People-First Content: What is it & How Can You Write it?

In this digital age, writing content to be published on the internet is equally written for the search engines as it is for the actual reader. You might find that writing and publishing content online that contains zero keywords won’t perform well in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Whereas if you write content with a focus on keywords, you’ll likely find it ranks well in the SERPs. 

But there’s a fine balance between making sure that you’re writing for SEO but also for your readers. You need to write for your target audience, which is also known as ‘people-first’ content. In some cases, this is more important than writing for SEO purposes, but why? We’ll go through what ‘people-first’ content is, the benefits of it and how you can create it yourself.

What is ‘people-first’ content?

As already touched upon, ‘people-first’ content is content that’s written solely with the target audience in mind, as opposed to the search engines. Without your audience and your readers, your content is rendered useless, because without clicks, views and general engagement, it won’t rank in the SERPs at all, even if it’s been engineered to. 

Google likes to see quality, genuine content that people are actually interested in reading, as opposed to content that is wooden and only written for the sole purpose of ranking in the SERPs. If you want to create ‘people-first’ content, then focus on your readers rather than on SEO. This is how bloggers and influencers become so successful; their following wants to read their content, because it hasn’t been specifically created for SERP rankings.

The benefits of ‘people-first’ content

We’ve already discussed that ‘people-first’ content is more important than you might have otherwise thought. This is because there are several different ways in which it can benefit you, your website and your audience. It also helps to comply with Google’s Content Update, so you’ll find that you also rank well in the SERPs, one way or another. In addition to that, ‘people-first’ content will benefit you in the following ways:

• It builds trusts between yourself and your audience
• Your audience will view you as more credible and genuine
• You’ll stand out from your competitors
• It helps you to build your brand 
• It can increase leads and conversions, leading to more sales
• It helps to build authority

How to create ‘people-first’ content

Now you know the benefits of creating ‘people-first’ content, you’ll likely want to do it yourself. If you stick to the following steps when you come to create your content, you’ll produce something that your audience will want to read, meaning they’ll also enjoy engaging with what you’ve put out there. Here’s how to produce ‘people-first’ content:

Focus on your level of experience & expertise

Don’t deviate from what you know. If you own a block paving company, then write content about what you specialise in. This ensures the information you’re giving out is accurate and correct at the time of writing. In turn, this will ensure your audience instil more confidence and trust in you and your services, because it’s evident that you know what you’re talking about. In turn, it’s more likely that they’ll choose you for block paving services as opposed to your competitors.

Always answer your readers’ and/or customers’ questions or queries

Never leave your customers hanging if they have a question for you. A good tip is to make a list of all of your frequently asked questions (FAQs) and use those to write an article. This way, you know people will want to read it because it’s something they actually want to know the answer to. If you have many FAQs, then you’ll soon compile a number of different articles, leaving you with a relevant portfolio and a more trusting audience.

Consider the overall reader experience

If you’ve never written an article before, or any piece of content for that matter, you need to understand that layout and formatting is paramount. The reader needs to be able to navigate their way down the page in a way that’s clear and easy-to-read. Most people will want to skim through the information they need, so make that as simple as possible for them. 

Take this article, for example, it contains multiple headings and subheadings, starting with an explanation as to what ‘people-first’ content is, its benefits and, lastly, how to make it yourself. It’s a logical transition from one piece of information to another. You wouldn’t start the article with how to create ‘people-first’ content and end with an explanation as to what it is, for instance. Make sure it’s laid  out in a simple, logical format and keep things  to-the-point

Ensure your content is sticking to a niche

The content you’re producing and publishing needs to stick to a niche. A niche is essentially a specialist subject or topic. In order for your content to be consistent and relevant, you will need to stick to your niche. If you own your own flower shop, for example, then your niche would be flowers, so don’t start publishing content about food, for instance. Sticking to your niche makes sure your readers know what to expect from you, time after time, so they’ll be far more likely to keep checking back in with you and your blog.

Make sure the topics you have chosen are easy to understand

A niche is specialist, but don’t use jargon or language that your readers won’t understand. Put your content into the simplest form you can, writing it as though it’s for someone who is completely new to the topic and you’re trying to explain it to them. Instead, as an example, of using the term ‘inbound link’, I would say “a link that comes from a website that is outside of your website”. 

An ‘inbound link’ is a digital marketing term, so unless you work within the industry, you’re unlikely to know what an inbound link is. If your reader comes across terminology they don’t know, they’ll have to click off your article and search for its meaning, when it should have just been outlined more simply for them in the first place. Make things as easy as possible for your reader.

Kumo is a specialist digital marketing agency with over two decades of experience behind us. We have a team of SEO, PPC and content writing experts who endeavour to catapult their clients into the spotlight, setting them apart from their competitors. No matter what you need, you can rest assured that Kumo will be on hand to help. For more information, get in touch with a member of our dedicated, professional team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.