Content can be anything. It can be videos, a paragraph you’ve written, or photos you’ve taken. Or, they could be someone else’s photos (used by permission) or videos with your commentary, tips, and recommendations . In any great article, the content is always going to be original. To make it useful, you’ll simply need to address problems or create ideas around a single concept.
Here are three characteristics of useful original content that may inspire you:
- Creativity: With different visuals, new ideas, and a fresh take on a topic, you can make your leaf more creative than what is currently being represented on the web. You don't have to be an artist to be creative, either. Everyone experiences life differently, so simply sharing your own opinions and experiences can convey creativity.
- Outside resources: It's not just what words are on your leaf that makes your page a better resource, but linking to outside (and inside) resources that make for a better user experience.
- Unique self expression: Yes, creativity is a form of self expression, but being different isn't always the same as being creative. Approaching a topic from a completely different angle can be refreshing to the reader, rewarding to the author, and incredibly useful to searchers.
Ready to spur some originality with your next leaf? Here are ten ways you can up your creativity levels, while providing the reader with an amazing experience that will make them want to share, like, comment, or buy a product from your leaf:
- Use a unique introduction photo. It's the first visual your reader will encounter on your leaf, so make this your very best (credited) image, and you'll be setting yourself apart from the pack.
- Make use of all of the different sections Zujava has to offer, whey they make sense. There are more sections than just text... there's the flickr section, photo gallery, photo block, YouTube, Ebay, and Amazon (more to be added to this list over the next few months). Adding different media and text formats makes a leaf interesting and attractive at the same time.
- Get a conversation going in the comments section. People love reading the comments on a blog post, article, or leaf. When you receive a comment, keep the conversation going by responding to comments. This will spur even more interaction, all the while providing readers with more to chew on.
- Update your leaf after you've let it sit for some time. Writers will always continue to grow, so your take on a topic two months from now will be different than today's take. When lightning strikes, capture it on the leaf with a fresh update. Did I mention search engines love to see frequent page updates as well? That's a nice traffic bonus for being timely.
- Solve problems that you've personally experienced. The new way to solve problems is through the internet (maybe it's not all that new - but people continue to rely on it heavily). If you recently had a problem that isn't documented on the internet, or isn't documented that well, you might be able to fix a content hole.
- Be inspired by other's success. No, not copy, but be inspired by their success, and see what styles you can incorporate into your writing. Check out the four types of successful leaves for more information.
- Expand upon a topic you've already covered in a new way. A simple "part two" won't do here, but writing about a related topic in that niche could lead to more creative thinking.
- Forget about making sales. That's always going to be in the back of your head, so why not focus some of your time on the reader instead of you? Dedicate a leaf or series of leaves to helping the reader solve problems, find information, and offer your own two cents on the topic. The results may surprise you!
- Visit your favorite blog for inspiration. Or, visit some new blogs. Or, read a magazine, book, or watch a TV program. Or, just get out there and experience life. That's always going to reward you with something new to write about.
- Just write. Creativity doesn't just "come to you," it's like a muscle. Once you start using it more, it will get stronger over time. Sure, you may not always publish your best or most successful leaf, but it's an exercise in writing that can lead to your next hit leaf. And besides, you can always come back to the older content you create and update it down the line.
What about you? What inspires you, and what tips for creating original content can you share with the Zujava community? Let me know in the comments!
Intro image of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Starry Night. This image is in the public domain because it's copyright has expired. PD-US.
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