Online Tools Help Create Better Content

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Creativity is well and good, especially when the subject matter is worthwhile. But if creators of content can't capture the attention of their target audience, their efforts are largely for naught.

Creating captivating content. The value may not be what is said so much as how it's said. When a topic is overdone, it loses its appeal. Many agonize over the right topic, the right words, the particular frame of reference and how to connect with an audience. It's magic when it all comes together and agonizing when it doesn't, but what separates good from great and keeps people coming back for more is "new" and "original." Over and over, I find that to be true.

An overdone topic can still be engaging if presented with a fresh angle. I'm no expert in slapping fresh angles over overdone material, so I often seek the assistance of available resources. I-Lighter is one such resource. Gathering information from different websites into common pages and notebooks gives me better visualization of the overall material. Common threads are easier to recognize and write about when material is organized in this manner.

Wednesday's Problogger tips focused on Sitemeter and 103bees as tools for creating new and engaging content, but I personally like a tool called Lijit for this purpose. Not only do I receive regular search reports via email, these searches track from my social networks and other online presences as well. From these search terms, I learn what attracts a target audience. I then try to create new content focused on those attractions. Daniel provides a terrific widget comparison chart listing other web metric tools, just in case anyone wants to experiment with something else.

Reviewing someone else's content for new ideas is a double-edged sword. It's helpful to see what's out there, but at the same time, knowing what's out there increases the potential for inadvertent or intentional plagiarism Good research can make or break an article, so I use these tools sparingly. Google Scholar Beta is an excellent research tool with a gargantuan data base allowing narrow and custom search as well as the ability to search particular publications. The front page links to a form where one can specify a particular library. The Library of Congress data base is even more impressive but does not provide equivalent functionality.

Finally, OpenOffice provides a free suite of online office tools I have found useful for creating more engaging content. Let's say you're a free thinker and have problems organizing your thoughts. You've developed an interesting angle on your chosen topic, but your material is all over the place and trails in different directions. Much like a wiki, its Navigator re-orders content for quick editing. Microsoft Live Office is a competitor, but I enjoy the ease of utilization and diversity.

So, there you have it. My little bag of tricks. Sometimes they pull through for me and sometimes not, but they're well worth the effort whatever the outcome.