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If you've followed the advice so far in this chapter, then you're already in a position to design your own valuable content.
But you might find it helpful to draw inspiration from some content suggestions.
Common types of content
Perhaps the most common form of newsletter content is the news/update variety. Here, the publisher informs the reader of company news, new products or services, or new features at a website. While easy to produce, it's hard to generate much impact or influence with this kind of material.
You're relying on fundamental reader interest in you, your products and services, or your website. This interest may indeed be real; think of phenomena such as Star Wars, the Grateful Dead, Harry Potter, Harley Davidson, Kinder Surprise and various websites which have built loyal followings in their niche or community.
But if you're short of a Jedi Knight or two, then the chances are that you'll have to do more with your content if you want to really interest your readers.
One alternative is through personality (see next chapter), which can make even the blandest content interesting. You might also expand your content to include some of the following...
- present a relevant problem and suggest solutions.
- provide analysis and opinion of a relevant topic, idea, event, news item, company, industry, public performance, product, service, book etc.
- point readers to valuable online resources (websites, downloads etc.)
- offer little tips and tricks on how to get more out of your offerings, the PC, the Internet, or life.
- provide amusing or inspirational anecdotes, stories and quotes.
- answer feedback or create a dedicated section for answering reader questions.
- present interviews or case studies with relevant people, sites or companies.
- present news.
Pointing readers to valuable online resources makes great content. The vastness of the Internet means there is considerable interest in services which find, sort and review online resources, and present the best ones to their readers.
If you do choose that route, you can get one jump ahead of the competition by taking a leaf out of the copywriter's book: don't just describe a resource, but explain how the reader can benefit from it.
And remember: the thread running through all these alternatives must be finding the value to the reader. If you can hold that thought while producing content, then you'll be fine.
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