One of the detriments to working from home is that I rarely have a chance to get caught up on the news, which can also be a positive depending on how you look at it. While at the corner store today, I caught a glimpse of the New York Post, whose cover read in large, bold letters, “30 KIDS SHOT DEAD” in reference to the Virginia Tech tragedy.

Anyone who lives in NYC knows that the New York Post gravitates politically toward the right, while its main competition, The Daily News, gravitates toward the left. For this reason, on the occasions when I buy a paper, it’s almost always The Daily News. After all, I have to live in the present circumstances brought about by our current political leadership, I damn well don’t want to read about them in a positive light. Besides, lies are like a thick porterhouse, better when rare.

Today, however, I opted for the Post as they had a better headline and the promise of a more comprehensive explanation of the events that took place. The Daily News headline centered around the bravery of a professor who held the gunman at bay while students escaped out of classroom windows. Not to say that sort of bravery is commonplace or any less deserving as a cover story, but to me it smelled of a “feel good” headline that missed the boat. When an event occurs, people want details, not side story fluff. The Post headline was attention grabbing and poignant. The subheader read “SPECIAL EDITION – REPORTS, PHOTOS: PAGE 2-11″, which sounded like comprehensive coverage. So, in the end, the Post got my 50 cents.

Not to turn an awful occurrence into an auspicious opportunity to write about SEO, but when it comes to content, who’s getting your potential customer’s 50 cents? From page and blog content to articles and PPC ads, writing can make or break your business. Some of the writing associated with search engine optimization is unquestionably meant for artificial intelligence in the form of search engine spiders. For the content that isn’t, however, it pays to put the best possible spin on what you’re writing about.

Last year, Donald Trump put a travel site together through an established airfare and hotel discounter. A day later, Joe and I put together an article deservedly slamming the site for its poor optimization. The article was aimed at Trump himself, and offered just enough spin to get his attention but also be palatable to a wider audience. The next day, we got a call from his people indicating he read the article and wanted to set up a meeting with us. The meeting never came to fruition, but the point is no less valid.

What are your customers interested in? What are their concerns, their needs and their issues? Most importantly, how can you use spin to help them find you and keep their attention long enough to gain their trust? That’s not to say that all the content you release needs to be controversial. We all know that most of the topics surrounding SEO aren’t exactly linkbaiting material. Still, by looking at your content from a potential client’s point of view, you’ll have a better shot at their business. Someone at the New York Post did today, and they managed not only to get me to buy a paper, which I don’t often do, but to choose their paper, which I almost never do. That’s the power of well written, thoughtful content spinned to peak someone’s interest.

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