Creating the best content in your industry

[monster99]

Im currently working with a new client and their goal is to create the absolute best content in their industry.

I've seen alot of articles on WHY to create the best content but not a lot on HOW to create the best content.

Can anyone recommend a article they recall which talked more about the HOW. I'm looking for a process on how to create awesome content, how to go about it.

Any suggestions?

[DanielFreedman]

I agree with Mike Davis.

I ranted on about the need to hire professional writers in a post earlier this week..

Many of my clients are themselves subject matter experts and professional writers. I just point them in the right direction and do some editing as we come up with an editorial calendar. It's not unlike what I did as a magazine editor.

And, yes, it's important to be accurate. That shouldn't have to be said -- but it does. You'll never know how much business you lost because a prospect concluded you don't know what you're talking about.

Getting people to commit to producing content? I agree it's very difficult. Here's a radical suggestion on how to succeed: pay them. I know, I know -- this is deeply shocking....especially if we are talking about non-writers already on staff at a company. Of course, you need high level support to make this happen. But a $1,000 or $2,000 one-time writing bonus can work really well.

[Mike_Davis]

I know that the whole concept of thought leadership is overused and slightly annoying but to truly create great content that people will consume and share you must be in the right place at the right time.  If your client knows of a new governmental initiative or possibly a new emerging technology that is not widely known about but is about to "blow up", positioning themselves for success by creating great content that is well written by an expert is a fantastic way to gain exposure and to set themselves up as a thought leader for that specific subject.

There are a couple little snags about developing the "best content in the industry" not least of which is that it costs a ton of money.  Not only will the piece need to be  created by an expert in the field,  there will also be a need for professional editing (whether video or literary).  Another piece of bad news is that a single piece of content is not enough.  Your clients need to be pumping out content that is relevant and most importantly, current. Pure and simple, content is freaking expensive!

Another thing to watch out for is the desire to hurry and push out content without properly vetting sources or  editing the piece.  I don't know how many times I have read the latest and greatest white paper about a very important subject only to find glaring grammatical errors.  Even worse, sometimes the content is just plain wrong.  Tell your client to treat any piece of content they pushes out as if they were going to submit it for peer review in a scholarly journal.  It needs to be well written and accurate.

I am very fortunate to have a full to writer on my staff and a massive pool of experts to draw on, but even still it is difficult to get people to commit to producing the content in a timely manner.  Everyone loves to tell you about how they can create wonderful White Papers, but getting them to produce them sometime in the next decade is hard.  You really have to set up deadlines and have people commit to keeping those deadlines.

Good Luck!

[MarketingOfAmerica]

Daniel Tan has a great article out on how to write amazing press releases.  I suggest you look for that as well.  To me it's the best on the net right now and I personally use the same methods.

Have a great night and a happy holiday.

MB

[Michael-Goode]

Hi monster99,

Definitely check out http://www.distilled.net/linkbait-guide/ which my favourite content producing article I've found so far.