No one likes spam. Now, while the narrow definition of spam refers to unsolicited marketing content, I think it would be safe to broaden that definition just a bit to include content that people have tacitly agreed to (for example, by signing up for a newsletter) that provides nothing of value to the reader.

This does make the concept of spam a bit tricky, as it becomes subjective at this point. You can’t please everyone 100% of the time. So how do content developers make sure that what you’re putting out there in terms of content is both relevant, and useful to a majority of your audience? Here are some basic guidelines for keeping your content interesting, fresh, and totally Spam Free!

Have a plan – Don’t ever start developing content without a clear plan in mind of what you want to say, and who you want to say it to. Don’t waste a lot of time with intro copy or filler text. Make everything you write absolutely on-topic. If it helps, create an outline for everything you intend to write.

Know your audience – If you haven’t got a very targeted audience on your site already, then that’s something that should be addressed right away. The narrower your niche, the more easily you will be able to appeal to people in it. Once you have your audience narrowed down, make sure that what you give them will be new information that any of them can use.

Know your readers’ tolerance for updates – Different industries will have different readers. If your demographic is retirement planning, a newsletter once a month is probably appropriate. If you run a gadget blog with hundreds of tuned-in readers, it would not be unreasonable to update five times a day or more. The important thing is to gauge how much they want, and how much is too much. Even great content becomes Spam if it feels like a nuisance. Make sure your pace matches theirs.

Keep Text visually interesting, but not overwhelming – Visually compelling copy will be formatted in a manner that’s easy to read. Bullet points, headlines, and bold text are all great ways to direct a reader through a page. Images and links are also great. Copy becomes spam, however, when visual elements overtake the message. If you’re relying on tons of links, and a lot of crowded images to get traffic, then chances are that no one is really getting your message. Don’t intimidate readers with too many elements, or huge blocks of text. Make an easy path through the work so that they can experience each element of copy comfortably.

It may take some testing before SEO writers really know how much content the audience wants, and what causes them to tune out. Don’t be afraid to experiment, but try to keep a handle on your metrics. Watch your site’s analytics to see how each type of content affects the audience, then use the best results to build your marketing plan on.

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