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Giving a writer a list of keywords and asking for 600 words sounds straightforward. But what are they supposed to write? Who is going to read it? What does that person need help with? Those questions often get missed.
I’ve worked in search for more than 25 years. Keywords are useful, but they don’t tell a writer everything they need to know. A content brief should explain who the article is for, what it needs to answer and why someone would bother reading it.
Start with the person searching
Let’s use a made-up example. A factory manager needs help treating wastewater and starts looking for suppliers. You could give a writer the phrase ‘industrial wastewater treatment’ and ask them to write an article. They may explain what wastewater treatment is, list a few systems and finish with ‘contact us’.
But perhaps the manager already knows they need treatment. What they don’t know is what information to have ready before speaking with a supplier.
That gives the writer a much clearer job: explain what the manager should find out about the wastewater, the factory and the current equipment before making an enquiry.
Same subject. A much more useful article.
Find out what customers actually ask
A keyword tool can show you search phrases. It can’t tell you everything happening behind them.
Speak to the people who answer the phone, prepare quotes or deal with customers. What do they keep explaining? What do people misunderstand? What questions come up before someone is ready to buy?
You may find that customers don’t understand the difference between two services. Or they keep asking whether a particular product suits their situation. That is useful information for a writer.
Don’t assume a question matters just because it appears in a tool. Check it against what your customers and staff are telling you. The two should work together.
Give the writer the facts
Writers shouldn’t have to guess how a business works. Tell them what the service includes, what it doesn’t include and who can check the details. Give them the information needed to explain it properly.
In our factory example, an engineer should check any explanation about treatment options. The writer’s job is to make that information easy to follow, without changing its meaning.
If you have a real example you’re allowed to share, provide it. If you don’t, use a clearly labelled made-up example. There’s no need to invent a customer or pretend something happened.
Also explain where the article belongs on the website. Does another page already cover part of the subject? Should the reader be sent there for more detail? Sort that out before asking for another article that repeats the same information.
Check whether the article helps
Before approving the draft, put yourself in the reader’s position. Does it answer the question? Are there words that need explaining? Is anything important missing? Does the reader know what to do next?
For the factory manager, a useful next step may be gathering the right information before contacting a supplier. That is something the article can help them do.
Simply including all the keywords doesn’t tell you whether it has done that job.
A writer still needs room to write naturally. Give them clear information and direction, then check the finished piece for accuracy and usefulness.
Keyword research has a place. But before handing over a spreadsheet, explain the person behind the search and the problem they’re trying to solve.
That’s what gives the writer something worth writing – and the reader something worth reading.
Peter Karpouzas is an independent SEO Consultant at pkseo.com.au.
Image: Supplied
Read more: Are your B2B customers relying on incorrect content evidence?
