Google and other search engines are wonderful tools users can turn to when they need answers fast. Questions such as “What are the top tips for homeowners in flood zones?”, “Where can I buy a new car near me?”, and “How many seasons are in The Office?” will provide users with the information they need without having to go beyond the first page of results. However, users are not always searching for simple questions. Some of the thoughts crossing their mind may include “What services do digital marketing professionals consider to be the most effective for promoting my business in my local area?”, “Who are the best home contractors for decks and porches?”, and “What is the best social networking site to use for advertising my business?” among many others that relate to personal questions and opinions. Search engines can assist users in finding the answers they desire, but users may be required to do a bit more digging.
Luckily, users are not required to only use search engines to search for information. Quora is a social networking platform that is built to work like a search engine. Users can follow topics they are interested in, ask questions, and provide answers in their areas of expertise. Launched in 2009, Quora has slowly grown to a network with millions of active users who are looking for expert answers from real people. Businesses who use the platform can attain name and brand recognition. Better still, traffic, leads, and ad revenue can all be garnered from Quora. If you aren’t utilizing their platform, you could be missing out on your next big sale.
To learn more about what Quora is and why this platform should be on your radar, read on.
It’s About Questions & Answers
Quora provides its users a platform that facilitates conversations. Unlike other social networking sites, Quora doesn’t focus on pictures and videos. It focuses on user-generated content. There are a wide variety of topics that can be followed, from business ideas to personal thoughts. Users are encouraged to ask questions under topic feeds where anyone can provide their thoughts and solutions. In order to gain popularity, the answers should be accurate and fully cover what was asked.
When answering questions, there is no hard and fast rule about the length of the response. However, it is imperative to provide enough detail to answer the question fully without using fluff words. Treating the response like a blog post tends to provide the most success. Answers can receive upvotes or downvotes. Upvotes indicate users like the response while downvotes mean users do not agree with the response. The more upvotes users accumulate on all of their responses across the platform, the higher their profile will rank. The higher a profile ranks, the more followers and views a user can expect to receive. Having great responses and a high ranking profile can drive traffic to your website and help you garner leads.
While answering questions is important, asking questions is necessary to maintain a high ranking profile. Quora is designed to have two-way engagement between its users. While you may be an expert in a subject, you should still ask questions to facilitate conversations with other experts. If Quora notices you answer a lot of questions without asking any questions, your profile may suffer consequences. Along with two-way communication, if you post a viral question, you can drive a large amount of traffic to your site. The questions must be clear and interesting in order to encourage users to provide their thoughts and opinions.
While establishing yourself as an authority, you can use Quora to effectively learn what your target audience is researching. The questions you see will contain the keywords users correlate with your business, product, and/or service. You can take these keywords and incorporate them into your content marketing strategy in order to reach a larger audience outside the Quora platform.
Google & Quora
Google and other search engines are used daily to find answers to hundreds of personal and professional questions. Employing SEO strategies on your own website is incredibly important because it allows your website to rank highly in search engine results. When you appear often in results, users will consider you an authority on the subject matter they are researching.
It is not uncommon to see Quora results on search engine results pages. When used correctly, you can have high ranking answers appear on Google. This means you have an opportunity to take advantage of double exposure in search engine results pages. Quora is important because rising in popularity, so you must provide the same time and attention to your answers as you would to the content and blog posts on your own website.
Simple, Optimized Profiles
Quora allows users to create a profile that highlights their expertise with a simple design. Other than a profile picture, no other media is available in the profile. A headline field is the perfect space to establish yourself as an authority and capture your readers’ attention. Avoid overuse of the vertical bar, but be sure to use impactful, powerful words. You also have a summary field where you can sell your business. You can add your website, social media handles, and credentials. If you have a powerful testimonial, be sure to include that. Your summary should include keywords that your target audience uses to search for your business.
Your readers will be driven to your profile if you develop strong questions and answers, so be sure to spend the necessary amount of time to create a profile that sells who you are, why you are an expert, and what you can do for them. If you lack strong content in your profile, you may miss out on the increased traffic and leads.
Garner More Traffic and Leads with Quora
Quora is an important social platform that should be part of your marketing strategy if it isn’t already. The value of the platform lies in the keyword research and blog content ideas available. You can also establish yourself as an authority, which will help you gain name and brand recognition. When people trust you, they are more likely to turn your business. If you provide expert answers, users will be driven to your profile where they can easily access your website. If you are interested in increasing your number of leads, turn to Quora!