In America, we just can’t put down our mobile devices and when we aren’t captivated by something on those screens, we are looking at something else on bigger screens–be it a computer or TV. Content is being consumed most of the day. We look for specific answers to our many questions regarding our personal lives (i.e. How much should my baby sleep during the night? What goes well with lamb chops? How can I be more assertive to get that promotion I want?). We want answers in the moment and the content we can consume is endless. Providing relevant answers is key for increasing your place in searches as to be thought of as a thought leader.

Here are 5 questions you should ask yourself while developing your digital content to better attract your audience.

  1. What is my audience searching for? The new norm for a Google search is to ask questions in long form (complete sentences or phrases) to find what we are looking for. So as marketers, you need to respond directly, using those long-tail phrases in your content.
  2. What medium is best? You can use a mix of media and channels. It can be a short blog post, a longer white paper, an interview captured in a long-form video, or something fun like a quick stop motion animation that you can share on social media.
  3. How do i put content out into the world? Posting it on your site can’t be the only step. Once it’s there, have a strategy on how you will drive your audience to the content. It can be part of an email blast, multiple social media posts and stories across different social channels, paid ads, or shared through native advertising or via an influencer on a site where your target visits often.
  4. What are the keywords that will drive searches to my content? These keywords should appear throughout the content, making it interesting and fitting for your topic.
  5. How much should I share? Stay consistent in how often you share and focus on a specific area of interest to make your content stronger. It’s not quantity but the quality of your content that’s important. No one wants to struggle through an article; it should be scannable and easy to grasp. We want to move onto the next thing quickly, so make it quick to make it stick.

Other important factors:

  • What is your audience’s level of understanding?
  • What stage of their journey are they in with your brand?
  • Would they be interested in any other areas on this topic?
  • How can you continue the conversation?

Keep stepping forward. In doing so, you will learn about your audience and strengthen your relationship with them each time you post. Invite them in. Share your knowledge and see where it takes you.

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Beckie O'Connor
Partner & Customer Experience Director

Beckie specializes in working with mid-sized entrepreneurial-minded companies to contribute to the strategic development, design and execution for a cohesive brand platform across multiple advertising and marketing mediums. Her clients span the financial services, real estate, CPG industries and beyond.