This is the second part of a series about “How to Be More Searchable (even if you invented your job title)”. Check out the first part here!
A couple weeks ago, I got a new washer and dryer from Craigslist. Once I got the suckers into my basement, they of course needed to be hooked up.
Can you guess the first thing I did?
I Googled “how to hook up washer dryer DIY” (because #adulting is Googling how to do things).
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but there was so much helpful content right there on the first page!
Everything from blog posts, instructional how-to’s, YouTube videos, a Featured Snippet, and even some handy diagrams in the Images search.
All for something as “boring” as hooking up a washer and dryer.
Last week, we talked about how to be “searchable” even if you invented your job title by focusing on making your core message searchable instead of your title.
And that’s certainly important and helpful, especially to be searchable in something like your social media bios.
But it’s not the only way to be searchable.
If you invented your job title and your Humans don’t even know they need your services or products yet, there’s another, even more powerful way to be searchable.
With your blog posts!
In this post, we’ll go over exactly why you want to be searchable with blog content, and how it helps you reach your business goals.
How does searchable blog content help your business goals?
Ultimately, you want to capture your Humans’ attention when they’re searching to solve a need (one that they already know or think they know that they need).
If they don’t already know they need your services or products, obviously they’re not going to be actively searching for it.
Instead, with a blog, you can be searchable for the things related to your offerings that they currently think or know that they need.
How?
Well, it’s actually pretty simple.
By creating content that helps your Humans solve problems they already know they have and need to solve, you’re able to show up in those Google searches.
Once they’re on your site reading that content, you provide so much value and help them with their current need, growing the Know-Like-Trust factor.
Now that they know, like, and trust you, and you’ve got their attention on your site, you can also help them become aware of the deeper need that you solve with your products or services. This can happen in more blog content, on your email list, or in so many other ways.
But it all starts with being searchable for their current perceived needs with your blog content.
Start with your searchable core message formula
Last week, I showed you a formula to distill your core message (to make it more searchable, especially on things like social media bios)
In order to create blog content that will make you more searchable (ie. get you found on Google by your target Humans), you need to create content that addresses the perceived needs of the “Emotional Now” portion of the formula.
Example: For a service-based business model
Let’s continue with the example from last week.
My friend Megan calls herself a Narrative Strategist. She helps online business owners strengthen their brands, get passional about their business again by clarifying core values, brand story, and more entrepreneurial therapy (my words, not hers). She uses some branding, copy editing, business coaching, and more to make that happen.
The Emotional Now of her ideal Humans might include desperation about why their website isn’t converting, or how to be authentic about their life and/or business on Instagram without oversharing.
So Megan could write blog posts about:
- Writing a great About page for a creative business
- Creating the perfect brand board
- How to write a better Instagram bio
- Using Instagram Stories to show “behind the scenes”
These are all things her ideal Human might be actively searching for, and from there, she can help show them the deeper need of getting aligned and authentic in their business, which she then helps with via her services.
Example: for a blog + infoproduct business model
Let’s do a different example, one that’s not service based.
Let’s say you promote photography accessories and equipment via affiliate links on your blog, and you also have an online course about fostering your creative photography hobby around a busy life. Your target Humans are working adults with families who do photography as a hobby.
(I just made that up. Feel free to steal it if it sounds like you!)
Your idea Humans probably aren’t pulling up Google and searching “how to stay creative as a photographer around a busy life with kids”, even though that’s your core message.
Instead, to attract your ideal Humans via search, you could write about things they are searching, such as:
- Quick Photoshop editing tricks
- DSLRs that are easy to use and/or learn
- Family photo excursion ideas
- Photography equipment storage that are kid-proof
- Easy affordable light kits that your kids can’t break
(I clearly know nothing about photography or kids, so I just made these up. They may or may not be accurate or realistic or whatever but you get the idea)
By creating blog content that targets and solves your Human’s Emotional Now needs, you’ll be able to:
- Get their attention in Google search results
- And grow their Know-Like-Trust by solving perceived Now needs and providing quick wins.
- From there, you’ll be able to get them to other content that makes them aware of the deeper need that your products and/or services solve, and nurture them towards those solutions.
Use keyword research to know what your humans are searching
In order to create content that targets needs that your Humans are searching for, you’ll need to do some research.
Start with the Emotional Now portion of your Core Message Formula to come up with a few ideas.
Then use those as a starting point in your keyword research process.
This way, you’ll be able to confirm that these are actually needs that real live Humans are typing into real live search bars.
You’ll also learn:
- how many Humans are searching it
- how hard or easy it will be to get on the first page for the term
- and what kind of competition you’ll be up against
It’s important to not skip this step when you’re creating content specifically for the purpose of being more searchable.
Otherwise, you may end up spending time creating content that your Humans aren’t actually searching for, or focusing on a certain phrase when Humans are searching a different phrase that means the same thing.
Ready to get started??
So don’t forget: your services or products solve a deep need that your ideal Humans may not even realize they have.
In order to be more searchable to them and get found in Google, it’s important to create blog posts that serve their Emotional Now needs, the things they already know (or think they know) they need.
Ready to start bringing in traffic of your ideal Humans to your site? You’ll definitely want to grab the Keyword Research Roadmap below. It’ll guide you through the whole process of researching to find the topics your Humans are actually typing into search bars.
Free SEOtastic Flowchart & Checklist
