What makes your content writing effective? When it addresses exactly the issue faced by your reader. Whether you are writing a product description, a corporate profile, a blog entry, a tourist destination description, your whole agenda should be solving a problem, because once you solve a problem, you have delivered a solution, and everybody is looking for a solution.
But how does your content solve a problem if all you’re concerned about is help yourself or your client sell more? When you’re writing content for a website that needs to sell a product or a service, you need to take into consideration the following facts:
- Does your reader really need that product or service and is simply exploring various options by visiting multiple websites?
- Is your reader looking for a solution that can be provided by your product or service? (better anti-virus protection, or better search engine ranking)
- Is your reader there just to read some interesting trivia and has no intention of ever buying your product or service?
- Does your reader has no clue why or she is here and plans to go somewhere else within half a second?
- What sort of readers do you actually want to attract, and if possible, convert?
The first thing to do is, forget about trying to provide a solution to all the categories…it’s simply not possible through a single page and on the very first visit. Your most important readers is of the second category, and then the first category? Why second category?
Primarily we’re solution-oriented people. Even if we’re buying something just for a fad, we need to believe that that product or service actually achieves that. The reader of the second category has a problem. He or she may not be bothered about what product or service he or she is going to buy, provided his or her problem is solved. So you have a good chance of selling to that reader.
Take for instance your reader’s need to rank higher on various search engines on a long-term basis without having to spend lots of money. An SEO company can improve his or her search engine rankings, but so can a trained content writer. So how can you sell your solution (higher search engine rankings) by offering your content writing services? Explain to your reader as clearly as possible how good content helps improve search engine rankings. You can use client testimonials, you can refer to other authoritative articles, and you can use your own skill as a communicator: the basic idea is providing a solution to your reader, a solution he or she can afford, and believe in convincingly.
That is why you’re repeatedly told that don’t highlight features, highlight benefits. Of course some people do find features appealing (explaining the features of a RAID drive to a nerd) but basically we want to know eventually what a particular product or service is going to achieve for us.
Here’s another post on empowering your visitors by publishing solution-oriented content.
Very well said Amrit. We are actually solution finder based reader. And this is very true and proved by the fact why I am reading this post. It is only because I am finding every possible solution for satisfying my clients by providing them the best content that can get at the top for their services.
Even I am also reading this to teach my content writer employees under me about how they should write to make it visitor and Google friendly.
Thanks a lot for providing such a valuable article. Keep posting.
Hello Amit.
Thanks for dropping by and I'm glad you found the blog post useful. Actually I try to follow this approach while writing for my clients and it's showing some good result, and getting me lots of positive feedback from my clients.
Good post. Absolutely solve people's problems! And you do it by talking about your benefits, NOT your features.
I also read somewhere that the most pleasant words are those that talk about your issues.
Excellent points, Amrit. It's easy to get enamored of the features (ooh! it's shiny!) and forget to present the benefits (it's glare will blind your enemies, making it easier for you to take over the world!). 🙂
Nicely put Kathleen 🙂
Eventhough I don't sell anything, but I treat all my blog posts as my products. 🙂 Therefore, I can see what you're trying to explain here, well thoughtout. I tried to review my posts from last year and compare the stats, including the readers' feedbacks as well, good guide for me to plan ahead in my writing. It's essential to always learn to 'listen' first before we start talking (writing).
@wchingya
Social/Blogging Tracker
Recently I read that no matter what you're doing…whether trying to convince someone or communicate an idea, you're always selling, because convincing is basically, selling.
Nice blog by the way 🙂
Well said. I fully agree with you. Providing a solution is much better just stating the features. In my experience, blog posts that start “How to…” are always more acceptable and popular among readers and search engine.
Even I am also reading this to teach my content writer employees under me about how they should write to make it visitor and Google friendly.
YES! Great piece, keep up the terrific work. This is the type of information that should gain recognition for it’s craft. More writers should learn from you. This is right on the money.