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How to avoid creating copy-cat content (2)

22 Jan

Hallos,

Happy Friday y’all.

Just off a short but sweet call with Kevan Smith (Hello Kevan).

We’ll be working together (well, he’ll probably do most of the work 🙃) on creating a guide to creating amazing video content for your business or personal brand.

Kevan has got tons of amazing experience with using video content to tell great stories, plus he is a great human.

You can check out his website here.

Now, a continuation of avoiding the blight called copy-cat content

Last week, we talked about information gain and why it’s a go-to framework for creating valuable content for your audience.

Today, let’s build on that 🧱

One of the first things we do with keyword research is to define the user intent.

By user intent, we mean the goal or objective behind a search query or keyword.

This is usually categorized into:

  • Informational – here, the user is searching for information. For example, ‘how do I tie my shoelaces.’

  • Navigational – the user is trying to reach a specific website. For example, ‘Twitter login’

  • Transactional – the user wants to buy, download or register for something. For example, ‘buy phones online.’

  • Commercial – the user is looking to purchase a specific item and needs to decide what to buy. For example, ‘best running shoes.’

Now, do these work?

Yes, they do. But if you are looking to provide more value, you would agree with me that you don’t really think that way when you searching for stuff online.

And that brings me to today’s framework - The Search Motivation Framework.

Learned this from the fantastic John Bonini, you can sign up for his Some Good Content Patreon here.

When most individuals go on Google, they do so for one of three reasons:

  • I need ideas

  • I need help/instruction

  • I need to get something done right now

Your audience doesn’t care about user intent or any transactional categorization. They either need ideas, help, or just want to get stuff done.

Why is this important for creating great content?

Because using the Search Motivation Framework lets you come up with topics that speak right to the customer’s motivations, not a rehashed version of the top three results on Google’s SERPs.

Makes sense?

This Week’s Read 📚

I am a Mark Ritson fanboy. And his latest piece on brand strategy is a great read for every marketer or business owner. My take on brand strategy:

“I think most startups could do better with brand strategy. It’s easy to get caught up in growth marketing and conversion rate optimization. But if you are in this for the long term, spend some time drilling down on your brand strategy.”

Content Writing Jobs (Remote/Freelance)

  • Copywriter: SEO Butler | Apply here

  • Content Writer: Brainjolt | Apply here

  • Content Writer: AmpiFire | Apply here 

For the SEO Butler gig, please submit my name in the field in the image below so they know who recommended them

All the best folks. And please share with any of your friends/colleagues who might find this useful 🙏🏾

My biggest takeaway this week 🚀

Cheap: Telling people what you value.

Expensive: Living according to what you say.

What I’m thinking about?

Success is a function of the standards you set for yourself.

Thanks for reading this far. I am grateful!

Stay safe & sane,

Dozie

P.S: If you like this newsletter and want to support it, please could you forward this newsletter to a friend with an invitation to subscribe right here👇🏾