Family Features creates and delivers branded content to millions of consumers
using digital, print and
social media.

View Case Studies
 

Family Features creates original content and leverages our comprehensive network of more than 4,000 digital, print and social media partners to deliver high-impact results.

Hundreds of brands, agencies and commodity promotion boards rely on us to create and deliver relevant, branded content to consumers.

clientLogos092019

Mat Releases | Earned Media Coverage | Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Written by Haley Vickers

puzzle keywordsSo, you want better content but just don’t know where to start? That’s usually the dilemma. It’s well-known that editors can be picky. But then again, it is their job to be picky. It’s almost unheard of to nail it and get everything perfect the first time around. We all know that. Edits after edits. Draft after draft. It happens to all of us.

Here are four insights to help create better content the first time around:

Time and content
Summer, spring, winter, fall. Those words are tricky and most of the time will be worked out of copy if not used correctly. Focusing in on a specific month or a few months is not as attractive to editors as something that is timeless. Try to be as open as possible when creating content for editors that way you don’t shorten the window of appeal. If you are producing seasonal content, make sure to have it ready 2-3 months in advance, that way your content comes out on time and within seasonal range for long-lead publications and magazines.

 

Don’t be overly promotional
Editors don’t want to appear as if they are endorsing a product. They don’t want to look like they are offering opinions on a product’s value. This will affect pickup. Don’t be overly promotional with anything you write. It will affect the success of your content.

Short headlines are better
Having shorter headlines gives editors more flexibility. If and when they design a layout using your work, it’s much simpler to have a few words to work with in a headline. Don’t overdo it with a 10-word headline. Make it simple and attention-grabbing. It can be challenging, but with enough experimenting, the words will fall into place.

Stand out, but not literally
Forget the caps, italics and bold-faced type. Most editors will remove these tactics for showing importance or calling out branding. There are other ways to emphasize words rather than making them distracting for editors and readers. Make your writing accurate and sharp so certain words or phrases carry more weight.

Haley Vickers
Haley Vickers

As an Editorial Assistant, Haley uses her past journalism experience and editing skills to help create content, edit content and prepare files for online distribution for Family Features. She is a recent graduate, earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Mass Media: Multimedia Journalism from Northwest Missouri State University.