Informational content serves to clarify a product’s or service’s features and the benefits customers stand to get from using that particular product or service. So, when it comes to making purchasing decisions, customers prefer informational content over other types.
This is an especially important form of content in the B2B landscape. According to CMI research, 87% of B2B marketers prioritize their audience’s informational needs over sales/promotional messages.
Even though its importance grows by the day, writing great informational content takes some skill and practice. To help you out, we’ve rounded up key pieces of advice as well as some useful examples that you can learn from.
Know Your Audience
Put yourself in the reader’s shoes at all times. Consider who will be reading your content and what they will be concerned about or what they’ll want to find out. What you want to say and what your audience requires and desires to hear are frequently at odds.
Here are some writing tips to help appeal to your readers:
- Use language that is common and digestible for your audience base.
- Use the pronoun “you” to directly address the reader.
- Use the word “we” to refer to your company or organization.
- Make sure your piece is well-organized by using a table of contents, clear subheadings, and so on.
Format the Article to Boost Readability
The significance of breaking down informational content into smaller chunks cannot be overstated. Even the most enthusiastic readers will find a large text daunting and dull. If you can find a way to break up the text into pieces, even if it’s only one page long, your readers will be more easily compelled to read through the entire piece.
Some ideas for maximizing white space and improving readability on your website include:
- Use bullet points and lists.
- Use H2, H3, and H4 headings to separate segments.
- Stick with shorter sentences.
- Begin your lists with a verb.
- Incorporate critical information in the first paragraph.
Create Catchy and Informative Headlines
A functional and appealing title will inform your reader about the topic of your article and encourage them to click on it. Here are some things to consider when coming up with headlines for your articles:
- Avoid using broad headlines.
- Inform the reader of something useful.
- Concentrate on clarity.
- Put important keywords at the top.
Begin with the Most Important Content
The most interesting and important points should be at the beginning of the article. Provide readers with highlights that capture the core of the entire piece. If your readers only have a couple of minutes, you’ve still conveyed critical information. Even if they have time to continue reading, make the rest of the content concise and digestible – don’t cram in figures and facts if they’re not actually useful to the audience. To make an even better impression, you can consider using creative poster templates to visually summarize key points for enhanced engagement
Use Facts and Figures People Can Understand
Attract people’s attention by using statistics they can connect to. For example, if your company has created 50 new jobs in the middle of the pandemic, these are figures to brag about. Use small enough numbers for readers to feel the effect, and choose things that directly appeal to their emotions. It will definitely make your content more impactful.
Examples
Below are 8 examples we found of sites in a variety of niches using informational content very effectively. You can use these as inspiration for your informational content generation.
1. BestMattressBrand.org
We’ll use their “Best Adjustable Beds of 2022: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide” post as an example. What we like about this article is the 30-second summary they include near the beginning. So, if you don’t have a lot of time and want the highlights quickly you can simply read that section.
If you need more info, the rest of the article will provide you with additional general information as well as their scoring process. There are also separate sections for each product that contain all the essential product info.
To summarize, they provide both a short version with all of the essential information and a longer version if you want to learn more. This is precisely why they are included on our list.
2. HubSpot
HubSpot is one of the current leaders in marketing blogging. They have a lot of articles, but we chose “How to Measure Social Media Marketing ROI [with Expert Advice]” for a few reasons.
One of them is that it is a difficult topic to explain in simple terms. They do, however, try to convey the problem to the readers by using the simplest possible examples. If you are an expert in this field, you may not need this – but for those who are trying to learn as much as possible, this is extremely useful.
Their formatting is excellent, and all of the most important information is in bold letters. At the end of the article, they provide you with eight measurement tools to choose from, each with a brief description. This will help you find the right one for you if you require assistance in this area.
3. Preset Love
The “300+ Free Lightroom Presets for Desktop and Mobile” post was chosen to show how to represent your product through informative content.
You can see a small area that says “Content [show]” while they are describing what they are doing in general. When you click on it, you will see the entire table of contents, which will help you quickly find the information you’re looking for.
After the introduction, each category is followed by subcategories. Each is described in a short paragraph and illustrated with before and after photos. The pictures show more than words can describe, so they kept their descriptions brief and to the point.
4. OptinMonster
We choose What Is Lead Generation? 35 Ways to Generate Leads FAST! article from OptinMonster as another example. It features a table of contents to help you navigate the information. They also divided their tips into categories for the same reason.
The formatting of the article is not standard, but it’s also nothing new. The main point of each tip is that the paragraphs are short and easy to read.
The article also contains industry-specific tips, showing the reader how to get leads in real estate, local business, travel, and other niches.
tips specified for different fields like real estate, local business, and travel. For each field, they give the best tip for every category you were reading about earlier.
5. UnscrambleX
The “Anagram Solver” page on UnscrambleX makes this list because of its extremely informative and well-formatted content. It begins with a brief explanation and then provides critical information in the first paragraph.
It goes on to explain the benefits and provides examples. The writer divided the content for readers to help them find what they need by using bullet points and subheadings. Also, it should be short and easy to read. The writer adhered to the shorter paragraph rule while also employing simple language and examples to improve readability.
6. Buffer
Buffer’s “How To Start A Blog For Your Small Business” is typical “how-to” informational content. They are writing this article for beginners who are unsure where to begin.
You can learn why you should start a blog as well as every important step you should take if you decide to go this route. They also discuss how other small businesses approach their blogs. You can get inspired and learn from their examples of how others are doing it.
7. Skillcrush
If you are considering a career as a front-end developer, Skillcrush’s “Exactly What You Need To Know To Become A Front End Developer In 2022” can help.
They have a table of contents to assist you in navigating the article. Another thing that makes a difference and is not often seen is the “back to top” link. They’ve placed it after each major segment so you can easily access the table of contents if you need it.
While the article is lengthy on its own, they made sure to include subheadings to help their readers. Even though the subheadings can be quite large, the paragraphs are not. The writer successfully used simple language and shorter forms to explain a difficult topic for people who are just starting to become interested in this field.
8. Rip Curl
Rip Curl’s “Surfing Equipment for Beginners”, in contrast to the previous example, is an article on the shorter side. They simply did not need a lengthy post to provide all the information a mere beginner would need.
They use simple language to explain everything you need to know, in addition to short paragraphs and well-formatted content. If you’re looking for something specific, there are also some helpful links. It’s brief, informative, and to the point.
The list, however, is probably the best part of this article. You could literally make a checklist out of it and be ready to go surfing in no time. The list will be visible first because it is placed at the beginning of the article. Putting the most important information first is why we chose this article in the first place.
In Closing
Well-written informational content is an essential part of the content marketing strategy for any startup. It will help you convey important messages about your product or service to your audience, ultimately helping boost conversions. Dedicate some time to it, and you’ll find that the effort definitely pays off.
