In the grand landscape of exciting industries, real estate portals fall somewhere in the middle between packaging materials and lion-taming. While most people enjoy browsing properties on them, it’s fair to say not everyone is thrilled by reading about their financial results or new head of marketing. The stories I write about real estate portal companies for OnlineMarketplaces are certainly esoteric, or at least niche – appealing to a limited but high-value audience. Just because the subject matter isn’t for everyone doesn’t mean the writing needs to be. And having a loyal readership doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to expand your audience through search engines. These are a few lessons I’ve learned to make things more interesting over two and a half years of creating content for a niche industry. Expertise Comes From Data, Not Big Words I know or have interacted with a high percentage of my audience at some point, so why use an impersonal and stiff tone? Too often, industry press reads like an undergraduate’s dissertation. Yet, writing about an industry where companies are described as “500-pound gorillas” and market downturns involve words like “trillion” next to “dollars,” data and quotes are your content’s backbone. Earlier this year, I spent two hours at the end of each day gathering the financial and operational metrics for all publicly traded real estate portal companies worldwide from the last four years. Incredibly tedious work, no doubt, but it provided a unique set of data that allowed me to show expertise as someone relatively new to a high-value industry. SEO benefits of combining “need to know, hard to find” data with a less formal tone: – Demonstrates expertise, especially if new to the niche. – An informal tone helps build community and repeat engagement, especially with personalized newsletters. – Gathering stats is the first step towards creating graphs and visuals. Avoid Numbers In A Paragraph. It’s All About Visuals: If you’ve taken the time to find the “need to know, hard to find” data, don’t waste it by just writing numbers in a paragraph. When I read industry news in a previous job, numbers in a paragraph were often ignored. One of the biggest and most blatant lessons from my tenure in property portal performance: Neither does anyone else. It’s not just about humans preferring images to text – graphs help readers contextualize numbers instantly and boost engagement. A simple graphic can mean the difference between the #2 blue link and the featured snippet. SEO benefits of building graphs and visual resources: – Visual appeal keeps users on your page longer. – Titles and alt attribution can boost traffic from Google Image search. Opinions Make For Lively Content And Can Lead To Links: Good creators read a lot and replicate engaging content. I read outside my industry and save niche content I like. Most articles advocate a position; a writer’s subtle expression makes for engaging copy. Expressing your opinion can lead to collaboration opportunities and makes content lively, building community and increasing engagement. Keep Detailed Records Of Your Output, Analyze It, Adjust It, and Repeat: The data collected over the years shows an inverse relationship between Google traffic and company stories you cover. M&A stories perform well, while press releases about new products or partnerships do poorly, emphasizing the need for thorough data analysis. SEO benefits of tracking content output: – Detailed records supplement Google Analytics. – A data feedback loop tells you what Google considers your site an authority on. Longer, More In-depth Content Is Worth The Effort: Over 90% of content receives zero traffic from Google. Most pageviews come from a small number of top-performing articles. Investing time in creating comprehensive resources can yield greater results than chasing headlines fewer people care about. SEO benefits of industry-specific long-form content: – Long-form content is more likely to be considered ‘helpful’ by Google. – Less maintenance is required, optimizing crawl budget. – Easy to update periodically, providing long-term value. Have fun creating great content for your niche!
In the vast world of intriguing industries, real estate portals find themselves somewhere between the mundane appeal of packaging materials and the thrilling excitement of lion-taming.
While many people enjoy perusing properties on these platforms, it’s safe to say not everyone is enthused by reading about financial outcomes or new marketing heads. The stories I write about real estate portal companies for a niche website may seem specialized, catering to a limited but valuable audience.
However, a niche subject doesn’t have to mean uninteresting writing. Even with a loyal readership, expanding your audience through search engines is worthwhile. Here are some insights I’ve gained over two and a half years of creating content for a niche industry.
Expertise Comes From Data, Not Big Words
The effort to gather data is worthwhile. Knowing my audience personally means my tone can be more relatable and less formal. Too many industry writings come across as stiff, like an academic thesis. Yet, the industry I’m writing about often involves hefty figures and significant market shifts. Instead of using complex language, focus on providing essential data.
Earlier this year, I dedicated time to compiling financial and operational metrics for publicly traded real estate portal companies over the last four years. This tedious work resulted in a unique data set that helped establish my expertise as someone new to this high-value industry.
SEO benefits of data-driven content with an accessible tone:
- Demonstrates expertise, especially for newcomers to the niche.
- Informal tone encourages community and repeated engagement, particularly when combined with newsletters.
- Collecting statistics paves the way for creating graphs and visuals.
Avoid Numbers In A Paragraph: Focus On Visuals
If you’ve painstakingly gathered data, don’t bury it in lengthy paragraphs. In a previous job, numbers lost in text were easily overlooked. One key lesson from my experience: graphs and visuals help readers quickly grasp and engage with the information.
Our articles with at least one graph have a significantly better session duration. While it may require additional effort, incorporating data into quality images with proper alt texts can boost search engine results, potentially leading to featured snippets.
SEO benefits of visual content:
- Visuals can keep users on your page longer.
- With appropriate titles and alt text, images and graphs are indexed by search engines, boosting traffic from image searches.
Opinions Make For Engaging Content And Can Lead To Links
Successful creators read extensively and replicate engaging content. I maintain a board of niche articles I admire, often featuring writers who take a stance. Opinions, when subtly expressed, make for compelling content.
My boss has strong views about our niche, leading to engaging content through interviews and discussions. Authentic opinions, especially when consistent throughout your work, resonate better than contrived statements aimed at selling products.
Whether advocating for industry equality or technology adoption, expressing your views humorously and consistently can create opportunities for collaboration and content sharing.
SEO benefits of opinionated content:
- Well-expressed opinions can foster collaboration opportunities.
- Opinions enhance the liveliness of content, fostering community and engagement.
Pro tip: Balance your opinions carefully and avoid letting them dominate your publication.
Keep Detailed Records Of Your Output, Analyze, Adjust, and Repeat
Detailed records have shown me a nearly inverse relationship between Google traffic and the demand for certain news topics. Content about mergers and acquisitions or controversies performs well, unlike straightforward press releases.
Tracking variables such as word count, categories, and timing helps identify content that works. Although it may seem cumbersome, this data reveals vital information about what resonates with both Google and your audience.
SEO benefits of detailed content tracking:
- Google Analytics is helpful but limited; additional data provides better insights.
- Comprehensive data enables a feedback loop, identifying your site’s strengths.
Longer, More In-depth Content Is Worth The Effort
Statistics show that over 90% of content receives zero traffic from Google. A small percentage of content often carries the most weight. Most of our pageviews come from a limited selection of articles, highlighting the need for discerning content choices.
In the past, press releases made news gathering easy, but now I’m more selective about what deserves my attention. Focus on creating well-researched, high-quality resources rather than rushing to publish less impactful news.
SEO benefits of comprehensive content:
- Longer content is more likely considered ‘helpful’ by Google.
- Reduced short articles lead to manageable content and optimized crawling.
- Long-form content is ideal for periodic updates, offering a low-effort strategy.
Enjoy crafting outstanding content for your specialized audience!
