Creating content for clients is a personal affair. In fact, it’s all about personalizing content for the clients’ website. It’s also about personalizing guest articles using the existing content and the content you create.
If one of your clients happens to be in an uber-niche market, one that is highly particular, personalizing written content gets tougher. Writing on-site content and guest posts for clients like a tree trimmer or a specialized educational program could prove impossible. However, it could also prove to be interesting, fun, and quite instructive.
In this article, we’ll examine multiple uber-niche clients and discuss some best practices for creating both on-site and guest post content for them.
The Bare-bones Client
These clients often come to agencies looking for more than one product. They want link building and content creation, or they’re looking for technical SEO and link building. The most willing partners for your agency will recognize that their sites are bare-bones and that they need a lot of help. For a client like the Boston University Online Master of Science in Computer Information Systems Program, there might be one highly-valuable piece of content and some news:
On-site
You might be tempted to go through a spate of competitor and keyword analyses. These are great methods for creating content for any client. They’re also great tactics for a long-term on-site content project. While you should never rush a content creation project, there are ways to create content for clients who need it as soon as possible because they have very little.
For this client, using their existing content is going to be one of the best ways to brainstorm new content. Since this distance learning program has announced its including on a best-of distance learning list, create content about those best practices and those of other programs on the list or otherwise. Build articles that teach potential students about the particular concentrations of the program and answer questions. How is data analytics used and why do they need to learn about it? Can database management be used in small businesses? Use a content analyzer like Buzzsumo to research what kind of content performs best for your client’s topics and competitors.
Apply the 5Ws and H of journalism: who’s the audience for this client? What does that audience want or need? When do they need it? Where should it go? And how should it be used? Answering these questions can help you brainstorm beyond the client’s existing content.
Guest Posting
Until the content you’ve created has gone live, there are ways you can use the existing resources. To answer the how of this client’s existing content, it is as a great resource for guest posts.
Though your client may not yet have a lot of resources, you’ve determined that the one or two that do exist are highly valuable and show that your client is authoritative. Use that to your advantage and pull quotes for your guest posts.
The Retail-Based Client
You’ve probably had that one retail client who has only product or services pages on the site. The pages may be great at getting customers to click on a converting link, but that’s all there is. If there’s a blog, it is likely full of very advertorial posts linking directly back to product pages.
On the other hand, you might end up with a retail client that has some great educational resources on its blog. Comfort Windows knows its audience is peopled with homeowners, buyers, and DIYers.
On-site
When creating content to augment a client like this, look at what’s missing from its library of information. Create content that fills gaps for your client. This retailer has a lot of educational material on its site, like tips on wearing rashguards and information on allergies to some of its products:
There are plenty of general surfing articles and how-tos that range from beginner to advanced. However, there are just two product reviews. Customers want to know what experiences other buyers have had. Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts love product reviews, the more in-depth the better.
For a client such as Comfort Windows, it’s a little more difficult to create product reviews. Instead, follow in the mold already established and build more project-related articles.
Guest Posting
Content created for and by retail-based clients can be a lot of fun to use in guest posts. Many of these articles lend themselves to inclusion in classic listicles. These “best of” lists are great ways to feature your clients’ products and content.
Choose one of your client’s most practical pieces of content, whether created by your agency or by the client, and use it as a foundation for your listicle. Be wary of using competitor resources in your listicles.
The One-Of-A-Kind Client
Every once in awhile, agencies come across clients who are so unique, they almost defy categorization. They can also stump agencies because their niches are so specialized, content marketers know very little about them. An example of this is Neptune Society.
This organization provides cremation services around the United States. One of its major services is preplanning, which allows people to take an active role in their funeral arrangements. The site also provides educational information about end-of-life planning and uncommon post-cremation practices, such as turning ashes into diamonds.
On-site
Creating on-site content for this kind of client will involve a substantial amount of research. Write content about the unique features and services your client provides. The client stands out to you as a marketer because it’s unlike any other client. Create content that makes the client stand out within its niche.
Combine this particular content with content that relates to the client’s industry. For a cremation client that focuses on services like turning ashes into diamonds, write on-site content that also speaks to the industry itself, such as comparative articles. Potential customers want to know the differences between cremation and burial, especially the costs for the two.
Guest Posting
This is another type of client whose guest posts can be fun to write. Your team now knows more about this client than any other organization outside its industry. Have fun with the articles.
Write guest posts that choose a focus: either a specialist service or product, or one of the more industry-focused subjects. This is another great time to use Buzzsumo, as your client stands out from the crowd. Using this tactic can also help you turn around and generate more on-site content.
There is no one way to create content for clients. This is especially true of clients whose niches are so focused they have few competitors and sometimes even less content. Thinking outside the box with each of these will help you and your team generate great articles, both on-site and off. How does your agency create content for uber-niche clients?
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* Adapted lead image: