The rise of zero-click searches and platforms retaining users means it’s harder than ever to earn organic traffic. Data shows 97% of web pages get zero Google traffic. Fighting this trend is a losing battle. Instead, focus on influencing users where they pay attention. This requires an audience-first content strategy.
Step 1: Understand Your Audience’s Influences
Conduct in-depth audience research encompassing:
- Social Media Habits
- What networks do they use?
- Who do they follow?
- What communities do they engage with?
- Content Consumption
- What websites, podcasts, and YouTube channels do they prefer?
- What newsletters do they read?
- Pain Points and Needs
- What problems keep them up at night?
- What questions are they trying to solve?
Keyword data points you toward topics. Audience research moves you to specificity and inspires content for real human beings.
Step 2: Identify Resonant Topics
Combine audience research, keyword data, and social listening to find subjects that truly matter to your audience. Ask:
- What challenges do they face?
- What goals or aspirations motivate them?
- What beliefs shape their worldview?
Look for emotional connections and meaning, not just volume. A niche topic that sparks engagement creates more impact than a broad surface-level one.
Step 3: Craft Compelling Content
Great content weaves together data, narratives, and insights to forge emotional bonds between reader and writer.
- Use storytelling and concrete examples to make abstract ideas tangible.
- Blend qualitative data from interviews with quantitative data like surveys and reports.
- Share your unique perspective gained from experience.
The goal is to inform and inspire. Make readers think as well as feel – that’s how to produce resonant content.
Step 4: Diversify Formats
Go beyond blog posts to more engaging formats like:
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Templates
- eBooks
- Quizzes
- Interactive Tools
Experiment to discover which formats best suit your brand, resources, and audience preferences. Offer a range to provide continual value.
Step 5: Distribute Content Widely
“Create once, distribute forever” should be your motto. Actively share and promote content across:
- Email lists
- Social channels
- Paid ads
- Website
- External publications
| Distribution Channel | Goal |
| Email Lists | Send new content to current followers |
| Social Media | Reach and engage new audiences |
| Paid Ads | Expand reach to qualified users |
| Website | Improved on-site SEO and lower bounce rates |
| Guest Posts | Exposure on authoritative sites; backlinks |
Repurpose content into new formats and share it continually over time. The more distribution touchpoints, the better.
Remember that Grade 5 readability will help you aim content at the broadest possible audience for maximum comprehension. Use everyday words, or clearly explain technical terms. Keep sentence structures simple and conversational in tone. Break complex topics into shorter segments. Directly appeal to readers by addressing them or posing questions. Focus on using the active voice for clarity and keeping readers engaged from start to finish!
FAQs
What’s the best way to understand my audience?
Conduct in-depth audience research by looking at their social media habits, content consumption preferences, and core pain points and needs. Get beyond keywords to connect with them emotionally.
How can I come up with compelling topics and titles?
Combine audience research, keyword data, and social listening to identify resonant topics. Craft titles and angles that speak directly to audience challenges, goals, beliefs, and meaning.
How do I turn topics into great content?
Use storytelling and concrete examples to bring ideas to life. Blend qualitative stories and quantitative data for evidence. Share your unique perspective from experience. Inform, inspire, entertain!
What content formats work best?
Go beyond blog posts to diversified formats like videos, podcasts, templates, quizzes and more. Experiment to see what your audience most engages with. Offer a range of valuable content types.
How widely should I distribute content?
Distribute every piece of content as widely as possible, for as long as possible. Use email lists, social media, paid ads, guest posting, and repurposing content into new formats. More touchpoints drives more impact.
How can I make my writing easy to understand?
Aim for Grade 5 readability. Use simple words and sentences. Break down complex ideas. Directly address the reader. Share personal stories and examples. Stick to the active voice for clarity.
How do I make my writing style engaging?
Use a conversational, friendly tone. Pose questions to the reader throughout. Blend longer sentences for depth with short punchy ones too. Vary vocabulary and syntax to maintain interest.
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