keep transitions in mind as you create your content outline. Where will you use contrast? Where will you add emphasis? This roadmap helps you create a smooth flow. Always do a final proofread for clarity and flow.
• Think beyond basic transitions: While the words “and” and “but” are unavoidable, be sure to explore richer options. “As such,” for example, signals cause and effect, while “on the other hand” implies an opposing viewpoint.
• Variety is key: Never fall into the  trap of monotony. Combine short transitions with longer ones, using strong verbs and active voice to keep readers engaged.
• Transition within sentences: Don’t limit transitions between paragraphs. Use them creatively within sentences to emphasize your argument and keep readers engaged.
• Read aloud and ruthlessly revise: Once your draft is complete, read it aloud. This exposes clunky transitions and areas where smoother connections are needed.

Mastering transition words is no longer an advanced writing technique authors and scientists use. It’s a content marketing superpower. Transitions give you a competitive edge in a world where engaging content and strong SEO intertwine. 

As our VP of Content Operations, Rick Leach, says:

“While the definition of good writing can be hard to pin down, it relies heavily on transitions. With well-written content, readers forget they’re making an effort. It flows from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, and section to section. Transitions soften abrupt shifts from one idea to the next. In short, they help readers see the bigger picture without making them scratch their heads.”

Transition Words, SEO, and Readability

Attention spans are decreasing, and the digital marketplace is swelling. Plus, as search engine algorithms grow increasingly complex, the bar for SEO-friendly content keeps rising. With so much content competing for clicks, transitions are nonnegotiable for keeping readers hooked. 

Here’s how:

• Enhanced Readability: Transitions transform a series of disjointed sentences into a cohesive, comprehensible whole. This translates to higher engagement and longer dwell times, both things that Google loves.
• Improved SEO: Thoughtful transitions unpick relationships between keywords and concepts. This aids search engines in understanding your content’s context and relevance.
• User Engagement: Well-placed transitions keep readers moving forward with ease. Intuitive UX directly impacts SEO by encouraging people to keep exploring your content.

As you write, experiment with transitions beyond the familiar, and you’ll see results in both readership and rankings.

Transition Word Toolbox

Crafting smooth transitions is an art form. But, you don’t have to go it alone. This toolbox is brimming with resources that help you elevate your transition game. Each one can help you get better at writing transitions that connect, captivate, and convert.

AI-powered language tools

You can also utilize artificial intelligence to analyze your writing and provide suggestions tailored to your goals:

• Grammarly Business: An advanced grammar checker that suggests contextual transitions that seamlessly connect ideas.
• QuillBot: This AI-powered paraphrasing tool analyzes your text and recommends sophisticated synonyms for transition words.
• Writesonic: An AI writing assistant with a feature that restructures sentences for better flow, suggesting improved transitions in the process.

Advanced text analysis platforms

Move beyond spell-check. The following platforms delve deeper, offering feedback on sentence structure, transition variety, and potential areas for improvement.

• StyleWriter: Provides insights into sentence complexity and transition variety. It suggests areas where transitions can be strengthened to enhance clarity and flow.
• Cliche Finder: Scans your text for overused phrases, including generic transitions such as “however” or “in addition.” This tool recommends more specific and engaging alternatives.

Interactive style guides and writing communities

Sometimes, the best insights come from your fellow wordsmiths. Online communities and style guides offer collaboration, expert advice, and ongoing learning:

• ProWritingAid Community Forums: This online forum allows writers to share draft excerpts and receive feedback on transition effectiveness.
• Hemingway Editor: A writing tool that analyzes text for readability and highlights areas with complex sentence structure, prompting you to break down complex ideas.

Master Transitions to Increase Conversions

By now, you understand that transition words are much more than stylistic frills. They’re the invisible architects of engaging, SEO-friendly content. Transitions guide readers effortlessly through your content, ensuring they grasp your message and remain engaged. At the same time, they signal to search engines how your ideas connect, enhance content visibility, and showcase your expertise. 

The bottom line? Content that’s easy to follow is more persuasive. 

Crowd Content has an entire network of skilled, experienced writers. Our rigorous multi-step editorial process ensures every piece of content is clear and concise and flows perfectly.

You can discover how our expertise in content strategy can elevate readers’ engagement with your website content and enhance SEO by diving into our Content Strategy Services. There you’ll learn how to effectively use transition words and phrases to create structured, persuasive content. 

The post Transition Words and Phrases: Crafting Seamless Content appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Of course, you have to pick the right grammar checker for your needs, whether you’re focused on readability, tone, or AI-assisted inspiration. To whittle down the top candidates, we tested popular platforms for accuracy and helpfulness. You’ll find the results below, along with tips on using these tools to craft content that is both smooth and compelling.  

Evolution of Grammar Tools

Grammar tools have come a long way since the 1980s, when they were built into word processors, such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word. At the time, these rudimentary spell checkers were designed to detect simple errors that might have slipped through during manual proofreading. 

As technology advanced, so did the capabilities of the tools. Those squiggly lines were there to catch missteps, such as run-on sentences and confusion between “its” and “it’s.” Eventually, grammar tools took on lives of their own, leaving the confines of word-processing programs behind and launching as powerful standalone tools. 

From basic spell-check to AI-enhanced correctors

And now, the real game changer has arrived: artificial intelligence (AI). AI-enhanced correctors analyze vast amounts of text and learn from natural language patterns. They’re pushing grammar tools beyond simple mechanics, offering guidance for tone and voice, restructuring sentences to captivate readers, and generating ideas to help smash your writer’s block.

Best Grammar Tools

We took the best grammar checkers on a test drive, creating an error-riddled paragraph as a benchmark. We compared each tool’s accuracy in detecting mistakes and how well their AI features improved our writing sample.

Grammarly: Beyond basic grammar checking

One of the pioneer tools in grammar checking, Grammarly, has you covered for spelling, grammar, and clarity. A premium or business subscription unlocks advanced suggestions for nuanced word choice and tone to better engage your target audience. We also like the built-in AI writing tool. Simply highlight the text you’ve written and click “improve it.” 

Key features of Grammarly

• Checks the correctness of copy, including spelling and grammar
• Highlights wordiness and clarity issues
• Provides generative AI to help with content creation
• Offers word suggestions to make copy more impactful 
• Detects tone to help you better connect with your audience
• Checks for plagiarism 
• Allows customized style guides 

Accuracy and helpfulness

Grammarly performed well in detecting common errors. It was also one of the only tools that noticed both a numeral and a spelled-out number in the same sentence. Its word recommendations were consistently reliable.

The tool’s generative AI feature also did well with our test paragraph. It transformed awkward phrasing in a pet adoption scenario into a more concise and engaging narrative:

Our snippet: Bringing a cat home as a new pet can be an exciting and a rewarding experience. However, it’s important to be prepared for the responsibility that come’s with caring for a cat.

Grammarly’s version: Getting a new cat can be a thrilling and rewarding experience, but it’s important to be prepared for the responsibility that comes with it.

Grammarly integrations

• Email clients: Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail
• Apps: Google Docs, Word, Teams, Slack, PowerPoint
• Social platforms: LinkedIn, X
• Browsers: Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox
• Devices: iOS, Android, Mac

Grammarly pricing

• Free version: Limited to 100 AI prompts
• Premium: $12 USD monthly, billed annually
• Business: $15 USD monthly per member
• Trial offers: 7-day free trial for paid plans

Hemingway Editor: Clarity is key

Hemingway Editor assigns a grade-level score to your copy so you can make it accessible for your target audience. It recommends aiming for a 9th-grade reading level for general readability, although higher levels may be acceptable for academic or highly technical audiences.

A word of caution: Hemingway is a style checker. Since it doesn’t catch common grammar and spelling mistakes, be sure to proofread in another tool.

Key features of Hemingway

• Calculates a grade-level readability score for your copy
• Highlights unnecessary words, jargon, and hard-to-read sentences
• Uses color-coding to prioritize issues
• Includes formatting options, such as headers, bullets, italics, bold, and links
• Exports final copy to text, PDF, and Word
• Converts copy to HTML for publishing on the web
• Saves editing suggestions as a PDF so you can share them with colleagues
• Rewrites sentences instantly using AI (Hemingway Editor Plus only)

Accuracy and helpfulness

Hemingway is included in our list for its grade-level reading scores, which are useful for making complex copy more accessible. It’s not a grammar checker, however, so mistakes such as “they’re” versus “their” slip by. We also found Hemingway’s AI tool isn’t as powerful as other platforms. It simplified one of our long sentences into several short ones. This brings the grade level score down, but the result isn’t particularly engaging:

Our snippet: Provide plenty of hiding places, toys, and a cozy bed and don’t forget to cat-proof your home by removing hazardous object’s and securing your windows and door. 

Hemingway’s version: Provide plenty of hiding places, toys, and a cozy bed. Don’t forget to cat-proof your home. Remove hazardous objects and secure your windows and doors.

Hemingway integrations

• macOS
• Windows
• WordPress
• Medium

Hemingway pricing

• Online version is free
• Hemingway Editor (desktop): $19.99 USD one-time purchase
• Hemingway Editor Plus (AI): Starting at $10 USD monthly

ProWritingAid: For the detail-oriented editor

ProWritingAid is a solid grammar tool. It deftly handles grammar, style, and clarity, and it helps you achieve the right tone for your audience. We also like how the platform helps improve your writing skills by explaining the rationale behind recommended changes, complete with links to resource articles.

Key features of ProWritingAid

• Checks for spelling, grammar, and common style issues, such as passive voice
• Customizes suggestions based on document type: academic, business, casual, creative
• Provides in-depth analysis of elements such as transitions, overused words, and pacing
• Tracks readability, sentence length, and variety based on averages for the genre
• Paraphrases content according to your specifications (i.e., shorten, expand, or make the tone more formal)
• Provides advanced AI “sparks” to improve word choice, remove repetitions, edit transitions, and add analogies

Accuracy and helpfulness

We purposely overloaded our test paragraph with the word “cat” to see if any of the platforms would notice the monotony. ProWritingAid was one of the only tools to call us out on it, suggesting alternatives such as “feline,” “kitten,” and “kitty” for variety. The tool’s AI rewrites were also solid, turning a cluttered sentence into something more succinct. Here’s an example:

Our snippet: Provide plenty of hiding places, toys, and a cozy bed and don’t forget to cat-proof your home by removing hazardous object’s and securing your windows and door. 

ProWritingAid’s version: Make sure to provide hiding spots, toys, and a comfy bed for your cat. Also, cat-proof your home by removing dangerous items and securing windows and doors.

ProWritingAid integrations

• Microsoft Word for Windows
• Windows apps
• Mac apps
• Google Docs
• Safari
• Chrome
• Edge
• Firefox
• Scrivener
• OpenOffice

ProWritingAid pricing

• Free version is limited to 500 words, 10 rephrases, and three AI Sparks per day
• Premium: $10 USD monthly, billed yearly
• Premium Pro: $12 USD monthly, billed yearly
• Guarantee: No free trial but a 14-day money-back guarantee is available

QuillBot: Rewriting with intelligence

QuillBot reliably finds spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes while finessing content to boost reader engagement. With support for multiple languages, it is well-suited for those working in international audiences. These features are wrapped up in a clean, easy-to-use interface.

QuillBot features

• Checks copy for correctness 
• Recommends improved wording
• Customizes recommendations according to creative, academic, and custom audiences
• Supports German, French, and Spanish
• Translates text to more than 45 languages
• Offers AI-powered features for writing assistance
• Checks for plagiarism

Accuracy and helpfulness

QuillBot performed impressively in our test. It caught subtle issues other tools didn’t, such as the lack of parallelism in the phrase “windows and door.” Even more intriguing — when asked to rewrite the copy, it not only created compelling text but also added new information to flesh out the topic. Note the mention of cat nutrition in the rewrite below.

Our snippet: And then there’s the most important gift you can give your cat: affection. With patience and love, soon you will forge a strong bond with your pet, enriching both of your live’s for years to come.

QuillBot’s version: Remember to also provide a balanced diet and fresh water for your cat, as nutrition plays a key role in their overall health and well-being. Additionally, spend quality time playing and interacting with your cat to ensure they are mentally stimulated and happy.

QuillBot integrations

• Google Chrome
• Google Docs
• macOS
• Microsoft Edge
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Word

QuillBot pricing

• Free version available
• Premium: $8.33 to $19.95 USD per month, depending on billing cycle
• No free trial but offers a 100% money-back guarantee after 3 days

Scribens: The Free Grammar Wizard

Scribens is a straightforward grammar checker. Simply paste in your copy, click the highlighted areas, and accept or ignore the tool’s suggestions. You can check up to 8,000 characters of text at a time, which is generous for a free platform. Like Hemingway, Scribens provides readability scores for your text to help you adjust the comprehension level appropriate for your audience.

Scribens features

• Checks for spelling, grammar, and basic style issues
• Supports English and French text
• Includes Flesch Reading Ease and Gunning Fog Index to gauge text complexity
• Calculates statistics, such as average words per sentence and average syllables per word
• Estimates reading and speaking times for your content
• Includes a customizable dictionary that allows users to add unique or specialized terms

Accuracy and helpfulness

Scribens performs effectively for a free tool. It flags repetitive words to add variety to your writing and suggests alternatives for common words to make your content more impactful.

The grammar checker missed a couple of errors in our test, including sentence fragments and misuse of “they’re” versus “their.” While we prefer other tools for style feedback, Scribens is useful for tracking reading levels and statistics related to word and sentence length.

Scribens integrations

• Office programs: Microsoft Word, Google Docs, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice 
• Messaging: Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Orange
• Websites: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, WordPress, forms, blogs, and forums
• Mobile devices: Android smartphone and tablet, iPhone, iPad

Scribens pricing

• Free version is limited to 125 words in the paraphrasing tool
• Premium: 4.16 € to 9.90 € monthly, depending on billing cycle (approximately $4.50 to $10.75 USD)

Customization and Flexibility in Grammar Tools

While some grammar rules are set in stone, your writing style and word choice should be adjusted to fit your audience. For example, the phrase “core competency” is appropriate for a white paper targeted to HR executives, but the simpler “key skill” resonates more with job seekers. 

It can be challenging to achieve the right tone for different readers and maintain it consistently throughout a document. Thankfully, AI-enabled grammar tools can cut down on the time it takes to fine-tune your content. They’ve processed huge amounts of text to find patterns and variations and can quickly come up with words and phrasing that make sense for a particular scenario. This helps you connect with audiences more effectively, leading to better engagement and understanding of your content.

Tailoring tools to your writing style

We have to give kudos to ProWritingAid for its ability to tailor suggestions to specific audiences. The platform lets you select a writing style for various content types: general, academic, business, technical, creative, casual, web, and script. Each style has certain rules and targets that influence the recommendations you receive. For example, passive voice is more acceptable in academic writing, whereas web content benefits from shorter sentences. If the preset rules don’t meet your needs, simply customize your own to achieve the results you need.

Integrating Grammar Tools Into Your Writing Process

As grammar tools become more powerful, they significantly change our approach to writing. In the past, we’d run a spell check at the end of the writing process to find mistakes. Now, AI grammar tools provide valuable writing support from the time you open a new document to the moment you hit publish. They can kick-start your writing, fix mistakes, remove jargon, and help you achieve the right voice.

With these benefits in mind, many companies are rethinking how to use grammar checkers to enhance the content production process. By incorporating AI grammar tools into our workflow, we can produce higher-quality content in less time. This shift in approach has led to increased efficiency and improved overall writing outcomes for many organizations.

Streamlining your workflow with grammar tools

Here’s how you can incorporate grammar tools into your writing process. 

• Install your grammar checker. Many tools can be integrated right into your desktop environment to provide real-time feedback. This saves you from copying and pasting between your word-processing program and the grammar platform.
• Set up your style guides. Customize style guides to align with your writing preferences. You can set up rules for brand and product names, language, and terminology to get things right the first time and simplify the editing process.
• Leverage AI writing suggestions. Stuck on a headline or phrasing? Trying to wrangle an awkward sentence? Make use of AI to get past your writer’s block and accelerate your output.
• Review suggestions. Make judgment calls about whether the recommendations improve your copy. Grammar checkers aren’t always correct, but when they are, try to learn from your mistakes and boost your writing proficiency.
• Revise copy. Fix spelling, typos, grammar, and style inconsistencies. Adjust for tone and voice. Invite feedback from colleagues and editors to ensure your content is accurate and clear.  
• Finalize content. Make adjustments to your copy to ensure it’s polished, error-free, and provides value to readers.

Collaboration and sharing: Grammar tools in team projects

Content production is typically collaborative with writers, editors, and subject matter experts contributing before sign-off. Programs such as Google Docs enable shared access, but with so many people involved, it’s easy for inconsistencies to slip in. Use grammar tools throughout the writing process to ensure your content is uniform and cohesive.

For instance, Zapier implemented Grammarly to create a company-wide style guide. This ensured branded terms and names of partner apps were used correctly throughout their communications. Previously, writers and editors spent a significant amount of time tracking down the right language and fixing errors. By utilizing a grammar tool, Zapier ensured proper language usage at the writing stage, streamlining editing and maintaining a cohesive style. This ultimately saved time and improved content quality.

Grammar Tools and the Future of Writing

As artificial intelligence evolves, the best grammar tools are becoming inseparable from the writing process. We’re already seeing these platforms folded into our daily work environments, sparking and condensing ideas and enhancing readability. With ongoing developments in machine learning, AI-enabled tools will likely get better at analyzing language nuances, personalizing content, and refining suggestions for specific audiences.

What does that mean for those of us crafting content? Well, “old-school writing” isn’t going away, according to author Rishad Tobaccowala.  He predicts, “AI will replace many writers — the hack writers. It will not replace writers … who focus on communing and connecting with human minds and emotions.” 

Tobaccowala emphasizes that AI helps writers produce better content. “The best writers today use AI as an input to power, expand, and challenge themselves in ways that improve their writing and expand their thinking. AI expands the palette and opens new horizons,” he said.

This aligns with how we approach AI at Crowd Content. Modern grammar checkers and AI content creation tools are just that — tools — not replacements for your own creativity and expertise. As discussed in a recent episode of the Crowd Content podcast (20:52), purely AI content is based on what’s already been published. It doesn’t inspire engagement and conversions. To have an impact on your audience, make sure what you’re publishing is helpful to readers, weave in interesting opinions and insights, and satisfy your audience’s needs.

Real-World Success Stories: Grammar Tools in Action

We’ve compiled some examples to show you how marketers, writers, and professionals are leveraging the capabilities of these powerful platforms. Check out the stories below to explore the potential of AI grammar tools in enriching content production. 

Case studies: Transforming writing with grammar tools

Zoom experienced an unprecedented demand on its services a few years ago when businesses turned to work-from-home models. Its teams struggled to keep up with communications on a global basis. The company turned to Grammarly’s business platform to ensure consistent use of terminology, brand voice, and messaging. Zoom estimates this saved 7,000 hours of staff time, speeding up staff onboarding and removing bottlenecks in reviewing content. Grammarly’s real-time writing assistance also boosted the confidence of individual team members in their communication skills.

Grammarly also provides a striking example of how its business tool helps writers achieve the right tone. HackerOne, a platform that enables hackers to work alongside brands to identify security vulnerabilities, has two distinct audiences. By using custom style guides and a tone detector, HackerOne was able to better communicate in a professional tone with enterprise clients and, more informally, with the hacker community. As a result, communications improved by 68% across pillars such as clarity, engagement, and correctness.

From skeptic to advocate: A user experience example

Anja Wedberg, Senior Content Editor at NOA Ignite, felt confident in her writing skills until plugging an article into Hemingway Editor. “I had overall positive feedback about this article,” she explained on the company’s blog. When Hemingway almost completely marked up the piece, she took a closer look and reworked it for readability. She brought it from a grade 12 reading level to grade 8.

She shared on the company’s blog, “What the average writer thinks is easy to read is not the same as what the average reader finds easy to read. At the end of the day, the main question is: Do we want to make sure that our texts can be understood by most people? If the answer to that is yes, we had better listen to Hemingway.”

Master Your Content With the Right Tools and Expertise

Modern-day grammar checkers work alongside you as you write, eliminating mistakes and capturing the right tone for your audience. They also lean on artificial intelligence to energize the writing process and help you better express your thoughts. The results? Smooth, polished prose and less time tussling with content.

While AI tools can improve your copy, it still needs substance to engage readers and drive conversions. Remember to infuse your writing with real-life opinions and expertise. By combining the efficiency of AI tools with your unique perspective, you can create more meaningful content that resonates with your audience. Discover how the right grammar tools, combined with Crowd Content’s professional content creation services, can elevate your writing.

The post 5 Best Grammar Tools for Content Writing appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Crafting a page that converts is both an art and a science. You need a generous dose of creativity and a flair for design that inspires readers, supported by an analytical approach that subtly moves customers toward a goal. When you hit that optimum point, you can really drive results. Learn how to strike this delicate balance by putting best practices for creating effective landing pages to work.

Breaking Down Landing Page Structure

A landing page is a web page designed to coax visitors toward a specific action, usually attracting traffic drawn from search engines, email marketing, or social media campaigns. Visitors typically approach a landing page in two parts.

The content at the top of the page sparks interest, concisely communicating the benefits or offer, and provides a call-to-action (CTA). This content typically fits on the screen above the fold, meaning no scrolling is required to read it. As visitors scroll down, they can then access detailed information to support their decision-making, such as product features and social proof.

Check out this landing page example from Unbounce. It has a clear call-to-action (CTA) above the fold and persuasive details below the fold.

Core elements of landing page design

Your landing page should be engaging and user-friendly to compel readers to take action. Include these key elements:

• Headline: Lead the way with a catchy headline that communicates the value of your offering.
• Subhead: The subhead is a concise sentence or two providing additional context.
• Hero image or video: Reel in your reader with a striking image or embedded video to make an impactful first impression.
• Call to action: Your CTA is a prominent button, form, or link that directs visitors to take a desired action, such as “Download” or “Buy Now.” 
  
• Persuasive content: Write highly convincing content that communicates your value proposition and the benefits or features of your product. Make the content easy to skim, and consider using bullet-point lists or charts.
• Social proof: Reassure your audience of the value of your brand with testimonials, reviews, and trust symbols, such as logos of companies using your product or service.

Enhancing traditional structures with modern design

Bring the elements of your landing page together so it’s visually appealing and easy to consume. You might be inclined to cram the page with tons of information to help your reader make a decision, but if you bombard them with too much detail, it becomes harder for them to decide.

Instead, opt for a clear, intuitive layout that highlights key information and the CTA. Modern design principles work well, as white space and contrast can direct the reader’s attention. To create interest, use expressive typography in different weights and colors to set the mood. In the example below, Dropbox takes a minimalist approach that’s still highly effective.

In comparison, beauty subscription brand Boxy Charm leverages color and a hero image on its landing page. In marketing color psychology, pinks and lavenders create a soft, soothing aesthetic and are often used for beauty products. 

Adhering to SEO principles

Landing pages are often paired with email, social media, and PPC campaigns, but you can also capture audiences through search engines. Make sure your page is discoverable on Google by following best practices for SEO:

• Use keyword research tools to target search terms for ranking
• Create helpful, informative, and high-quality content
• Ensure the page loads quickly and is mobile-friendly
• Include descriptive meta titles and descriptions
• Compress images and include alt-text

Designing for Conversion: Key Elements of Effective Landing Pages

Now, how do you leverage these elements to drive readers toward a goal? Let’s look at a few strategies to design for conversion.

Crafting compelling headlines for maximum impact

The headline welcomes readers with a concise statement highlighting the value of your offering. Place the headline prominently on the page and make sure it’s simple and clear — technical terms and jargon only cloud your message. The fewer words you use to convey your message, the better. You can use  a subheader that provides more context or elaboration to complement the headline.

To grab the reader’s attention, try:

• Creating energy with action verbs
• Posing a question that invites them to discover the answer
• Teasing a benefit to spark curiosity (but get to the point ASAP)
• Using numbers and statistics for credibility

Check out Proof’s landing page — the headline is incredibly simple, uses action-oriented wording, and promises tangible results that are pretty hard to turn down. Notice it’s accompanied by a clear call to action and social proof.

The role of visuals in conversion optimization

Visuals make a landing page more enticing and exciting by reinforcing your headline message and evoking an emotional response in your customer. Let’s look at a landing page for Trusted Housesitters, a platform that connects pet lovers with pet owners who need someone to care for their furry companions. The image on this page appeals to both target audiences. It emphasizes the joy in caring for a pet while assuring pet owners that their pets are in good hands while they’re away. This page also uses social proof, descriptive CTAs, and a down arrow directing users to scroll to learn more.

Breather, a provider of workspaces for quiet, focused work, also has a prominent image on its landing page. The photo of a bright, airy, and empty workspace backs up the value proposition. 

If you want to step up your landing page game, consider adding a short video. According to a WyzOwl survey, 89% of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy a product or service. Videos help customers see your product in action and get a better feel for its features and benefits. You can also use customer testimonial videos as a form of social proof to drive your audience toward conversion.

Writing irresistible CTAs

The call to action is a critical element of your landing page, allowing your reader to take you up on your offer. Make it easy for them to complete the action.

• Positioning: Place your CTAs strategically. CTAs should be placed above the fold for those who have done their research and are ready to take action and should be placed at the end of each section for those who need a little more persuasion. “You never know where a user will pause or how far they’ll go,” Cassandra Parsons, VP of Operations at ViziSites, explains in our webinar about optimizing your website for conversions.
• Prominence: Effective calls to action should be large, legible, and easy to find on the page. Use contrast to help buttons stand out and make sure they appear clickable.
• Precise wording: While your CTA should be short and sweet, it should also be descriptive and should generate excitement. Create a sense of urgency and explain exactly what the consumer gets when they click. Instead of “Get Started,” for example, try “Get 30 Days Free” to compel readers to convert.

Tailoring Landing Pages to Your Audience

Audiences are more likely to convert if your landing page aligns seamlessly with their needs. Use customer surveys, analytics data, focus groups, and market research to gather insights and tailor content to their interests and pain points.

Even within your customer base, there can be differences in needs and preferences. When analyzing data, divide your audience into segments based on factors such as age, gender, location, interests, browsing history, or purchase history. You can improve conversions by customizing landing pages and offering better user experiences for each segment.

Using audience insights to inform design choices

From your research, you should have a good picture of who’s clicking on your ad, email, or social post to get to your landing page. Stay true to your branding, but design custom pages and direct users appropriately.

Let’s say you sell outdoor gear. Some of your customers may be single, tend to lean toward outback adventures, and frequent TikTok. Others may have children, plan family camping trips, and get information from Facebook. You can customize images, messaging, and product recommendations based on lifestyle. If you have retail storefronts, you can also create a dynamic landing page based on user location and provide store-specific information. 

With dynamic content, you can also personalize messaging based on past interactions and display relevant recommendations or offers. By adapting your landing page to your audience, you’re speaking directly to their needs and interests, inspiring engagement and stronger customer relationships.

Personalization techniques for enhanced engagement

Sometimes, you can gather information right on your landing page to customize an experience. Let’s deconstruct this MailChimp landing page.

All the essential above-the-fold elements are checked off: headline, relevant copy, hero image, and trust symbol. At the bottom of the screen, readers are posed with a question: “How many contacts do you have?” Readers will receive a package suggestion based on their answer to help narrow down their choices. If readers are looking for more personalized content, they can click on “Find my plan” to the left and complete a quiz for a recommendation.

Optimizing Landing Page Performance

Just as you might fine-tune a sports car for precision and speed, you can monitor, test, and refine your landing page. Optimization requires critical attention to every aspect of your landing page structure, design, and functionality, creating a well-oiled machine that efficiently carries your reader across the finish line.

Technical optimization to retain visitors

Test your page loading time to improve user experience. Most online viewers desire and expect quick and easy experiences. If your page is running slowly, it won’t take long for most of them to bounce. Shift your site into high gear by compressing images, minifying files, and implementing browser caching to improve page speed and get your message across as quickly as possible.

Your page should also be mobile-friendly. Customers will get frustrated by buttons that are too small to tap or content that runs off their smartphone screen. Make sure your landing page works smoothly across devices and is responsive for all users.

A/B testing for data-driven design solutions

During your creative brainstorming, you likely came up with a few different headlines, visuals, and CTAs. Once your page’s basic functionality is in place, conduct A/B tests to compare variations of landing page elements. You might be surprised at which ones you think will generate a positive response compared to the ones that actually do. Analyze the performance metrics to see which version resonates best with your audience and helps you seal the deal.

Analyzing and Interpreting Landing Page Metrics

As we stated previously, landing page structure is art and  science. It’s now time to don your lab coat and use analytics to assess if your page is working the way it should.

Essential KPIs for landing page analysis

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are quantifiable measurements that help you gauge page performance. Are your visitors taking time to read your content or bouncing off right away? What percentage converts? Quality data helps you pinpoint areas of weakness so you can make data-driven decisions, improve your landing page, and get closer to your intended goals.

Here are some common KPIs to consider when evaluating landing page performance:

• Bounce rate: Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who leave a landing page without engaging. If you have a high bounce rate, check your page speed and mobile friendliness. Scrutinize above-the-fold content to see if your headline and image are communicating the value of your offer in a compelling way.  
• Click-through rate (CTR): CTR measures the percentage of visitors who click on a link or button on the landing page. A high CTR indicates the page successfully captures visitors’ attention and encourages them to engage further.
• Conversion rate: The conversion rate measures the percentage of visitors who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, downloading an e-book, or signing up for a free trial. Aim to improve your conversion rate over time.
• Video views: Track whether people are engaging with your video content to determine its effectiveness. If video views are high but the conversion rate is low, the video may be too long, not interesting enough, or weak at conveying your value proposition.
• Average session duration: How long are visitors staying on the page? A longer session duration suggests visitors are engaged with the content and considering your value proposition. If they aren’t converting, you might review your CTA.

Tools and techniques for advanced analytics

Gathering the data is just the first step. It can be challenging to interpret numbers and draw meaningful conclusions when there might be multiple reasons a landing page isn’t performing. Often, you have to make incremental adjustments and continue monitoring.

Analytics tools, such as Smartlook, Hotjar, and Lucky Orange, can offer insight into customer intent and behavior. These platforms use heat maps, journey mapping, and session replay to give you an idea of how customers interact with your page. These tools can detect where users stop scrolling, how much of a form they complete, and where they try to click. This data can help put your KPIs into context, zeroing in on problem areas that are confusing or frustrating audiences so you can refine your content or design.

Mastering Landing Page Structure for Digital Success

The landing page is a critical point in the customer journey, transforming traffic into leads or customers. To maximize conversions, the key elements of a landing page must come together cohesively, including the headline, images and/or video, social proof, and CTAs. When you consider audience needs and shape page content and design according to best practices, you can nudge customers toward considering your offer and converting.

Elevate your landing pages beyond the competition with Crowd Content’s expert website content services. Discover how our team can help you enhance your landing page content for improved SEO and conversion rates. Visit Crowd Content’s website content services page today to learn more and start optimizing your digital presence for maximum success.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Landing Page Structure appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

Intros set the stage for that all-important first impression — not just for a specific article but for your entire brand. They establish trust, help readers understand what to expect, and let them know if your content aligns with their search goals. Nail them and watch bounce rates tank while engagement and time on page soar. These are the types of metrics Google cares about — not backlink counts.  

The treasure map doesn’t lead you to any clever tricks or shortcuts. You have to demonstrate expertise, trustworthiness, and relatability through focused storytelling. Below, we outline five strategies for writing introductions that engage readers and compel them to take action. 

1. Meet Readers’ Expectations

Specializing in the practice of rhetoric, George Gopen believes engagement hinges on a writer’s ability to meet readers’ expectations. That means being able to anticipate and fulfill their needs.

Like trail markers on a hike, clear signals of an article’s argument, purpose, and intent keep people moving in the right direction. 

You have to provide obvious cues about content, structure, and direction along the way — in titles, headings, introductions, and section transitions. Each point serves as a signpost, setting up an expectation in the reader’s mind and drawing them in closer. 

In the Gonzaga Law Review, Denise Riebe backs Gopen’s theory, saying, “By consistently placing pieces of information where readers expect it, writers gain readers’ trust.” An intro that follows smoothly and logically from your headline establishes trust right off the bat. To maintain it, demonstrate experience and expertise, and meet readers’ expectations throughout the piece.

Based on Gopen’s teachings, some things to avoid when writing blog intros include:

• Intros that don’t relate to the headline
• Unclear purpose and direction
• Overly complex, wordy, or dense intros
• Lack of engagement techniques, such as storytelling, rhetorical questions, or filler quotes

For content creators, that means writing highly focused blog intros that capture the intent of your target audience. Show off your expertise, share opinions, write with confidence, and use transition words to guide your audience seamlessly from point to point. 

Never overpromise and underdeliver. Engage your audience with well-thought-out examples, opinions, and scenarios — not gimmicks or clickbait.  

What about hooks?

Writers have been using hooks since the dawn of storytelling, but a hook alone isn’t enough to make a blog engaging. 

When marketers write blog post intros, they want readers to take action. Storytelling paints a picture of how the article directly relates to them. It creates an emotional connection between your brand and the audience by holding up a mirror to their fears, pain points, and desires.

2. Master the Art of Storytelling

Master the art of brand storytelling, and you’re well on the way to being crowned as content royalty. 

Look at it this way: Imagine yourself sitting by a crackling fireplace, listening to Grandpa spin a tale. He doesn’t throw facts at you. He draws you in with vivid descriptions, relatable characters, and a touch of mystery. That’s the power of storytelling we’re aiming for.

Our Vice President of Content Operations, Rick Leach, says,

“Storytelling is an effective tactic for engaging audiences in an article’s intro. It’s more relatable than tired and readily available statistics and builds reader trust better than gimmicky hooks. It also sets the stage for the reader, showing them what’s coming next is what they need.”

Let’s explore some dynamic ways to use storytelling in intros.

Paint a captivating picture

Describe a captivating scene to set the stage for your article. Use imagery in a way that immediately grabs the reader’s attention, places them right in the thick of it, and makes them curious about what unfolds next.

Say you’re writing an article for an inbound sales company about how to close more deals. The intro might start like this:

Ever feel like you’re battling uphill against a relentless current, desperately trying to close more deals? You’re not alone. Our guide acts as your trusty raft, navigating you through calmer waters and revealing insider secrets to closing deals that’ll have you riding the wave of success in no time.

Introduce a relatable character

Introduce a relatable character facing a challenge your audience experiences. As readers visualize themselves in the character’s situation, they’re compelled to discover how the story unfolds and what lessons they can learn. Continue referencing the character throughout the piece to keep readers engaged in their story. 

Here’s an example intro opening for a blog post about conversion rates for a digital marketing agency:

Meet Sarah, a brand-new digital marketer feeling lost in the jungle of online engagement. Among the tangled vines of clicks and impressions, Sarah uncovers a hidden gem: conversion rates. 

Tell a personal story

Share a personal anecdote or experience that aligns with your audience’s search intent. This adds authenticity and depth to your writing while building trust and rapport with your audience. Offering a glimpse into your world makes you relatable and demonstrates your topical authority to help them problem-solve. 

Let’s look at the first few lines of a recruitment company’s fictional blog intro about the top 10 traits of impactful leaders:

I’m Alex, a seasoned recruiter with a proven track record of hiring exceptional leaders. After running a business for 12 years, I’ve crafted a definitive list of the top 10 traits possessed by impactful leaders.

Set up a mystery

Begin with a mysterious or puzzling scenario that intrigues readers and makes them want to uncover the answers. Using precise, targeted language throughout your article ensures flow and seamless transitions as readers move through the piece.  

If an HVAC company writes a blog post about upgrading your cooling system, the intro might look like this:

Is your home suddenly a sauna? Perhaps your energy bills are soaring, yet you’re still shivering under thin blankets. These might be signs it’s time to investigate your cooling system’s health.

Invoke emotion

Craft your introduction to evoke specific emotions, such as empathy, aspiration, and a sense of belonging. This fosters deep connections and makes storytelling compelling and memorable. Everyone agrees striking an emotional cord with their targetted audience is the holy grail of marketing in the digital age. 

Here’s an example of how to start a blog post for an addiction treatment center. The article discusses the first step on the path to recovery: 

In the journey toward healing, every step, no matter how small, is a testament to your courage and resilience. Take the first step on the path to recovery with us, where compassionate guidance and practical advice await. 

3. Pose Questions and Integrate Quotes

Quotes and questions are powerful tools for writing blog intros, captivating readers, and arousing interest from the outset. Strategically incorporate these elements into your storytelling efforts.

Questions immediately pique readers’ curiosity and invite them to reflect on the topic at hand. Use questions to introduce a problem, prompting readers to continue reading in search of answers. Asking questions in this way creates a two-way dialogue between writer and reader, sparking deeper engagement with the content.

Quotes can add credibility, authority, and depth to blog intros — but they need to provide value. Source them from experts, industry leaders, or influencers to offer fresh or thought-provoking perspectives on a topic. Always remember to tailor the quote to user intent. For example, if you’re writing for an audience that seeks reassurance, don’t use a negative quote. Let’s say you’re working on a blog post for a rehab clinic titled Do I Need Addiction Treatment? If you start with a quote that suggests 60% of people relapse, you won’t be particularly persuasive. 

4. Strike a Balance Between SEO and Reader Engagement

Since Google’s helpful content update and the relentless march of AI, crushing SEO and reader engagement with equal force has become critical for success. Content marketers practicing the dark arts of keyword stuffing and backlink buying have been banished to irrelevance. Now, the name of the game is balance — juggling the demands of search algorithms with the desires of real people.

But how do you approach this tussle between optimization and engagement? Let’s explore some advanced optimization strategies that go far beyond keyword placement.

Advanced SEO strategies

Improve your content’s visibility using advanced SEO techniques for writing blog intros.

• Semantic search optimization: Embrace semantic search optimization to align with the evolving nature of search engines. Focus on understanding the intent behind search queries and delivering relevant content accordingly. Use synonyms, semantic variations, and related terms to naturally weave keywords into intros.
• Content structuring: Structured data markup provides context to search engines and improves the chances of your intro appearing as a rich snippet. Focus on providing clear and concise information, using relevant headings and subheadings, and ensuring your content is navigable by users and search engines.
• Natural language processing: Use NLP techniques to analyze user queries and create intros that resonate with their specific language patterns. Understanding how your target audience phrases their questions and searches allows you to tailor your content and improve search engine ranking.

Remember, SEO is more than just keywords. By combining these advanced strategies with compelling storytelling and engaging writing, you can create content that ranks highly, speaks to your audience, and drives tangible outcomes.

AI and voice search optimization

Stay ahead of the curve by tapping into AI and voice search optimization. Integrate these strategies into blog intros to enhance their relevance, resonance, and performance in voice-enabled search environments.

• AI-driven content optimization: Experiment with AI tools, such as Jasper and Rytr, to optimize your intros for engagement and SEO. AI can analyze data to identify trends, predict user behavior, and suggest content optimizations. 
• Voice search optimization: Tailor intros to the conversational nature of voice queries. Use natural language patterns and concise language. Remember, voice searches for services often go straight to Google Maps local results. Optimize your Google Business Profile and gather stellar customer reviews to climb the local pack.

Legal and ethical guidelines when writing blog intros

Handle the complexities of content creation with ethics and legal compliance front and center. Avoid plagiarism and adhere to advertising standards while crafting authentic intros.

• Avoid plagiarism: Conduct thorough research and cite sources properly. Use plagiarism detection tools, such as Copyscape, to verify content originality. Plagiarism destroys credibility and tarnishes your brand’s image.
• Comply with advertising standards: Be transparent with your audience. Disclose sponsored content and affiliate links in your intros to instill Google’s final E-E-A-T guideline: trustworthiness. 

Global audience consideration

Expand your reach and impact by crafting culturally sensitive and inclusive intros that resonate with a multicultural audience. Find customers in new territories by learning how to customize intros effectively across different cultures and regions, enhancing SEO performance and reader engagement on a global scale.

5. Measure Audience Interaction Using Hard Data

Understanding your audience is crucial for creating compelling blog intros. Embrace feedback as the gold mine for improvement it truly is.

Comments

Analyze reader comments to identify common themes, recurring questions, and areas for improvement. Use technology to streamline the process and aim to focus on patterns instead of individual comments.

Social shares

Track which intros receive the most social media shares to gauge what sparks audience interest. Research the granular details of these intros so you can replicate successful elements.

Blog engagement KPIs

Engagement metrics, including bounce rate, time on page, and click-through rate, are prime KPIs for measuring blog intros’ effectiveness. Tracking these metrics over time helps you identify trends and patterns that indicate whether intros successfully capture and retain readers’ attention. For example, a high bounce rate indicates your intros aren’t effectively engaging readers, and low time on page likely means your intros aren’t up to scratch.  

 A/B testing 

To conduct an A/B test:

• Craft two intro variations with distinct elements, such as tone, length, or formatting.
• Present each variation to your audience and track performance through relevant metrics.
• Analyze A/B test results to determine the winning intro and incorporate its elements into future content.

In addition to A/B testing, try out analytics tools and social listening platforms. They can give you valuable insights into audience preferences and reactions to your intros. For example, Google Analytics tracks engagement metrics, while social listening platforms monitor conversations and sentiment around your brand and content.

Case studies from the trenches 

Crowd Content

At Crowd Content, we used A/B testing to compare two variations of an intro format: one with a conversational, concise intro and one with a long, technical intro. We measured how the posts performed using time on page, average session duration, and bounce rate and found readers engaged more with the conversational intro. As a result, we adopted the conversational intro format across all blog posts.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn provides a clear example of integrating feedback mechanisms into blog posts. Their buttons, conveniently placed at the end of each post, invite readers to engage.

These feedback loops serve several purposes. First, they offer readers an opportunity to go beyond passive consumption and express their reactions, questions, and opinions, and that increases engagement. Second, they provide valuable insights for content creators, enabling them to gauge audience sentiment and identify areas for improvement.

Unleash the Power of a Captivating Blog Intro

When writing blog intros, use compelling storytelling, strategic SEO techniques, and data-driven optimization to attract readers like a magnet. Bring them along on journeys of discovery and engagement, using each intro to lead customers into the valuable content that lies within your website.

Elevate your blog with professional intros. Discover our blog writing services, and learn how we can help you captivate your audience from the first line. Explore our services today! 

The post 5 Strategies for Writing Blog Intros That Engage Your Audience appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

The thing is, blogs aren’t a novelty anymore. Readers can spot mediocre content as fast as they can close the tab on their browsers. They crave unique insight and experience, leaving plenty of room for authoritative blogs that offer value.

So, how do you leverage technology and build a blog that appeals to audiences today?

• Our journey starts with the basics: identifying a profitable niche, evaluating competitors, choosing a blogging platform, and designing a user-friendly site. 
• After you set up your site, we’ll cover how to grow your blog with content creation, audience building, and monetization tips.
• Finally, we’ll go over legal and ethical considerations to position you for long-term success.

What Is a Blog? 

A blog is an online information hub sharing knowledge about a specific niche. Blogs are created for several reasons, including personal interest, for generating income, or for serving as a content marketing tool to attract a target audience.

Blogs started out as “weblogs” in the mid-1990s as people began testing the internet waters. Early blogs acted as an online diary, connecting with people with similar journeys or interests. Soon, platforms such as Blogger and Live Journal made it easy for anyone to start a blog without technical expertise. In the early 2000s, Google AdSense enabled blogs to display ads so bloggers could turn a pastime into an income-generating activity. Brands also began partnering with bloggers who had built loyal audiences to promote their products.  

Today, blogs are more dynamic than ever, leveraging technology and multimedia to engage users. In 2024, you can find an array of tools — including AI — powering content creation. SEO, social media, and a variety of marketing channels are helping blog writers find new ways to monetize their online presence.  

Reasons for Creating a Blog

With so many blogs out there, why create a new one? Well, a blog can help you:

• Explore your creativity and interests. A blog offers a rewarding platform to share your knowledge and skills. You can use your blog as a portfolio to document a journey or help inspire others. 
• Build a personal brand. Create a blog to position yourself as an authority and develop a reputation as a credible resource. Matt Kepnes built Nomadic Matt, for example, to share his tips and expertise for traveling the world on a budget.  

• Build a business brand. Blogs are often the centerpiece of a company’s content marketing strategy. Posts are distributed through channels such as social media and email, building brand awareness and driving traffic to support business goals. Hostelling International uses a travel blog to draw readers to its website. 
• Support financial goals. Blogs can be monetized through advertising, affiliate marketing, and brand partnerships. They can also be used for selling products and services such as online courses.

How to Start a Blog: Identifying Your Niche 

To build an audience, you need to strike a balance between a subject you’re passionate about and what others are interested in learning.

Use SEO tools

Semrush and Ahrefs offer SEO tools to help you analyze keywords for various topics. In addition to comparing search volumes, you can uncover related terms to focus your blog’s content.

Google Trends can tell you if active searches for a particular topic are trending. For example, if you plug “baby food recipes,” “keto recipes,” and “vegan recipes” into the tool for the past 5 years, you can see how interest in these topics is changing over time. 

Explore online communities

Reddit, Quora, Instagram, X, and other social media platforms give insight into topics people are curious about. Analyze conversations to see how audiences talk about a topic and the language they use. This can help optimize your blog for voice, tone, and niche interests, as users tend to be more conversational in online communities than with traditional search engines.

Talk to your audience

If you already have a customer base, survey them to understand their pain points. Ask about the content types they prefer and where they spend time online to help align your blog with their interests.

Listen in on social media

Social media listening tools help gauge what your target audience is talking about online. Create a list of keywords related to your industry, brand, and competitors then monitor reach and engagement. You can also zero in on emerging trends.

Conduct Competitive Analysis 

Once you’ve established demand for the topic, get a sense of where you fit in the blogging landscape. Understanding your competitors can help you differentiate your blog.

Tools such as SpyFu can give you the scoop on competitors. For example, if you’re starting a financial tips blog, enter a competing site, such as “nerdwallet.com,” into the tool. SpyFu will identify competitors, such as Business Insider, Investopedia, and Forbes. The provided data shows keywords these sites rank for and performance gains or losses. You can leverage this information to learn what your competitors are doing well and where you might be better at meeting audience needs. 

Take this a step further and evaluate how your competitors position themselves:  

• What type of content do they publish?
• What kind of user experience do they offer?
• What social platforms are they active on, and how do they interact with audiences?
• What advertisers and partners do they work with?

It’s a lot of information to sift through, but it’s critical for developing a blog strategy. For example, you might find a competitor’s blog to be text-heavy and differentiate yours with podcasts and video content. Or, you might see an opportunity to distinguish your travel blog by incorporating accessibility tips.

Establish your authority

Website authority emphasizes to Google that you’re an expert on a subject, which is easier to demonstrate if you specialize in a niche. You can build a comprehensive content inventory and cultivate a targeted audience to attract ads, partners, and brands that want to reach this customer segment.

Choosing the Right Platform and Hosting 

When you’re ready to build your website, choose a blogging platform that satisfies your immediate needs and offers opportunities to expand in the future. You might not need ecommerce capabilities now, but once your site gains traction, you may want to sell courses, ebooks, or merchandise. Leave yourself room to grow without switching platforms.

You’ll also need to consider your technical expertise. Platforms such as Wix and Squarespace offer easy drag-and-drop editors, so there’s no coding involved. 

WordPress provides full customization with plenty of plug-ins and integrations.

When evaluating blogging platforms, consider whether they offer:

• Simple, easy-to-use interface
• Variety of templates
• Integrations for customizing user experience and workflow
• Built-in SEO tools, such as keyword research, image-alt text, customizable meta descriptions, and suggested optimizations
• Ecommerce capabilities, including product pages, shopping carts, and payment processing
• Sign-up forms for mailing lists
• Analytics for monitoring site traffic and growth
• 24/7 support, including live chat or telephone service
• SSL security

AI website builders

AI website builders, such as Hostinger and Wix ADI, use artificial intelligence to create blogs. Simply enter your blog name, a description of your site, and relevant keywords. The platform chooses the layout, colors, font, and images. You can adjust and customize the site to your preferences. For those with coding experience, platforms such as CodeWP use AI to help develop advanced features for WordPress sites.

Hosting

Depending on the server that hosts your blog, your site speed and security may differ. A shared hosting service, like HostGator or Bluehost, where multiple sites share one server, is cost-effective but may run slowly if other sites are consuming significant resources. However, you pay more for a dedicated server. Cloud hosting platforms, such as AWS and Google, use a network of servers to increase resources and enable you to scale when needed. 

Blog Design and User Experience

A clean, attractive website is like a welcome mat, inviting readers to step into your site and explore. Make sure your blog is easy to navigate, as any friction in clicking links or filling out forms may cause visitors to abandon the site. Use the following as a checklist for optimizing your blog’s visual appeal and functionality. v

Aesthetic appeal

Consider the look and feel you want to achieve with your blog, and pick colors that set the right tone. Choose a layout that balances text and visuals — pages should be attractive but not cluttered. White space helps distinguish different site elements so users can find what they need. 

Readability

Use a legible font size and line spacing so it’s easy for the eye to move smoothly from one line to another. Be consistent in applying the font throughout the site and choose contrasting colors for the text and background.

Intuitive navigation

Create a logical site architecture and group content so it makes sense to the user. Use standard navigation cues, such as a menu bar, across the top of the page.

Page speed

Things happen quickly online, so your site should load pages and process requests quickly. Test your site’s Core Web Vitals regularly, as they affect user experience and search rankings. 

Mobile responsiveness

About 58% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, so your readers are likely browsing on a smartphone or tablet. To accommodate these users, Google crawls and indexes the mobile version of most sites first. Ensure your content resizes to fit neatly on smaller screens, and links and buttons are large enough to select. Fonts should be legible without users zooming in, and mobile pages should load quickly. 

Dynamic content

Make your blog a dynamic experience to spark curiosity and engage audiences. Where appropriate, consider using:

• Images, charts, graphs, and infographics to break up copy and make points easier to understand
• Video content to bring concepts to life
• Interactive quizzes and slideshows
• Augmented or virtual reality for creative storytelling
• Virtual tours for immersive experiences, such as the ones offered by the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Content Creation and Strategy 

To help your blog gain traction, you’ll need a sound strategy and process. It all starts with research, then you’ll need to create a system to publish exceptional content regularly, like a content calendar.

Perform keyword research

With your target audience in mind, use keyword research to guide your topic selection. Identify a mix of broad keywords for core content and long-tail keywords to answer precise questions. Consider the buyer’s journey and create content for audiences both at the beginning of their discovery and further along in the decision-making stages.

Organize themes

With keywords in hand, organize your content into themes so you can take a strategic approach to writing. Let’s say you’re building a financial tips blog. Start with a few topic clusters, such as loans, savings, and mortgages. 

Break these down further. Within the loans category, you might focus on car loans, student loans, and lines of credit. Research long-tail keywords related to these subtopics, such as tips for paying off loans and student loan repayment calculators. This method ensures that your content doesn’t overlap and ideas don’t fall through the cracks.

Manage content creation

Once you’ve identified individual blog topics, consider the format types your audience prefers, and plan your content.

• Use an editorial calendar. Schedule blog posts with deadlines to keep you on track. If you’re struggling to maintain your schedule, consider outsourcing to a blog writing service.
• Create content in batches. Instead of writing in bits and pieces, set aside time to create related content all at once. This ensures a consistent approach, and you won’t have to duplicate research. 
• Write detailed content briefs. A content brief summarizes article details, such as keywords, word count, intended audience, purpose, and topic outline. This document keeps you and your content team on the same page. 
• Repurpose content. Consider presenting content in different formats to satisfy audience preferences and quickly grow your content inventory. Take key points from an article and translate them into an infographic, or turn a webinar into an ebook. As you publish more content, you’ll cement your topical authority.

Balancing content quality and quantity

It might be tempting to push out as much content as possible when starting your blog, but search engines and audiences are increasingly discerning about quality. Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines and the more recent helpful content system update emphasize content with experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. In other words, your content must deliver exceptional value before it can surface in search engines. Incorporate unique insight, such as examples based on your experiences, case studies, or statistics from your research. 

A note of caution: Many bloggers are dabbling in AI to speed up content creation. While AI can help with ideation, OpenAI’s terms of use state you can’t represent its output as human-generated. In other words, you can’t ask ChatGPT to write an article and publish it as your own — but this is a good thing. While AI content could rank in Google in theory, it still requires human assistance to address the first-person experience and perspective that satisfies E-E-A-T principles.

Building an Audience

You’ve built your blog and put together a brilliant content strategy. The next step is to create awareness and cultivate an audience, because quality alone won’t attract traffic to your blog. Here are some tactics to raise your online visibility:

• Search engine optimization: Follow industry standard best practices for getting your site to rank well in search engine results.
• Social media marketing: Identify the platforms and online communities where your audience is most active. Begin building an online presence and engaging audiences using hashtags.
• Social networking conversations: Share your expertise by commenting on posts or answering questions. For example, LinkedIn’s collaborative articles are making an impressive splash in search results.
• Cross-promotion: Partner with websites that have a similar target audience so you can reach new readers. 
• Guest posts: Offer a guest post to authoritative sites in exchange for a link that drives traffic to your site.
• Email marketing: Build your email subscriber list to market directly to your audience. 
• Analytics: Regularly analyze your blog’s performance. See which pages are most popular or where most of your readers are coming from to build on your success.

Once you drive traffic to your site, keep your readers engaged. Link strategically between posts to encourage audiences to explore other pages on your site, and ensure your content remains fresh and interesting. 

Monetization Strategies

When your blog gains momentum, you can generate income. You have to demonstrate a minimum level of traffic to attract advertisers and partners, but as your blog grows, more opportunities to earn become available.

Balance your need to create revenue with the needs of your audience. Littering your site with ads can get in the way of the user experience and impact your credibility. Similarly, your audience depends on you for your opinions, so don’t recommend products simply to earn money through sponsorship or affiliate links. 

Advertising

Ad networks, such as Google AdSense, Mediavine, and SHE Media, place ads from brands interested in reaching your audience and get paid by the view or click. You can also sell space directly to advertisers if you find a business interested in sponsoring your site.

Courses and workshops

Many bloggers generate revenue through courses, workshops, or coaching. There are a few different models for this. The website Simply + Fiercely supplements its home organization tips with courses at various price points. 

Meanwhile, cooking blogs such as the Canto Cooking Club offer a monthly subscription for on-demand cooking classes. 

Affiliate marketing

With affiliate marketing, you earn a commission each time someone from your site clicks a link to purchase on another website. These links are usually included in blog posts as product recommendations. Amazon is the most well-known affiliate partner, but The Home Depot, Walmart, and Lowe’s also offer affiliate programs. The Penny Hoarder, for example, uses affiliate links and discloses them at the start of articles.

Product or services

Offer personalized coaching or consulting services to your audience so they can benefit first-hand from your expertise. The courses we mentioned on Simply + Fiercely include live coaching calls with the blog founder. 

You can also set up an ecommerce shop to sell items your audience might be interested in, whether it’s an ebook you’ve written or products you’ve developed. Yoga with Adriene, for example, has a shop featuring branded clothing. 

Brand sponsorships

Some bloggers secure sponsorships with brands that have a similar target audience. With these arrangements, you receive compensation for mentioning or promoting products in posts — through financial payment or products to review. You may also receive giveaways to run contests or promo codes for your readers.

Legal and Ethical Considerations for Your Blog

When you’re publishing in a public space, you’re obligated to do so responsibly. Taking an ethical approach to your blog helps establish professionalism and credibility and sets the foundation for your site’s longevity.

• Trademarks: Perform due diligence when branding your blog by ensuring the name isn’t already in use. Consider trademarking your final choice for protection. 
• Copyright: Don’t use images, text, video, or other content without permission or attribution. It’s best to create your own content and use royalty-free or stock photography. 
• Disclosure: Disclose whether you’re paid to write about something, receive a commission, or have a stake in something you write about. 
• Libel and defamation: Take care not to make false statements on your blog that can negatively impact someone’s reputation, as this can lead to legal action.
• Be respectful: Be careful about sharing personal stories, photographs, or information without permission.
• Inclusive language: Use gender-neutral terms and watch for language that marginalizes or excludes certain groups. Consider that a diverse audience may be reading your content.
• Headlines: Be respectful of your audience and deliver what you promise in your content — misleading headlines can diminish your audience’s trust.
• Accuracy: Verify facts with credible sources. If you make a mistake, correct it as soon as possible.
• Accessibility: Make your content accessible to users of all abilities. This includes alternative text for images and ensuring your website is compatible with assistive devices.
• Privacy policies and disclaimers: Explain how and why you collect information and any terms and conditions for using your site. Disclaimers can protect you if you’re writing about health-related, legal, or financial topics — suggest that readers consult with a professional before taking action.
  

Additional Resources

While starting a blog can be daunting, you don’t have to go it alone. Plenty of tools can help you get your work done efficiently, as well as lead you to communities where you can ask questions and interact with other bloggers. Some of these tools and communities include:

• Grammarly: Use this popular writing assistant to polish your copy and improve grammar, spelling, and writing style.
• Canva: This graphic design tool makes it easy to create images for blog posts and social media content. Both free and paid versions are available.
• Looka: Need a logo? This tool uses AI to create one for you.  
• Pexels: Find free stock photos and images for your blog.
• Lumen5: Make your blog more dynamic with AI-generated videos.
• Yoast SEO: This WordPress plug-in helps you optimize your content to rank better in search engines.
• Google Analytics: Monitor key metrics and find ways to improve your blog’s performance.
• Trello: Organize your workflow and keep track of deadlines with this project management tool.
• Google AdSense: Display ads on your blog to earn revenue.
• Reddit: Connect with fellow bloggers on the r/Blogging subreddit. You might also pick up some search engine optimization tips on r/SEO.

Your Roadmap to Blogging Success

Building a sustainable blog begins with researching topics your audience is interested in, ensuring a demand, and differentiating your blog from competitors. But to shine online, you need to plan and create outstanding blog posts that demonstrate expertise and offer more value than other sites in the SERPs.

Helpful, thought-provoking, and original content connects you to your audience. Learn how Crowd Content’s blog writing services can help you scale your content creation, from keyword research to quality assurance, and take the day-to-day details of writing and editing off your plate.

The post How to Start a Blog in 2024: An All-in-One Guide appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

When Amanda Natividad, VP of Marketing at SparkToro, published content on LinkedIn and compared the data to Twitter, the results were a lot of “fun.”

Surely us fellow content marketers can have fun too!

What kind of fun did Natividad experience? Well, their LinkedIn publication earned over 913,000 impressions and almost 13,000 engagements in just five days.

That beat Twitter by almost 1,136% and 381%, respectively!

What happened? Is there a discrepancy between follower counts? Well, yes, but not in the obvious direction: over 94,000 on Twitter and less than 9,000 on Linkedin.

Natividad’s observation reinforces what a lot of content marketers have seen: LinkedIn is one of the most-trusted social media platforms for businesses.

With this foundation of trust, LinkedIn’s organic reach is more wide-ranging than other platforms—there’s a big demand for content that users don’t value on Facebook, Twitter, et al.

And articles on LinkedIn are unique as they allow you to write content similar to blog posts to help your business build its brand and establish expertise.

Yet many business owners aren’t aware of the article-publishing features on LinkedIn or how to best use them. Instead, they struggle to reach new customers and grow their audience.

But why should you write articles on LinkedIn? And how can you write a good LinkedIn article?

We’ll cover how to write an article on a LinkedIn page, the benefits of publishing on LinkedIn and tips for writing a good LinkedIn article so your content gets the attention it deserves!

Writing Articles on LinkedIn: An Overview

Before you learn how to write a good LinkedIn article, it’s important to understand the difference between an article and a post (also called a status or update).

LinkedIn posts are short messages that appear directly on LinkedIn feeds.

Articles are longer-form content shared as posts, where the post itself serves as a caption, but the article is available on its own page via LinkedIn’s publishing platform, LinkedIn Pulse.

Which Is Better: LinkedIn Articles or Posts?

Are LinkedIn articles better than posts? It’s a trick question because LinkedIn posts are completely different from LinkedIn articles.

First, the character counts for LinkedIn posts vs. articles differ. LinkedIn caps posts at 1,300 characters—or around 200–300 words on average if you include spaces (LinkedIn does). 

In contrast, articles get a max 125,000 characters. That’s more than 17,000 words on average.

We’re definitely not suggesting you use all that space for every article. Most people on LinkedIn don’t have time to binge-read novellas.

But you can definitely convey more—and more complex—information in an article on LinkedIn than you can in a post.

So LinkedIn articles are great in helping you demonstrate expertise and promote brand awareness.

When to Use LinkedIn Posts

• Publish regular content to LinkedIn to increase awareness
• Share links to your own posts or information you find interesting or want to comment on
• Introduce a new staffer, business partnership or product
• Share business news or accomplishments
• Ask for client or consumer feedback
• Highlight your company’s philanthropy or other efforts related to mission or corporate social responsibility

When to Publish LinkedIn Articles

• Share expertise with other LinkedIn members via longer content
• Drive awareness of your brand, services or products by creating content other people are likely to share
• Educate your audience, such as with how-to articles
• Create content likely to drive conversions to demonstrate your expertise or help people better understand the purpose & benefits of your products

What Are the Benefits of Publishing an Article on LinkedIn

Are LinkedIn articles a valuable use of time?

Yes.

LinkedIn articles complement blog posts because they offer another medium to revamp and repurpose your longform content.

You can also use LinkedIn articles as previews of what’s on your website.

Plus, with LinkedIn, you’ll get a great organic reach that isn’t guaranteed on your website.

What about the inherent effort?

It does take more time to write an in-depth article than to publish a short post. Is it really worth the extra effort? Absolutely. Here’s why:

• LinkedIn displays content to users interested in the topics you write about. If readers already perceive your content as relevant to their needs, they’ll more likely read the full article, comment on it and share it with others.
• Many users view LinkedIn articles as thought-leadership content. Publishing LinkedIn articles gives you instant credibility, trust and brand awareness.

LinkedIn articles provide more linking opportunities than LinkedIn posts do. Article links can drive traffic to your website and help you generate high-quality leads to achieve your B2B content marketing goals.

Do LinkedIn Articles Matter?

Articles provide a unique opportunity to establish expertise in your field and cement yourself or your company as a thought leader.

But whether you’re writing an article or a post on LinkedIn, they both appear on people’s feeds for followers—and their followers—to view and engage with the same way.

Articles show up as any other link with the link’s featured image above its Open Graph protocol (e.g., title, description), with the option to add organic text as a caption.

Posts display as organic text, with the option to add an accompanying image.

So LinkedIn articles matter a lot not just because they’re on an additional & reputable platform to complement your blog but also because publishing in general on LinkedIn is beneficial.

What then makes LinkedIn so unique as a publishing platform?

3 Benefits of Publishing an Article on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the fastest-growing social platforms, recently seeing a 30% year-over-year increase in user sessions and a 60% increase in content creation over the same period.

These expanding metrics demonstrate the amazing opportunities available to brand managers and content marketers to scale their reach and attract more leads.

Let’s look at three specific benefits of publishing articles on LinkedIn validated by content-marketing consultant Dickie Bush:

1. Insane reach
2. Low competition
3. Genuinely thoughtful community

1. Insane Reach

There exists no shortage of observational evidence that LinkedIn’s algorithms are very liberal in how they distribute content on the platform.

User feeds are less siloed than on other social platforms. Only a few likes or comments can snowball impressions of and engagement with LinkedIn articles very quickly.

And with consistent increases in user-volume and -session metrics on LinkedIn, that means more eyeballs on LinkedIn articles and more leads.

2. Low Competition

Even though, as hinted above, the higher growth rate of LinkedIn content creation is closing the gap with the volume of user sessions, there remains a huge demand for content.

In other words, there’s still no equilibrium in the supply:demand ratio of the amount of content available on LinkedIn to the amount of content that its users demand.

This mismatch is one reason why LinkedIn’s algorithms are so lax with circulating content.

At least until this gap narrows further, businesses can easily distribute LinkedIn articles without much competition—even if your competitors literally publish LinkedIn articles too!

3. Genuinely Thoughtful Community

LinkedIn might have its fair share of opportunists and people who overestimate the extent to which their ideas qualify as insightful thought leadership.

But there’s no denying that all active users are genuine business professionals there to legitimately network, study new ideas and master industry best practices.

Coupled with its ever-growing user base, LinkedIn is a prime platform to help your articles succeed!

Bonus Tips for Writing Articles on LinkedIn to Make Them Matter

One of the easiest ways to get more readers is to make your LinkedIn profile or company page public and your activity as shareable as possible.

To do this, open “Settings & Privacy” > “Visibility” to optimize visibility settings for your profile, network and activity.

You can also share other people’s articles on LinkedIn and add relevant commentary & hashtags to help more people find them.

The Share button is at the bottom of each article on your feed. Simply click on it and choose to “Repost” or “Share with your thoughts.”

Amplifying other content and engaging with others in general shows LinkedIn you’re active yourself, improving the reach from either your personal profile or your LinkedIn company page.

LinkedIn also enables sharing articles to Facebook and Twitter. Diversifying your reach across platforms grows your brand, showcases your expertise and attracts more leads

Ask others in your company and your network to share your articles from their own profiles too!

Lastly, if you’re thinking about outsourcing content marketing activities, you can scale the production of LinkedIn articles to post more frequently and help with discoverability even further.

Steps to Publishing an Article on LinkedIn

1. Sign in to LinkedIn on desktop.
2. Click “Write article” near the top of the homepage. If you run a company page, you can publish a LinkedIn article under the page or under your personal profile.
3. Add a headline.
4. Place your cursor in the “Write here” field to start writing your article. Use bold text, bulleted lists and other formatting elements to break up large text chunks and make it easier for readers to scan your article for key points.
5. When you finish writing, proofread carefully. Then hit “Publish” and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to Write an Article on a LinkedIn Company Page: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Write an Attention-Getting Headline

The headline must be relevant to readers and let them know what to expect from your article.

Think about what your audience wants to read. Do they need tips on completing a task? Information on a new development in your field?

If you have specific readers in mind, such as executives in the technology industry, tailor your headline accordingly.

For example, say you sell a calendar app and are targeting executives in the tech industry.

Perhaps consider a benefit-driven headline (“Scale Your Productivity 3x With a New Kind of Calendar App”) since tech execs can be drawn in by messaging about growth opportunities.

Listicles and how-to articles do well on LinkedIn, so you may start with “7 Ways to Save Money on Tech Outsourcing” or “How to Increase Your Employee Retention Rate in 3 Easy Steps.”

If you promise something in the headline, follow through on that promise in the article. You don’t want to mislead readers.

Step 2: Create an Interesting Introduction

A good intro draws the reader in so they give your article a closer look.

Depending on the article’s purpose, you may want to open with a question, make a controversial statement or tell a compelling story.

Don’t start an article about credit cards with “We all know paying off debt is hard.”

Instead, unravel Sarah’s journey: “Once 28-year-old journalist Sarah decided to control her debt, she didn’t guess it would lead her on a path towards a global ambassadorship in fintech.”

Step 3: Use Short Paragraphs

Huge blocks of text turn off most readers. They also aren’t scannable and don’t work well for mobile users. 

Try to limit most paragraphs to a few short sentences.

The first sentence, also known as the topic sentence, summarizes the main idea of the paragraph. Additional sentences support your main point.

Some paragraphs may just be one sentence. Writing for the internet means your prose shouldn’t exceed a high-school reading level, especially since LinkedIn articles are for top-of-funnel leads.

When you’re ready to share a new idea, move on to the next paragraph.

Step 4: Organize Your Thoughts

Don’t underestimate the importance of outlining so you can fully internalize the delineation of your argument.

It’s vital to use storytelling for articles because stories motivate more engagement from readers, leading to more conversions.

In many cases, writing with a classic “hamburger menu” style of thesis > supporting points > conclusion is a good way to make your point, or rely on rising action > conflict > falling action.

Use these storytelling techniques in blog posts when:

• You’re giving step-by-step instructions to help readers accomplish a task.
• Your article topic relates to historical events, such as the rise of industrial activity or development of new technology.
• You want readers to visualize something in a certain order.

If all else fails, organize your thoughts by importance. This is helpful to rank items or persuade readers to adopt your viewpoint.

If you’re writing a list of the five best software packages for accounting firms, for example, it makes sense to rank them in order of importance because people will want to see the top five.

Step 5: Focus on Formatting

Good writing is only one aspect of creating an appealing article. Also consider how formatting affects the reader’s experience. 

Break content up with elements to help readers scan for information. Bulleted or numbered lists, data, images or subheadings make content more digestible and highlight key takeaways.

Give your article plenty of white space, the open space between design elements. White space focuses the reader’s attention and improves comprehension.

There’s less to immediately look at with white space, so people really engage with the content because it’s not intimidating.

Breaking up content and writing short paragraphs is the easiest way to add white space when writing a LinkedIn article for your company page.

Step 6: Cut the Fluff

Make your article exactly as long as it needs to be to get your point across. If you can explain a topic in 900 words, don’t add an extra hundred just to make the article longer.

LinkedIn content caters to executives, business owners and other professionals. They’re busy people with a limited amount of time.

As you proofread, cut out anything inessential to helping them understand what you’re saying.

Also remain vigilant in editing against the passive voice, repetition and run-on sentences, which all detract from succinct writing.

Step 7: Provide Expert Insight

The best way to build credibility and position yourself as an expert is to offer a completely new perspective, show you know your craft and cultivate your reputation.

If your article rehashes what’s out there, it won’t add much to the professional body of knowledge in your industry.

Can’t think of anything to write about? Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

• Explain how you solved a big problem in your business
• Discuss unusual solutions to common industry challenges
• Highlight how you helped a customer grow their company
• Write a rebuttal to a popular article by an industry colleague
• Read industry publications to find out what people are interested in learning about

Professional content writers can also help you curate topics for your LinkedIn content calendar. For instance, what categories and keyword-research can we take from your blog?

Once you learn how to write unique articles, you’ll distinguish yourself from other professionals in your industry.

Step 8: Speak Directly to Your Audience

Just because you’re writing for a professional audience doesn’t mean you need to be overly formal.

Use second-person pronouns to make it clear that you’re addressing the reader. “If you’ve been struggling…” and “Here are three things you can do…” are examples of this approach.

A second-person point of view makes it easier to connect with the reader and reassure them of your expertise.

Most importantly, leverage brand messaging. If you implement language that speaks to your audience’s anxieties, aspirations, challenges or fears—you’ll never be unpopular on LinkedIn.

Getting Help With LinkedIn Article Writing

Do you see how fun it is now to write LinkedIn articles?

LinkedIn articles empower your company to spread your message, assert your expertise in your field and attract new leads to increase revenue.

With an insane reach, negligible competition and a genuine readership, LinkedIn articles are a no-brainer authority statement for your business.

But if you don’t have a lot of time or still aren’t sure how best to write an article for your company on LinkedIn, then a professional article writing service helps.

Outsourcing article writing means you can establish your company as thought leaders, scale up production and more effectively draw attention to your brand.

(You know, so you don’t have to write every day, which maybe isn’t that fun!)

The post How to Write an Article on a LinkedIn Company Page appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.

“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn, and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely, but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”

Words are words, and aside from new entries to the lexicon, such as “fleek” and “yeet,” replacing words such as “thou” and “thine,” we wield the same vocabulary used centuries ago.

Truly unique ideas are hard to come by, but here’s the thing: You don’t necessarily need a unique idea — all that’s required is a different approach, point of view, or personal experience that makes an old idea new again.

Whether you’re a writer looking for inspiration or a business owner hoping to use a professional article writing service to create a unique piece of content for your website or blog, we have a few ideas to help you breathe life into an internet that often feels filled to the brim with the same old, same old.

Shake Up the Angle

You may struggle if you try to write 100% unique content using the same brainstorming and research methods every writer uses. The internet is filled with low-level content because those articles practically write themselves. They require little research and provide equally little value.

Flip the script by changing up how you look at the topic at hand:

• Look for long-tail, related search terms. Long-tail keywords are at least three words long and offer specificity, such as “content marketing tips and tricks” instead of “content marketing.” Google is helpful for that — just type in your primary keyword or topic and see what Google’s autocomplete feature comes up with.
• “Listen” on social media. Visit your competitors’ social media pages, search for relevant hashtags, check out groups dedicated to your topic, and see what people have to say. It’s one of the easiest ways to surreptitiously survey real people reporting what matters to them — it’s essentially market research without the gasp-inducing price tag. Social listening also has the advantage of being an agile tactic. You can gather information quickly and put that data to work just as fast, slashing your turnaround time.
• Collect audience feedback/input. This is a more direct form of market research. Send an email to your followers, or create a social media poll asking the public for their thoughts on a given topic. “If you could ask your podiatrist any question, what would it be?” “What should people know about motherhood?” “What did you like least about the last marketing book you read?”
• Make an old topic new again. Perhaps there’s an article on wine pairing that everyone calls the gold standard, but it was written in 2008. A lot can happen in nearly 2 decades, and tastes and trends evolve. Twenty years ago, people would get a case of the vapors if you suggested pairing red wine and fish; today, sommeliers love to serve a light and juicy pinot noir with fatty, succulent salmon. Use modern data and current trends to spin an outdated article into something that reflects current tastes and, even better, your expertise.

Break New Ground

Tim Soulo, Chief Marketing Officer and Product Advisor at Ahrefs, has a wonderful anecdote from the days when he was a newbie blogger. He wanted to write an article about guest blogging, but there were already plenty of posts on the topic. So, he set out to get information no one else had.

“I acted like a journalist and reached out to over 500 bloggers, big and small, and asked them to share some data with me on how their guest articles performed and if they were happy with the results,” Soulo explained in an Ahrefs video. “This whole venture resulted in one of my best articles to date. And even though it was published on my personal blog, which hardly had any traffic, that article generated quite a buzz and got over a hundred links from 60 different websites.”

This example demonstrates that you can always find new ways to add authority to your content — just roll up your sleeves, and gather the information inquiring minds want to know.

Play with Different Formats

A title, an intro, subheaders, and a conclusion — it’s the go-to format for writing articles, and it works. But it’s also so common it can make your eyes glaze over. When you shake up how your article is put together, you inevitably shake up the content as well.

Make each subheader a well-known quote instead of a short, generic phrase. Use resources such as HARO to gather expert insights, and build your article around that input. Instead of talking about what your readers should do, tell them how they can do it. Frame your info using a series of dos and don’ts. Create a Q&A, which is a fantastic way to boost search engine optimization. Incorporate anecdotes and real-life experience to comply with Google’s E-E-A-T principle. Doing the unexpected can get you noticed, and that’s important when you’re trying to turn a good idea into a way to make money online.

Move Beyond Words

Blogs are traditionally text-based, but audiences do more than read online. They’re watching videos, scrolling through TikTok, and exchanging opinions on Reddit and LinkedIn. Draw inspiration from this rich landscape, and give your written musings a makeover with compelling visuals, informative graphics, and video snippets.

Is there an opportunity to illustrate a how-to guide by making a video or a way to conceptualize a process by creating a graphic? Perhaps a screenshot of a savvy post on X underscores your message. Integrating other media types can set your written content apart and appeal to different learning styles and preferences.

Brainstorm With AI

While you don’t want to rely on technology to write your content, you can fire up ChatGPT or other AI chatbots to toss ideas around. AI can help generate ideas and determine keyword intent, supplementing your thoughts and sparking that “a-ha!” moment.

Just be sure to add your point of view to any AI output. For SEO purposes, your content should reflect experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Many websites are also reeling from Google’s helpful content update, which knocked web pages deemed as unhelpful down the SERPs.ChatGPT isn’t quite at the point where it can create expert content on its own. As discussed in our post about whether AI content ranks in Google, AI combined with human oversight is where the magic happens.

Spy on the Competition — And Then Outdo Them

You’ve probably heard the old adage, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” but if there isn’t a way to outsmart, out-ideate, and outwrite the competition, you can hire someone with the writing skills who can.

You need to know what your competition is up to so you can be one step ahead. Perform a content gap analysis to see what’s been covered and what your content is missing, then fill in the gaps. You should attempt to create the most comprehensive content available.

To do that, use tools such as MarketMuse and Semrush to inform your ideation process. MarketMuse is an optimization powerhouse, but instead of optimizing for keywords, it focuses on topics. You enter the general subject matter, and MarketMuse gives you the top-ranking pages for that theme and topic suggestions that can add depth. Semrush is known for its SEO capabilities, but it also generates topic ideas and analyzes content on a given domain. In a conversation with Rick Leach, Crowd Content’s Vice President of Content Operations, he and I dive into how we differentiate content. It’s worth a listen if you want to pick up actionable tips for your own blog.

Take a Total Left Turn

It’s hard to come up with something fresh when everything you’re reading is staler than 3-day-old popcorn. When everyone in the real estate industry is writing about the same staging techniques and negotiation tactics, it’s time to get your inspiration elsewhere. 

Stop reading blog posts and books from within your niche. Instead, give your brain an intellectual jolt, and see what comes out. Brainstorm with your readers in mind, and never settle for anything but high-quality content. 

How to Write Unique Articles With Crowd Content

When you’re immersed in writing about the same topics day in and day out, it’s easy to fall into a rut. No matter how talented and creative you or your writing team are, you might find yourself relying on the same humdrum phrasing and approach. If you’re feeling stuck, send us an SOS for fresh perspectives. Our freelance article writers can inject energy into your content and revitalize a tired blog while ensuring your vision shines through.

The post How to Write Unique Articles When It Seems Everything Has Been Written appeared first on Crowd Content - Blog.