They Ask, You Answer: Transparency Builds Trust

We’re about to drop a mindblowing marketing strategy that we love. Ready? 

They Ask, You Answer (TAYA)

TAYA is a marketing strategy, created by Marcus Sheridan, that focuses on answering questions from potential customers in order to provide them with valuable information while building trust.  

The essence of inbound marketing is to attract qualified prospects to you when they’re actually searching for an answer to their question or a solution to their problem. 

The main goal of this approach is to create a connection with the audience and establish a relationship based on transparency and mutual benefit. Sounds great, right? Read on to find out more! 

They Ask, You Answer – Transparency Builds Trust 

We first heard about this awesome content generation system at an ActionCoach seminar called “Raise your hand, raise your profits”, and we were blown away. Jo got a signed book, then we went away and did our own research on it and fell even more in love.  

So what is They Ask, You Answer? 

We all know that people use Google and other search engines to find information and solve their problems. After all, we do it ourselves! So why do businesses either ignore this fact or pretend it doesn’t exist by not providing clear answers to the most pressing concerns of their visitors? This is where They Ask, You Answer comes in. 

The concept behind They Ask, You Answer is simple. By identifying and answering the questions that your target audience is thinking (if not asking), you’re demonstrating your expertise and establishing yourself as a reliable source of information. This, in turn, can help to build trust and credibility with your audience, which can lead to increased engagement and conversions.  

Typically, companies avoid answering certain questions for invalid reasons: 

• They worry about what competitors might do with the information. But your competitors already know about you. 
• They worry about scaring off customers with too high a price. But if your price scares off a buyer, that buyer’s not the right fit for your business anyway.

Marcus Sheridan found the top five content subjects to render the greatest amount of traffic online were: 

1. Pricing and costs 
   • Content about pricing and costs is one of the most popular topics online because people are naturally interested in getting the best value for their money. This type of content can include information about product prices, service fees, and comparisons to other similar offerings. 
   • Questions might include: Cost of purchasing, maintenance costs, rough budgets, hidden costs, etc. 
2. Problems 
   • People often go online to search for solutions to problems they are facing. Content that addresses common problems and provides helpful solutions is likely to attract a lot of traffic. What do buyers see as negatives about your product? How can you turn it into an advantage?
3. Versus and comparisons 
   • People like to know how things stack up against one another. Content that compares different products, services, or ideas can be highly engaging and drive significant traffic. Honestly explain the pros and cons of each solution so your prospect can decide on their own. 
4. Reviews  
   • Online reviews are a valuable resource for consumers as they make purchasing decisions. Content that provides honest, in-depth reviews of products, services, or experiences can be very popular. People like to read reviews online. Take advantage of this habit in your approach to content marketing.
5. Best in class
   • People are always looking for the best of the best, and content that highlights the top performers in each category is likely to attract a lot of attention. This can include content about the best products, services, or experiences available in a particular market.

These five content subjects are a good starting point for anyone looking to create content that will drive traffic to their website. By understanding what people are searching for online, you can create content that meets their needs and keeps them engaged. 

Nail these, and you’ll get traffic. Simple, right? 

What are the advantages? 

One of the key advantages of They Ask, You Answer is that it helps to provide a personal touch to your marketing efforts. By focusing on the specific questions and concerns of your target audience, you’re able to create content that is relevant and meaningful to them. This not only helps to build a connection with your audience but also makes it more likely that they will engage with your content and share it with others.

We’ve made content about the questions our potential customers should be asking as well as praising our competition. Why? Because we know what we’re talking about. 

Another advantage of They Ask, You Answer is that it allows you to identify and address potential objections or concerns that your audience may have about your product or service. By answering these questions directly, you can demonstrate your expertise and provide valuable information that can help to overcome any objections or concerns that your audience may have. Or you could simply help them find help elsewhere – that’s fine too.

We wrote a blog about whether or not businesses should outsource content creation – what could you write about? 

Ready to implement it? Here’s how! 

In order to implement a successful They Ask, You Answer strategy, it’s important to identify the questions that your target audience is asking. This can be done through various methods, including keyword research, social listening, and customer surveys.

Once you’ve identified the questions that your audience has, you can create content that directly addresses these questions, such as blog posts, videos, and infographics. 

It is also important to be honest, consistent, and regular with your They Ask, You Answer efforts. This will help to build a relationship with your audience and establish a reputation as a reliable source of information.

Additionally, it’s important to track and measure the results of your They Ask, You Answer content so that you can continue to refine and improve your strategy over time. No one wants outdated information!  

Generate Your Best Content Ideas with “Fear Brainstorming” 

Take a few minutes to brainstorm the top 10-20 reasons (fears, worries, questions and concerns) that would cause a customer to not buy from your company. Evaluate how well your current website currently addresses each top issue. Typically 10-20% are totally ignored. That’s what you need to work on! 

One way to measure the success of your They Ask, You Answer strategy is to track engagement metrics such as views, likes, shares, and comments. The main thing, though, is that you should track conversions, such as sign-ups or purchases, to see how your efforts are impacting your bottom line in terms of sales.  

Structuring your content  

There are some structural things you can do to help with the SEO of your fresh new content. 

• Use the question in the title 
• Have the question feature as the main H1 (heading 1) of the page 
• Write more than 1,000 words 
• Use lists and bullet points to summarise key points 
• Include the question in the image alt text 
• Ask the question in your blog’s meta description 
• Offer complimentary resources to further answer the question 

Want to learn more? 

Marcus Sheridan’s book is the obvious first place to go for information, but if you’re wanting to get a taster, the main man is active on LinkedIn and shares some awesome and helpful insights.  

Marcus’ framework is responsible for the success of thousands of companies today, and it all begins with a single idea: if you focus on answering your customers’ questions and solving their problems while also working to earn their trust and develop credibility, they will buy from you. After all, trust is the backbone of each successful trade. 

In conclusion, They Ask, You Answer is a valuable marketing strategy that can help you build trust and establish a relationship with your target audience. By identifying and answering the questions that your audience is asking, you’re able to create content that is relevant and meaningful to them and demonstrate your expertise in the process. By being consistent and tracking your results, you can continue to refine and improve your They Ask, You Answer strategy over time. 

Answering customer questions in blogs is a very powerful way of gaining more SEO reach, attracting customers experiencing issues, and also re-engaging with existing contacts. Set yourself realistic goals, research customer needs, and put the time in inbound-focused blog articles that could revolutionise your business. 

If you have the guts to practice radically honest teaching and answering the right questions, it can work wonders for you. 

TL; DR? 

We’ll let Marcus tell you himself! 

If you’re looking to implement a ‘They ask, you answer’ approach to your digital marketing but don’t have the time to write them, then talk to us. We write SEO-focused, customer-friendly blog articles for our clients and ensure they’re promoted through email and social media to engage with new and existing customers. 

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