Generic content, as the name suggests, is too generic in nature to be of any value to a business or a blog. Such content is terrible for SEO as it does not offer anything unique. There is no reason why it should be ranked by Google higher than other web pages.
So, it will spell doom for businesses as they will not get much website traffic from that content.
Let’s discuss in detail how generic content spells doom and how to fix it.
Why Generic Content is Bad for SEO
Generic content will not get a good rank because there is already too much content covering the same topic. You may still get it to rank, but then you will have to write 10x more content, which is deeper and broader.
But, then your Content will no longer be generic…
There is a difference between generic topics and generic content. You can write excellent content on generic topics and get a good rank. Contrarily, writing generic content on unique topics will not serve you well.
Factors that influence SEO include narrow topics, defined keywords, backlinks, sharing on social media, and website traffic. All of these parameters are dependent on the quality of the content.
Effect of Generic Content on Customer Engagement & Sales
As said earlier, generic content spells doom for businesses. Let’s see in detail how it spells doom.
You have to think of yourself as a customer. When you read some content, are you impressed? Do you find new insights and learn new things?
Unique content will give new insights, educate, and solve problems.
Generic content, on the other hand, gives none of these benefits. At best, it may educate you if you know nothing about this topic. This is the biggest problem with generic content: No purpose.
Every user on Google has a goal in mind, which is to search for some topic. The purpose can be to educate themselves, answer a specific question, or solve a problem. So, basically, they have a purpose.
Every piece of content that you come up with needs to have some purpose and take the prospect further down the sales funnel. This generally means “call to action” (CTA).
However, you don’t need to turn every visitor into a sale; you can turn them into a follower or an email subscriber first. Take them down the path each time they arrive.
Generic content does not take the visitor down the sales funnel for two reasons. First, it does not have a good rank. Prospects will never find your content; forget about engagement.
The second reason is that even if they somehow find your content, it will not be good enough for CTA. A user will take a step with a CTA only if they find something impressive.
How to Fix Generic Content
The solution to this is simple – Customize your Content!
Easier said than done, right?
Follow this step-by-step process to customize and make your content relevant.
Step 1: Know Your Target Audience
If you want to write specific and relevant content, the first thing you need to do is know your target audience. The next task would be to find out what they want.
So, now you can generate content according to the requirements of your target audience. This is the most crucial step and should not be taken lightly. If not done correctly, the other steps will not matter!
Step 2: Develop a Long-term Relationship
Now you know your ideal customer and are generating content as per their requirements. However, you need to do this on a frequent basis to develop a long-term relationship.
It is a strenuous process, but once you get it correct, it will pay off in a big way!
You can even send customized emails to everyone who has signed up for your mailing list. You can directly ask them in the mail what exactly they are looking for. Deliver value by telling people about yourself and your expertise.
This will create an environment of trust, and they will be comfortable buying from you.
You can rely on top advertising agencies for customized email campaigns.
Step 3: Find the Truth About Your Content
You cannot just assume that the content you are delivering on a regular basis is meaningful. Conduct a survey and get feedback about the content. Modify the content as per the feedback to make it more relevant.
You can ask questions like, “What did you like most about what I wrote?” Accordingly, you can focus on certain aspects and modify content that is not getting good results.
Repeat this step over and over again to learn about the likes and dislikes of your customers. Analyze the data collected and make changes to your content accordingly.
Tips to Avoid Writing Generic Content
#1 Write Content that goes Deeper
Try to dig into the topic rather than writing superficially about it. After writing, analyze the conclusions you have drawn and ask yourself if they are logical.
Question Your Data. Question Your Sources. So, basically, question everything and strive to produce content with deeper insights.
#2 Write Broader Content
Don’t just give an overview of the topic within your industry, examine the topic across multiple industries. Try to analyze the topic from various angles.
Draw similarities and differences across the industries. Use this broad foundation to build something more.
#3 Write About the Future
Popular content from industry experts is the one that predicts the future. Content that talks about future trends grabs attention. Even if you are wrong, it will be nice to see how close you were to the truth.
#4 Question Common Wisdom
Content that tries to come up with a different perspective on a topic will not be categorized as generic. So, question common wisdom, discover hidden truths, and prove the facts behind common knowledge.
#5 Give Actionable Advice
You must have read a lot of “How To” blogs on the web. They happen to be the most sought-after content as they give solutions to specific problems. They provide value to the reader.
You can use a Call to Action (CTA) in such content and take the prospect further down the sales funnel.
In a Nutshell…
Digital marketing is a potent tool for businesses as it provides a very high ROI. It is much cheaper as compared to traditional forms of marketing. In digital marketing, Content is the King.
Generic content can badly affect your ranking and reduce the traffic on your website. So, there will not be many visitors or prospects whom you can convert into sales. The end result would be declining profits. It will be all doom and gloom…
No matter how generic the topic is, you can still make the content unique. So, find a way to make your content unique. If others are going deeper into the topic, you go broader, and vice versa.
You need to keep a close watch on what your competitors are doing and, accordingly, modify your content to give something different. If they are trying to prove a point, you can argue against it. If everyone is talking about the past, you focus on the future.
Unique content will get the attention of your target audience, who would like to hear more from you and buy from you in the future.
