The content you post can have a significant impact on your rankings and conversion rates as the content marketing industry becomes more competitive.
No surprise, most people will prefer to read articles that interest them to lengthy sales pitches. It is your responsibility as a brand to let go of your ego and focus on what you see are your primary needs in order to market your product or service. Instead, cater to your audience’s needs and interests first.
You will see the results that you had hoped for with hard selling once you make this change. You will get more customers, loyal readers, and more engagement with your posts. This article will show you how to create blog posts that are reader-friendly and help you reach your content marketing goals.
Know Your Audience
It is crucial to understand why readers read your posts. You won’t be able meet the expectations of your reader if you don’t understand their needs.
Learn more about search intent and how people search for answers on specific topics. Search engines will allow you to type different keywords into your search engine, whether you are searching for a product or a purchase.
You should also check out what content is available. You may not have to contribute if there is already an article that covers the topic.
After you have figured out what someone wants from a blog post, adapt the content to suit the topic and the reader. You don’t have to simplify things when writing technical pieces. Avoid using terms that are unfamiliar to novices if you’re writing for them.
Your content should be aligned to each stage of the sales funnel. Top-level content should be more focused on the product line. They should also be provided with detailed information if they are interested in a particular topic.
Anna Newton is a master at knowing her audience. Her capsule wardrobe is one of her most popular YouTube videos and a topic that she is well-known for on the internet. This blog post is super helpful and gives a checklist.
This is her most popular topic, so she clearly understands what readers want and has answered their questions.
Additional Written Content for Video
Sometimes, readers will prefer to listen and see rather than read. This is especially true when discussing more complicated topics or those that require visual demonstrations.
Consider a topic such as changing the P-trap in your kitchen sink. Do you prefer to see someone do it, or read a detailed guide?
However, we advocate adding to your written content. Your writing should not be replaced by a video. Video can be used to appeal to more people and cater to different needs.
Video can add value to your written content, extend the time of the reader, and rank higher.
Not all blog posts need a video. So only embed your videos (or create them) for those posts that really require them. You can add additional value by using images, even for topics like “Top 5 Beaches in Hawaii”.
Scott’s Cheap flights is a great example of how a company incorporates video into their posts. Scott’s Cheap Flights has done an excellent job of explaining the process of using Google Flights. They have also included lots of images. However, the video guide adds even more value. You can follow along and perform your own search.
Source: Scottscheapflights.com
If you don’t have the time to read through several thousand words, then this video will be a great way to answer all your questions in a step by step manner.
Stay focused on the point
People are more annoyed by long introductions. If they don’t like the writing style of the author and are interested in the content, they won’t read the introduction.
You can make the reader stay longer if you give them what they want. Reduce the introduction and write a few sentences about what you’re going to be talking about.
Don’t be too verbose. Keep in mind that search engines read your posts starting at the top. Therefore, it is important to be as specific as possible about what you are writing.
Your reader will be annoyed if you divert from the point. People want answers to their questions. They don’t want to hear sales pitches.
You can use puns and your wit to write your own voice. Make sure readers don’t have to look through your verbosity to find the answer to their question.
This article on Kartra and Kajabi product comparisons is an excellent example of a post that quickly answers the main question. After a brief introduction, the writer quickly gets to the point and identifies which tool is best for each user.
Sometimes, writers believe that a quick answer to the main question will prevent readers reading the whole post. You have to ask yourself if this is your main concern. Are you actually creating content that meets the needs of your readers?
Use meaningful subheadings
Most readers will only skim an article to find the information they need. They won’t read every paragraph and will only pay attention to the ones they find most interesting.
This post has a very clear structure. To understand how to create better posts that are more reader-focused, you only need to read the subheadings. You’ll be more likely to pay attention to a particular paragraph if one of these topics interests you.
This means that no one could be reading this sentence. We’d love to hear from you if you are.
Your subheadings will make it easier for readers to find their place in your text. They will also make them feel more motivated to read your thoughts on that particular point.
Copyblogger’s post on subheadings. The three sub-heads grab your attention and make it easy to continue reading the post. Every person who opens that article will find the answer they are looking for.
Lay your information out intelligently
Use the inverted triangle method to grab the attention of your audience.
The inverted pyramid of journalism requires that you begin with the most crucial information first. All information about the who and what, the when, where, and why should be provided upfront. Next, add any supporting information.
Source: nngroup.com
This means that you should summarize the most important information before writing a blog post. This might seem counterintuitive. You may think you need to write more than you can, but you must give the reader the information they want. This is a bad way to approach it.
Readers will feel more relaxed if they are able to meet their needs quickly. They will be more inclined to stay and learn about the topic they are most interested in. They will quickly forget if you ask them to read 1000 words before they get to the point.
Remember that readers may scan your pages using the F-pattern, and will focus their attention on the top or left. You should ensure that the most important information is right in front of them.
Source: Neurosciencemarketing.com
There are many reading styles, so not everyone will be able to read your pages. You should get to the point quickly and stay on the right track.
Make it easy to read
It is important that your content be simple to understand. It doesn’t matter how valuable the information is. If your readers are presented with a wall of text they won’t be able to understand it.
Research has shown that “chunking” written material helps users understand, process, and retain it.
A writer can break down their content in many different ways. Visual elements such as images, videos and other HTML components are the best way to do this.
This blog post about being a digital nomad living in Mexico is an excellent example of how you can use this technique to break up the monotony of text. Although the post is only 5,000 words long, the author has made the content very accessible to readers by using various visual elements throughout.
There are many ways to ensure your posts don’t seem too visual. It can be difficult to do this, but it is possible. This post was written by Unscramblex.
The following methods were used by the publishers to get it right:
- This post is written in large font.
- Paragraphs can be very short.
- Spacing between paragraphs is generous.
- The font is very prominent against the background color of the page.
- There are many subheadings.
- Numerous bullet points are used by the writer.
To prevent readers from being overwhelmed by too many words, you can use collapsible elements. This is particularly useful when the post is long or discusses a complicated topic. Your readers may feel self-conscious when learning something new. So making sure they feel at ease can make a big difference.
This is an excellent example of how to use this tactic. Although it is very detailed and long, you wouldn’t be able to see the entire thing. It is extremely useful and the subheadings are sufficient to give you an excellent overview of the entire process. To find out more, you just need to open the element.
Source: optimalworkshop.com
Offer exceptional informational value
You must bring your best to a topic in order to be a valuable resource. Do not be afraid to dig into the details and do your research so you can become the best author possible.
You should aim to write about topics you are familiar with so that further research can only enhance your understanding. If this is not possible, you should try to gain as much insight and information as possible.
The reader should be amazed by the information they have received from you. This is why it’s important to add personal experiences, examples, research data and any other relevant information that can help them feel like experts.
This series of posts focuses on voice acting. This guide is very detailed and targeted at a particular niche. It must be extremely valuable.
The series contains excellent advice and insight for voice actors. You will find examples, research and tips from voice actors.
Source: Voices.com
Each page contains links to pages that provide additional information on a particular topic. You can read this information for days and still feel confident that you can make a living by recording voice-overs.
Give us a reason to talk about your product
Remember that your blog posts should be selling your product or service. If you don’t find a way of mentioning it, most people won’t know that you have it.
Consider which products you can mention naturally when coming up with topics for your blog posts. Do not try to cram a product’s features into your blog posts just to get an internal link.
Your readers are looking for answers. They don’t feel sold to. The sale should be logical.
This post about the best Amazon repricer shows how the author managed to mention the product without sounding salesy. Although the topic is quite specific and the purpose of the post is to present the brand’s solution, it was done in a very gentle manner.
Source: goaura.com
These posts will help you get the traffic you need to convert.
Semrush is another company that excels at this. Semrush’s blog posts about search engine marketing aim to educate, but they also weave their solution seamlessly so that you never question its intent.
It may take some practice to find the best way to talk about yourself. If you are trying to give value to your readers, subtle product placements won’t bother them.
Last Thoughts
It is a great way to increase your blog traffic. Although it can take time to adjust your focus, once you get the hang of it, you will soon be producing the content search engines and readers love.
Scoop.it Blog published the article Content Marketing Tips: 8 Rules to Publishing Reader-Focused Posts.
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