With content, there’s a lot of focus on the creation rather than the outcome.

Most marketers are only looking at a small piece of the puzzle — how to create engaging content. 

In reality, creating valuable content is about meeting not only your users’ needs, but also the business goals.

And this is where most content creators get it wrong.

It’s just like crafting an interesting piece that does not drive the required call to action.

Your audience could read and enjoy themselves. Then move on to the next business that’s ready to sell. 

To create valuable content, think beyond just entertaining or educating.

That includes considering at least 5 ‘E’s’ that will address each of your user’s and business needs.

Here are ways you can incorporate the 5’Es into your digital marketing plan. 

Educate — Deliver information and knowledge

This is where you provide your audience with information and knowledge they can use in their day-to-day lives.

Why are educational content critical to the success of your brand?

• It helps your audience trust you more.
• It enables your audience to understand how your product or service can help them.

Ask yourself:

• What knowledge can I share with my target audience to make them more informed and aware?
• Am I answering questions they didn’t even know they had?
• Does this information have to be valuable right away, or can I build up to it over time?

Pro-tip:

• Remember to always provide a clear call to action in each piece of educational content.

Examples of educational content:

• Tutorials
• Product reviews
• White paper
• DIY guides (how-to guides)
• Industry reports and surveys
• Step-by-step videos
• Case studies

Entertain — Provide entertainment and amusement

The entertainment factor in content marketing is often overlooked.

Too often, brands are either busy providing information or trying to change their audience’s perception of their brand.

However, there needs to be a balance between information and entertainment in your content marketing strategy.

When it’s done right, entertaining content can boost engagement and build connections with your audience — providing you with a valuable opportunity to catch their attention and build loyalty.

What makes entertaining content so valuable?

To put it simply, people like to enjoy themselves when they’re online, and they’ll spend more time doing something fun.

Pro-tip:

• Be entertaining, but also ensure you forge a connection with your audience.
• Use short blocks of text plus rich media (videos, GIFs, infographics etc.)

Examples of entertaining content:

• Memes
• Fun facts
• Puzzles

Recommended Reading: 15 simple ways you can improve your business in August

Engage — Give them a reason to care

Engagement is about making your story come alive for your audience, by using words that spark emotion and paint pictures in their mind. 

It also requires that you’re always thinking about your audience’s needs.

This means that you should focus your content on their end goal and how doing what you’re suggesting will help them achieve that goal.

For example, if someone reads or watches your content, and it doesn’t lead them to a conclusion or action, then it wasn’t truly engaging for that person.

Why should you create engaging content?

• You want your audience to care about you and your product.
• You want them to be committed emotionally to the action you’re suggesting.

Ask yourself:

• How will I grab the attention of my audience?
• What will be my hook?
• Is there a story relevant to my brand that I can leverage to become the centre of attraction?

Pro-tip:

• To engage your audience with your content, present them with something they’ve never seen before.
• To create engagement, emphasize educating and entertaining your audience.

Examples of engaging content:

• Interactive quizzes
• Infographics
• Behind-the-scene content

Empower — Motivate your audience to take a specific action

When creating content, it’s important to remember that your audience is the ultimate decision-maker on how, where, and when they consume your content.

It’s critical to empower them with the ability to take action and interact with your content meaningfully.

To empower your audience with valuable content, you must first know what your audience needs and how they think.

For example, if you’re selling yoga mats, talk about how great it is to be active and how people feel great after working out.

Ask yourself:

• What is my audience looking for?
• Why should my audience care?
• What does my brand want them to do as a result of reading my content?

Pro-tip:

• Ask questions that compel your audience to take action. Do this by outlining what they might miss if they don’t take action.
• You should gear every piece of content you publish towards inspiring, provoking, or educating your audience into taking an action. 
• Encourage your audience to take the first step by providing a gentle nudge in the right direction.

Examples of empowerment-oriented content

• Tips and recipes
• How-to guides
• Product/brand reviews

Recommended Reading: What makes great content: The power of context

Effect — Create a perception of you 

How will your content impact your audience’s opinion of your brand?

This is one of the first things to consider when creating content for the web.

Perhaps you want to be known as an expert in your industry or as a caring and compassionate brand with a robust community outreach program.

Or you want to be known as a reliable source of information for your customers, or as an affordable place to do business.

Whatever image you want to project, your content marketing strategy must reflect this identity.

Ask yourself:

• How will this piece of content affect my audience?
• How will it make them feel, or what will it make them think?
• Will it change their perception of my brand and how they feel about my products or services?

Pro-tip:

• If there is no effect, then there’s no value. Content that truly affects change is controversial and evokes emotion.
• To deliver value, have an intentional message that’s conveyed through your writing.

Examples of content that create effects

• Brand success story
• About us
• White papers
• Customer testimonials
• Case studies

Conclusion

What makes content valuable?

Valuable content comes in many forms, but it always includes:

• It delivers information and knowledge.
• Valuable content provides entertainment and amusement.
• Value-added content motivates your audience to take a specific action.
• It gives people a reason to care.
• Valuable content creates a perception of you and your organization that is consistent with your goals.