Engagement.
That’s the point of any piece of content you create, right? You want to publish something that will get comments, shares, and generally keep your audience engaged and coming back.
There are many ways to make sure your content is click-worthy, but in all my blogging experience I’ve found that one strategy towers above the rest. That strategy is about using buzzwords.
Buzzwords? You Mean Like Keywords?
No. Buzzwords and keywords are two completely separate things. They are in no way, shape, or form related (well, except that they’re both words).
If you’re reading this article, you’re likely already familiar with what keywords are and their importance in blogging. Having the right keywords can help your site rank and help draw external traffic to your blog, among other things. But buzzwords differ dramatically.
Think back to elementary school. Did you have a “word of the day” during your English lessons? Your teacher may have given you a word, and encouraged the class to use it throughout the day.
On that specific day, you and your classmates used the word a lot, but as time went on you used it less and less (but of course, you still used it on occasion). This is essentially a buzzword.
Go On…
Buzzwords are the word of the day for blogging. Except that buzzword might not last a whole day. It could last an hour. Or it could last three months. Hell, it could even last a year. The point being is that this buzzword will have a beginning and it will have an end.
The key to capitalizing on that buzzword is catching it somewhere in the middle.
As a buzzword buzzes more, it picks up steam. This could be because of a world event, a popular blog post, a new book that’s released, or something else. For whatever reason, this buzzword represents a larger idea that’s becoming more popular by the minute/hour/day/month.
So, How Do I Identify Them?
There is no proven formula to identify buzzwords. But there are strategies that you can use to help you find buzzwords or topics that are good to blog about, so your content is clicked by thousands across the glove.
The first would be to subscribe to industry blogs. Lots of them. Like, dozens. Hundreds even. Read them, too, and take note if you see any sorts of trends developing.
Over the past week, did you read four different blog posts about the importance of storytelling in marketing?
Check your Twitter feed. Are many of your colleagues tweeting about an upcoming convention in south-east Missouri? It’s worth investigating to see if that topic is generating a lot of buzz.
The key is to find relevant content that’s being shared and commented on.
Even if what you’re reading isn’t on a popular blog, if it’s got a fair number of shares and comments than chances are the post is popular because it’s about a relevant buzzword.
Lastly, What Will They Do For Me?
Buzzwords will ensure your content is clicked. Focusing your blogging strategy around buzzwords will result in more shares. It will mean more comments. All in all, it means more views, whether those views are for you or a client.
Writing about buzzwords will mean engagement.
If you land a guest post for the most popular blog in your industry, you can expect an exponential number of clicks if your post is about a relevant buzzword topic as opposed to some random topic.
Even if what you’re writing is great, it won’t get nearly as many clicks and shares as a decently written post about the topic of the hour /day /week /month.
So, What Now?
Figure out the buzzwords. Integrate them into your strategy. Write, write, edit, and write some more. Go forth, and blog about relevant buzzwords that your readers will love and share with the world!
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Author Bio
Ted Levin is a freelance writer and editor currently working with an SEO consultant. He enjoys writing about content marketing, social media, and brand strategy. Connect with Ted on Google+.