Another way to market your product or service? Really? Yes, we’re really looking into something new today. But don’t worry. It’s not groundbreaking. If you look at how the internet and your audience’s interests have changed, you’ll understand why conversational content might be worth investing in.
Does this interest you?
That’s the big question you want to ask your audience. Because you want to write content that interests them, and yet… Something’s not going right. With Reddit moving up in the search results, instead of actual blog posts, there’s a trend happening that people can’t seem to make sense of.
Except it does make sense. People want to read what interests them, and lately, they haven’t been interested in the cold and business-like approach that most websites and blogs have adopted. And let’s be real with ourselves, what’s more appealing?
The latest shift has indicated that audiences engage more frequently with content that’s written in a semi-casual or even fully casual style, with syntax one might use while talking.
Or: I’ve noticed that my blogs get more engagement when I talk about personal preferences and experiences. Here’s what I did.
Yep. It’s the latter, isn’t it?
Why the shift towards conversational content?
Listen, we don’t want to blame AI again, but… It’s not helping. It makes every blog post sound the same; worse, it’s not even right half the time. That’s why we don’t want to read a fully-generated blog post either. And yes, we can tell it’s generated. A lot of people can nowadays.
Conclusion: people can tell when content is generated, and they don’t want it. They want authenticity. Which is why they go to… Reddit. Because there, humans give advice to and talk about their problems with other humans.
What about influencers?
Good question (I once read a blogger complain about the use of questions in headings, because it’s not an interview, they said, but it reads more like a conversation this way, doesn’t it?). Influencer marketing doesn’t work as well as it used to, mostly because people aren’t clueless. They can see through the beautiful photos/videos/words. They know the influencer is being paid to say positive things, making it less appealing and ineffective.
Don’t entirely give up on influencers
What does seem to work is working with micro or nano influencers. People with a small following usually have a better connection with their audience. Their brand deals are also less common, because they’re not well-known, so they’re not throwing commercial after commercial at their followers. Plus, the brands who sponsor/work with them might be smaller too, and more fitted with the micro/nano influencer’s own brand.
Though the reasons might be varied, they all boil down to the same thing: the content of micro and nano influencers is more authentic.
A shift in the audience’s needs
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Write for your users”. Yes, we’ve used it too, because the underlying message isn’t wrong. You should write content that interests your users. The problem is that people don’t want to read cold and factual content anymore. They want to have a conversation with you.
So what should you do?
Take a look at your own content. Try to see how you can make it more authentic, more genuine, and how you can add value to your audience. And no, we’re not talking about how your product adds value. We’re talking about your content. Your brand.
Brand marketing is where it’s at
Yes, it sounds like a no-brainer, but hear us out. Let’s say you’ve been seeing posts and content from a brand that really inspires you. It makes you laugh, it makes you think, it makes you feel connected to the brand. When you eventually visit their website and see their product, which aligns with their brand, you’ll probably feel more inclined to buy/subscribe.
Why? Because you’ve not been beaten to death with commercials or ads or buy our fastest, bestest, newest solution that will change your entire life. You will look back at your life Before Our Product and think: Wow. How could I have ever lived without Our Product?
That kind of marketing becomes exhausting. Plus, it doesn’t mean anything. Everyone’s the fastest, and everyone’s product is the best. We don’t believe it anymore, and you probably don’t either.
Be genuine with your brand marketing
People are looking for authentic web experiences. They don’t want to walk into a sales pitch, even though that’s exactly what half (if not more) of the web is nowadays. Visiting a website is like opening your front door to someone selling vacuum cleaners. It’s exhausting.
You have to establish a real connection first. So foster your brand’s identity. Show concern for your users and their lives. Talk with them like a real person would. Have a dialogue with them. And please don’t ask people to open their wallets and fork over money without even saying hi, how are you? first.
Read more: Should your content be globally relatable? »
Cindy is a content manager at Yoast. She writes and optimizes blog posts, and enjoys writing content that will help people create better content for their site and users.
