With the major changes in AI and Google’s understanding of content, research is showing that information architecture and content silos are becoming more and more important. Pruning content and building content clusters may be critical things to focus on in 2020.  Add these skills to your toolbox. For the small business that is struggling to just add content, let alone prune it and organize it, I often get questions about what to possibly write about.  I have added some content ideas for your products or services. Each of these ideas can be supporting information that links back to your core product and service page and strengthens it with useful info for users at all levels of the sales funnel. With half of all searches being four words or more, there is need for more good content that answers more specific questions. These answers are all supporting information around your key product and service pages, and push them toward that eventual call, form fill, or whatever conversion you are aiming for.

You Are the Solution Content

This is for those people that have a problem and may not necessarily know what the solution is.  These are the people just entering your sales funnel with a search.  Having content that addresses these issues is a great way to show up and make yourself known as the solution.  See below for some general content ideas for your blog or additional service pages.

  • What problem does your product/service solve?
    • Speak to the issue and why you are the solution. If local-focused, possibly add a local angle
  • How to solve or conquer this issue.  Add your service as a key piece of the solution.
  • Common Mistakes, Don’t Make this mistake, etc.
    • What happens if you tackle the problem without using your solution?

Why Are You Better?

Best Choice Small BusinessSo this content may be for the searcher that knows what the solution is but isn’t sure which provider to choose.  They know they need a house cleaner but now aren’t sure which company to choose.  These people may be searching directly for the service you offer rather than asking about their problem.  Rather than explaining what the solution is, this is more about why you are the best choice.

  • Comparison Page: Compare your offerings to brand names people may search for.
    • Of course, highlight your strengths and why you are better
  • Alternative Suggestion: People search for “alternatives” or “competitor” or “similar” to brand names.
    • Similar to comparison, but writing to you as an alternative to a specific brand that someone is clearly searching to get away from
  • Interview: Interview a client or expert that puts your service in their own words and says why they chose and continue to use you.
  • Case Study: Show a story of how you helped an individual customer or client and why and how it worked

Already Chose You for Solution

This is the content for the people that already hired you or maybe already decided they are likely to hire you but haven’t pulled the trigger just yet. This content is possibly answering common questions that come up with using your service, benefits they may receive after they choose you, etc.

  • FAQ: Each question should have a detailed page answering it. There is now FAQ schema markup that you can use.
  • Tutorials: Video or screenshot tutorials to help them use or become more familiar with your processes
  • Troubleshooting and How To’s: Specific content on things that come up to get them quick and easy solutions

These are all great ideas to build clusters of content around each product and service you offer. Yes, I know it is a lot of writing, but “content is king” and that is what drives SEO. We can help you with a writer if you aren’t comfortable writing yourself, but this should be a priority in 2o2o