How to Develop Killer Content with Bare-minimum Resources

How to create good texts and images for your business?

It's a familiar scenario for businesses, regardless of their size. The task of creating appealing and relevant content remains a complex puzzle. Websites filled with generic stock photos and lacking personality, brochures that feel more like manuals, and Instagram posts that are published without a clear plan, not for their intrinsic quality, but due to pressure to just post "something".

The challenge of effective content creation often lies in the absence of suitable knowledge in-house, and outsourcing it is frequently a pricey option. But what if there was a way to create high-quality content on your own? What if the barrier to do so was lower than ever?

In this article, you will get answers to these questions. You'll also learn how to set up a solid structure, write engaging texts, and take photos. I won't claim that after reading this article you'll win a Pulitzer Prize, but you will have the necessary knowledge to independently create appealing content. And all that without having to resort to Senseo for the rest of the month to save costs.

I want to emphasize strongly the importance of building your website, document or other medium around the text and photos, not vice versa. It's time to move the traditional concept of 'filling' to the category of 'old news'. Let those marketers and designers stuck in their old ways not hear about it.

Structured and well-written text is the backbone of any website, document, and so forth

Whether you're building a website or writing an article, it's critical to first create a structure for your text. Do this based on H1, H2, H3, and so forth, descending a level with each headline. This way, you get a clear picture of what the article will look like. Ensure each heading answers a question and makes clear what the following text will be about. Don't assume you know this yourself, but use tools to find out. The quality of your content is as good as the research you've conducted.

How do you conduct research for writing a text?

Anwser The Public

You write your texts for people, not for computers. The texts should provide value to the readers, whether it's an answer to a question or selling your solution that solves a problem for the reader. Therefore, start by finding out what people are searching for. A good tool for this is "Answer the Public". This tool shows what questions people are asking on the internet. It groups them based on intent, and nowadays it also shows the CPC and search volume. You get the first 3 search queries for free (with some hidden data), but for 11 euros a month you get 100 search queries a day. In addition, there is an option to buy a lifetime subscription for 119 euros. A good deal, considering that most SEO tools start from 80 euros a month.

Do keyword research

To make your texts more discoverable, you often use more expensive SEO tools. Semrush is one such tool, starting at 139.95 euros per month. It has many more functions than "Answer the Public". With this tool you can:

• SEO: Semrush helps websites become more visible in search results through keyword research, backlink checking, ranking tracking, and other SEO tasks.
• Competition: Semrush provides insights into your competitors' online marketing tactics so you can understand market trends.
• Content Marketing: Semrush assists in creating appealing, SEO-friendly content for specific audiences.
• Social Media: Semrush has features for scheduling social media posts, managing posts, and tracking user interactions.
• Paid Advertising: Semrush supports the management and improvement of paid online ads to generate more profit.

Okay, there are many fancy features, but 1,680 euros per year can also be invested in many other ways. Fortunately, you can export your results from Semrush and save them locally in a tidy Excel file. This way, you can pay for one month and look up and save as much information as possible for later use. Do note, however, that the internet is a quickly changing place, and results can become outdated. This is a brief explanation about keywords and Semrush, there's a lot more depth to dive into, but for writing good content, this is what you need to know at a basic level.

How do you write good copy?

Now that you know the structure of your text, what the reader is looking for, and which questions you need to answer, it's time to take out the pen and ink, put the cat on your lap, first look out of the window for 5 minutes, and then start writing your gripping texts like a true author. Volumes can be written about crafting good texts. Here are some best practices and marketing strategies you can use for your writing:

Present the most important information first

Start your texts with the most important information first. Take a landing page for instance; ensure you incorporate the key information in the space above the fold. Then go from important to less important. What's important? If done correctly, you can derive that from your research. Another useful methodology for this is Simon Sinek's Golden Circle.

Make the headings as clear as possible

The magic of good writing is 90% in the headlines, especially on the internet where nowadays everyone primarily scans texts. Take the time to write catchy titles and headings, and make them as clear as possible. Avoid complex words as much as possible, and use IshetB1 if necessary to check if your words are at B1 level to ensure your texts are accessible and readable for everyone.

Use power words

Power words are words that make your text more persuasive. They are particularly important for advertisement and website texts. Use them wisely and not too frequently, otherwise, your text may come off as shouty. A good rule of thumb is to use them once per headline and two to three times per 150-word paragraph. Here is a link to an extensive list of power words.

Use signal words

Signal words give an indication of the relationship between sentences or parts of sentences. They help to understand the structure and logic of a text. Examples of signal words include:

• Time: These words convey a sequence or order of time. Examples are 'first', 'then', 'later', 'when' and 'eventually'.
• Cause and Effect: These words denote a cause-effect relationship. Examples are 'because', 'therefore', 'as a result', and 'due to'.
• Comparison: These words show a comparison or contrast. Examples are 'however', 'but', 'similar', and 'in contrast to'.
• Addition: These words add additional information or ideas. Examples are 'and', 'also', 'in addition', and 'as well'.
• Example: These words introduce examples. Examples are 'for example', 'such as', 'particularly', and 'especially'.
• Summary: These words signify that what follows is a summary or conclusion of the preceding information. Examples are 'thus', 'in summary', 'in short', and 'conclusively'.

Use signal words to make a text coherent, clear, and easily readable. But be careful not to overuse them. They can make a text monotonous. Therefore, make sure you use them variably; many signal words can be interchanged with each other.

How long should the text be?

That depends heavily on what type of text it is. For SEO blog articles, it ranges between 2100 and 2400 words. It may seem like a lot, but you'll quickly reach this word count with a thorough article. Don't add extra text just to meet your word count. That only works in high school. With copywriting, it's always about quality over quantity. Too many people focus only on text length and miss the point that many more aspects than just page length come into play with SEO. Of course, it's crucial to publish a substantial article, but it misses its purpose if you irritate the user with unnecessary adjectives and 'fluff' to lengthen your texts. Moreover, Google recognises texts that have no added value to the internet.

For texts like those on a landing page, it's not so much about the text length, but more about the length of a paragraph. Aim for about 35 words per paragraph. The goal is to persuade and transmit as much information as possible with as few words as you can.

Quality photos are important

Look at you, old content machine. You've got the razor-sharp texts ready to blow readers off their chairs, but is text alone enough? Absolutely not: images are THE tool to convince readers, give a webpage feeling, convey information efficiently, and so on. While the texts are the basis of the content, they need to align with the imagery. And this is often where things go wrong. Due to a lack of photos, people opt for free stock photos that fit as well as Adidas socks in Nike shoes. Your beautifully written texts are then accompanied by images that even your great-grandmother would say: couldn't you find something better? But I get it, you're not a photographer and maybe you don't have the most suitable workplace (or none at all) to take photos. But don't panic, here are a number of possibilities and life hacks to find professional imagery for your texts.

Photograph yourself

Buy or rent a camera

Purchase or rent a camera. Now I can hear you thinking: I could have come up with that myself. But a lot of content is shot with a phone these days. And don't get me wrong, phones can take some seriously good photos. However, they really can't match a real camera. Especially if the person holding the camera also knows what they're doing. The main differences are in the depth of the photos and the control over the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO value. Something you’ll struggle to match with a phone. The choice to buy or rent a camera is, of course, up to you; it will probably depend on how often you think you'll need the camera. Here are a few suggestions for cameras and accessories:

Camera's

• Professionele allrounder: Canon EOS 90D + 18-135 mm objectief. Suitable for lifestyle and product photography, and also suitable for making videos. Thanks to the 18-135 mm lens, this bad boy is versatile.
• Vloggen en eenvoudige videocreatie: Sony Alpha 6400. This Sony is very suitable for making videos thanks to the fast autofocus and it's easier to learn than the 90D. This makes it also easier to give to someone else to get started with.
• Social media: Canon SX740 HS PowerShot. Finally, a point-and-shoot. This camera is easy to carry around and therefore it's perfect for the marketing team or, for example, for capturing a visit to a customer.

Tools

• A sturdy and reliable tripod: Rollei Compact Traveler No. 1.
• A camera bag for transport and storage.
• SD card holder, because nothing is as annoying as losing your freshly shot photos.
• Camera (wrist) strap, because you usually only drop a camera once.

Do research and get to know your camera

Taking good photos requires some knowledge and varies greatly depending on what you want to photograph. A good basis can be established by doing the following:

1.Read the camera manual: I know, why would you read the manual? After 5 minutes of fiddling around with the thing in the field, you can already take photos, right? Trust me, reading the manual saves a lot of frustration and creates a more relaxed working environment than randomly pressing all the buttons in hopes of getting the right settings.

2.Understand ISO values, shutter speed, and aperture: These are the three pillars of the exposure triangle. They work together to control the amount of light entering the camera and influence different aspects of your photos, such as exposure, depth of field, and motion.

• ISO A higher ISO value allows you to shoot in a dark environment, but can also cause noise in the photo.
• Shutter Speed: This is the amount of time that the camera's shutter is open. A longer shutter speed can cause more motion blur but also allows for more light.
• Aperture: This controls the opening in the lens through which light comes in. A broader aperture (indicated by a lower f-number, like f/2.8) lets more light in and also creates a shallower depth of field (meaning the background is blurrier), while a narrower aperture (a higher f-number, like f/16) lets less light in and has a deeper depth of field.

Understanding these principles and knowing how to adjust them can have a significant impact on the quality of your photos.

Consider which shots you want to take.

Create a shot list of the photos you want to make. This can range from highly detailed to simply a list of what you approximately want to capture. This prevents you from missing a photo and needing to prepare everything again to redo a shot. Moreover, you can determine in advance what you need and what each photo should convey.

Make a briefing

When you're dependent on others during your photo shoot, it's useful to make a briefing in which you explain what the plan is and what is expected. Consider:

• What clothing should everyone bring (often multiple sets for variation)
• Which colors of clothing are desired
• Do's and don'ts regarding hairstyles and nail color

Play the devil's advocate here and think of all the things that can spoil your photos - and try to prevent them. Clear communication and explicit instructions can help avoid many problems on the day of the photo shoot.

Rent or use a location for shooting photos

How do you take photos if you don't have a location? Many entrepreneurs face this problem, but by taking initiative, there are quite a few options. Think about public places like a park for a shot where you're in a conversation with a client, or a beautiful library where you're holding a meeting. Also, it is possible to rent locations via various websites if you need a more specific setting. Or just ask if you can use the premises of a company you're working with. With a bit of creativity and courage, you can go far with this. Of course, always make sure you ask permission to use a location.

Photo shoot, check. Now it's time to edit your photos. First, you'll need to go through all your photos. During the photography, you've likely taken many photos that are blurred, out-of-focus, or under/overexposed. Not to mention all the funny faces. No problem, that happens to literally the best of us. But among all these misses, there are undoubtedly a few gems. Select these and place them in a separate folder, and always keep the originals separately.

It is usually necessary to edit the photos afterward; always do this in the largest format and only crop them when you prepare the photos for the medium. If you're handy yourself or know someone who can handle Photoshop and/or Lightroom, then this is the time to perfect the photos. Can't manage that? No problem, you can hire someone on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr to perform these tasks. Experience has shown that Upwork delivers better results for slightly more money. The few tens of dollars that you invest in this make your photos ready for production. Good editing can make the difference between "meh" and "yeah!".

Do you need to resize photos before you put them on a website? Absolutely! First, determine what size they need to be and then run them through TinyPNG. This way, you make the images as small as possible without loss of quality, and that's good for SEO. Optimizing the size of your images helps to reduce the loading times of your webpage, which can improve both the user experience and your search engine ranking.

Or hire a photography student

Maybe you're reading this and thinking: I'd rather eat a bag of lemons. Understandable, not everyone has the inclination or time to invest in learning photography. But there's a solution for that, too. Photography students often like to come and photograph for a nice fee. They get the chance to practice and add something to their portfolio, and you end up with a set of beautiful photos. The best way to find photography students is through an online bulletin board/community, Facebook group, or perhaps you know someone through a mutual contact.

For product photography, there are also various companies that offer this at a good rate. An example of this is Fotofy. They have all the skills in-house to capture your products well and are often a lower investment than doing it yourself for smaller to medium-sized assignments. All you have to do is send your products along with a briefing, and you receive your product photos edited and cut out as PNGs and JPGs. Combined with your razor-sharp texts, you're ready for production!