You know what I really hate (besides sharks)? When I click on an attention-grabbing headline and find underwhelming content. I’m not talking about poorly written articles; I’m referring to subjects that have been covered over and over again without engaging the reader in a unique way. In reality, there is a stark difference when looking at good content vs bad content.

According to WordPress, the most popular blogging tool available, approximately 38.7 million new blog posts are created via its system every month. With more than 409 million people viewing over 13.1 billion pages every month, it’s vital that your content stands out if you want to attract interest in your site. In order to do that, you have to say farewell to the predictable, boring content writing methods of the past.

How to Make Good Content vs. Bad Content

As a content creator, you’re not always going to be given enthralling topics. You can look at it as a negative aspect of your job and write an article about sump pumps begrudgingly, or you can view it as an opportunity to learn something new.

So how do you step outside the ordinary and create unique content using what are oftentimes very commonplace topics? Try implementing the following tips to help move your content writing from bad to good.

 

Get to Know the Client

Always take the time to check out a client’s website before you pick an angle for your article. This is a cardinal rule, and if you break it the angry content gods will send energetic toddlers to your place of work to distract you while you’re trying to make a writing deadline.

Why is this so important? If you’ve been asked to write about car accidents for a lawyer and you discuss ways to seek compensation for damages following a collision, your article won’t be relevant to a car accident defense attorney or his or her clients. It’s not enough to typecast clients into a general industry and assume that your article will apply. Check out their “About Us” section, learn about what makes them unique, and then create an interesting article based off of what you learned. Does a dog groomer have a signature shampoo that smells like rainbows and dreams? Use that to drive your focus!

Take It to Google

Making good content vs bad content also includes researching trending issues that relate to the topic you’ve been given. This can be as simple as searching for “jewelry trends 2020” and browsing articles that come up. The idea is not to recreate what you read but to use that information in a fresh way.

Also, look for applicable facts that can add legitimacy to your content and appeal to your reader. Did you know that the average person consumes around 1,500 lbs. of food in one year? Holy disgusting, Batman! It’s a totally true and thought-provoking stat that can now be passed off to your loved ones. You’re welcome.

Make Use of the Five Ws (and One H)

Utilizing the Five Ws and one H (who, what, when, where, why and how) is an important journalism concept that can benefit any SEO content writer when trying to create good content vs. bad content. Take a minute to think about questions related to your topic. While researching drain cleaning, I came up with a quick list of questions that can each properly address the topic without taking an overworked approach.

• Who invented the plumber’s snake?
• What causes a plumbing system to make moaning noises?
• When drain flies attack, what should you do?
• Where do food and dirty kitchen water ultimately go when you wash them down the drain?
• Why does the kitchen sometimes stink when you turn on your dishwasher?
• How can you prevent mold from growing in your drain?

That wasn’t so hard, right? From there, you can take it up another notch and start branching out to even more related topics. For instance, “10 Things to Never Put Down Your Kitchen Sink“.

Using the Five Ws (and one H) gives you a jump-off point for lots of creativity when content writing.

Be Relatable

It’s no secret that humans are creatures of comfort. This doesn’t just mean that we’d constantly live in sweatpants if we didn’t have to attract romantic partners (although I’m willing to bet most of us would). It means that we’re drawn to what makes us feel good. An easy way to bond with readers in a positive way is to meet them on their level, so find an angle that you think would be important to the reader, and go for it.

But what do you do when you feel like you have absolutely no connection to the topic? How do you write an article about acne when you are a standard of health and beauty who would never develop such a distasteful ailment? Just think about what you would do, how you would feel, and what questions you would ask if you did have acne. Being able to write in a way that other people can relate to is a huge measuring stick when it comes to the discussion of good content vs. bad content.

Good Content vs. Bad Content: Been There, Done That

Readers love interesting information, so give them what they are asking for. While it may seem easier to simply rework the first article that pops up in the search engine, you aren’t doing yourself, your client, or your readers any favors. If you have any other helpful tips on how to make good content vs bad content, please share them with us below! Check out some of our other content writing posts for more tips and inspiration.