The Copywriter Corner- Good, Bad, and Ugly Content
Posted by Beth Hrusch on Mon, Jun 29, 2009
Sometimes, the best way to show someone the right way is to show them how it's being done wrong. I have been in this situation a few times myself and my boss knows what I'm talking about. Anyway, I pondered this recently when confronted with several examples of good and bad content on the web.
Now, as we know, SEO content takes many forms- articles, email newsletters, white papers, blogs and social media posts to name just a few. All are opportunities to either wow or repulse potential customers. Then there is the content that just puzzles us. I was reading a blog the other day about a car dealership (who shall remain nameless to protect them from shame).
Their newsletter has nothing to do with cars or their specific product line. In fact, any useful content it may have had was replaced by lovely stories about things that had nothing remotely to do with their industry. Did you know that June is adopt-a-cat month? Want to know how to stay cool during the hot summer months? Need an RV? It's all here!
There were no tips for travelers, no information about upcoming events at the dealership, no news from the factory. What were they thinking? We don't know. It's bad.
On the other hand, there are some companies that get it. Soon after I read this tragic and cautionary tale, I found reason for hope. In San Francisco there's a transit company with a website dedicated to encouraging public transportation. How do they do it? They allow riders to share their experiences. They hold contests where riders tell stories about how public transit has improved their lives. They put a human face on their industry.
The lesson? Whether you want to improve your current content marketing strategy, or develop a good one, make sure you research what other companies are doing. See what's working and what's not. Ask yourself if the company is offering interesting, useful and relevant information.
You don't have to be an SEO expert to know when content is doing its job.