3 Critical Questions to Ask Before You Hit Publish

I have a bone to pick with the digital marketing community (yeah, I'm counting myself too). In an effort to win the content marketing rat race, we continue to push quantity over quality in an effort to please (and appease) our clients. We have lost our way, valuing word counts over words that count.

The next time you you think you're ready to hit "publish" on your next blog post, ask yourself these three simple questions first.

1. What will the reader remember about my post?

Everything you publish should have a clear purpose. Whether its an educational article, a strong opinion or even a product announcement, your content should leave the reader with at least one memorable nugget of knowledge.

2. Would I enjoy reading this?

This is the ultimate litmus test for the quality of your writing. If you struggle to read through your entire article after completing it, you might want to go back to the drawing board. Love what you write and others will too.

3. What could I add (or subtract) to make this post better?

This simple question can make a world of difference in the quality of your content. Why? Because every single post can be improved through addition and subtraction. Too often posts miss key details or stuff in unnecessary words to sound more professional. Act like Goldilocks and find the combination of words and ideas that work just right.

I hope these three questions will help you make better writing decisions in the future. What questions do you ask to improve the quality of your content?

Steve Murphy is the CEO of Bamboo Interactive, a digital marketing and technology agency located in Red Bank, NJ.