How to Write Valuable Content for Your Target Audience
“Why should I visit your site?”
Your audience is going to ask this question whether they realize it or not.
In a split second they’ll be able to tell if your content is worth their time.
Whether you have a product or service, blog or Website, you’re going to need to provide valuable content for your target audience.
Valuable content is what keeps your customers coming back.
People continue to buy the Stormy Kromer hat after nearly 100 years because the hat is valuable content.
To have a strong Web presence you’ll need to build on your valuable product/service by giving your audience valuable Web content.
HuntingNet.com is the most popular hunting destination for hunters on the Web because they provide the most valuable Web content for hunters.
The site has hunting news, articles, videos, pictures, tips, tutorials, field journals, forums, blogs, games, product reviews and more. It’s truly a great resource for hunters.
All of the content is focused on what hunters find valuable.
So for your Website and blog (here are some tips for starting a blog if you are thinking about creating one – I suggest it), you’ll need to figure out what your customers value and what will keep them coming back to your site as well as what will keep them buy your product/service.
Then you’ll have to figure out the best way to provide the valuable content.
Here are a few tips on…
How to Write Valuable Content for Your Target Audience
What Does Your Customer Value?
As most business owners know, the best way to determine what your target customer is to get really specific. Imagine an actual person when you’re determining who you target customer is.
Think about what this person values.
What content would they consider worthy of their time?
Do they seek tutorials? How to videos? Product reviews? Expert insight into recent industry trends? Interviews with industry leaders providing deep insight?
Two ways to gain an understanding of what your customers value are:
1) Ask them what they value
It seems obvious, but sometimes we forget to simply ask.
Sometimes people aren’t sure what they want because they aren’t aware of other options to their current situation.
This situation is common and you’ll have to use the second approach.
2) Try anything and everything
Often, businesses stumble on benefits they can provide customers by trying new things and seeing what works and what doesn’t.
Try various features for your Website like video, pictures, How-to articles, etc. See what your customers respond to the most and focus on your strengths.
If nothing is working, keep trying. You only need to find strike it rich once to create a large audience.
Ways to Craft Valuable Content
Website Content
Your Website is your selling platform for Web users. Creating compelling content is how you’re going to convince your audience to buy your product/service.
A few ideas for creating content include:
1) Focus on the benefits for your customers
Examples might be “Don’t scare deer when you draw back your bow on the Super Silent Arrow Rest from Super Silent Inc.”
2) Promote the success of your customers , not your own success
You could write something like “Frank harvested this huge non-typical Wisconsin whitetail last season. His lifelong study of travel funnels allowed him to setup on the right trail. He was able to get within 15 yards of the dandy buck and draw and fire without the trophy ever knowing he was there. Thanks Frank for choosing the Super Silent Arrow Rest for your record hunt!”
It seems simple, but most companies don’t focus on those two important factors when it comes to creating content for the Web.
Blog Content
Blogging is one of the ways you can really craft some useful content for your audience.
I’ve written before on the benefits of creating a blog for your hunting business.
Lists are some of the most valuable posts for most audiences. Lists make it easy for readers to digest a lot of information in a concise format. I’ve written quite a few list posts.
You could do a series of How-to posts related to your product/service.
Here, why don’t I direct you to Adam Singer’s great list of ‘Blog Post Ideas that Always Generate Buzz‘.
Using your unique point of view to convey your insight and opinion on common worldviews is how you’ll carve a successful niche for your hunting business blog.
Video Content
I’ve written previously ‘3 Viral Video Ideas for Hunting Business‘. This has a few ideas on how to craft video content that will be valuable to your potential audience (hunters).
Best Medium of Communication
It’s important to understand how your target audience communicates.
Do they subscribe to blogs? Do they subscribe to magazines? Do they watch Web video? Are they visually impacted (photos & video)?
A Web savvy audience might be better suited for reading blogs.
Most content is enhanced with the use of video and photos (content in and of themselves) so don’t be afraid to use a fair amount of each on your Website and blog.
If you have the resources, use various mediums of communication.
Try podcasting, videocasting, blogging, forum posting, etc.
See what works best to generate interest in your content.
Marketing Your Content
I think Seth Godin has a great point when he writes, “If someone comes to you with a ‘great’ product that just needs some marketing, the game is probably already over.“
It hits on the old cliche, “If a tree falls in the woods and nobody’s around to hear it crash, does it really make a noise?”
Well, if you create great content and there’s nobody to value it, do you really have great content?
So it’s important to understand how to effectively market your Web content.
Instead of rehashing old ideas, here are a few ways to market your content:
1) Marketing Your Hunting Business on the Web
And a few things you can do right now:
2) 5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Your Hunting Website
And a few businesses that ‘get it’ when it comes to marketing great content:
3) 5 Examples of Hunting Businesses that Get It
Summary
Providing valuable content is the most important thing for businesses on the Web.
Figure out what your audience values, how to craft the best content, the best medium of communication, and how to market your content (this is important enough to figure out first).
On the Web, content will always be king.
The trick is figuring out the content your audience values most (they may not even know yet) and then providing it to them in a unique way that nobody else can.
What are ways you’ve successfully provided content for your audience on the Web?
Related posts on the Web
The Marvin Gaye Guide to Unique and Exceptional Content
Push Marketing V.S. Pull Marketing: Use Both Strategies to Promote Your Site
Related posts on Hunting Business Marketing
12 Tips to Keep Your Visitors Coming Back to Your Hunting Website
