POP SEO Tip #21: Writing Great Content is about Answering Questions
Ultimately, the goal of writing content is to grow your readership. It seems simple enough, but it’s not exactly the easiest thing to accomplish. There are, of course, a number of different ways you can go about attracting a larger and wider audience. One of the best ways, however, is by answering questions.
No matter what field you’re in, your audience has questions about some aspects of it. For example, in the field of SEO, many people are now wondering about how best to optimize their websites for mobile search. This is a question that can be answered, although it may be a little broad.
When you ask questions, you get a better idea of who your customers are and what they want from you. Sometimes what you assume they desire could be off. They might have another need to satisfy or a goal you can meet for them with your services and products.
Answering Questions Is Essential
If you’re not sure what your audiences’ questions are, then ask! This is where you can use your social media presence to test the waters. See what your audience is talking about, and what seems to be interesting to them. Send out a survey, use a poll on Twitter, or find another way to get answers from the people who matter the most to your brand.
Once you’ve identified something, you can write a piece of content that answers those essential questions. There will likely be other sources out there that attempt to answer the same question. Look at them, and see where they’re strong and where they fall short.
By doing this, you’ve familiarized yourself with the dialogue surrounding your question, and are now poised to offer the very best answer to that question. This is the goal. Content that is going to grow your readership is content that is shareable – and the things that get shared the most are almost always the most informative.
Once you know what people are interested in, you can put your focus on that. Consider all the different things you can share about topics in your area of expertise. Customers want that kind of information and when you give it to them, they’re pleased and more likely to do business with you.
Common Questions to Answer for Customers
There are a few common questions that every customer wants to know before they do business with a brand. It doesn’t matter what service you offer; these things need to be provided from the start. If a customer doesn’t have an answer, they may move on to one of your competitors. The three most important questions to answer include:
- How long have you been providing services or products in the industry?
- What kind of products and services do you offer?
- What makes you a better choice for those services than other businesses?
Answer those questions first if you haven’t already done so. Then consider what questions your customers say they want to be answered and provide those as well. It’s an easy thing to do and can have a huge impact on your bottom line and reputation as a company.
Final Thoughts
As you well know, having your content shared by your readers is the single most effective way to boost the overall effectiveness of your SEO strategy. So, have a crack at it! Not only will you be providing your readers with a valuable service, but you’ll also be helping yourself out as well.
It all starts with providing great content, which means knowing what questions customers wish you to answer. Give them what they want and it can go a long way.
