How to engage your target audience with content

Can your content hold your target audience’s attention longer than 15 seconds? If it can, you’ve successfully engaged your target audience. The likelihood of them reading from start to end is high too. But it’s increasingly difficult to achieve this because it’s a sea of content out there. Analysts have estimated the value of the content marketing industry to be worth $412bn by 2022. This growth is driven by the fact it is probably the most cost-effective way to reach a wider audience. So, how can you create engaging content?

1. Challenge beliefs and assumptions

Is it true you’ve only got 15 seconds to capture a reader’s interest? You may have thought it would be more or perhaps less, but the fact remains that the opening line of this post challenges your assumptions. A challenge posed will make a reader wonder, which is what you’re looking for: when a reader’s belief or assumption is questioned, it’s natural to read on and find out more.

2. State an opinion

We’ve stated you may be floating in a sea of content. It’s an opinion you may agree or disagree with. But the opinion has intrigued you. It has stirred interest. If the opinion is credible, your brand will be seen as an authority in a subject matter, although it may be controversial.

3. Empirical evidence

Didn’t $412bn and 15 seconds catch your attention? They are profound digits for marketing activity that you probably might not have thought too much about other than “everyone’s doing it.” When empirical evidence is cited, it lends substance to the content.

4. Storytelling

People love stories. It’s been shown to be the most effective way to deliver a message or idea convincingly. When you adopt a similar framework for your content, it may be difficult for the reader to put it down.

The future of marketing is content marketing. Today, the empowered consumer looks for more validation before making a decision. Publishing content that helps a brand establish its sphere of influence holds the key to unlocking the trust vault of consumers. To find out more about how you can achieve that with your content, connect with us.