Create Audience-First Content in Three Steps

According to a 2024 survey, 58% of business-to-business companies rate their content marketing as “moderately effective” – or as Ann Handley from MarketingProfs calls it, the “sea of meh.”

This and other findings appear in the 15th Annual Content Marketing Survey from the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs.  

Only 3% of B2B respondents described their content marketing as “extremely effective,” followed by 26% who said “very effective.” 

And what did the lucky 29% say was the reason for their success? 

“Understanding the audience” was the number one answer, with 82% of responses. Other keys to highly effective content marketing included:

• High-quality content: 77%

• Possessing industry expertise: 70%

• High-performing team members: 69%

Your audience is king when it comes to effective content marketing. 

You achieve your business objectives by centering audience needs. That means knowing who your audience is and where they look for information. Your content must address their needs using language they can understand.

#1: Get to Know Your Audience

Handley praises Autodesk for connecting their advanced design tools to something much bigger. The company’s website provides a clear roadmap where users can find product information and cutting-edge research. Autodesk displays a deep understanding of their audience by letting users self-select for solutions based on their industries, including architecture, construction and visual effects.

There are many audience parameters to consider when crafting content:

• B2B or B2C: Some business prospects may already be experts on your topic, while others would benefit from more in-depth educational resources. If you’re speaking to a consumer audience, provide easy-to-find product information using simple language and helpful videos. 

• Customer journey: At the top of the funnel, your goal is to build awareness and meet prospects where they are on social media and search engines. Closer to the bottom, they’ll need more details to educate themselves and choose you over the competition.

• Age, life stage and family status: Banks and credit unions know that young adults have different financial priorities than middle-aged parents or empty nesters. Content should offer clear details on checking, savings and lending options tailored for individual customers. 

• Activities and interests: Assemblies of God Credit Union understands that their faith-based mission has an appeal that goes beyond personal finance. Their website describes how AGCU donates 10% of annual earnings to philanthropic activities. From sports fans to art connoisseurs, look for opportunities to connect with the shared interests of your audience. 

• Geography: Want to help local folks find you? Set up a Google Business Profile so you’ll show up on maps. Highlight your involvement in local events or charities to deepen the community connection with your customers. 

#2: Learn Where They Get Their Information

When it comes to search, it’s safe to say that Google isn’t going away any time soon. After all, the search behemoth garnered nearly 90% of all search queries in the United States for the 12 months ending January 2025.

But if you look to the younger generations, times are changing. 

A 2024 survey for Forbes Advisor found that Generation Z is 25% less likely to use Google for search than Generation X. Nearly one quarter of all Americans primarily use social media instead of search engines. 

Another key finding? Gen Z’s preferred search destination varies by topic. 

• TikTok is the winner when Gen Z wants to learn about gift ideas, hair and makeup tips, fitness, recipes and fashion. 

• Google still comes out on top for local services, restaurants, electronics and financial services. 

A. Lee Judge, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Content Monsta, names presence as one of the keys to marketing your content. Your brand must show up in the conversations, social feeds and communities where your target audience spends their time. Judge offers the following steps for building your online presence to meet customers where they are: 

• Be on the platforms where they prefer to find information.

• Use multiple formats. For example, transform your blog articles into videos and social media posts. 

• Maximize your presence even further with social sharing and digital advertising. 

#3: Speak Their Language – In Your Own Special Voice

Several years ago, Midwestern mom Jane Molina noticed that her third child wouldn’t accept a pacifier. She tried many different brands, but he simply refused to take them. Jane soon discovered that moms from all walks of life were having the same issue with their babies. 

So Jane and her sister Joy Williams made a decision: 

It was time for a truly breast-like pacifier to support a baby’s feeding journey. After seven years of hard work and help from investors, attorneys and fellow entrepreneurs, the patented Ninni pacifier was born. 

The sisters launched their company on March 1, 2021. Since then, the Ninni has gained a following on TikTok, as one happy mom after another shares how this groundbreaking pacifier helped their babies. Customers can order the Ninni in a range of adorable colors from the company website, and the Ninni Co. blog offers heartwarming stories from satisfied moms and advice from infant care experts. 

The Ninni Co. story illustrates how storytelling helps your brand stand out in a world where AI churns out sound-alike articles every minute. Handley of MarketingProfs urges marketers to tap into their own experiences and subject-matter expertise to create original content.

• Add depth to your content, not just surface-level talking points. 

• Have some fun! Audiences are more likely to enjoy your content if you enjoyed creating it. 

• Consumers crave authenticity, so let your personality shine through. From humor to inspiring stories, give folks a perspective they won’t find anywhere else. 

Invest in People-Centered Content for Your Marketing Strategy

Original, audience-focused content is essential for winning trust, boosting SEO rankings and achieving your marketing goals. To learn more about content marketing for your business, call me at 417-233-1589 or reach out online today!

Bring Your Marketing Strategy to Life with People-Centered Content

Content marketing is marketing.

According to Robert Rose, Chief Strategy Advisor for the Content Marketing Institute, the first law of today’s content marketing is “Always be orchestrating.”

In the face of generative AI, the decline of cookies and distrust in media, organizations can no longer treat content as a siloed function. Instead, Rose explains, you must integrate compelling content throughout the marketing process to meet revenue and retention goals. 

A good rule of thumb is to treat content as an integral part of your value proposition, alongside product quality and exceptional service.

Your first step in content creation is to center the needs of your audience. From written blog articles to demonstration videos, your owned content must consistently deliver useful answers, address pain points and offer the solutions your customers need.

#1: Recognize How Content Impacts the Customer Experience

When someone visits your website, what’s the first thing they need to see?

The answer depends on your industry and audience goals. 

• If you run a music venue, folks want to know how to order tickets. 

• For financial institutions, customers want quick and easy access to their account information. 

• For industrial equipment, prospects need details on your product and how to get a quote. 

Consider different stages in the decision funnel so that users can customize their experience. Some prospects will be ready to make a purchase, while others are still comparing your offerings with those of competitors. People-centered content begins with audience needs, then works backward to address those needs. 

• Listen to the most common questions and pain points you hear from customers, then tailor your content to address those.

• Verify the accuracy of your information.

• Establish credibility by highlighting your subject-matter expertise. 

• Use conversational language that mirrors the communication style of your audience. 

• Build trust by including success stories or testimonials. 

• Make it easy to contact you or schedule an appointment. 

#2: Build Your Owned Content Ecosystem

Owned media refers to content your organization creates and controls. Examples include websites, blog articles, videos, infographics, brochures and service manuals. 

Earned media, by contrast, includes unpaid mentions of your brand by third-party websites, newspapers or magazines. Advertising, also known as paid media, is content you place in front of your target audience in exchange for payment to a third-party platform. 

FormPak offers a clear example of an owned media ecosystem that conveys product information, highlights expertise and meets visitor needs. The company designs and builds bulk bag handling equipment for dry goods industries. Their website, social media platforms and printed documents offer a wealth of in-depth product information and industry knowledge.

• The FormPak website highlights the company’s 50-plus years in business and extensive knowledge of trends, history, safety and regulations. 

• The video library includes demonstrations on installation, operation, maintenance and safe handling guidelines. 

• Case studies provide examples of how FormPak customizes equipment to meet the needs of individual customers, from brewing and craft beverages to hazardous substances. 

• Technical documents let users examine detailed specs, AutoCAD drawings and operating manuals.

• A news section provides information about equipment selection, safety and other relevant issues. 

#3: Optimize Content to Match User Intent

Search engine optimization enables prospects to find you. Relevant content forms the heart of any successful SEO strategy. 

Long-Tail Keywords 

Use tools like SEMRush or Google Keyword Planner to find the best match between audience intent and your area of expertise. Google’s move toward a “zero-click” results page, along with increasing emphasis on authoritativeness, make it harder than ever to rank for high-volume keywords. Long-tail keywords give you the advantage of high relevance and lower difficulty to rank higher on search results.

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness  

Google’s human raters use EEAT guidelines to evaluate the quality of search results and make adjustments to the company’s search algorithm. The EEAT abbreviation includes the following criteria:

• Experience means evidence of direct personal experience with a topic. It may include the years you’ve been in business or your own individual experience in your industry. 

• Expertise includes evidence of subject matter knowledge, such as depth, accuracy, professional credentials and reputable sources.

• Authoritativeness means your content has earned coverage and mentions from other reputable websites.

• Trustworthiness includes transparency about who creates your content, along with clear contact and customer service information. 

Meta-Data  

Your meta-data gives search engines yet another signal of relevant content. Include appropriate keywords to give search engine crawlers and users a snapshot of the content they’ll find on your website:

• Title tags

• Header tags

• Alt tags for all images

• Meta description

#4: Integrate Content Across All Marketing Channels

Although Google remains the leader when it comes to search, other tools have gained ground in recent years. Younger consumers often look for product or service information on TikTok, YouTube or Instagram. AI tools like ChatGPT have also seen growing usage. 

These trends make it more important than ever to integrate content marketing into your overall marketing strategy. Your goal is to provide the information your audience needs when and where they need it. 

• Use TikTok, YouTube and Instagram Reels for demonstrations, tutorials, unboxings and other engaging video content. 

• LinkedIn offers an excellent way to promote your business to a B2B audience. 

• Facebook remains a popular channel for promoting offline events, special promotions and goods for sale. 

Boost Your Brand with People-Centered Content

Quality written content enhances your customers’ experience and helps you reach your business goals. Want to learn more? Call me at 417-233-1589 or reach out online to get started!

Could Your SEO Strategy Use a Refresh? Webinar Offers Insights

Between AI, algorithmic updates and evolving search behaviors, does SEO still matter?

Absolutely!

In spite of the hype surrounding AI tools, Google is still king when it comes to search. In fact, Google received 290 times more search users than AI platform Perplexity in May 2024.

The caveat: 

Yes, the search landscape is changing. That means your SEO strategy must adapt.

During a recent webinar presented by the Content Marketing Institute, Jane Bartel and Nick Nelson from TopRank Marketing offered insights on which tactics can turbo-charge your SEO strategy this year – and which ones to reconsider.

SEO Tactics to Adopt

Search engine optimization remains a cost-effective way to attract qualified prospects. Bartel and Nelson recommend tactics for building credibility and authority to boost search results. 

#1: Optimize Your Meta-Data

Meta-data tells search engines how to evaluate your content. Examples include: 

• Title tags

• Meta descriptions

• Header tags

• Alt tags for images

By including appropriate keywords in your meta-data, you’re giving search engines – and users – a preview of what they’ll find when they click. Optimizing meta-data lets you stand out in today’s competitive SEO landscape. 

#2: Technical Audits

A technical SEO audit involves crawling your website and flagging issues affecting site health and optimization. The typical audit includes over 100 factors. Think of it as routine maintenance for keeping your website in tip-top shape and your SEO strategy up-to-date. 

#3: Inventory & Performance Audit

Track your website’s performance across relevant metrics, including visibility, engagement and conversions. This information is your roadmap for identifying strengths and weaknesses to guide content decision-making. For well-established websites, regular audits help you freshen up older content for a better user experience.

#4: EEAT Audits

Google uses the EEAT formula to identify quality signals pertaining to website content. The abbreviation stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness. Factors to scrutinize in your EEAT audit include: 

• Author credentials: If you publish a blog, include author biographies demonstrating professional experience and subject-matter expertise. 

• Accuracy: Review the information contained in your content, correcting errors and making updates when necessary. 

• Reliable sources: Are you linking to outside sources? Make sure the links still work and the information you’re pointing to is accurate. 

• Depth of coverage: Review your content to make sure you’re answering the specific questions users are asking.

#5: Refreshing Published Content

As noted above, content freshness impacts SEO performance. Bartel explains that older content tends to gather dust because it’s tempting to ignore. Your SEO strategy should include regular reviews of prior blogs in addition to publishing new articles.

• The facts in an older blog article may be out-of-date.

• Old links may no longer work. 

• You may need new statistics that reflect current knowledge on the topic.

#6: Internal Linking

According to Bartel and Nelson, this is one of the most overlooked SEO tactics. Relevant internal links give you a competitive edge when it comes to demonstrating authority. They give search engine crawlers a path to see how much information you’ve published on a topic. Good examples include inline links to products, services or other blogs, along with calls to action and breadcrumbs. 

#7: Publishing Original Research

If you’ve gathered statistics, survey results or other new knowledge, publish it on your website. Original research demonstrates authoritativeness and boosts performance on search engines. You also have the opportunity to earn citations from other authors, which further strengthens your reputation – both online and offline.

SEO Tactics to Drop (or Reconsider)

Bartel and Nelson encourage marketers to invest in SEO planning, as emerging AI technologies make it more challenging to rank. One-size-fits-all approaches no longer work, and it’s a good idea to re-evaluate familiar tactics from time to time. 

#1: Targeting Keywords by Search Volume

The zero-click format means less traffic from high-volume search terms. Growing emphasis on authoritativeness also makes these keywords more difficult – and more costly – to rank for.

What should you do instead?

Long-tail keywords with high relevance often give you more bang for your SEO buck. Besides relevance, consider difficulty, likelihood to rank and user funnel stage when optimizing your content. 

#2: Drafting to a Specific Word Count

Go big on substance and light on fluff. Nelson urges writers to stop writing if you’ve run out of new things to say. Instead, create relevant content with a laser focus on user pain points and specific questions. Every word should add value to the user experience, rather than conforming to arbitrary word counts.

#3: AI for Content Creation

Bartel cautions against relying on AI-generated content. While AI tools are quite adept at churning out summaries at a rapid pace, the results tend toward the generic. Human-authored work has the edge when it comes to originality.

The value of your content stems from creativity, authenticity and subject matter expertise. Content that ranks offers meaning, tells compelling stories and provides an individual perspective users won’t find elsewhere.

#4: Obsessing over Algorithm Changes

Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz reports that Google made seven confirmed algorithmic updates in 2024 – including four core updates and three spam updates. That’s on the heels of nine updates in 2023 and 10 in 2021 and 2022.

While it’s important to remain abreast of these changes, Nelson cautions against stressing over them. Instead, he suggests doubling down on the fundamentals of good content. Even as the algorithms evolve, the basic function of a search engine remains, which is to emulate human decision-making as closely as possible.

#5: Backlink Outreach

Links from quality websites remain an important form of SEO “street cred.” However, the traditional practice of contacting other website managers and asking for links is a time-consuming process with mixed results. 

A better approach?

Bartel and Nelson emphasize the basics: Focus on high-quality content that’s worth linking to in the first place. Promote your content thoughtfully by pushing it out through email, social media and other channels. 

Invest in People-Centered Content for Your SEO Strategy

Just like regular tune-ups keep your car running, re-assessing your SEO tactics keeps your strategy moving forward as technology evolves. Want more information on original content for your blog or website copy? Give me a call at 417-233-1589 or drop me an email at sarah@enscribecommunications.com.