Do you know how long it takes the average reader to decide whether your hotel’s content is worth the effort? Roughly 15 seconds.
But what exactly runs through your audience’s mind in this tiny timeframe? In a world overflowing with blog articles and social media posts, there are a few important questions we all subconsciously look for answers to when presented with a new piece of content online.
It’s your job to make sure your hotel’s content answers these questions, and fast.
1. Is This Content Intended For Me?
If your guests can’t tell that the content they’re reading is aimed at them within a few seconds, they’re going to bounce quicker than you can say “ping-pong”.
So don’t be shy; speak directly to your audience within the first few sentences. Make it clear exactly who should keep reading and who should look elsewhere.
Just take a look at the intro to this post. Are you a hotel content marketer? Then yes, this post’s for you!
2. How Will It Benefit Me?
This may seem an odd one to have to answer. After all, you created and published the content in question specifically to address your guests’ needs. Perhaps you shouldn’t have to spell out the benefits they will get from reading it.
But consider how you search for content. The first port of call for most of us is a Google search, followed by a quick click around the most relevant looking links. When running through this quick process we’re all familiar with, the articles and blog posts that lay out exactly how they’re going to help you early on will win every time.
All it takes is a concise sentence close to the beginning of the blog post to tell your guests exactly what’s in it for them if they keep reading. Something as simple as “keep reading to discover the hidden gems of the Brisbane dining scene…” will do it.
3. Will This Be A Chore To Read?
The last question a reader subconsciously asks themselves before committing to read a piece of content concerns how easy it will be to read and process.
Sure, a blog post may clearly set out its intended audience and how it will benefit the reader in the intro, but if it’s poorly presented in long, overly complicated paragraphs you can bet your guests will go elsewhere to find what they’re looking for.
Formatting your content around bite size paragraphs, headers, lists, bullet points and captivating images is the way forward. You can write a 1000+ word article and many people will read it – but only if you make it easy for them. The web is saturated with great, easy to digest content; people can’t be expected to work to find the information they need anymore.
With just 15 seconds to win the battle for your guests’ attention online, every moment counts. What are you doing to ensure your content answers your guests’ subconscious questions at a glance? Let us know in the comments below!
RELATED PAGES AND BLOG POSTS:
- 5 'Must Haves' Of A Hotel Blog That Converts
- How To Get Your Resort’s Content Seen By More People
- Why Persona Research is Key To Better Content Marketing
