5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED How to create content that stands out from the rest Presented at #WCJAX by Alex Sanfilippo

THE PROBLEM We have two main factors fighting against us when it comes to getting our content noticed Less visibility on organic social media shares Due to social media platforms shifting focus. Increased number of publications WordPress.com reports 2000 blog posts being published every minute. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

THE SOLUTION Thankfully, there is something we can do to stand out. Irresistible call to action Craft titles and incorporate images that drive traffic. Publish excellence Only publish high quality content that adds value to people. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

PARADIGM SHIFT www.DailyPS.com The world is full of negativity. But, that’s not us. We publish articles about faith, hope and love. We’re focused on sharing a positive perspective! 70+ Authors 1000+ Articles Top 100 Christian Blog 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

LETS TALK ABOUT YOUR WEBSITE Four areas that affect your website’s authority, traffic and bounce rate Speed Navigation Static Content Mobile Readiness 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

YOUR WEBSITE Four areas that affect your website’s authority, traffic and bounce rate Speed - Quick Load Times Your website needs to load in less than 3 seconds. (Tools.pingdom.com) 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

YOUR WEBSITE Four areas that affect your website’s authority, traffic and bounce rate Navigation – Efficient and Effective Make it easy for people to find what they are looking for. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

YOUR WEBSITE Four areas that affect your website’s authority, traffic and bounce rate Static Content – On All Pages Complete your static pages and user bio on your website. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

YOUR WEBSITE Four areas that affect your website’s authority, traffic and bounce rate Mobile Readiness – Optimized for Mobile Use More than 50% of web searches are on mobile devices. (Google Search: “mobile friendly”) 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED How to create content that stands out from the rest Content (Draft) Title & Meta Description Featured Image Content (Edit) Content (Format) 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

CONTENT (DRAFT) It all starts with an idea which sparks our inspiration As soon as you get an idea, write it down. Intentionally set aside time to write content. (Schedule it) Find the atmosphere that inspires you. (Both location and sound) Fight the desire to edit and (or) format as you write the draft. Ask yourself if it adds value to people’s lives or fixes a common problem. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

TITLE & META DESCRIPTION Your title and meta description are vital to the success of your content Understand the importance: The title is just as important as your content. Don’t mislead; make the title relevant to the content. Make your title a compelling call to action. (Free eBook about creating strong titles) Think of a meta description as an engaging preview. Don’t use the first paragraph of your copy as the meta description. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

Shared 67,000 times. The content was mostly just “Lorem Ipsum.” 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

Top Headline Phrases. Based on average Facebook engagement. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

FEATURED IMAGE Strong images cause people to stop mindlessly scrolling through content Use images that add value to the title and content. Images with (a few) words and (or) faces convert higher. Use only high quality images. Before uploading an image, rename it. After uploading, utilize the title, description and alt text. Three places to get great free high quality stock images: unsplash, pexels, pixabay. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

The “List” title with complementing “friendship” featured image. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

The “Controversial” title with complementing “washed” featured image. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

The “Clear Benefit” title with complementing “decisions” featured image. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

Combination Title: “How to” and “Promised outcome” with complementing “time” featured image. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

A PICTURE MAY BE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS BUT THE RIGHT WORDS ARE PRICELESS Your image, title and meta description need to be unified to generate clicks Relevant Most Recent 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

CONTENT (EDIT) Devoting time to edit content leads to high quality publications Use a framework to outline your content. (Title, Lead paragraph, Image, Experience, Points, Conclusion) Spend time studying/researching the topic. Make every word and every sentence count. Proof your content: Word or Pages + Hemingwayapp.com or Grammarly.com. Have someone read your content and give honest feedback before publishing. 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

CONTENT (FORMAT) Formatting is what causes people to commit to reading your content Utilize: H1, H2, H3, quotations, bold, italics, underline, colors, tweet boxes, numbers, bullets, etc. Break up your paragraphs where you can. Keep them short and to the point. Add your internal and external links along with any media. Create “scannable content.” 79% of your audience will only scan your content. (Source: Neal Patel) Insert “quotables” throughout your copy. This is what people would highlight. (Advice from Lysa Terkeurst) 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

QUOTABLES Definition: Strong, engaging, standalone sentences QUOTABLES Definition: Strong, engaging, standalone sentences. This is what people highlight in books. Almost 100% of best selling books have “quotables” on every other page. Publications don’t change lives; powerful sentences do. Give people direction. Make your quotables stand out. (Bold, quotations, different color, etc.) Make them poetic or at least easy to repeat. Keep this in mind: “When people stop highlighting, they stop reading.” 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

FORMATTING CONTENT IS LIKE THE ICING ON THE CAKE NO ONE LIKES CAKE WITHOUT ICING Formatting Goal: Make your content pleasing to the eyes of your readers 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

FORMATTING CONTENT IS LIKE THE ICING ON THE CAKE NO ONE LIKES CAKE WITHOUT ICING Formatting Goal: Make your content pleasing to the eyes of your readers 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

FORMATTING CONTENT IS LIKE THE ICING ON THE CAKE NO ONE LIKES CAKE WITHOUT ICING Formatting Goal: Make your content pleasing to the eyes of your readers 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

RECAP 5 steps for publishing content that gets noticed WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT Even if you do not see an immediate change in traffic, don’t get discouraged. Keep on going. Never give up. If your content is helping people or solving problems, don’t stop writing. “If your blog post helped one person, it was worth it. Do for one what you wish you could do for all.” Content (Draft) Title & Meta Description Featured Image Content (Edit) Content (Format) 5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED @ajsanfi | www.AlexSanfilippo.com

5 STEPS FOR PUBLISHING CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED AlexSanfilippo.com/wc-jax Copy of my slides SEO eBook Headlines eBook Coaching Session