How do you format content for different audiences?

Formatting content for varied audiences is easier with data! For those who know me well, my love for data is no secret — data-driven narratives shape content. Fascinating & effective. Think of it like this, in content marketing, formatting is like our GPS - it ensures our content is readable, boosts engagement, and propels action. Imagine: Leveraging customer data that guides e-commerce posts, while user patterns can inspire tech content. It's about harmonizing people-first and SEO-friendly content. The challenge, and indeed, the beauty, lies in merging data and creativity with our content strategy to design a narrative that strikes a chord! So let's get it, onwards to creating content that connects and converts!

Instead of niching your audience, I would niche your content. For example, I have a client who knows his audience - faith-based dads. Based on this audience, he's identified that what is important to them are topics that include faith, finance, fitness and family. The problem is that these topics are also important to EVERYONE. And if we want to become known as an expert in something, we not only need to know and niche our audience, but also know and niche the specific content topic we are talking to them about.

The best way to understand your audience is by analyzing what type of content they consume. That gives a great perspective on what they think, how they think, and what matters to them. One has to go through all the social media and analyze what comments they are making, to whose content they are liking more, and thier engagement pattern. Everyone consumes some form of content in social media, doing a deep research will help us understand a great deal about our audience and what content to write for them.

To ace your content game, selecting the right format is non-negotiable. Here’s the blueprint: 1️⃣ Audience-Centric Focus 🎯: Dive deep into your audience’s desires, demographics, and pain points. 2️⃣ Purpose Clarity 📝: Align content goals with business objectives. Is it education, engagement, or action? Define it! 3️⃣ Long-Form Depth 📖: For profound insights, turn to ebooks, podcasts, or webinars. They offer space for in-depth exploration. 4️⃣ Visual Appeal 🎥: Engage with videos or quizzes. They captivate and resonate with modern audiences. 5️⃣ Hybrid Strategy 🔄: Don’t hesitate to mix formats strategically. It’s a recipe for amplified impact. Customize wisely. It’s your path to audience delight and goal attainment. 🌟📈

If we're looking to become visible, we need to think about not only creating one piece of content format, but many pieces. The best starting point is to start with one long-form piece of content like a podcast and to then repurpose this into other pieces of content. Reminding people of who we are and the value we bring multiple times and in different ways is the only way to get cut-through in today's attention economy.

If we remove the jargon on optimizing content layout, the heart of this step is all about having empathy for your reader/listener/viewer. How do we make it easy and simple for people to consume your content? Observing your own habits around what you click on and what keeps you continuing to consume that particular piece of content will give you good insight into what you need to include in your own. For example, images are important not simply because you're being told it is, but because it breaks up text on a page and makes it easier for your audience to continue digesting your content. How can you make consuming content easier for your audience?