If you’re reading this blog post, you’re probably already aware that producing high quality content for your business blog is one of the best ways to increase your search ranking and forge a connection with customers. It sounds easy enough, but it’s not uncommon for businesses to struggle with producing content that consumers care about. It’s actually not all that surprising. People get sucked into scenarios like, “Well, we sell shoeshine. There’s not anything remotely interesting about shoeshine, so no wonder our view counts are low.” But that’s a self-defeating opinion. There is something interesting about everything, so long as a market exists for it. The key then, is to properly engage that market. We must discern what type of content people want to read.
Do Your Research
It sounds like an over simplification, but discovering what readers want to consume is as simple as asking them. As a business, you’re on the other side of the fence, but need to see the issue through a consumer’s lens. There are several ways to do this. The first and easiest is asking yourself what you’d like to learn about a product or service you regularly consume. If you love painting, what would you like to read about on a paint supplier’s blog?
Another solution is to ask relatives, neighbors, or friends what they’d like to see on your blog. This is a great way to gain insight from people you trust. As a bonus, you might even get some feedback about the design and layout of your website.
If asking small groups of people is useful, asking large groups is even better. We recommend turning to discussion forums for a wider range of opinions. Creating your own account on a forum allows you to ask specific questions, but limits your research to answers you receive. So instead of creating an account and focusing on one forum, try browsing multiple forums to quickly pull information from many sources without having to wait for responses. Popular message boards such as Reddit are a great place to start, while a Google search can reveal other avenues to explore.
Be Personable
An important part of creating content that engages consumers is making sure that what they’re reading is just that: readable. That’s not to say you don’t need well-written information backed up by facts where appropriate, but the content shouldn’t read like a scientific journal. Writing in a conversational tone gives readers the impression you’re one of them. Remember, you’re not selling your product with blog posts, rather engaging consumers with interesting information. Try using relatable scenarios and analogies to build a relationship through words with consumers. It can help create the illusion that your blog is an impartial source. It’s important to understand that pushing product under the guise of an informative blog post is not usually well-received, and it will not help you earn consumer trust or loyalty.
Solve a Problem
Our last tip is a little more specialized and can be seen as a combination of tips one and two. Through our years of experience in this industry, we’ve discovered that people respond well to posts that help them solve a problem or make a difficult decision. Finding the problems to solve will come from the research that was suggested in our first tip, while articulating a solution in a manageable way comes from the second tip. Using our shoeshine analogy, give consumers an article detailing how to choose the proper shoeshine. What colors, types, and consistencies work well with each style of shoe? You’re not selling the shoeshine directly, but instead solving a problem for those who are inexperienced in buying your product. Not only have you solved a problem, but you’ve also positioned yourself as a knowledgeable and reputable resource.
According to a study commissioned by Slate and performed by Chartbeat, most readers are only reading 60 percent of online articles. Ever-shortening attention spans are making it all the more important to increase the quality of your content and engage readers by exploring and producing the type of content they value.
If you are struggling to produce content for your business blog that will engage your current and future customers, please contact us. We’ll help you get to the root of the problem and begin growing your blog’s popularity and traffic in no time.