Are you trying to blog for money or build an online business? Well, I’ve got news for you — it’s not eyeballs and social shares that’ll rake it in. What you need is a formula, a template, shall we say, for how to create content that sells. 

The myth of the starving writer is just that, a myth. You can get your writing to net you a profit. If you focus on making your content sing and sell, you’re going to see a 5X increase in conversion rates. I’ll show you how. Ready? Let’s go!

Why won’t social shares and eyeballs make your content sell?

Okay, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that traffic and social shares aren’t important. They definitely are, but they have their place. Creating content that’s designed to sell is a totally different animal. Heck, it’s not even in the same genus as website traffic and social sharing. 

You want to start thinking like a CEO.

Here’s the thing, my friends — content needs to have a purpose. And did you know that purpose is to generate revenue? It’s true. Creating content just to say you made something is totally missing the point. The point of content is to make sales, not generate shares. That’s a byproduct. 

Think about those funny cat videos you see on Facebook. They brighten your day, make you smile, all that jazz. They also get tons of shares. Are they selling anything? Nope. Just smiles. 

Sharing funny videos to get shares and smiles is great — if your goal is to brighten your loved one’s day. But when it comes to building a business, your content needs a higher calling and purpose. That’s thinking like a CEO. 

Here’s how you can design your content for selling. 

Step #1: Start with an ideal reader.

The first step in creating content that sells is to start with a specific target audience member or ideal reader. This is the person you’re trying to help with your content. They’re either actively or unknowingly looking for what you’re selling. 

Once you identify who this person is, their problem, and how they need to solve it (with your offerings, of course), then you need to structure your content around those components. 

When crafting your content, keep this front and center in your mind:

How will the content gently nudge or otherwise convince the ideal reader to see me as a good brand to do business with?

The bottom line is, you want the content to be pre-selling your business to the audience. 

Step #2: Realize it’s okay to be a little controversial. 

Controversy sells. Just turn on the news! On second thought, don’t. I don’t want to ruin your day. But if the news is any example, content that’s a little bit controversial is content that sparks interest. 

Here’s an idea I’d like you to try — come up with a list of well-known myths in your industry. Create content around debunking the myths to get to the truth. And voila! Controversial content!

So the reason you want a little bit of controversy in your content is for two main reasons, besides the fact it’s just plain fun:

• Controversy has a high chance of becoming viral. If you’re trying to get more people to consume your content, infuse it with a bit of controversy. That’s what will spark interest and keep them reading, sharing, clicking your CTAs, and coming back for more. 
• Controversy sells because it resonates. Think of the most famous, controversial people today. Audience members either love or hate these individuals. But regardless, they’ve got stark raving mad fans and major haters alike. The key to getting more sales is by having fans, not an audience who’s just like, “Meh, this stuff’s okay.” 

Okay, got your controversial topic? Let’s make sure it sings. 

Step #3: Use stats, evidence, and showcase your expertise. 

A big secret for how to make content that sells is that it demonstrates your expertise. Have you ever watched an infomercial and bought what it was selling? That’s because an infomercial is a prime example of expertise showcased. It’s very convincing. 

The trick is, you want to put a bit of time into demonstrating the effectiveness of your offering. You want to give your audience those little eureka moments, those nods of agreement. This will make you seem like an authority, and it fosters a connection between you and the audience. 

So, sprinkle pieces of proof throughout your content. 

• Statistics
• Case studies
• Testimonials
• Survey results 

. . . and other bits of evidence to make you more credible. Look, people see an average of up to 5000 ads per day. That’s insane. People want authenticity in marketing and aren’t going to fall for the old school slimy sales tactics. 

Being authentic and credible will help you forge a connection and build trust with your viewers and make your content sell. People want to buy from those they trust. 

Other strategies and assets you can use to help build credibility:

• If you’ve been on the news, no matter how small or local, use it! 
• Use a compelling story or anecdote to become more persuasive and build an emotional bond with your audience. If you’re following step #1 to a T, this will create empathy in the reader because they’ll see themselves in your story. 
• Write about your specialization. Do you want a plumber or a surgeon to operate on you? See what I mean . . .
• Use a comparison chart to further bolster your controversial claim.

Step #4: Poke the bear, then give it some honey. 

What do I mean by this? Well, you want to use your content to forge these two connections in the reader’s mind:

• The way you’ve been doing things is hard and, ultimately, ineffective. So, how’s that been working for ya?
• The way I’m going to teach you to do things is easy and best of all? It works.

So you want the audience to come away with the conclusion that your offering is going to make things go faster and more smoothly for them. And most importantly, that what you’re offering will work to solve whatever issue it is they’re having. 

In your content, you need to demonstrate, in detail, the process people need to implement to get the results they want. Be thorough and clear in your communication. 

Depending on what you’re selling, you want to do this for one of two reasons:

• Your ideal reader is a DIYer, and you want them to take your advice and implement your process, download your blueprint, etc. 
• You want to show the audience just how complicated solving their problem truly is. That way, they’ll be more likely to say, “Oh screw it, I don’t have the time for this!” and hand it off to an expert like you. 

Now that you are armed, go forth, and create your content to sell!

Are you ready to see higher conversion rates and more sales from your content? Here are your action steps:

• Come up with a list of controversial topics or myths to debunk. 
• Select a topic to start with. 
• Brainstorm and think about the type of person you’re trying to reach with this topic. How can you help them?
• Gather your evidence to showcase your myth-busting expertise.
• Speak to your reader’s problem and solve it. 

Follow these steps when strategizing your content. You’ll see an increase in CTRs, readers, and customers for your business. 

Still stumped? It’s a lot to figure out. Learning the Way of the Conversion isn’t easy and it’s like drinking from a firehose. Instead, let’s go from drowning in TMI to more like sipping sweet tea on the porch in a comfy rocking chair type of sitch, okay?

Download my eBook, Write Your As$ Off: Proven Copywriting Formulas to Increase Your Sales and Grow Your Business. 

When it comes to creating the type of writing strategies you need to get those clicks and conversions, this eBook practically gives them to you — and all for less than the price of a standard Starbucks latte. 

No more wasting away the hours trying to come up with that perfect intro to your blog. Juicy headlines? Clickable CTAs? You’ll get them all and much more in this eBook. 

Download it today and get cracking!