Most business owners might be surprised to learn that the secret to avoiding failed content is not really that complicated. In fact, all it takes to turn mediocre content into exceptional content is the inclusion of data.
However, this by itself is not really a tip since the term data is so vague. So how exactly can you use data to make your content extremely valuable? Here’s the answer that every content creator out there has been looking for.
The Data Types You’ll Need
The first thing that you need to understand is the type of content that is required to get an optimal online performance. The data you will be looking for reveals information about your target audience.
Each group of individuals will have specific qualities that link them. Whether it is their age, their job title, where they live, the industry they work in, or one of the many other factors that could be the similarity. Figuring out what this common link is will help you to better understand how to most effectively target your audience with your content.
How to Get Relevant Data
Now that you know what kind of data you are after, you need to decide what the best way to start collecting this data is. There are a few different options available to you, with each one having its own set of benefits and limitations.
First up is the option of creating surveys or questionnaires which can be distributed to existing customers in your email marketing database. You could also host them on the homepage of your website to attract both existing customers and new visitors who are not yet signed up for email communications.
If you have the resources available to conduct in-person or virtual interviews, then this may be the method that you want to use. This is because these interviews allow you to build off of an individual’s answers and get details that you might not have otherwise received using online questionnaires. For virtual interviews, they can typically be done either on the phone or using some type of app, like Skype.
Regardless of which method is used, there are certain questions you need to ask when trying to gather customer data. These include questions that get basic details about the customer as well as more in-depth answers regarding their experience with your company.
Using Data to Create Customer Personas
Once you have collected the various data from your customers, it should then be compiled into something known as a customer or buyer persona. This is essentially a summarized personality of your average target audience member, which helps you better understand why your customers buy products and what they are looking for in their ideal products or services.
When done properly, these customer personas are an incredibly powerful marketing tool, which is evidenced by the fact that 65 percent of the businesses who use and update their customer personas regularly exceed their revenue goals.
These customer personas should be the basis that you use for guiding future decisions regarding website design, product development, and virtually every other aspect of your company operations. But most importantly, it will help you realize what type of content your customers are most interested in and the best ways to deliver it to them. Having this knowledge will allow you to create extremely valuable content that never misses the mark.