If You Want Followers Give Your Readers Content With Value

How to add value to your writing to increase your fan base and income

With the large amount of online content that is constantly being created, it is tempting to believe that producing and publishing as much new copy as possible will result in more followers and greater income. But a successful online writing career isn’t about numbers, it’s about quality. We all know this by now, yet what exactly does quality mean from a reader’s standpoint? It means value.

Value added content is the difference between content that your audience has trouble relating to and that which satisfies a practical need or specific interest. The goal is not just to get readers to click on your content, but to write copy that engages them so they’ll stay to read, follow, interact and return regularly for more. Here are some easy ways you can add value to your writing.

Write Scannable Content

Adding value isn’t just about the information you are providing. It goes beyond language and complexity of concept. It is also about the way you are providing the information and whether it is easy for your readers to read and understand. Make sure your copy is laid out is a way that is easy to understand and navigate by writing scannable content. Copy that is easy to scan lets the reader find the information they want without having to read what they aren’t interested in.

A long post without much formatting that comes across as a bunch of black on white can turn off readers. You can fix this problem by adding subheadings, numbered or bulleted points, bold or italics text, block quotes and white space. Breaking longer posts up into sections with short, descriptive subheadings allows readers to jump to the information that interests them instead of trying to dig it out of a lengthy post.

Share Successes

This doesn’t mean you should brag about what you’ve done, but report on what you have done that was successful that would help solve problems your audience has. If you write about writing, try out the strategies you recommend with data that shows whether it was successful or not.

Don’t shy away from failures. This provides valuable information for your readers as well by saving them the effort of doing what you already have. If you believe that the strategy might be successful under different circumstances or with specific changes then talk about this as well.

For extra value translate your successes into resources for your readers such as guides, checklists or templates. This also makes your readers feel like there are getting something others aren’t creating an in-group.

Simplify Complex Material

Sometimes technical material is presented in a manner that assumes the reader has a certain amount of basic knowledge and skills. Many people also have difficulty learning things by just reading about them instead of having someone teach it to them in person. They need to ask questions or practice it before they are able to grasp and implement it. Presenting difficult to understand material in a simple, step by step manner provides value for many people who are often frustrated by their inability to accomplish something.

Use Images to Pace and Add Emphasize to Your Content

Choosing interesting, colorful images will grab readers attention. However, they can also be used to structure your content. Use them to between different sections, especially those that may be more difficult to get through or after lengthy sections to give the reader a breather.

Images can also be useful for making specific points stand out or to emphasize the areas you want your readers to take away from your story. Pairing “how to” steps with photos or illustrations let the reader process practical suggestions through two different perception modes, increasing understanding and memory for the content.

Include Links to Useful Resources

Using external links to provide additional information for the reader adds a lot of value without making the text too long to feel manageable. Links to resources that provide examples of what you are discussing can be particularly useful for readers since sometimes while actionable steps in content can make sense, the reader may need more details than can be included.

Links can also provide more extensive background information and a longer discussion of the rational for what you are presenting that those who aren’t familiar with the topic may want to brush up on. Links help you individualize your readers experience by letting them choose what they consult as opposed to adding a lot of extra text that not everyone will want to read.

External links to other writers add value and help your article appear reliable and trustworthy by showing that it is consistent with other pieces written about the topic. You don’t want to add links to stories that just reiterate what you are saying, though, since your content should stand on its own.

A good rule of thumb is to limit the number of links to one to two for every 500 words. If you use too many then it looks like the article is being used to promote other content by directing readers to it. This is also the case if you only include links to your own articles though a few are fine.

Let Readers Help Add Value

readers want the ability to interact with what they read in a meaningful way. It’s not just about clicking a thumbs up, +1 or “like” button anymore. They want to be able to respond by sharing their own experiences related to the topic discussed, how the advice helped or didn’t help them, and add their own suggestions and tips related to the discussion.

In addition to making readers feel connected to you, this user generated content adds value by providing more information and practical suggestions and feedback making the article even more relevant and useful without the need for much more work on your part. You should be sure to address comments and questions, even if it is just to thank the person to encourage others to respond as well.

Action Points

Create a description of who your audience is and where you can find them.

What are they looking for?

How can you give them what they are looking for in a way that provides value and doesn’t just rehash what is already out there?

Now, create a list of 3 post ideas that you can create to meet the goals described in your answers including what you see as the value to the reader, and what you want them to take away.

Take Away

When creating content, what’s going on in your head isn’t important for increasing your following. You need to join the conversation that’s going on in your readers’ heads. This moves their response from mild interest that is soon forgotten to a convert who will come back for more and induce others to do likewise.

The most reliable way to accomplish this is to add value to your content. Readers are more likely to stick around to read what they click on and return for more when they feel that what they are reading provides specific benefits for them. When they perceive this to be the case, they leave feeling they’ve just experienced something valuable, and will keep thinking — and talking- about it afterwards.

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