Creating content that stands out from the pack isn’t easy to do, and sometimes even trying to define what constitutes excellent content can be a challenge.

What sort of content do people like so much that they want to share it? There probably are a variety of opinions about that subject, but first and foremost, great content is enjoyable to read.

It’s well written, relevant, timely and to the point–even downright entertaining–without a lot of extraneous fluff and stuff. It’s not a disguised sales pitch, a headline that promises one thing but delivers another, or a recycled version of conventional wisdom that really doesn’t offer anything new.

Below are my suggestions for 15 ways to generate great content in 2015. Of course, you won’t use all of these suggestions with each piece you write, but keeping them in mind will help you develop copy that is fresh, lively and on target for your audience:

1. Offer new insights or information
2. Provide new information
3. Be practical and relevant
4. Converse in an easy-to-understand manner
5. Offer guidance for solving a problem
6. Tackle a tough or controversial subject
7. Offer thoughtful analysis
8. Discuss a trend and its implications
9. Make a prediction
10. Take a counter viewpoint—or at least a different slant—to conventional wisdom on a particular topic
11. Offer tips and advice that are actionable
12. Answer questions
13. Tell a story
14. Use practical, real-life examples to illustrate key points
15. Make an emotional connect

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