Save Time Writing your Next Blog With this Tool

“X marks the spot!”

In any successful branding project, having a clear creative direction is essential. It provides designers with a roadmap to create beautiful and strategic designs. Similarly, the narrative direction is vital for creating engaging written content that flows smoothly and is consistent with the client's brand personality.

The narrative direction is a set of factors discussed with the client to determine the message they want to convey and the target audience they want to reach. If you stick around until the end of the video, there is a special bonus. We will now break down each factor of the narrative direction.

Topic

What will the work be about? This pertains to the main subject or theme on which the work will focus. It is essential to clearly understand the topic to plan and execute the job effectively and ensure that it meets the desired objectives and outcomes.

Style

How will the work be presented - as a blog, an article, a case study, a review, or another format?

Target Audience

Who will be the primary readers of this work? This goes into their age, gender, occupation, interests, struggle, etc. Once the primary reader is nailed down, you can better understand what speaks to them.

Tone/Language

Is the work more formal and technical with the language, or is it more informal, and the words are more conversational? Once you know the target audience, finding out what language best resonates with them will be easier.

Title/Headline

This attention grabber will get people to read the work. This doesn’t mean it should be clickbait or under-deliver on content. The title should tell the potential reader, “Here is the solution to your problem.” And, of course, this is always subject to change.

Main Message

What main point will the work convey to the audience? This also ties into the call to action that the work is leading to.

Points of Interest

This takes the main message and develops it into digestible points that get it across. For example, a review article for a new type of supplement will go over the health benefits, the ingredients, how it makes the user feel, and best use practices. These points will support and clarify the central message of the work.

Keywords

Keywords are essential in writing. Alongside some keywords that your client will provide, you will come across some in your research that will make the article even better.

Inbound Links

Linking an article to other relevant content on a website can increase audience engagement. Engaged visitors are more likely to be interested in your content and may be more likely to purchase a product or request services. If your client has other related articles on their blog page, try to find similarities between your topic and those articles. When writing, you can add hyperlinks to these related articles at the point where the viewer's interest is at its peak to provide more in-depth information.

Outbound Links

Outbound links direct users from one website to another. These links are used to provide additional information or to give credit to sources that have been utilized in the content. Outbound links can also support a point made in the article with a study, statistic, or other relevant information not available on the original website. When using outbound links, it is crucial to ensure the linked content is relevant, trustworthy, and adds value to the reader's experience. This helps build credibility and trust with the audience, increasing engagement and conversions.

Call to Action

The call to action (CTA) is the final part of an article that prompts the reader to take action after reading the content. The CTA should be relevant to the content of the article and should encourage the reader to engage further with the brand or take a specific action, such as subscribing to a newsletter, downloading a guide, or making a purchase. A well-crafted CTA can effectively convert readers into customers and drive engagement with your brand. In planning, it’s best to think of the CTA first because it makes the topic and body of the article blend smoothly so the article doesn’t feel “salesy.”

Now that you have established the direction of your narrative and organized your ideas, and your client is on board, you are fully equipped to begin writing the content. With a solid foundation, you can now focus on putting your words to paper and bringing your story to life. Remember to stay true to your narrative direction and keep your audience engaged throughout the journey. Good luck with your writing!