Almost every SME that approaches us about content marketing struggles with that one question: What can we write about? It’s a logical question, but not the right one. Because every content strategy starts with Who are you writing for? And as soon as you have the answer to that, the rest follows naturally. Here is a brief explanation of the importance of reader profiles.
There are hundreds of them. That is how many books have been written about content marketing and content strategy. And every author uses their own definition of the term. But there is one constant that returns in every definition: relevance. The content you create – whether it’s a blog for your website or a newsletter – must be relevant to your reader.
Yes, that’s pretty obvious, you’re thinking now. But the next question is a little less obvious…
That is the fundamental question for any content strategy. Who is the person you are going to create content for, or want to have it created for? Because if you don’t know your readers, how on earth do you expect to be relevant?
Reader profiles provide a framework for your content strategy. A reader profile or buyer persona is a fictional representation of a specific target group. This representation helps you put a face to a certain type of reader and link targeted content to that face.
Let me clarify with an example. Imagine a local car dealer. The manager decides to send out an email campaign to his loyal customers. What content and promotions does he send to the family that bought their first family car from him five years ago? It seems to me that you would write about topics like trunk space, a practical interior layout, and safety. Meanwhile, that young twenty-something who recently bought a used convertible is more likely to be interested in horsepower and design.
Two different wish lists, two different areas of interest. And therefore, two different reader profiles. For the sake of completeness, let’s add a third profile: the over-50s who are happy to pay a little extra for a comfortable car.
In this way, the car dealer has three reader profiles he can communicate with in a targeted manner. A first step towards a good content strategy! Because which email do you think would perform best? One general one? Or three separate ones with content tailored to each reader profile? Exactly!
The beauty of it is: once you have those profiles on paper, you continue to benefit from that initial thinking. You can (and must!) refer back to them every time. Suppose that car dealer wants to publish a magazine later on. Those reader profiles will help him ensure that every reader gets what they’re looking for:
Convinced that reader profiles are the very first step in your content strategy? Then let’s get to work! Or could you use a little help? Get in touch!