Why you should write about what your readers are searching for

Do you write about things that your readers are wondering about?

The best editorial teams have their finger on what is most important to their audience, covering the topics that they either know — as being part of their community — or what their research over the years tells them is most engaging to their audience.

But writing about what your audience wants can go so much further and the data we have today through keyword research tools, social media groups and forms on our websites, opens up so many more opportunities.

Strategically, I love this idea because these are the kinds of stories that readers are already searching for. When you have those answers you are not only providing a great service but you are surely helping drive more SEO traffic because you are writing about things people are already doing searches for.

1. What do reader questions look like?

The idea is pretty simple. Find questions where you can provide a direct answer. These stories aren’t meant to be deep dives but quick, utility-like content with clear answers.

I often tell editorial teams to get in and out of stories like these as quickly as possible, meaning give readers the answer they are seeking and move on.

So what are the kinds of stories where this works well?

• Explaining a process (how does the school district’s absentee process work?)

• Explaining how a program works (are tolls collected on this road?)

• Why something is the way it is (why does that street light take so long to change?)

• What to expect (when will the electricity be back on, when will roads be plowed?)

2. Where do you find these ideas?

There are so many places today we can go to see what readers are wondering about. Here are a few ideas:

• Questions readers call your newsroom with

• Questions readers email you

• Questions that are sent on Facebook Messenger

• Questions that come up in public meetings

• Questions posted on Facebook Groups

• Questions shared on community forum groups

• Questions your neighbors bring up

Often when I talk with editorial teams about creating this kind of journalism, many want to build a form and create a story asking for ideas and I absolutely think you should do that.

But, there are also so many other ways to find out what your readers are wondering about.

3. Use keyword tools

Simple tools like Google Search Trends, Google Console and Answer The Public are really good tools to use to discover the kinds of queries that readers are searching.

Recently, I was working with a client on this idea and we used a big international cricket event that was coming to their city to determine the kinds of keywords being searched and questions that readers had.

Not only was this helpful to understand the key questions to use to build out the content based on what readers were wondering about, but many of those questions that we could see readers searching for, also could make for great sidebars.

We can help

We work with many publishers on this idea, from creating strategy to teaching editorial teams how to use these kind of tools and would love to help you.

Email me at David@davidarkinconsulting.com today.