Content is one of the central pillars to good SEO. Attracting search engines with keywords and users with interesting information it is an absolute must. Finding your content’s voice in a world filled with millions of echoes can be tricky. Do you stick to the facts? Add a bit of humour? Maybe even develop your own style completely? Like all communication, there are millions of ways to talk to your audience and only one way to do it right. To help you find your content’s voice we’ve got some quick-fire tips to help you get started on your path to SEO enlightenment.
Read the Room
It seems an obvious point but knowing your audience is the first step to understanding tone. A stage is a stage, but an audience at a political rally expect something completely different to what a crowd at a Friday night comedy show would. Finding your voice means learning about tone. Your first stop should be competitor research. See how your competition is wording their blog and website content.
Once you’ve analysed a few competitors you’ll have a better understanding of the tone users expect to see when looking for your information. Research does not me mimicry though so make sure your tone is still wholly your own.
Judging A Book By Its Contents
Working with the written word leaves you hamstrung, as most communication is done through physical cues. Communication via a web page means you have to make the most of spacing, format and multimedia. Creative industries, tourism, entertainment and others benefit from having galleries and other image-centred content.
More professional circles such as law, finance and industry news are more likely to want facts and figures, especially when talking about sensitive subjects. Again, understanding your audience will inform you about the best way to approach this side of your content. First impressions matter, especially with more and more users turning to mobile devices and instant gratification.
Find Your Direction and Stick to It
Writing content for content’s sake is a waste of time. Gone are the days of keyword stuffing, rudimentary search engines and black hat SEO. Search engines are much more intelligent and skilled at ranking pages according to their ability to answer a specific need. When writing a piece of content consider; who you are writing it for? What are their dreams? What are their needs? What will your content give them that they won’t find anywhere else?
Write for The Long Term
A lot of time and planning goes into writing a piece of content so make sure you address themes and questions that are evergreen. The broader its scope and audience, the more potential it has to be shared, repurposed, or updated for years to come.
Write What You Know
Finally, be sure to write what you know. This advice has been given to great writers for hundreds of years and still rings true for digital content. Users employ search engines to answer questions they don’t have the answers to so use your experience and expertise to give them the best solution. Users gravitate toward sites with authority. Don’t be afraid to flex your knowledge and show off to users.
These quick-fire tips will help you on your way to finding your voice. Like all communication, whether face-to-face or on via a web page, find your voice is crucial to stand out from a crowd. For agencies like Fifteen, mastering tone and voice is part and parcel of mapping the digital landscape and an absolute must for any digital campaign.