Content marketing is a powerful tool that can help you generate leads, build brand authority and increase sales. The key to creating effective content that drives results is knowing your audience: what they want, what they need, how they like to consume information and so on. You also need to understand what makes them tick.
To help you create content that will make a difference, we’ve prepared the following tips.
Make sure you know who you’re talking to.
It’s not just about getting the words right, but knowing how to say them.
A great way to get started is by writing a one-sentence summary of what you want the listener to know and remember. This is called an elevator pitch, because it’s the kind of thing you’d say when someone asks about your business during an elevator ride. You’ve only got a few seconds, so you only say what matters.
Once you’ve got a one-sentence summary, break it down into its component parts. What are the three most important things that your customer should know about your business? Then write those down in a way that’s clear and concise (no more than 50 words). This is called an elevator speech.
Next, write the speech. Start by writing down the three most important things that your customer should know about your business in 50 words or less. If you have one or more customers, write a script based on what they care about and need to hear from you.
Know what they want and need.
Once you’ve got a clear picture of who your audience is, it’s time to figure out what they want and need.
This is where things get interesting–and tricky. You can ask people directly (via surveys or interviews), but if you don’t have access to an existing customer base, you may need some creative thinking skills here. Try doing some research on social media and forums where members of your target market hang out; look at what kinds of questions they ask and how others respond; pay attention to trends in the industry; consider their demographics (age range, gender). If possible, try talking with someone who fits into this category so that you can get an insider’s perspective on what drives them–but don’t forget that everyone has different needs based on their life situation!
Get to know the competition.
Once you’ve decided on your topic, it’s time to get to know the competition. The first step is understanding what they are doing well and not so well–and then, how you can do it better.
For starters, look at their keywords: what words are they targeting? How many links do they have pointing back to them? What kind of content strategy do they follow (infographics vs long-form articles vs short blog posts)? And finally, how much traffic does this site receive per month in comparison with yours?
Find out what your readers are looking for.
Let’s take a moment to consider the difference between what your readers want and need. It’s important to understand this distinction because, as we’ll see later on in this guide, knowing what your readers want will help you produce content that connects with them.
But first things first: it’s time to learn how to find out what your readers are looking for!
Speak to your readers’ pain points and their aspirations.
In order to connect with your readers, you need to know them. What are their pain points? How can you help them with those problems? Are there any aspirations that they have but don’t know how to achieve?
Your content should speak directly to these issues–the more specific, the better. If someone has a problem with their back and Googles “back pain,” for example, then an article titled “How To Get Rid Of Back Pain For Good” will be much more effective than one titled “The Best Methods For Treating Your Lower Back”.
You don’t have to know everything about marketing, but you should be able to understand your audience
Understanding what your readers are looking for and who they are will help you create content that resonates with them.
If you want to produce compelling content that connects with readers and drives sales, then knowing where else your competition is going above and beyond for their readers will help set yourself apart from the crowd.
Conclusion
We’ve covered a lot of ground here: from understanding your audience to writing compelling content that connects with readers. And while it may seem like there are a lot of steps involved in creating great content, the truth is that these tips aren’t difficult to implement. All you need is an open mind and some time on your hands!And if you ever find yourself in a pickle, don’t be afraid to reach out for help.
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