Making valuable content is a topic that many marketers discuss.
What does it mean when something is valuable? Is success a given if your content is valuable?
No, in a nutshell, is the answer to the latter query. Success is influenced by many different things. But if you first evaluate your content ideas, you’ll increase your chances of success.
Use this checklist to verify which concepts are worthwhile to pursue.
1.Does your target audience want it?
The most crucial criterion is this. Spending time and money to create something that nobody actually requested is more likely to fail. It’s comparable to preparing a chocolate cake and then encouraging gluten-intolerant folks to eat it. Even though the cake is excellent, the guests might not want to eat it.
How can you be certain that a content concept corresponds to a genuine need or desire of your audience?
In order to find out what current consumers or clients are interested in, first create a method to coordinate with a sales representative and a customer support representative (if appropriate). Does your proposal address any of these questions or worries?
In order to determine whether your idea is among the questions people are asking or the information they are seeking to locate, conduct a question or keyword search on it.
You can do this using a lot of tools. They include:
- Questions are gathered from all around the internet by BuzzSumo and Answer the Public.
- Browser add-ons Keyword Surfer and Keywords Everywhere retrieve keyword volume and other data directly from the SERPs.
- Google’s autocomplete, People Also Ask, and other features offer extra information on related search terms.
What is the volume of the keywords that you find when they fit your content idea? If you’re developing content for the bottom of the funnel, a lower volume is acceptable, but if you’re aiming to reach a wider audience, you might prefer a content idea with a larger relevant keyword volume.
This technique can also be used to strengthen and develop your ideas based on the fresh perspectives you uncover.
2. Was the concept implemented?
You have a great idea that matches your brand, benefits your target audience, and can be easily implemented by your team given the time and resources they have at their disposal.
But be sure to confirm that the concept hasn’t already been used. A Google search can be frequent enough, but you’re not simply looking for exact matches.
Now that you have a new approach to writing about which candy is the most popular, you could argue that consumers love this type of information, which is why so many websites are doing it. However, you might not want to submit your take on this concept if your content doesn’t generally compete with well-known websites like Delish and Better Homes and Gardens. The identical concept has already been presented to audiences several times, so it won’t be as appealing as something new.
3. How to add originality
You don’t have to abandon your concept right away if it’s finished. There are frequent ways to change course and find a thought that’s much more intriguing.
Here are some queries that help with that change of direction:
- What new inquiries and enquiries spring to mind when you read the published versions of this concept? How many states, for instance, like chocolate over gummy candies?
- What remarks or comments were made in response to the published content? Do they directly or implicitly suggest new directions to pursue? (For instance, pointing out a technical flaw)
- Could another notion be approached using the same methods as the published idea? (For instance, what are the most popular costumes, horror movie favourites, etc., by state?)
- Is there a way to delve deeper into this concept to acquire a more detailed understanding? Is it necessary to have a broader perspective? (For instance, how the preferred confectionery has changed over time in each state.)
- Can we provide a different viewpoint using the statistics or other information? (For instance, to find which states have the most sweet teeth, whose popular candies have the most sugar.)
You may better develop your concept and make sure it’s original and engaging by taking the time to understand what has already been written on the subject matter of your idea.
4. Does the concept align with a marketing objective?
One piece of content rarely satisfies all of your content marketing objectives. You’re more likely to fail miserably if you try to have it accomplish numerous things at once.
Every piece of material ought to have both a primary and secondary objective, like:
- Ranking for top-of-the-funnel phrases will raise brand awareness.
- By ranking for middle-of-the-funnel phrases, brand awareness is raised.
- Boost business recognition by creating buzz on social media.
- Help prospective clients and customers learn more about your offering (sales support)
- Promote conversions by using bottom-of-the-funnel content to attract visitors.
- To increase backlinks and/or brand authority, create a resource.
Your objectives may overlap, but each piece of content should have a distinct objective to help shape the concept so that the final content and promotion meet the objectives set forth by your organization.
To help you and your team keep focused on the content’s purpose while planning and developing it, add your overall content goals at the top of your editorial calendar and make note of the objective for each piece of content.
5. Will the notion generate a response?
Your material must elicit a feeling or reaction from the audience in order for them to care about it. Does that sound like your plan? The query serves as a stand-in for evaluating the importance of your material.
It’s not necessary for the response to be “emotional.” Think about how-to content. Even though it is frequently simple, when done effectively, it gives the reader a sense of comfort and, finally, of success.
Before producing, ask
Before it is even written, your content already has worth. It starts in the concept stage. These five questions can help you develop your idea and increase the likelihood that it will result in something that both your target audience and your company want.