Imagine that you have a small bakery which produces fantastic cakes. Your Instagram profile is full of pictures of your cakes, your clients are very satisfied with the goods you produce, and you know how good your products are.
Now imagine that there is somebody who needs to buy a birthday cake and uses Google search with keywords “birthday cake near me”. Your bakery is not displayed in any place.
The person will probably never even know about the existence of your bakery – not because your cakes are bad, but simply because he couldn’t find you when he needed your services.
And that is something which a lot of companies tend to underestimate. People usually think about the problem first and then about the company that can provide them with the solution.
People Search for Problems, Not Businesses
Consider the last time you looked up something on Google. Would you do some research on the company if the business were new to you?
Of course not. You would search for “best laptops for students,” “tips on removing acne marks,” “cafés near me,” and “courses in digital marketing in Kochi.” You have a certain need for something but you are uncertain about who can meet your needs through their product/service.
This is the chance for the business. A person seeking a fitness trainer may search for “personal trainer near me” while a person going on a vacation would search for “places to visit in Kerala.” They have no intentions of finding your brand. All they need is to find the solution for their question.
Hence, next time, rather than asking “How can I market my business?” ask “What is my customer searching for?” This will make a huge difference in what you create.
Start With the Customer’s Problem
There are always some hidden motives behind searches. There is always a reason why someone used those keywords for a search.
For example, a person who searches for “Instagram Reels ideas for small business” doesn’t need just a list of Reel ideas. Maybe he/she has difficulty with posting content regularly. Maybe he/she has no idea how to create the kind of content that the target audience wants. Or maybe he/she is posting content regularly, but the reach is not enough.
As soon as you start digging deeper to see the problem behind the search, your content ideas become much more helpful.
Instead of creating one more post where you say “We provide digital marketing services”, you can discuss why businesses get views but no enquiries on Instagram or why websites get visits but no customers. Now you’re talking about something the customer is interested in.
Search Intent Reveals the Reason Behind the Search
This is where search intent plays its role.
There are many motives behind searches. Some people do it for the sake of gathering information, while others do it for making comparisons or solving some kind of problem. The final group of searchers is willing to perform a certain action.
Think about the following two queries – “How does Instagram SEO work?”” and “Instagram marketing services in Kochi”. In case of the first search query, there is a possibility that the person is trying to gain some knowledge, but in case of the second query, the individual might be ready to seek the service of an expert.
The keyword will inform about the search query itself, while the search intent will tell the reason for it.
From Their Problem to Your Solution
For example, you run a small clothing store. You upload photos of your clothing regularly on Instagram. However, your customer inquiries aren’t increasing. Thus, you conduct an online search asking, “Why is my Instagram not attracting customers?”
The blog you stumble upon suggests that uploading photos alone may not help. You need to have a content strategy, use clear calls-to-action, and generate content that appeals to your target audience.
Assume that this blog was written by a digital marketing specialist who also offers social media management services.
You didn’t find this digital marketer on purpose. Instead, you were just trying to address your problem with Instagram.
This is the key here.
You don’t have to promote your business directly. Sometimes all you have to do is place the right answer before people.
Don’t Sell in Every Piece of Content
Another big mistake companies make is attempting to sell themselves way too soon.
Your company has been discovered by a potential client and the very first message they receive from you is “BUY NOW”, “BOOK A CALL” or “OUR SERVICES”. What is there to say that they will actually purchase your services when they have yet to learn anything about you?
Educational content provides an opportunity to keep the audience interested.
Skincare brand owner can write posts on the most frequent issues, ingredients, mistakes people make or tips on creating a skin care routine. Café owner can discuss the unique features of their business, the experience it offers or even stories behind the menu.
The products of your business definitely have to be mentioned in your content. Yet they do not need to become a subject of every post you publish.
Help your audience first. Make the sale later.
The Search Bar Can Give You Content Ideas
Sometimes, there is no need for conducting extensive research to know your target audience. There are some clues hiding right behind your search bar.
Imagine yourself in the shoes of your client and forget about your business brand. How will they describe what they need to Google if they have no idea about your company?
It could be anything from the cost, reviews, comparison, mistakes, recommendations, tutorials, and nearby businesses.
These searches can serve as the foundation of your blog, Reel, carousel, FAQ, or even web page.
Don’t just sit there and ask yourself, “What do I post today?”, Think about answering your audience’s questions first.
Being Found Comes Before Being Chosen
A brand could have a superior product, an attractive website, and excellent customer service. However, if consumers cannot locate the brand when they need its products and services, these may not be put to the test.
The fact is one of the reasons why digital marketing is not merely about putting up content and advertisements but being there for the consumer to answer their queries and give them a reason to recall you.
One does not always need to make sales at each point of contact. The first goal could simply be to be helpful.
That way, when the person finally realizes that they need your product or service, your brand will already be one of the options they think of.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I find out the problems of my audience?
Listen. Study customer reviews, customer feedback, social media conversations, forums, and commonly asked questions.
- Should the website address problems of customers or my product?
Both. Product content explains what you have, whereas problem-related content helps to attract new people to your company.
- Can a new company use problem-based content?
Yes, actually, it is possible to consider using this kind of content even for attracting new customers who do not know anything about the company.
- What kind of content can I create from customer problems?
It includes blogs, tutorials, how-to guides, FAQs, checklists, Reels, carousels, and tips & tricks.
- How will helpful content result in sales?
Content becomes the first point of contact with your brand. Once the customer considers the content helpful, he/she will remember the company later on.
Conclusion
No one would ever log onto the internet in order to look up a company that he doesn’t know anything about.
He logs on because he wants to learn something, to solve a problem or to seek an answer.
This is why sometimes marketing doesn’t consist in making more noise about your company. Sometimes, it consists in listening more carefully to your audience.
Thus, before asking yourself “How do I market my business?”, Just try to ask yourself, “What is my client seeking?”
Afterward, it will be much easier to make the content. But first of all, you’ll reach the person at his place.