At the start of every year, digital marketers like to look around and see what the industry sees as trends for the year. This allows us to keep up to date with the latest in digital techniques as well as catering to the ever-changing needs of internet users.
Here are my top 5 tips I’m backing this year in the race to relevancy.
Conversational Copywriting
2019 saw a huge push towards ‘authentic’ writing. Talks at conventions around the world waxed lyrical about users craving human connections through authentic and transparent copy.
2020 will see an evolution of this as online searches become increasingly commonplace. Searching something is often the first reaction and users have started approaching it in a colloquial, conversational manner.
This approach to copy has been further entrenched by the rise of voice search and digital assistants.
Now, it’s important to remember that conversational copywriting doesn’t mean using slang and contractions. Don’t compromise the style of your brand, stick to your format.
For example, if you’re offering legal advice, use a professional tone.
If your services are aimed at young families then stay away from slang that won’t resonate with young parents.
Instead, when writing a piece, be sure to think about the questions users may have and how they would occur in a spoken conversation. This will help you find the cadence of your article, highlighting the parts that require more focus.
Position Zero (Rich Snippets)
Google’s interface has changed over the last few years with the introduction of snippets and sidebars saving you time loading up a full web page. Tomas Ratia describes this change as the ‘Answer Economy’:
“It is impossible to deny the emergence of the ‘Answer Economy’. With over 50% of Google queries resulting in no clicks, it is clear that Google is not only evolving into an answer engine, but also a walled garden. Consumers increasingly expect fast, specific answers to their questions, whether on mobile or smarter speakers. Creating content that ranks on Google will require marketers to adopt a question-driven content strategy.”
Tomas Ratia
Google has become the result itself and while it’s not possible to get page views from snippets it’s well-worth writing content to occupy Position Zero.
There are several ways to write for SERP’s top position.
The easiest ways are answers to Who, What When, How and Why questions, terminology, definitions and how-to articles. These types of articles are crawled by Google and used anytime someone is looking for a quick answer.
Stick to natural, conversational language and this content could double as a voice search answer.
Once, you’ve figured out how to reach the top spot, it’s important to get visitors to your site. This is where in-depth articles and guides come.
A good article, just below the Position Zero is likely to capture the interest of the user and lead them down the funnel more effectively.
Writing Copy for Voice Search
Voice search has been at the forefront of search for a few years now and this doesn’t look likely to change.
According to Google, voice search makes up for 20% of all search. This is a huge segment of the market so writing copy that doubles as results for voice are integral to longevity.
To reach this market you need to communicate your message quickly, and effectively.
The average user only needs voice search when multitasking. This can be anything from checking the weather while getting dressed to asking about a recipe while cooking.
Users will ask for information in one of four ways.
- Information – These questions ask for general information about a topic and can be varied.
- Navigation – These questions ask for specific places and areas and represent someone who is already considering a product or service.
- Investigation – These questions ask for reviews, ratings and other information regarding a product or service. This can make or break the movement down the funnel.
- Transaction – These questions are all about the sale. Price, availability, delivery and other transactional information.
When writing copy it’s important to think about these questions and answer them in the body of your text. The more rounded your article, the more opportunities there will be for users to access your information, site or brand.
Play to Your Strengths
Last but not least is topical authority. This practice is one of playing to your strengths and knowing demographics.
For example, if I’m searching for ‘easy dinner recipes’ and articles pop up from BBC Good Food and Bloomberg, chances are I’m going to go with Good Food.
Good Food is renowned for food and recipe ideas and I’m more likely to trust and stay on their site.
Make sure you understand your market and demographic. Don’t write around a topic just because it’s in vogue or will catch you keywords. Write meaningful copy that enriches your brand and user experience. Do this and your authority will shoot through the roof.
As ever, content marketing is key to long term growth. At Fifteen Design, we have a dedicated digital team that brings together paid and organic search to create potent campaigns that work for you.
To find out more about the services we offer or to get started on your next digital campaign contact us on 0115 932 5151 or email us at [email protected].