Why You Should Invest In Creating Answer-Based Content
We live in an increasingly impatient world of convenience. People have more questions than ever, and they’re hungry for answers.
How many times have you said ‘I’ll Google it’?
Google has become a big part of our lives. It’s the answer engine attached to our hips. Most of us trust Google for anything from diagnosing that unusual rash or finding the best Mexican food in town.
We know that people want answers, so it makes sense to invest in content that directly answers their questions.
We’re here to help you understand answer-based content and how to create it.
How does answer-based content help SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is all about getting your content at the top of an online search.
Google is working endlessly behind the scenes to compare people’s questions with answers.
Basically, people want to actually find what they were searching for in the first place, which is why quality content is important.
If you’ve ever wondered how to improve organic search on Google, answer-based content is where it’s at.
By looking up topics your audience wants to know about (‘People Also Ask’ sections are useful here), you can get a feel for the relevant and authentic information people (and Google) like.
You can exponentially increase your organic search rating by shifting the focus from creating content for the sake of content to producing answers to your audience’s queries.
How does this benefit the customer?
Quality answer-based content isn’t only helping your business by getting it noticed on Google searches. It benefits your consumer base too!
With most people finding themselves increasingly time-poor, there’s a big appeal for quick answers.
By providing clear and concise answers to people’s questions, you are offering a service that helps them deal with their problems directly while giving them the quick solutions they’re searching for.
Essentially, you’re putting your customers centre stage in your marketing strategy.
People demand and expect answers to their pressing questions and solutions to their problems, and this doesn’t look like sifting through pages of search results to source information.
Think of it this way: your content is directly linked to customer experience. Your audience is wanting more answers every day – chances are they’ll be satisfied if they can find what they’re looking for in your content.
Creating this easy experience with your content is becoming more critical. A recent Customer Report showed that customer experience is overtaking price and product as the primary brand differentiator – just one of many studies proving that, more than ever, it’s about connecting with your users.
With that, we know that making answer-based content improves customer experience and satisfaction – and don’t underestimate the power of a grateful customer.
How do we know what questions to answer?
Okay, so the first step in creating high-quality answer-based content is to know what your audience is asking.
SurveyMonkey Senior Content Strategist Deanna Horton hit the nail on the head when she told Forbes, "...you can't answer someone's question if you don't know what their question is".
Like anything in marketing, research is key. This time, however, that research needs to be focused on the source: the customers. If you want to reap the benefits of addressing your customers’ questions, you need to dedicate time to getting to know them - and, more importantly, their questions and concerns.
This is where tools like Google Trends are your best friend. Keyword analysis (finding the most searched keywords and terms) will help you determine what your customers actually want to know.
And, if you're already conducting keyword research, then be sure to make question research a part of the process.
Recommended by LinkedIn
AnswerThePublic and Reddit are great sources to mine for information about what people are searching for online. Twitter is also an excellent resource for Q&As that can get your content brain ticking. Real reviews (yours and competitors') provide insights into customers' minds — inspiration is everywhere!
What benefits will this have for my audience?
One: customer service. Two: viewer engagement.
Creating content that helps your customers by providing direct answers and solutions gives you the power to streamline your customer service.
A recent Demand Gen report showed that almost half (47%) of customers viewed three to five pieces of content before opting to source answers from a sales representative.
There’d be no need to further search for answers if the quick solutions were front and centre in the content.
Instead of wasting time on creating content that doesn’t answer any questions (or the wrong ones), invest in answer-based content – it’s way more efficient in the way that it supplies a growing demand.
There are endless opportunities and creative ways to deliver this content. Think less essays and more TikTok Q&As – answering questions through social media platforms is a great way to engage and connect with your audience!
How answering questions can dictate your content:
Change is a positive thing. By shifting your strategy from creating content to answering questions, you will be addressing real customers with real questions.
This can make your content more substantial, comprehensively covering specific queries
Investing in answer-based content means a shift from blatantly promotional content. People don’t want to search for answers only to feel like they’re tactlessly being sold something.
However, there are greater opportunities to use your customer’s pain points to organise your content in themes related to what they’re thinking and worrying about – people love logically grouped content!
How does your product save the customer time? How does your product save them hassle? How does it make their lives easier? Their wallets fuller? With a tactful mindset, you can showcase your product’s benefits, disguised as FAQ answers.
Actionable tip: your modern FAQ page needs to be omnichannel.
A dedicated frequently-asked question (FAQ) page is key in answer-based content.
As your keyword and question research grows, so will your FAQs. Keeping your FAQ section separate from other content on your website makes it easy for your customers to source answers – we already know people love that.
If you’re using WordPress, Ultimate FAQ plug-in is an amazing way to easily create and seamlessly integrate FAQs on your site.
It’s important to connect your content across all channels. Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and even Pinterest are all great platforms to show – rather than tell – your audience the answers they want via engaging video content.
We suggest dedicating an Instagram highlight to FAQs where your audience can easily access highly sought information.
People trust and want to hear from experts, so having influencers answer your audiences’ questions for you is a winning way to put out Q&A-style content.
Including Q&A content like this and FAQ lists in your digital content strategy is a no-brainer.
Having the right people answer your questions can really expand your brand’s influence, so it’s crucial to source influencers whose values align with that of your brand.
We know that content will succeed when it helps people, and by focusing on what your customers need help with, your business will succeed too.
People are not looking for more content. They are looking for answers. Want to learn how to create effective answer-based content that will increase your website traffic and boost your ROI? Get in touch with us today and receive a FREE strategy session worth $1200!