Obviously, when you first start blogging, you quickly come to realise that your business niche is constrained and you need readers. So, your content should center on the areas in which your readers are interested. Your content should help your readers, provide valuable information, give them an engaging read or simply market a good idea to them. The end result is twofold: it focuses on the reader’s needs, and also targets your specific business niche.
Enter SEO. This is where things become really interesting.
Once you have to take SEO into consideration, where does your content criterion fit? How do you write content that is focused on your readers needs, targets your specific business niche, and incorporates SEO considerations?
Some experts have devised a solution to this problem: metrics and divisions. Some experts have discussed the idea of dividing content according to what the writer is trying to achieve; others divide it based on reader or visitor needs.
This infographic should shed more light on the kinds of divisions to which I am referring:
Source: http://www.smartinsights.com/content-management/content-marketing-strategy/the-content-marketing-matrix-new-infographic/
For the purposes of this post, I will focus on reader needs, because I believe these are more important to address.
Educating Your Readers
This is the most basic, and often the most difficult, type of content to publish these days—not because of the nature of your readers—but because writers and marketers often end up misunderstanding the dynamics of content. Educating, informing or delivering helpful information to readers, whilst remaining in line with marketing objectives, is not easy by any stretch of imagination.
Informing readers involves one thing and one thing only: analysis. Whatever your topic might be, ensure that you guide your reader through your content bit-by-bit, explaining any aspects that may need further information. For example, if you decide to write about ‘Why Link Building via Blogging is Changing’, then you need to explain the elements of good link building, as well as why blogging alone is not enough anymore. The whole idea of informing a reader is to help them understand the topic about which you write. And, if someone understands what your content is all about, then they are much more likely to look upon it favorable, and take your expert advice onboard.
Inspiring Your Readers
Now, this objective is somewhat different. When it comes to inspiring your readers, your content needs to be a bit more promotional, and a bit less educational, in nature. Although, you still have to inform. You want to focus on eliciting a reaction out of your reader that makes them more favourable towards your subject, rather than just simply being aware of it. This is where design centered posts and infographics come into play. Like an emotively lifting piece of music, a graphic piece connects the reader to your brand.
Entertaining Your Readers
The third major kind of content that you should know about is that which entertains. This niche is most useful for visual arts and media related businesses. Purposes aside, media content has to engage your readers and draw them into what you are doing and saying. Hence, your content may go a little way off the usual course. You can be a little more symbolic, you can use metaphors, and visual aids, and be more creative. Different niche; different strategy. Ultimately, as long as your readers interacts with your content, you have achieved your aims.
Final Word
Your market will never remain static. Moreover, you will have to dig deeper into your market categories to really determine what kind of content you need: educational, inspirational, or entertaining. Keep in mind though, content writing is too open and limitless to remain ingrained within set definitions. How well you market and share your content ends up depending a lot upon the kind of ingenuity and uniqueness with which you go about approaching your readers. Think outside the box after looking at it and you will be rewarded.