In today’s post, I’m going to show you step-by-step how to create problem-solving content with just the most basic writing and research skills.
After going through this guide, you will know exactly how to craft content that attracts high-quality leads.
If you get stuck or have questions, simply send me a message and I will do my best to help you out.
Let’s get started!
5 Steps to Creating Problem-Solving Content
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Many people fail to create problem-solving content for the simple reason that they don’t clearly define their objectives.
You should always clearly define your goals so that you can measure the effectiveness of your content.
How you set goals is important too because it will guide the direction and tone of your content.
And ultimately, if you set goals that are too vague or broad, you’ll struggle to create content that resonates with your target audience.
For instance, when I started focusing on problem-solving content, I didn’t just set a goal to “create content”.
Instead, I aimed to “create content that addresses the top 3 challenges my audience faces in their business every month”.
This specificity helped me narrow down topics and ensure I was always on target.
To make this step go as smoothly as possible, make sure you set measurable goals by applying the following tips:
- Tip #1: Use the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to ensure your content goals are actionable.
- Tip #2: Regularly review and adjust your goals based on feedback and performance metrics. This ensures your content remains relevant and effective.
- Tip #3: Engage with your audience. Ask them about their challenges and what they’d like to learn. This direct feedback can be invaluable in setting the right content goals.
Step 2: Understand Your Audience
Another critical step to crafting effective problem-solving content is understanding your audience.
This step is important because it helps you tailor your content to address their specific pain points and needs.
Before I realised how crucial this step was, I made some rookie mistakes. I’d often write about topics I assumed were relevant, only to find out later that my audience was looking for solutions to entirely different problems.
For instance, I once spent weeks crafting a detailed guide on “advanced SEO techniques”, only to discover that the majority of my audience was still grappling with basic SEO concepts.
I had jumped too far ahead, leaving my core audience behind.
Once I began actively engaging with and listening to my audience, I was able to create content that truly resonated with their needs and challenges.
By conducting regular surveys, reading their comments, and even hosting Q&A or AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions,
I gained insights that significantly improved my content strategy.
When you really nail this step, you’ll have a much better idea of where to focus your energies to produce content that genuinely helps your audience and, in turn, attracts high-quality leads.
Step 3: Audit Your Existing Content
The next step is to take stock of what you already have and build on it.
Before diving into creating new problem-solving content, it’s essential to evaluate the content you’ve already produced.
This helps in identifying gaps, understanding what’s resonating with your audience, and leveraging existing assets for better results.
To get started, you can:
- Catalogue Your Content: List down all the articles, videos, podcasts, and other content pieces you’ve produced.
- Analyse Performance: Use tools like Google Analytics to see which pieces are getting the most traffic, engagement, and conversions.
- Identify Gaps: Look for topics or areas you haven’t covered yet or where you can go more in-depth.
By auditing your existing content, you ensure that you’re not reinventing the wheel.
Instead, you can refine, repurpose, and expand on what you already have, allowing you to focus on truly meeting the needs of your audience.
Step 4: Experiment with Different Content Strategies
A great thing about creating problem-solving content is that there are many different ways you can go about it. So you can try a few strategies and see what works best for you.
As you go about testing long-form articles and interactive infographics, for example, you’re going to want to focus on a handful at a time instead of applying them all at once.
This allows you to measure the effectiveness of each strategy without overwhelming yourself or your audience.
Once you test and apply the first few, you can expand to other content formats like podcasts or webinars.
I recommend starting with:
- How-to Guides: These are detailed, step-by-step articles that guide the reader through a particular process. They’re great for showcasing your expertise and providing actionable value.
- FAQs: Addressing frequently asked questions can quickly position you as a go-to resource in your niche.
- Case Studies: Real-world examples of how you or your clients overcame challenges can be incredibly compelling.
For me, the how-to guides worked wonders. I created a comprehensive guide on “How to Identify and Address Your Audience’s Pain Points”, and it became one of the most visited pages on my site. Not only did it attract a lot of traffic, but it also led to numerous inquiries from potential clients who saw the value in the approach I was advocating.
A few ways you can approach this:
- Method #1: Content Series: Instead of one-off posts, create a series of interconnected content pieces. This encourages readers to stay on your site longer and consume more of your content.
- Method #2: Collaborative Content: Partner with influencers or experts in your niche to co-create content. This can expand your reach and bring fresh perspectives to your audience.
- Method #3: Multimedia Integration: Don’t just stick to text. Incorporate videos, infographics, and interactive elements to make your content more engaging.
Step 5: Refine and Optimise Your Content
Once you’ve experimented with different strategies, it’s time to refine and optimise your content.
And since you’ve already understood your audience and tested various content formats, it’ll be a breeze to implement this step.
This step is crucial, and one that most people overlook.
But it’s incredibly important because refining and optimising ensures that your content remains relevant, engaging, and effective in solving your audience’s problems.
It’s not just about creating content; it’s about continuously improving it based on feedback and performance metrics.
In fact, when I was starting out, I tried to skip this step, thinking that once content was published, my job was done. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I soon realised that some of my articles, while good, could be made great with a few tweaks.
By revisiting and refining them, I was able to increase engagement and conversions significantly.
Keep these tips in mind for maximum results:
- Prioritise Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to have ten outstanding pieces of content than a hundred mediocre ones. Regularly review your content and ask yourself if it’s the best it can be. If not, take the time to improve it.
- Stay Updated: Especially in fast-evolving fields, information can become outdated quickly. Ensure your content remains current by updating facts, statistics, and strategies as needed.
- Engage with Feedback: Listen to comments, emails, and social media mentions related to your content. This feedback can provide invaluable insights into areas of improvement.
Wrapping it up
If you take the time to understand your audience and consistently refine and optimise your content, you’ll be well on your way to problem-solving content success.
Keep in mind that the steps I just shared build off each other.
You’ll get the best results if you incorporate them all, ensuring each step is executed with care and precision.
Remember, the journey to creating compelling content is iterative, and with each step, you’re enhancing your ability to attract high-quality leads.