Content, content, content… such an emphasis for many businesses today. It’s a good bet content marketing is a big part of your organization’s marketing strategy now. Maybe your company creates its own original content. Maybe you curate content from a number of outstanding resources. Whatever the case, it’s not enough to simply push a lot of content out to websites or social media channels.
In order for content to engage the audience and get the attention it deserves, it has to resonate with the audience. If it connects with their interests, they are more likely to share it, like it, and comment on it, which of course leads to an improvement on all of those key metrics that marketing teams find so important. Which begs the question… just how well do you know your audience? Does your content meet their needs?
Consider this example of a healthcare institution. They have an outstanding marketing team, a top-notch social media team, and a whole bunch of surgeons, physicians, and research scientists. All of these folks are creating great content. As you might expect, their content covers a wide range of topics. Every day they publish articles about exercise and dieting, tips for living a healthier lifestyle, and information on various ailments. They also produce whitepapers on scientific research findings and surgical techniques. There is something for everyone!
Their objective is to help people expand their knowledge and provide information that will improve their lives. If someone is coping with a medical situation, they can turn to this hospital’s website or social channels for helpful facts about their condition. Providing this content establishes their healthcare system as a thought leader and trusted source. With so much great content at their disposal, it’s very important for them to understand the intended audience before publishing each piece!
Not as easy as it may sound!! At Atomic Reach, we did extensive research and came up with four audience types. The wheel in the diagram shows these four and includes a number of adjectives which help define the categories. This has been quite helpful to all of our clients, and especially this medical company.
Their audience types mirror these in the diagram. While part of their audience falls into the general category, a larger percentage would be considered knowledgeable. Specialists and those who would be considered “academic” make up a strong segment. So, when creating new content, it’s important for each of their writers to determine who the target is for the article and the level of sophistication needed to connect with the reader.
For instance, when a surgeon writes a whitepaper on a new surgical technique, it will be written at a fairly high level. It might be full of terminology that is way over the heads of most people and is really intended for their peers and medical students. Not exactly a fit for a mom concerned about her child’s ailments! On the flip side, a family physician, who is capable of writing at that high sophistication level, will need to “dumb it down” when writing about normal everyday health stuff that is important to the average person… like me who would need it written at a 4th grade level.
To sum it up… know your audience. Learn what resonates with them, gets them excited, and prompts them to share, like, and comment on your work. The more you do this, the more rewarding it will be for you and the more the audience will anticipate your next great article!
