Research-backed content - How to keep your audience engaged
Many digital experts have the wrong idea that people these days don't like reading. They think this is why there's a need for content that can be easily glanced over.
The truth?
People don't actually hate reading in-depth stuff—they're just choosier. They'll read it if they think it's valuable.
The internet is teeming with various distractions, all fighting for people's attention. What people want is content that offers real-world benefits, content that can genuinely enhance their lives. They're keen to determine if it can contribute to their personal growth.
People aren’t signing up to your list because they like you. They’re signing up because they believe you can help them with their problem.
- Neil Patel
Creating content rooted in research positions you or your business as a leading authority. This practice also draws in potential clients, fosters confidence, and enhances customer connections.
Keep reading to discover more.
The authority principle
Establishing authority involves research.
The authority principle refers to a person’s tendency to comply with people in positions of authority. Humans tend to consider the judgment of certain authority figures to be more reliable than their own.
Making sense of research holds a key role in establishing your expertise.
When you dive into and grasp research discoveries, you can effectively explain what they mean and why they matter. This shows your know-how and trustworthiness in a specific area. Plus, understanding research helps you spot where knowledge is lacking, add fresh perspectives, and guide decision-making. It's like putting on your detective hat to assess existing info and shape strategies based on evidence.
By nailing how to interpret research, you become someone who knows the stuff, and that counts big time. Your contributions become super valuable and leave a lasting mark.
Let's say you're running an online shop for gourmet chocolates.
Naturally, your customers are eager to know how to savor those sweet treats. While others churn out the same old generic advice, you take a different route: you tap into the trustworthy source – the chocolatiers and their expertise.
You guide your readers through the ultimate chocolate experience. What sets you apart is that your advice is steeped in scientific insights, straight from the confectionery experts. Your knack for delving into research and presenting it in simple, doable terms sends a powerful message – you're more reliable than the majority in your field.
But there's more.
Exploring the value of translating scientific research into read-worthy blogs
It's not just about sharing info backed by research. Think about how folks read across the country. Around 19% of adults in the U.S. between 16 and 65 can only handle Level 1 reading. That means they're cool with "quick reads on familiar stuff" to get one specific fact at a time.
If something's below Level 1, it's just going back to the question with really basic words. You don't need to get sentences or paragraphs or other text stuff.
Level 1 reading needs a bit more skill. The reader should know basic words and get whole sentences. They should also manage paragraphs. But it's still about finding one piece of info in short, on-and-off text.
When you "change" college-level research pieces—like social surveys, mental health care, or animal science—you open up a whole new info world for your readers. That's the magic of easy-to-read, research-packed content.
Dishing out this top-level info builds up new and old ties with customers. So, customers send more folks your way, giving your brand a boost and making your influence grow.
There you go!
Trustworthy information requires research-infused content
Content grounded in research enhances the way buyers navigate their path. A survey from Pew Research Center found that a whopping 96% of Americans rely on their own research when tackling a crucial choice. Almost half of these information hunts kick off online. Notably, 46% of those surveyed pointed to "digital tools" as their go-to source.
Among these digital tools were:
2. Forums and comments
3. Online reviews
4. Social media
5. Podcasts
6. Videos
7. Apps
Next in line is seeking insights from others, who often gather their knowledge from the vast realm of the internet. Conversely, businesses that embrace conventional print marketing hold a substantial presence in the research arena. This stance is underpinned by the fact that an additional 8% of survey participants resort to printed materials for their personal exploration.
The takeaway?
People crave online information and are ready to place their faith in web sources when it's the right fit.
And that's where valuable content comes into play. It educates and supports your readers. By safeguarding potential customers from subpar or incorrect information, you build trust and enhance your brand.
Targeted research-based content also serves as a backup to showcase the value of your product or service. As a result, conversion rates increase, thanks to high-quality, proven information that guides buyers through the buying process.
Building a loyal community requires trustworthy content
Top-notch content plays a huge role in gaining trust and, as a result, forming a community. This has become even more important, especially considering that most of the world has spent the majority of the past couple of years cooped up at home. During the pandemic, people's screen time shot up, making them even more reliant on online sources.
Now, while things aren't as locked down as they used to be, lots of people still look to their online communities for info and connections. And this is where your company's online presence comes into play!
Connection with customers is strengthened by social media
Social media serves as a treasure trove for entrepreneurs. It's the spot where you can directly connect with your followers, lend a hand with customer assistance, and dish out valuable info about their day-to-day.
And guess what? You can also expand your follower base simultaneously. Different forms of interaction like giving a thumbs-up, commenting, and sharing pump up your outreach, giving a solid boost to how many people notice you.
By combining this with regularly sharing content based on research, you shape your brand's character into that of a friendly and relatable educator and trendsetter. This, in the end, makes your reputation stronger and boosts customer loyalty.
Social media works great for sharing hot-off-the-press news directly from experts. This could be key numbers or insights from brand-new research. If you can break down complex info well, you'll have an advantage over your competition.
Explore your audience's preferences to develop content that hits the mark
Creating informative and captivating posts is the key to building a successful online community. In order to reach your intended audience, you must align your message with their needs.
However, it's important to note that producing content supported by research doesn't always require citing scientific papers. Sometimes, an in-depth market exploration holds greater significance for content excellence and visibility.
Let's consider a scenario where you're a web content creator. While research from the scientific realm might not be beneficial, particularly if it's not relevant or unnoticed, there's a better way. Enhancing your content with focused market research is the way to go.
Here's how you can do it:
Step 2: Understand their problems - You can use real facts to figure out what troubles the people you want to help. Imagine a marketer looking at studies that say pictures and videos are seen by 94% more people than just words. But don't stop at the numbers. Join online groups and talk to possible customers. This way, you can make really helpful content.
Step 3: Improve your social media sharing skills - If you want more people to follow you, you must do more than just post a few updates. You need to be smart about which websites you use, how much you write, and when you use things like hashtags (#). Find out when most people are online on sites like Facebook and Twitter, and who uses them. This will help you do better.
According to experts like Apurvakumar Pandya from the Indian Institute of Public Health Gandhinagar and Pragya Lodha from Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, being socially connected is basically in our DNA. That's why, when everything went a bit topsy-turvy during the pandemic, about half of our online time was all about social media. Internet usage shot up by 50-70%.
And that's the scoop, which is why you gotta give your content a good side-eye. Like, will it make folks trust your brand more? Will it clear up what your thingamajig or service is all about?
If not, well, time to hit the reset button on what you're putting out there.
Collabwriting - Shareable Notes on Web Pages and PDFs
Collabwriting allows you to gather all your online sources in one place. Just highlight, save, and collaborate with anyone on any content you find online.
To sum-up
When people need to make decisions, whether they're important life decisions or simple shopping choices, they often head to the internet.
When they land on your online platforms, they're hoping to find content that's not just informative, but also useful.
And guess what? You can go above and beyond: Your content can actually make their customer journey better and improve their overall life quality. And the secret sauce for that? Content that's backed by solid research.
Using relevant research will establish your expertise, set your brand apart from the same old stuff that competitors churn out, and help foster a community among your target audience.
It's time to toss those generic marketing blogs out the window and opt for something better. Spend some time crafting quality content using the latest studies guided by experts, directly related to your specific area.
Your curious customers are sure to give you a thumbs-up for it!