If you’re writing online anyway — why wouldn’t you be using data as a way to grow your business?
Is it because you don’t know how to find it?
Because you wouldn’t be sure what to do with it once you had it?
As a digital creator, you’ve likely built up an online audience and are maybe even starting to earn some money from your work — but you know that there’s potential for so much more.
You want to turn your content into a sustainable and lucrative source of income, but you’re not sure where to start. You’re writing and creating content, but it doesn’t seem to be attracting the traffic and attention you need to make a real impact.
The problem is (likely) that you’re not using data to inform your content creation process. You’re writing blindly, without any insight into what your audience is looking for or what they need help with. And as a result, you’re missing out on valuable SEO opportunities that could drive more traffic to your site and, as a result, make you more money.
You’re not alone in this struggle.
Many creators are in the same boat right now, trying to figure out how to make their content stand out and attract the right audience.
But the solution is clear: if data are out there, available to be used… you ought to be using it. Those who do will have a leg up in this game. Those who don’t are relying on instinct and gambling.
By leveraging the power of SEO and data-driven insights, you can create content that meets the needs of your audience, positions yourself as a valuable resource, and produces the results you’re looking for.
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of using data to inform your content creation and provide practical tips and strategies for incorporating SEO into your workflow.
By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to use data to decide what to write about and be well on your way to achieving SEO success and financial sustainability.
The #1 Engagement Hack: Know what they want to read beforehand
It’s well documented in keyword research circles that there are difficult-to-rank-for searches (ie. “weight loss”)
…and easy-to-rank-for searches (ie. “best pre-workout for weight loss”)
The easier-to-rank-for searches that get searched less are called “long-tail searches”, and while they may get searched significantly less than short-tail, they’re both easier to rank for AND the intent of the searcher is 100% more transparent.
If someone is typing in “weight loss for gluten-free moms on a budget”, you know clearly the type of information they’re hoping to find. Alternatively, when someone types in simply “weight loss”, there’s a lot more room for interpretation.
Sure, they’re searching for weight loss, but are they looking for weight loss tips? Weight loss supplements? Are they someone who just lost weight and is wondering when their loose skin will tighten up?
A commonly held misbelief is that if you’re a lesser-established site, you shouldn’t even bother trying to target high-volume-high-difficulty terms.
After all, If you know in advance you can’t rank for it, why would you waste your time?
When we provide keyword research services for our clients, we always suggest that when planning content into the future, you specifically aim for both easy-to-rank-for terms AND “HVHD” (high-volume-high-difficulty) searches in conjunction with one another.
The reason?
Volume is an indication of interest
Sure, maybe your article on “how to lose weight fast” won’t be the reason people find you on Google, but you can bet your boots that of those who arrived via your “best pre-workout for weight loss” article, a high percentage of them will be interested in clicking onto the other article.
How do we know that? It gets searched 166,000 times each month on average.
Remember, it’s not just about getting traffic to your site. It’s equally as much about getting them to stay there once they arrive, reading and clicking around as much as possible.
Knowing what kind of content your prospective visitors are likely to find interesting before they arrive can be incredibly valuable. Drive traffic to your site by focusing on easier-to-rank-for keywords, then keep them there by making sure they see your high-volume-high-difficulty article front and center.
One could think of it as a trap but in reality, it’s just using the data to your advantage.
How to Find What to Write About
Say you know a subject extremely well, could write an article on basically any topic thrown at you, answer a million different questions on it, and genuinely know your stuff when you discuss it.
Maybe you’re the kind of person who thinks, “just tell me what to write and I’ll do it, no problem.” The hard part isn’t writing about the subject, it’s figuring out what to write in the first place.
If you’d rather not have to learn how to do this all yourself, you can always hire us to do your keyword research for you.
In all seriousness, we’re curious to get to know our audience better. If you’ve got 5-10 minutes to spare, We’d love to hear what you’re working on. Contact us and let us know what we can help you with. Don’t be shy. We’re friendly. 👋
