Long-Form Content to Drive Web Traffic
Preparation of technical online content and newsletter items that bridge the gap between technicality and accessibility, with a view to driving website traffic.
What We Did
We regularly use long-form content for our clients to drive web traffic. In this case, our client is the US-based specialist in claims substantiation, primarily within the cosmetics and personal care industries, TRI Princeton.
The original brief when we started our partnership was to prepare articles that were scientifically accurate, yet accessible to who may not major in chemistry. These blog posts were to serve as a foundation for driving website traffic and increasing online presence, as well as supporting the educational strand of the business. While this brief has since expanded, the original intent remains and we still work closely with TRI on their educational content.
When writing articles for TRI there are two approaches that we broadly take: some articles are instrument-centric (so serve to showcase the capabilities of a particular instrument or technique) and some articles are customer-centric (discussing the types of claims that their customers are likely to want, and how these can be substantiated). For both approaches, a sound knowledge and understanding of the fundamental scientific rationale and approach is essential, along with the ability to explain complex techniques and scientific concepts accurately and concisely.
While we have written nurmerous articles for TRI, the one that we’re most pleased with is our long-form blog post relating to the fundamental science behind IR and Raman spectroscopy, as well as its uses within cosmetics claim substantiation. There were several key aspects important to convey, including:
What IR and Raman spectroscopy are
How they both work from a scientific perspective (including some physics fundamentals)
Key examples of their using at TRI, but ensuring that any proprietary information was not disclosed
Why It Matters
TRI Princeton is an independent, not-for-profit, scientific institute with world-leading expertise in applied measurement sciences, with a global reach. The key word here is ‘expertise’ – they’re a leader in the field of cosmetics and claims substantiation.
We’ve worked with TRI since our beginning, and we’re conscious that our output represents their client-based testing and research business that’s been built up over nearly a century. One of our main roles is to provide blog content, both long-form and short-form, to drive traffic and growth. And it’s working. Without giving too much away, since we started working together:
Website traffic is up
Client engagement is up
Reach is up
And this is in part down to the quality of the content that we create, as well as our integration within the marketing team. We’re always careful to be scientifically accurate, especially as we work with the TRI Directors of Hair and Skin and Biosubstrates, and in some cases we bring in external expertise from our extended network for additional input. This is paying off, and the TRI website is considered an educational authority in relation to cosmetic science and personal care. This is important for building trust and respect within the scientific community, as well as building credability with search engines (AI and ‘normal’).
The ConsultaChem Difference
Our ability to convey complex scientific contexts within cosmetic science to non-chemists is crucial for engagement and success, a skill honed from being an academic for nearly 10 years at the University of Reading.
From an editorial perspective, communicating cosmetic science requires a balance of scientific rigour and accessibility, which is where we excel. In our long-form content, we ensure that we include everyday examples so context is given, and, when appropriate, give the scientific underpinning needed to support deeper understanding by the reader. We also prepare all the diagrams, to ensure clarity of the piece and consistency between the site. And the partnership is working, with website traffic up and enquiry volume increasing.
Conclusion & Related Reading
TRI are great clients, and we’re part of the team. Importantly, they trust that we deliver content that is factually accurate (we use our editor network as necessary) and within deadlines.
If you want to read some of our ouputs, they’re on the TRI website. This one is the most-read blog posts on the website, possibly because it makes a fairly complex topic easily accessible:
