Quora is a question and answer platform that was started in 2009. The platform was very unpopular at the start and was just a place to ask random questions and get answers. But today, there are over 200 million monthly users of this platform.
Many industry experts and the movers and shakers use Quora as a platform to communicate with people in their industry. There are now exhaustive answers to many relevant and important questions.
As a result, many digital marketers have recognized the huge potential of Quora as a marketing platform.
In this article, we look at some of the uses of Quora for content marketers and business owners who seek the growth of their business. Also, we look at some success stories of people who have found Quora to be a gold mine.
Quora as a content idea generation tool
Statistics from Demand Metric reveal some interesting facts about content marketing:
- Content marketing is reported to cost 62% less than traditional advertising and yet produces three times more leads.
- Marketers spend 25% of their budget on content marketing.
- 91% of B2B marketers use content marketing.
- 88% of B2C marketers use content marketing.
- 60% of people are inspired to check out a brand after reading content from them.
- 70% of people will rather know a company through an article than an advert
But we also live in a content-saturated blogosphere. There are more than 1.9 billion websites and 440 million blogs.
The challenge is to continuously come up with content but not just for content sake. The great task of every content marketer is to produce content that is fresh, relevant to the target market and impactful.
Quora can be a great way to keep generating content ideas to keep a fresh flow of useful and relevant information.
An example of using Quora for content idea generation
Let’s say I have a business that is devoted to Blockchain technology. I have a blog where I expect to communicate regularly with readers. I need to generate some content ideas as part of my content marketing strategy.
I head to Quora and type Blockchain technology in the search bar.
The search inquiry will bring up the topics that are relevant to Blockchain technology. The first step is to follow those topics and other related topics with a large following.
When you follow a topic;
- You will see a list of questions asked.
- Quora notifies you of new questions relating to that topic via email.
These questions give you an insight into your target audience and the kind of content they need.
Knut Andre’s question can help you explore in a series of blogs the specific application and dynamics of Blockchain technology to particular industries. This may open up a unique opportunity in a particular industry.
The question as to why people still invest in Cryptocurrency can be an opportunity to write a blog that will inspire people in the midst of dwindling prices.
As you go through the questions and keep a tab on your email for updates, you will get tons of content ideas for your website, guest posting or social media channels.
Quora as a traffic source for your business website
Traffic is essential for a business website. But traffic that is relevant to your niche is even more important. Quora can be a great way to drive relevant and useful traffic to your website.
Find questions that have high views (greater than 1000), few answers (less than 20) and are not too old (1-3 weeks old).
An example of using Quora to drive website traffic
This question was asked under Cryptocurrency: How would you manage your USD/cryptocurrencies after a profitable bull run?
The question has just two answers but 5,312 views.
A question like this can easily give you great visibility to a lot of people.
Click on the “Answer” tab just underneath the question.
First of all, edit your credentials to match the question you are answering. Having expertise in many areas is possible. Create a different credential related to this question.
Then, answer the question like this;
- Create a beneficial, concise answer.
- Use good graphics to draw attention and improve readability.
- Use short paragraphs and bullet points for readability.
- Use bold and italics to improve readability.
- Link to other relevant articles on your site in the body of the answer.
- Have a Call to Action paragraph that links to a more comprehensive and related blog post.
If readers find your answer helpful, they will up-vote it (push it to be among the first to be seen) for others to see. Good answers will also create interest in your links and increase your website traffic.
See How Wishpond got 13,470 Website page views from Quora in a month.
Quora as a networking tool
Quora also affords you the opportunity to connect with people that are relevant in your industry. Such networking can prove helpful in many ways. It can open doors to business opportunities, collaborations, and even employment.
An example of using Quora as a networking tool
Every topic you follow has a tab where you can see the people who are the top performers in terms of the answers they give and their interaction with other people. They are the most viewed writers.
These are some of the “most viewed writers” in Blockchain technology:
Here are some tips on how to network on Quora:
- Follow these “most viewed writers”: Hover your mouse on the name, and there is a link where you can follow the person. When you follow a person on Quora, you will get a notification when they ask or answer any question.
- Check out the questions they have answered: Right on the page, click on the “View xx answers.” The link will take you to the questions they have answered.
- Look at the questions they have answered that have high views, low answers and are the most recent.
- Write answers to the same questions.
- In your answer, mention something from the answer of the person. You can use the @ name of the person function. For example, @ Thomas L. Smith. You can refer to a good point the person made or why you love their answer.
- Fill in the gap: If you see a gap that you can fill in the answer of any of these “most viewed writers,” fill it in with your answer while mentioning them.
When you do this, and the answers you provide are noteworthy, you will get the person’s attention. They will now know you as someone who has good knowledge and skills in the industry. Such networks can bring huge opportunities going forward.
Moreover, other people who are not even the most viewed writers can pick you up when they see the quality and depth of your understanding.
Using Quora to manage your brand image
Quora provides an opportunity to manage the image of your brand. When you create a Quora topic on your brand name, Quora will give you notifications whenever they mention your brand name in any answer or question. This gives you the opportunity to answer questions about your brand, meet objections, and clarify misunderstandings.
An example of using Quora to manage your brand image
Udemy has a page on Quora. They get notified any time a question revolving around their brand is asked or answered on Quora.
How to create a page for your brand on Quora:
- Search for your brand name on Udemy.
- Click on the “Add new Question” tab.
- After creating the question, open the question page.
- Click on “Edit Topics”.
- Type your brand name in the “Search for a topic” box and click on “Create Topic.”
You have created your brand name as a topic. You can now manage your brand image when people ask questions or write answers that relate to your brand.
Wrapping up
Quora is a great marketing tool that is being neglected by many business owners. Quora can help you generate content ideas, build your website traffic and leads, create profitable networking opportunities in your industry and manage your brand image.
You are missing a lot if you have not started to take advantage of the opportunity. Register your account and start reaping the benefits that Quora provides for marketers.
Guest author: Paul is a content writer who specializes in the digital marketing industry. His goal is to see businesses transformed through the power of the pen. He blogs regularly at paulthecontentwriter.com