SEO Case Studies For Content Marketing
All SEO Providers Need Case Studies. Here’s Why.
By Kristen West
All marketing professionals slaying the game in the twenty-first century know that “content is king.” That’s old news, but I am continually astounded by the number of them who fail to prioritize customer success story marketing.
Case studies are the underrated powerhouses of the content marketing world. The experiences of customers like us have a much bigger impact on our buying decisions than fluffy marketing and sales copy. Stories about satisfied clients are invaluable content marketing tools, especially for SEO mavens who specialize in such a complex service.
Here are the top 3 reasons all SEO providers need to prioritize case studies in their content marketing strategy.
- Humans are wired to process narrative.Regardless of your age or your industry, everyone loves a good story.Studies have shown that hearing a compelling story boosts oxytocin in the brain, eliciting a sense of trust and compassion.So let’s say a target client comes clicking to your website, trying to determine whether you can deliver the results they desperately need. Which would they be more likely to read: a report stuffed with dry technical information, or a benefit-driven, emotional story detailing how you helped a business just like theirs? The latter, obviously. Statistics play an important role in powerful case studies, but instead of boring your online visitors with a barrage of metrics, channel your inner storyteller and spin a compelling narrative.
- They make your work understandable.A lot of your customers, especially brick-and-mortar businesses, will not be well-versed in SEO industry jargon. Terms like “latent semantic indexing” and “crawl priority” will be completely lost on them. In this regard, case studies kill two birds with one stone: Countless businesses are playing catch-up striving to understand how they can generate more leads via the digital world, and case studies manage to a) educate them succinctly and b) proveexactly howyou can help them with the most valuable content you’ve got: the experiences of their peers.
- They give newcomers insight on what it’s like to actually work with you.Once you’ve hooked your reader with your story and solidified their understanding of the service you provide, you’ve gained an opportunity to teach them about your process. What sets you apart from the competition? This is the perfect place to showcase your tried-and-true methods and demonstrate to readers how you provide the highest quality customer experience.
In conclusion: If you’re looking to inject your content marketing strategy with a much-needed dose of authenticity, case studies are your silver bullet. Your target clients aren’t stupid— if your marketing sounds even slightly “fake” in tone, they can tell! Customer success story marketing helps to cast off any perceived filters and boosts your credibility in a way no other content strategy can. Hire a capable writer to take your content marketing game to the next level.
Bio: Kristen West is a Boston-based B2B content writer. A lifelong lover of good storytelling, she specializes in writing case studies for innovative marketers who want to share how they’re changing the world. http://contentbykristen.com/