Written by the The Melotti Media Team, checked by Christopher Melotti
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Think of an article that you’ve read this week (except for this one, of course).
Bet that wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be!
Because photos and videos catch the eye, they have become the go-to content choice for most businesses out there. Long-form content such as blogs or articles tend to get overlooked and some marketers may avoid them on the basis that “no one reads them anyway!”
But we’re here to bust that myth – and tell you this:
Blogs are not dead. Written well, they are excellent SEO magnets, perfect for communicating compelling messages and setting yourself up as an industry leader.
We put the emphasis on ‘written well’ because (as you’ve heard countless of times from us and from others as well!) there’s a lot of average out there.
Worse now because of AI copywriting.
It’s not that AI is bad. It just encourages lazy, complacent content – and people don’t read those blogs.
Articles are the backbone of content marketing
While Google absolutely loves articles and always places them high up in terms of rankings, the rise of AI also has also resulted in a growing number of average content – thus, leading Google (AND readers) to be pickier when ranking articles.
That is good news for you, though!
It means that well-thought-out articles with topical subject matters now matter more than ever!
With this, you have the opportunity to stand out effectively with your branded content.
So, even as average marketing content overflows online, there’s a way for you to step up your blogging game, stand out and stay ahead of the competition.
Next, we’ll explore the art of articles and how you can write content that cuts through all the noise and gets results amidst AI.
Let’s get started.
What are articles? What can articles do for your business?
Articles (or key opinion leadership pieces or blogs) are among the most popular and effective forms of long-form content that businesses publish on their websites to share fresh insights on topics that their target audiences will be interested in.
Even though videos and photos dominate most social platforms today, HubSpot Research still found that 56% of marketers leverage blogging and 10% of them also say that blogs generate the highest return on investment (ROI).
In fact, there are over 6 million blogs posted daily – that’s 2.5 billion per year and they are all designed to:
- improve SEO ranking,
- drive organic traffic,
- engage and educate audiences
- and inspire your leads to convert
But with the number of blog articles posted every single day on every topic imaginable, how can you make sure that yours stands out and that you are giving your audiences exactly what they’re looking for?
Content Quantity vs Quality: Is there such a thing as too many articles?
Articles are content marketing gold mines – this we are very much sure of.
However, because of AI and other new developments, it has become such a numbers game and people just keep pumping out average content – simply because they can.
If you haven’t tried it yet, you can give it a go and just tell ChatGPT to write you a blog on any topic you could think of. It will give you one in just a few clicks.
This is the reality of some businesses today: just automating blog writing, or even worse, getting AI to write one for them.
Most do it just to tick that box and get it done. And then they wonder: why isn’t anyone reading my articles? Why am I not getting results?
Well, the answer is simple: blogs that earn results are those that are carefully written and specifically designed to outshine all the spam out there.
Because both Google and human readers are overwhelmed by the influx of generic content, they have both raised their standards – as they should.
So, when Google detects that your content is more on the generic side (typically what AI-generated content looks like), the system does not prioritise it and your content doesn’t rank well.
In the same way, human readers appreciate personalised, nuanced content more – which means they will most likely close that tab when they feel that they are reading generic content that does not really answer their questions.
So, going back: article quantity or quality?
Honestly, the natural tendency of businesses is to underestimate the power of articles, so we often encourage them to share more rather than less. In fact, we have long claimed that there is no such thing as ‘over blogging’.
Nevertheless, we also emphasise that by more, we mean the quality of the content too. This is the secret behind the art of articles:
In a world of spam and generic content, you want to give your readers the blogs they will actually enjoy reading. Remember: it’s about delivering value, not just sharing content for the sake of it.
What are the benefits of sharing quality content?
You can opt to churn out generic AI-written blogs and cross your fingers that at least one of them will get traction or actually put in the work on some articles to get maximum ROI – that choice is yours.
But if you’re doing something, might as well do it right!
As such, let’s discuss how mastering the art of quality content helps businesses get results. Here are some of the key benefits of high-quality articles:
✓ Superior quality blogs earn you audience engagement and customer loyalty.
When you publish articles that people truly want to read, you become the breath of fresh air amidst all the spam that is readily available for your readers.
The goal here is to make people go, ‘Wow, that actually answered my question!’
This is how you know that your blog works and that you’re not just adding to the sea of generic content out there.
By providing quality blogs, you can also encourage your customers to actually engage with your brand.
You make people feel that you value them enough to put in the effort and create content especially for them – this is how you win customers.
For example, we regularly write for O’Brien – one of Australia’s renowned providers of glazing, electrical and plumbing services. We have written a number of blogs and articles for their brand, which led to a significant spike in their website users across NSW, SA, WA and QLD – and yes, we’re talking about a 300% increase in engagement here!
You can read the full case study here: O’Brien Case Study.
✓ Great articles give you industry leadership and KOL status
The next benefit is all about credibility and key opinion leadership (KOL) status.
When you’re the first to discuss the topics that your target customers are concerned about, you are naturally drawing them in and leading the conversation. This subsequently positions you as a thought leader – so once you’re there, people will easily gravitate towards you and see you as the brand of choice.
But of course, this won’t happen if you’re just repeating what others are saying through generic content.
You answer the questions based on your expertise and prompt people to ask more questions – that’s how quality blogs work for you.
Here’s how that happens: we recently wrote blogs for Acredia Care, a company that develops aged care management software, to discuss the latest updates on the government’s guidelines for Aged Care Facilities.
Because such articles provided their target customers with the relevant information that they needed at the time, a significant increase in engagement and enquiries was immediately observed by Acredia Care upon sharing them online. In fact, the team was able to secure 12 meetings just 2 days after publishing the first blog!
You can check out the full story here: Acredia Care Case Study.
✓ Well-written content drives actual, measurable long-term results
Finally, we know this is what you came here for: results and return on investment (ROI).
While most complain that generic blogs rarely get traction, great human-written blogs actually last a long time and get you the engagement you need for an extended period of time.
This is a true story of how hard work eventually pays off.
To show you how, we’ll share a blog that we wrote for ourselves (very much like this one).
In February 2020, we wrote 10 Tips to Survive Clients’ Subjective Opinions. We already earned a high number of views the first time, so that was a win.
But wait, there’s more! We reshared the same blog 3 years later across our social media platforms and found that people started to read it again – in fact, they even stayed on our website page for an average of 21 minutes.
Maybe, we’ll reshare it in three years’ time and keep you posted on the results! 😉
You can enjoy all these benefits and more if (and only if) you put in the work and write blogs that stand out amidst all the AI-written content out there.
So, how can you write these winning articles?
Fortunately, we have a tried and tested method of writing blogs and articles. This is, after all, our bread and butter for a good reason.
But before we proceed, just a bit of a disclaimer here: we’re not saying you should never use AI. In fact, we encourage you to utilise it for research purposes! What we discourage, however, is letting it write the entire article for you. It’s good for the initial strokes, but you still need to add your own finishing touches.
Okay, now we’ll share some steps you can take to make sure that you are writing blogs that will get you not just the engagement but also the credibility you need to attract more leads and win more customers.
1. Start by understanding your audience.
This is always a great starting point, so just ask yourself: what are my readers like?
The answer will allow you to do your research accordingly, use the right tone and language and create content that will naturally be engaging for them – because the one thing you have that AI doesn’t is a deep understanding of your customers.
There are several ways to learn about your customers and you can use the insights you’ve gathered to write a number of blogs that will delight your audiences and drive them up the customer loyalty ladder.
2. Pick a topic that will spark conversation.
Next step: the topic.
You want a topic that you know enough about and that your audiences would love to know more about too.
It helps to check industry updates and frequently asked questions (FAQs) about your service or industry and just weigh in on recent events (just make sure, though, to relate it back to your field!).
Because you know your business and your customers best, you’re the one who can pick the topics and from there create a content experience that your readers will enjoy.
3. Follow a good article structure.
Now that you have the topic, let’s talk about the actual writing process. This is where you have to be wary of the flow and make sure that the article you’re writing will make sense from the very first sentence up to the last.
At Melotti Media, we believe that content is an upside-down triangle.
This means it has five components that are designed to match the pace that people enjoy when reading. It’s about presenting ideas in a logical and engaging flow. To do this, you want your blog to have all these:
- a BIG, catchy and relatable intro
- a clear context of your topic
- a focus on the “why” of your piece
- a “how-to” part that your readers can apply
- a powerful call to action (CTA)
The idea of following this flow is to take your readers on a rewarding journey. To learn more about this, read: Content Is An Upside-Down Triangle: The Importance of Good Flow In Your Copywriting.
4. Share your blog in all the right places.
Once you’ve finished off and polished your blog, don’t just settle with publishing it on your website page and sitting back, waiting for the magic to happen.
What you should do is utilise your blogs so they can do more for you and get maximum results.
You can always refresh old blogs, convert them into an audio or video version and share them across your social media platforms and newsletters. Doing these things will give your article maximum exposure and get as much engagement as possible.
5. Don’t forget to monitor the results.
Lastly, constantly monitor the results and metrics of all your articles.
This will allow you to check which pieces are working well and which ones need further improvement. By doing this, you can also perfect your blog writing techniques and continuously write articles that will delight all your audiences.
And once you get to the end, repeat the cycle.
Authoring high-quality articles may seem like they take a lot of work, but this is the best way to protect your content marketing against all the spam content everywhere.
In a world of AI, bots and other advancements, you want to keep producing personalised content that your audiences will gravitate towards. In doing so, you can show them that you are different and that you care about them enough to put in the work for articles that they will genuinely enjoy.
How can Melotti Media help your business achieve success through quality blogs and articles?
At Melotti Media, we understand that you want to get cut through in a competitive market and achieve business success – and a powerful way to do this is by sharing blogs and articles that will engage, educate and excite your audience.
However, you may find that you’re time-poor and spread thin or you still have a lot of unanswered questions.
You don’t need to worry.
At Melotti Media, we can assist with all your creative advertising concept ideas while you focus on what matters most to you – growing your business.
Let’s start earning the results your business deserves!
To speak to your trusted message marketers and copywriters, email us at enquire@melottimedia.com.au or phone 1800 663 342.
We can sharpen your words to achieve your goals today!
The Melotti Media Team
Melotti Media | Copywriting & Message Marketing Bureau
www.melottimedia.com.au
