Why publishers should focus on hyper local content and avoid general and generic content

There’s been this interesting debate for years about some content not being local but still being relevant.

The idea was that readers would still find value in content around things like recipes or parenting advice or home and garden tips, even if it’s not local.

Parenting advice helps those in Wyoming or Washington, D.C. So, location doesn’t matter was the thinking.

I think years ago that argument probably held up. The Internet wasn’t what it is today, AI wasn’t a thing and social media wasn’t swarming us with information and influencers. Also, when coverage decisions were made, print or broadcast was the only consideration. That just isn’t the reality any longer. We have to weigh if the content is going to be a success online.

But still today, I see some publishers continuing to feature this kind of content. In some cases it’s where some of their freelance dollars are being used.

It’s probably time to really consider if general topical content is a valuable asset for regional newspapers, niche publishers and regional magazines. The answer for me is pretty clear. It’s not.

But let me tell you why.

1. Be a local resource

Readers today are seeking local answers and solutions much more than general information from their local and regional publications.

They want help:

• Picking the right schools, understanding zoning boundaries and selecting the best camps for their children.

• Learning how their tax dollars are being spent and what those decisions mean for their homes, their savings and their future.

• Where to spend time on the weekend, how to plan great getaways in their state and the businesses and people in their community who are making a difference that they can support.

It’s a list I could go on and on with, but the point is, what they are seeking from you is information that helps them live a better and more informed local life.

This doesn’t mean that readers aren’t seeking information on family meal plans, financial advice and cruises they can take. But there are so many places they can get that information from. And you — or correspondents in your community — aren’t the experts in those spaces. There are entire niche businesses built around offering expertise in these spaces. And they’re really good at it.

Everything comes down to choices based on the resources media companies have to work with today. I think today it’s crazy to use those resources on anything that isn’t local, regional or of state interest. 

2. SEO is a big factor

I’m seeing more and more publishers who years ago wrote general content and enjoyed years of SEO traffic from that content, no longer seeing traffic returns.

That’s because Google has said a site has to be the go-to expert to win the SEO war for content like that. And the competition is steep.

So if you are a regional newspaper and are still running movie reviews or hiring a freelancer or columnist to write a general story for your home and garden section, chances are Google is not going to consider you the expert. They will consider the niche publishers in those spaces, the experts.

There’s also just an amazing amount of competition for those stories. It’s tough to be the winner.

My advice: Realize those stories are not going to be a driver any longer and re-prioritize your efforts on truly useful local information where you are the expert.

3. This matters for paid content, too

Many advertisers want to focus on their expertise, when it comes to branded content and that makes sense.

But an interior decorator or designer talking about their ideas for making a kitchen come to life, has been done over and over. Their expertise, most likely, won’t be that different than the thousands of stories that have already been written on this topic.

But what will work is focusing on a local family who worked with that advertiser who can show off the finished product or a feature on one of their employees or contractors who had an interesting journey into that industry.

Over and over again, when an advertiser’s expertise becomes local or regional (think of a local insurance agent who talks about trends in their state opposed to general advice) the content really takes off.

The point with this entire newsletter today is readers need trusted local information from publishers today more than ever. Put your resources to content that serves that goal over information that is widely available.

Let’s work together!

Connect with me today at David@davidarkinconsulting.com or call me at 832 407 0188 and lets chat.