Focusing deeply on the audience’s needs will fundamentally change how you develop SEO strategies and improve both long-term and short-term brand performance.
A bold statement?
I don’t think so.
Google is integrating AI into the ranking system, making the algorithm evaluate like a human.
You’ll have no choice but to understand audience needs as Google uses this AI to improve how they match content to audience intent.
This is why digital PR for SEO is an alternative to link building.
You even see this in enterprise SEO, integrating PR and SEO to reach and convert audiences to buyers.
My favorite method of identifying emerging audience needs is by using Google Trends.
Audience search behavior data in Trends strongly indicates what’s important to a given audience.
Have you heard the phrase “follow the money?”
This trope highlights that when an audience takes “meaningful” action, that shows importance.
A meaningful action is spending money or attending an event you read about.
Behaviors are a window into intent.
Google Trends is a tool for businesses to analyze an audience’s search behavior data. It reveals what your audience is interested in, needs or wants over time.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on using Google Trends and other techniques to find and address these emerging audience needs.
Step 1: Select the audience category
How does your audience refer to products/services in your category?
Analyze your or your competitors’ sites to identify homepage keyword rankings for general keywords. Search for keywords that mention the general product/service name.
But don’t stop there. Search for product sub-categories.
Some might call these niches, but that’s a silly term. These are audience categories with common interests and behaviors.