All of us are content consumers to one extent or another. We all read blogs and articles online, watch videos, listen to podcasts — that sort of thing. This gives us tremendous insight into what it means to be part of an audience simply because we are part of an audience.
So what sort of content do you engage with — press releases that talk about how great a new product is or high-value content that answers a key question or solves a key problem? Of course, it’s the latter, and this is why you need to offer high-value, helpful content as part of your strategy for 2023.
The team at Impressive has put together a handy guide to help your 2023 content strategy become genuinely helpful — and genuinely valuable — for your audience.
Start From a Problem/Solution Base
Distance yourself from the idea that your content is exclusively a marketing tool. While it certainly does a lot for your marketing and promotional campaigns, content is about much more than this — it’s an opportunity to help and assist your readers. In this sense, it is effectively a product or service in its own right.
So, think about what problems your audience is facing. Perhaps they have bought a product and want to know how to get the best out of it. Or maybe they are interested in making a purchase but want to know which make or model suits their needs. Being exclusively promotional is not going to cut it here. Instead, you must show that you understand the audience’s problem and have an objective solution.
Really Get to Know Your Audience
You might be able to identify some basic problems and solutions with your existing industry knowledge, but you need to dig a little deeper to ensure your content is truly helpful in 2023. You need to really get to know the different segments of your audience, understanding their motivations and the specific issues they face. Then you can provide solutions that target specific buyer demographics.
Analytics and audience data can give you some information here, but you need to back this up with qualitative data too. Reach out to your audience and find out more about their pain points and areas of dissatisfaction. This gives you a great resource to work against as you tackle customer problems.
Think About Emotions
Always remember that you are writing for humans, not for Google. Google isn’t trying to create a list of links to content that ticks all the SEO boxes — their aim is to provide helpful service to Google’s users. If you can create content that genuinely meets the needs of these users — within the SEO framework, of course — high SERP rankings will follow.
Humans experience emotion; this is one of our defining characteristics. Keep these emotions in mind when you create content. Is your audience feeling fearful or anxious about a potential problem, or are they optimistic about possible opportunities? Are their needs urgent, or are they facing a long-term issue? These considerations will help you adopt the right tone for your content.
Diversify Your Content Channels
Make sure your content reaches the right eyes. Of course, this means adopting a solid SEO strategy and ranking highly on Google’s search pages, but it also means thinking outside of this particular box. Your customers are probably active on social media, so consider which social platforms they use and distribute your content there.
Don’t forget your mailing list, either. A regular newsletter is a great way to expand your content’s reach and ensure it reaches those who can benefit from it. Keep your brand profiles in mind and segment your mailing list according to this to deliver the right content to the right customers.
Be Completely Trustworthy
Your audience needs to be able to trust you. Keep the principles of E-A-T in mind — crucial SEO principles that cover Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. Cite all the facts and statistics you quote in your content so that your audience can verify this data and build confidence in you. Foster organic backlinks from other high-authority content providers, expanding your audience and demonstrating your expertise in the market.
If your audience doesn’t believe what you say, they aren’t going to engage with the content you offer. This is another example of how it pays to take your foot off the promotional pedal here and there and instead focus on providing content of real value to your audience.
Do More With Your Content
Ready to optimize your content strategy for 2023, providing real help and value to your audience? Reach out to our team and discover how Impressive can help you do that and get your Free Marketing Plan today.
