6 Compelling Words and Phrases to Use in Your Content Marketing

Is Word Choice Important? You Bet It Is

The current landscape of content marketing, and branding for that matter, rests on appealing to your target audience, putting something out there that they will see as relevant and useful to them. Successfully communicating with your target audience, however, can be a little tricky, especially when so much of your content’s success lies with simply getting people to look at it, to open the email, to stay on the webpage. When you get people onto your webpage to view your content or get them to open the email you’ve sent out, you’ve acquired a chance to appeal to them and begin working towards creating a relationship.

So how do you write content that’s compelling enough to attract an audience? Choose the right words, of course. The power of inserting certain, compelling words or phrases into your titles and content is immeasurable. Here are a handful of compelling words to consider using in your content titles.

1. “Tips and Tricks”

Newsflash: one of the main reasons people use the internet is to find information. It’s not surprising then that offering your audience “tips” or “tricks” towards accomplishing a goal or improving a process is so highly compelling. For starters, many people consider valuable content to be content that teaches or shows them something they had been unaware of before. Offering people shortcuts, hacks, or little-known information is a great way to get them in the door. Deliver on your promises, and you may even have some potential brand ambassadors on your hands.

2. “You”

According to Kevan Lee at Buffersocial, the word “you” is among the most powerful words in the English language. And for content marketers on the hunt for compelling words to use in their content, “you” is a gold mine. “You” is personal; it addresses your reader, centers the content around them and begins a conversation. “You” forces your reader to see themselves as the subject of your title: “Are You Practicing These Good Management Skills?” or “6 Things You Need to Know Before Starting College.” Because you’ve made your reader the subject of your content and have promised to offer information that’s relevant to them, they’re likely compelled to take a look at what you have to offer.

3. Numbered Lists

So this isn’t exactly a word or phrase, but it is a highly effective tactic. Creating a title like “5 Brands Who Dominate Social Media” immediately signals to your reader that the content you’re presenting will be scannable and easily absorbed. Numbered lists offer a kind of order that is psychologically comforting to readers; it offers them sorted information that they can rank and file at their leisure, without needing to scan through chunky paragraphs of text beforehand.

4. “Remarkable”

Words like remarkable, that inspire an emotional response in your readers, are successful for many reasons. For starters, you’ve assured your reader that the information they’re about to absorb is not run-of-the-mill, everyday knowledge. It’s remarkable. It has something extra. It’s special.

You have to remember: internet users weed through eons of content every time they get online; being able to cut through the noise and strike a chord with them often depends on choosing the words that are most remarkable (haha) to them. Strong descriptors and emotive language, adjectives like “remarkable,” “amazing,” “outstanding,” or “brilliant,” when paired with equally strong content, can help create a powerhouse of compelling text for your audience to absorb.

5. “New”

Novelty is among the most attractive sentiments to humans. Even it’s due merely to our curiosity, people are generally interested in learning about new developments, absorbing new information and trying new products. We are constantly on the lookout for improvements and easier ways of doing things. To promise your readers something new is to spark their curiosity, give them new options, and possibly help them find a better solution to a problem than what they’re currently doing. “New” is a hopeful, attractive word for readers, and being able to deliver on your promise of “new” will earn you some serious kudos with readers who value authenticity.

6. “Easy”

“Easy” is another one of those extremely attractive adjectives that draws viewers in, gets their curiosity rolling, and has outstanding conversion rates. The attractiveness of the word “easy” lies in our nature as humans: we’re always looking for a better way to do things and, as most of us lead busy, hectic lives with little time to spare, the “easy” solution is the one we’re more likely to try. Again, the value of delivering on your promise of “easy” is sky high; if you establish yourself and your brand as an authority on truly easy solutions for your audience’s inquiries, you’ll begin building trust, rapport and a relationship with them.

At the end of the day, language is among the most powerful assets in a content marketer’s toolkit. With the right words and the right nuances, you can accomplish great feats of inspiration, persuasion and emotional connection with your audience.