by Remember the days before the internet–particularly before Google? When people wanted to know something about a little-known subject, find out about a service, or learn about a product, they had to go looking for it.
The local library was one resource, others were things like magazines and brochures. Newspapers served as another source of knowledge, and television and radio brought information to life.
Think Pre-Google, Then Blog
Today, information is readily available, people can learn about products and services with just a few clicks. That presents a problem for small businesses trying to stand out. Content marketing has become a way generate traffic to a company’s site, but the articles which serve as the core have to offer something different.
This means going long tail in SEO terms. Which, plainly put, it means if you’re a real estate professional, try blogging about a subject within your industry. Articles about selling real property or setting an asking price can be found anywhere.
However, articles that answer questions like, “why is the bank ordering a second appraisal?” or, “do banks run a second credit check days before closing?” are more difficult to find. That is to say, material that isn’t a mere snippet. Answer very specific questions because these address a niche subject, which makes for a great lead generation tool.
Niche, Useful, and Great SEO
The point is to go beyond the obvious and provide information that’s still not readily available. Everyone has had the experience of searching Google and found partial or very little information on a specific question. This is why sites like Wikipedia, About, Avvo, and Answers do so well in organic search. By taking this approach and applying it to your industry, think of questions that people have.
There are questions people ask you on a regular basis, and you’re probably constantly surprised that the answer isn’t widely known. Use such questions asked to provide your inspiration and answer them directly while expounding upon the explanation.
Once written, share your information on social and, if you’ve inserted some key points, use those to get more mileage out of what you’ve provided by sharing those facts and figures again on social media.
