Many of the same rules apply to the images you use with your content. You want an image that’s visually engaging and that directly ties back to your content, thus further reinforcing what the audience can expect after clicking through. Stock photos tend to feel like stock photos, so take care to pick images that are unique, stand out, and that you would respond to if you were the target audience. Most important, make sure that you are using images wherever you can to help capture people’s attention. Include them in your blog posts and on your land- ing pages, and incorporate them in your reports, case studies, and white papers. Create attractive covers for your eBooks and use thumbnails of the covers to help advertise them. A great image can go a long way toward piquing your target audi- Want to learn about competitive ence’s interest and getting them to take the time to consume your content. messaging? Download “Why Us? A Guide to Competitive Messaging.” 2. Incentivize Your Audience Never underestimate the power of incentivizing your target audience. Small rewards, such as a free trial of your service or a free sample of your product, can go a long way toward motivating people to convert. You can even take things a step further by offering gifts such as a free T-shirt (which can be incredibly effective, particularly if you are targeting a tech community) or a gift card. While there is an expense associated with this approach, smart campaigns can be created that drive conversions and make the investment well worth it. Also consider running contests or raffles, both of which can be extremely effective. 3. Create Landing Pages that Promote Specific Conversions Another important tactic that will help you maximize conversions is developing targeted landing pages that draw people in and get them to convert. The advantage of driving traffic to specific landing pages, rather than just your homepage, is that it allows you to focus visitors’ attention on one specific piece of content and corresponding conversion goal, rather than the many that may live on your homepage. It Takes a Content Factory! | 44