How to Create Content for Industries You Aren’t an Expert in

Creating content for industries you aren’t an expert in is, in most cases, an integral part of the role of a Copywriter or content creator, especially in the world of digital marketing. With extensive client bases, it’s no wonder that marketers will come across industries and topics that they aren’t familiar with, but what happens if you really feel as though you’re struggling to put words to paper with a particular topic? There are a few things you can do in order to get more of a grasp on the subject matter, even if you don’t know anything about it and we’ll explain those things to you in this article.

Analyse FAQs

This is an effective way of producing content and writing about topics you aren’t familiar with. Most websites will have an FAQs (frequently asked questions) page or subpage. If there is one, open it and read through some of the most commonly-asked questions then make a note of the answers given. More often than not, the answers to FAQs are given by industry experts, so you can’t go wrong when using this as a resource.

This is a form of research that will greatly complement the content you’re looking to write. It’ll often provide a foundation on which to base the entirety of the article, if that’s what you’re producing. It might even help you to generate content ideas for the industry simply by looking at some of the most popular things a customer wants to know. 

For example, if you’re writing about skips and one of the most common questions that appear in the FAQs regarding skips or waste management is “what can I put in a skip?” then you can write an entire article dedicated to answering that question. Not only will it allow you to go into further detail about the topic, it’ll also help to attract a relevant audience as you know for a fact that this is something prospective customers want to know.

Ask your clients for their insight or advice

No one is going to know an industry better than the client you’re creating the content for. If they work within a very niche, specialist industry and you’re struggling to gain accurate information about a certain subject, you need to be able to get in touch with your client to ask them a few questions about it. 

Although this might seem like you’re bothering them, they’ll be more interested in the fact that you’re creating content that is correct, relevant and as up to date as possible. The person who can provide you with the most accurate information about their industry is the client themselves, but this is a resource that’s often overlooked or simply not favoured by content creators.

Asking your client about the subject matter is one of the most effective methods of gaining the information you need in order to write quality content. Not only will your client be able to provide you with everything you need regarding the subject of the article, for example, but they’ll also be able to assist with article idea generation. There are a number of questions you could ask them that will lead to valuable answers, including:

• Which service or product is most popular?
• Is there a product or service your customers continuously ask you about?
• Which service or product would you like to push more and why?
• Is there a product or service that isn’t so popular and why do you think that is?
• Do you offer any services or products that are exclusive to Christmas, Easter, Summer, Valentine’s Day etc?

Once you get the answers to those questions, you’ll be able to generate article ideas or ideas for infographics that’ll be relevant to the target audience and in the best interests of your client. If they’d rather not have you waste time writing about a specific service or product, because they’re thinking of discontinuing it, for example, then they’ll be sure to let you know.

Research the topic & the industry as much as possible

The best place to start would be to research the subject matter or the industry as a whole before you start writing your content. Thorough research is paramount in order to produce information that is correct and factually accurate. 

For example, if you’re writing an article about the use of asbestos in housing developments, then you’ll need to be absolutely certain of the year it was banned or dates government legislation about asbestos use were brought into play. 

It’s essential that you’re providing your audience with content that they can rely on as this can help to build a solid reputation for your client. Using the example above, it wouldn’t look good if you produced an article about asbestos for an asbestos removal firm that was factually inaccurate or outdated and that’s another reason why in-depth research is needed when you’re producing content on a topic or for an industry that you don’t know much about. Often, the research phase can take a while, but it’s worth it in order to produce quality content that can be relied upon for years to come.

Kumo Digital is a highly-experienced digital marketing agency who specialises in content creation, SEO and PPC services. Regardless of the industry you work in, you’ll be able to count on us to catapult your website into the spotlight using innovative techniques and strategies. If you’d like more information about how we can help you today, get in touch with a member of our expert team – we’re always happy to hear from you.