Great research is the key to SEO content writing
Without adequate research, a piece of writing is at risk for factual errors. Nothing destroys reader trust like reading something that’s obviously false. This is especially true when the error is so basic that a little research on the writer’s part would’ve nipped the mistake in the bud. But great research isn’t the only factor involved in SEO content writing success; an audience-tailored voice ensures that all that great research gets through to those who want to read it. In other words, at 216digital, we believe that voice and style are just as important as good research.
In marketing, customer research involves the discovery of different market segments—different portions of a customer base defined by age, education, income, interests, and so on. Say one of our SEO content writing clients sells aftermarket parts for a highly customizable make of car. That client’s general customer is enthusiasts who love that kind of car. But not all of those readers are the same. We might divide these customers into different segments—say, longtime car lovers who’ve had their car for years, and younger customers who are just getting into that kind of car and have some basic to mid-level questions. These customer segments will have different concerns and knowledge levels.
Different sections of this client’s website might cater to one market segment or the other—or both. Any copy we write has to fit the segment or segments who will read it. If multiple segments will read the page, our copy has to work at a higher level of generality while still popping off the screen. If only one segment will read the page, our copy has to work at that segment’s knowledge level and speak to their exact concerns—while still popping off the screen.
Voice and Tone
The voice of a piece of writing is critical to its success. How many times have you clicked on a page, started reading, and quit because the writer couldn’t write? In writing fiction, “voice” is what separates one author from another. It’s the most difficult quality for a writer to develop, and it’s often the last to emerge. Think of it like stage presence for a musician. Every successful musician carries herself differently on stage, making every performer unique; but all successful performers have one thing in common—a highly developed persona unlike anything else in the business.
Every client we write for needs a different voice. We may find, through audience research, that some clients require similar voices. That’s fine—but we can’t start with that assumption; we can only work that way once we’ve researched our audience and we know that a voice we’ve used before is appropriate.
Some clients will need a highly technical voice that writes with a lot of technical knowledge. These clients will require even more extensive research than others. A client in the engineering sector will need a far different voice from a client who sells retail clothing. Each of these clients needs its own voice to match its target market and sales strategy.
How do we determine what kind of voice to use for a particular client? By researching that client’s content competitors and soaking up the best writing in that market. For example, to develop a voice for articles on 216digital.com, I looked at SEO articles on www.searchengineland.com as well as ecommerce customer case studies from Miva, the premier online store platform. Reading these sources not only gave me raw information, but it helped me capture the tone that turns our audience on. We take the same approach with every client. We find the best content sources in our client’s market, imitate that tone to teach it to ourselves, and finish by blowing that tone away.
Putting Audience First
It’s simple: we put our audience first. With every sentence and every article we write, we ask if it serves our audience. Every word that gets in the way has to go. We find creativity in structure and topic, rather than in using more words. We owe it to our audience to give them the shortest, most dynamic structure and phrasing we can.
If you’re looking for incredible content marketing services, consider the SEO content writing team at 216digital. Get in touch today, and we’ll start talking about your next big thing.