A lot of factors go into the development of content. It’s probably the reason why it’s so hard to define what actually contributes to the quality of content in content marketing.

Setting aside obvious factors such as perfect grammar and interesting angles, here are what I would consider to be the true measure of quality content:

1. Quality content achieves marketing objectives

You develop content to achieve marketing objectives. Therefore, it’s important that you get the most out of it. You don’t want to simply develop material, waste time and resources, and unable to meet your predetermined marketing goals. Content should align, not just in terms of messaging to your overall strategy, but to your big picture and long-term goals as well.

2. Quality content is well researched

I don’t mean well researched in the context of the topic itself, but in relation to writing something that you know your audience actually cares about. This is why it’s so important to get to know your audience. Doing so means you can actually address your audience’s main concerns and develop content that resonates with them.

3. Quality content doesn’t overtly sell

It’s difficult to get your audience to pay attention to what you have to say when you keep pitching them your products and services. Quality content has to be more subtle. It has to focus on your ability to solve a problem and address your reader’s needs. Keep in mind that people are more inclined to process narratives—so tell a story instead of pitching or selling them something.

4. Quality content drives your business purpose

Hinging off the previous point, while it’s important to tell a story and build a narrative for your content, it’s also important to remember that you’re still doing this so your readers take a specific action. It could be because you’re trying to convince them to click on a link, visit your website, or even make a purchase. Whatever it is, don’t lose sight of this fact as you tell your story. Good content finds a way to bring both together effectively.

5. Quality content is technically optimized

When all possible considerations have already been measured and applied, you want to make sure that your content is technically optimized. This means ensuring that all on-page SEO guidelines are followed. Format it in such a way that it’s readable. Check to make sure all your links are active and go to relevant sites. Use headers that will maximize your SEO opportunities. You also want to make sure that all media used is relevant to the content that you’re developing.

As a basic rule, I try to remind marketers that it’s always best to put themselves in the shoes of their audience in order to deliver the best and most relevant content. While these guidelines do serve as a great framework, there really are no hard and fast rules that can definitively define what quality content is. When in doubt, feel free to get in touch with me so we can sit down and hash it out.