How to Create Epic Content

How to Create Epic Content

Reader Comments (68)

  1. “aim for someone in your weight class”
    I tell my clients this all the time. You have to compete with your actual competition, not who you think or want your competition to be. And keep in mind that your online competition might not be the same as your offline.

  2. Game over. This is officially the BBE – Best Blog Ever. Takes everything I thought I knew about blogging — and destroys it. Thanks, I needed that.

  3. there should a different classification for epic posts that separate them from regular content.

    Whatever that line is, you leaped over it with this post, Demian. Thank you!

  4. Demian, I’m always a little wary of bloggers creating “epic content” or “useful shit”. Those phrases seem to be a little overused here in the blogosphere. Each post I’ve read from you, however, is great reading and filled with useful detail. Thanks for sharing this one.

  5. The problem with this post is that it made me want to read a lot of other posts by you too! Interesting point about the needed length for an epic post. that is a refreshing “out of the box’ advice when we so often hear to keep it short – that people’s attention span is short. Thanks.

  6. Thanks for the post! I’m new to blogging and enjoy combining information and narrative but worry about length. This post was a great example of a long post that kept me reading because it was packed with useful info. You just made my list of people to “read like mad.”

  7. • “Well, think about how much competition they have now. When you’re perched at the top of the hill everybody can see you. And everybody wants to take you out.” – hm… not really. Everybody wants to join you. We love authorities, really.

    • ‘Be the dumbest guy in the room’ – I like that one! You have to be willing to state the obvious too. Often it is not so obvious to others. Just phrase it originally.

    • Will be interested to see how many more epic posts you have up your sleeve – good work!

    • Okay, maybe it’s just me that wants to knock them off their thrones. I try not to make my neurosis the readers neurosis. Sometimes it slips through. 😉

      I’m up for the epic challenge. 🙂

  8. I’m normally a 300words person post I’ve recently forced myself to write 500-1000 words articles and immediately seen result.
    I do agree on “Don’t make this mistake
    with competition” bloggers spent way more time worrying about the wrong competition and forgets people in their own level.

  9. Super post! Helpful for me since I am new to the game – just getting started on selling myself as a thought leader. I like to write, and like another gentleman said above, this advice is counter to some of what I have read before, but it resonates well with my style. It’s hard to be substantive in 500 words, period. I like to give something to my readers, and while I don’t consider my stuff epic, as my primary job is consulting, NOT writing, I do always want to do the best I can. I like your well written tips. Literary references and lot’s of links is an awesome gift. Thanks! I will save this post and take it out before I post again!

  10. truly epic post!
    I follow the weekly model to most of my posts on my tech blog. the one thing I’m struggling is to maintain multiple blogs (3-4) with epic content. there were many (30+) initially but cut down to these 3-4 now and want to concentrate on these only. do you have any advice how to maintain quality as well as quantity on this number of blogs?

    • Great question Vijay. My only advice is to cut back on the number of blogs or recruit guest writers. Focus on just the one or two blogs that you can dominate. Sounds like you are spreading yourself too thin, and the only antidote for that is cutting back.

  11. Awesome stuff Demian! I was right with you until the part about “no making love until you get it right.”
    Jeez, I would be a 50-year old virgin with that strategy. 😉

  12. Epic! What’s that?
    I guess the definition is from the emotions it aroused in me. One word: INcredible. I should add another: Push.
    That makes it: Incredible Push. Yes, your article is Epic because it gives me an incredible push, to act.

  13. It’s like this article is a compilation of the best epic content writing advice I’ve saved for myself over the years. Having this one-stop-shop to share sure makes it easier to pass along. And in true Copyblogger fashion, the last section doesn’t spoil us with cheap tips or shortcuts.

    Darn. 😉

  14. I was so relieved to read this post…I always try to create the best content that I can but it can take me a few days to write a tutorial or distill down the true meaning of what I want to say in a post. It’s nice to hear that it’s okay to take a few days to create this stuff. I’ve been hearing a lot about creating epic content, but not a whole lot about what it takes to make it happen. I felt like I was the only one not cranking out a post a day.

    Thanks for a great post and for including a lot of great links to check out/learn from.

  15. My current brain cells (2) are not making contact. Do I have to type out the actual word for a response? Well, here it comes————–HELP! Then again, I’ll return to the person that recommended that seek to publish on ebook. If I need to return to this, page or whatever it is, I will; otherwise, happy writing and reading all. Coop

  16. You just keep on writing epic content, my man. We need to gather the entire online world of content producers around this post for a read-a-thon. Read this post – then read it again…and if you don’t mind, repeat that.

  17. A content guide that doesn’t use the words “interaction” or “engagement”–thank god for that! Now all we need is to eradicate “epic” and everything’ll be just fine. Otherwise, v nicely done. Do you have any insights on B2B content strategy? I’ve been told it’s all one and the same, but have trouble believing it myself.

    • In my experience: For B2B, you need to know who’s involved in making a decision to buy. Often that’s more than one person. Then you need content that works for each of those people. You may need to create some content for engineers, some for CTOs, and some for CFOs. It depends on *your* sales cycle.

      Same concepts, just often there are more steps than in B2C.

  18. Epic indeed.

    I think this post needs to be a must-read for those truly trying to establish a good content generating blog or website. Because filler can only get you so far, you need to create posts that not only include good information, but information that sets you apart from others in your field. You can’t expect other’s to look to your posts as “the good stuff” if you’re not willing to put in the time and effort to do your research and really hone your pieces.

    Well done Demian!

  19. I always trying to improve my writing from my previous post.

    I keep an eye on my competition at the same time for possible ideas but at the end of the day it’s what I write and how it impacts people that matters.

  20. The article itself is a fine example of how to create truly epic content!

    I just want to add that you don’t always have to create epic content. Just look at Seth Godin’s blog. He publishes entries that are a few sentences long. But he publishes everyday.

    I’d say a good mix of epic content and regular high quality (although not-so-epic ) content is ideal.

    • I agree a combination of long and short articles is not a bad strategy–but only if there is a good reason. Just because you want to publish daily is not enough. 🙂

      The thing with Seth Godin is he is an epic star to begin with. He could type out horoscopes and people would fall all over it. Besides, he’s got about a bajillion years of experience behind me (double you and I put together) and what he usually says in a short space is profound. You and I can’t do that. Not a good strategy for IMO.

      Here’s an exception: the guy who does Seven Sentences: http://sevensentences.com/

  21. Our writing can only be as epic as we are, don’t you think? Understanding our lives and investing our understanding in our writing is our own epic drama unfolding for ourselves and for others. You nailed it here, Demian. Thanks for a deeply useful post.

  22. Holy cow! That was the Copyblogger version of the Iliad – awesome! And just so you know – I ONLY came to read this because YOU wrote it, sir! LOL James Chartrand wrote an awesome Anti-Epic post the other week and I’ve pretty much had my fill of the Epic stuff and kind of sworn it off right now. LOL

    Glad I was wrong and popped in! Thanks, Demian!

  23. I love this post, Demian. Why? Because it sets the bar higher and challenges bloggers to step up their game. Thanks for the challenge, and thanks for the post.

  24. Amazing stuff. I wish I had great writing skills. I always try to improve from my previous written post and one thing I know is that I am improving day by day. But still, there is a lot to learn.

  25. Hi Demian, another inspiring post to bookmark and reference.

    I definitely think it’s an ego thing though when you measure up the impact your article has made over the week. I do respect the disclosure as it’s the first time I’ve seen it mentioned.

    The realistic 5 day plan is something that can be incorporated and I would like to know how you would get away with posting once a week if sticking to that structure?

    Nevertheless, key food for thought and I love improvement too!

  26. I find writing an epic post is the best way to indirectly protect your work. People might copy and paste parts of it elsewhere, but you can’t steal the style or intention behind the work. And readers always find their way back to the original source/content regardless of where else they might read it.
    Also, epic posts send a message to your readers that your serious about blogging. They’ll respect you for it.

  27. This is an epic post. Take a week to create an epic post. Awesome.Seems like I have a lot of work to do. Does every post has to be epic?

  28. Yes content does matter,the tips provided here is very useful and interesting. Copyblogger is a source of inspiration for numerous newbies in blogging.Thanks for sharing an awesome post as always.

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