How to Write Incredible Internet Content

1. Invest in deep learning

I recently bought 2 books. 1 was the best thing I’ve read all year, the other I closed after page 18. I won’t be opening it again.

This is part of the strategy of point 1. Deep learning is important. Books for me present the best way to learn how writers master their craft. There is something about a book that just works for me.

• Not just reading a book, rereading good books and closing bad books.

• Reading books outside of my ‘niche’, using different genres to inform my writing.

• Writing out great hooks and stories from my favourite books to really understand how the writer does it.

In 1997, Jakob Nielsen’s web usability study showed that 79% of web users scan rather than read. You do this when reading books too. Taking the time to read the words of an outstanding book is 100x better than skim reading a mediocre one.

This strategy calls for an investment in learning. It means I’ll spend money on books and a select few courses. I’m only interested in improving my writing.

2. Look for opportunities

Despite writing online for the last 2.5 years, I still had no clue was I was doing 12 months ago.

12 months ago, I saw an article as something I could wrap up in 1 hour flat, put a shiny bow on the top and end it there. I thought I’d conquered this writing online thing. In hindsight, I was suffering from the Dunning–Kruger Effect.

Now my eyes are open to the world of possibilities, there is so much to improve:

• Hooks

• Headlines

• Subheadings

• Flow

• Conclusion

• Voice

• Pace

Obviously, I can’t focus on all of those, perfectionism will get the best of me, and I’ll explode. Instead, I’m picking 2. Hooks and headlines, mostly because they both start with H.

3. Value first

Why did I close that book after page 18 and read the other in 2 days, waking up early to read it before work? Why was I so obsessed with one and so disappointed with another?

A small 5 letter word that changes everything.

Value.

If you want people to read your work you must provide value. Value can mean several different things to different people, but we’re really talking about delivering something your readers want.

That’s why knowing who your users are, understanding them like you would your best friend, is critically important if you want to write incredible internet content.

4. Focus

To write incredible internet content sounds simple. But it’s actually intertwined in complexity. Mostly the complexity that comes from being consistent every day.

Focus is one thing I’ve always struggled with. My attention diverts from one thing to another which is a huge waste of time. A few years back I had 15 business ideas on the go, all of which I was half-hearting.

I had to face an unfortunate truth: you can’t be better than most people if you’re doing multiple things. Having fingers in multiple pies overwhelms you’re senses.

You have to go all in and focus on one thing if you want to get to the top.