Context-based content writing
Have you ever heard the phrase, usually wrapped in the tinge of exasperation, “This is so out of context!”
When you cannot relate to a piece of information or an instance of interruption to your current frame of mind, it is out of context. Most of the advertising is out of context. This is why such advertising doesn’t work. Your business promotion must be context-based.
Context-based content writing can help you in this regard. Let’s see an example:
You have a severe toothache. You want to get immediate relief. You start looking for information on the Internet about how you can get relief from your toothache.
At this point, are you interested in a promo of a teeth-shining paste? Do you want to read about ways to keep your teeth so strong that you can crush cashew nut shells with them? Related, yes, but out of context. Do you want to read about how oral hygiene is so important?
No. You want to read about how to get immediate relief from your toothache. The ache has turned your life upside down, at least at this particular moment.
We live in a highly distracted world. Even busy professionals are constantly being bombarded with notifications, emails and social media updates. Yes, even phone calls. So, there is no escaping from these distractions unless you decide to move on an island and start living completely off the grid.
Context-based content writing means writing content exactly for the reason someone would want to read it at that particular moment.
If you have a toothache, to present you with contact-based content writing, I must tell you 10 ways to reduce your pain in a couple of minutes.
If you want to improve your SEO because you’re not getting relevant traffic from search engines, you want to know if I can help you with my SEO writing. You want to be convinced. You don’t want to know why SEO is good or bad or why you shouldn’t trust SEO companies. You want to know if my content writing can help you or not, and this is exactly what I should be able to tell you.
How to write context-based content?
Content is king but context is God.
Gary Vaynerchuk has rightly said, “Content is king, but context is God.”
There is a straightforward way of writing context-based content: have a clear understanding of what you want to deliver, and then deliver it.
When my clients approach me, they’re mostly interested in improving their search engine rankings. Of course, nobody wants to sound ignorant and people also say that they want to improve their conversion rate. Somehow, they think that if they can get enough search engine traffic, the business will automatically improve.
Hence, they approach the problem upside down.
Since this is not my place to teach them, although I write content based on the keywords that they have given me, my main focus is on providing the information people will find useful. I focus on context-based content writing while taking care of the keywords.
Somehow, even without realizing it, most of my clients find this approach acceptable because they keep coming back.
When I’m writing a web page for mobile app development services, for example, I think of someone who needs a team of good mobile app developers. What would be the concerns of that person? What are the problems and apprehensions that person has? How important is it for him or her to complete a mobile app development project successfully? What are the stakes?
I present the information accordingly. Without beating around the bush. Without stuffing in extra content to accommodate keywords. Still, using all the keywords.
Context-based content writing is all about providing the right content at the right time just when it can make the right impact.
In this regard, think of it as “the searcher’s intent”.
Why is the searcher looking for a piece of information? Does he or she want to be informed? Is he or she simply passing time because he or she has got nothing better to do? He or she is in some sort of trouble and needs immediate help?
Write accordingly.
Context also depends on the platform. When you talk of content writing, the platform is your website, your blog, your e-book, your white paper and your email marketing campaigns.
On these platforms people want to read. They are not expecting a literary piece of work, but they are definitely looking for quality writing that helps them, preferably immediately. Or at least eases out their concerns.
Sometimes I also do content writing for video scripts. Based on the script, videos are uploaded on YouTube and other video hosting websites.
Writing for videos is totally different because every word that you say is based on a visual. If what you’re saying is totally out of context of the visuals, the viewer will get confused and won’t watch your video.
Hence, you need to keep in mind what will be shown when you’re writing, or the video maker needs to take your writing under consideration when creating visuals.
The key to context-based writing is be true to yourself and be true to the need of your readers. The rest simply follows.