In a world of digital purchases, everyone is obsessed with SEO. And rightly so. Your position on major search engines is a big make or break for your marketing strategy. And a high ranking on SERPs can save you thousands in unnecessary PPC. Today, we’ll talk all about high-quality content for SEO and why it’s literally the key to your strategy in 2022 and beyond.
What is SEO?
SEO or search engine optimisation is the process of making a website easier for Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines to understand. In that way, it increases your organic (unpaid) website traffic and improves the likelihood of a higher spot on the SERP (search engine results page). Forbes suggests the main components for a good online SEO strategy are keywords, meta, content, backlinks, social media and product images. But even they admit that content is king. We’ll explore the content focus for SEO and how it drives rankings forward.
What is content SEO?
Content SEO is a ranking strategy based around (mostly) the written word. But it combines keywords, site structure and copywriting for SEO into a single focus. Yoast – a leader in the space – explains, “It encompasses all the aspects of writing and structuring content on your website. Content SEO is essential. No one will read your content if it’s crappy. Like visitors, Google reads and scans your website text. Google’s algorithm decides the ranking of your site largely based on the content you publish. And we all know content is king. So, you need to write awesome SEO content, focus on the right keywords and structure your website in such a way Google understands it.” And Google is the search space leader. So, with Google’s new focus on ‘helpful’ content, you need your copy to solve the visitor’s problem above all else.
Is content more important than SEO?
That’s like asking if wheels are more important than a chassis on a car. They’re all important in their own way. In fact, some people would say the title and meta are the most critical parts because they largely determine if someone is going to click on your link at all. But once they are on your website, good-quality content that’s easy to read and simple to navigate is key. You don’t want the user to hunt and peck for follow-on information and you need your supporting links to open without taking them out of their browsing journey. The user experience has a direct impact on rankings and if Google feels your website is unhelpful, they will rank you lower. Is content more important than SEO? No – but without good content, you won’t have a good ranking anyway.
Is content marketing important for SEO?
Mailchimp explains, “Content marketing is a marketing strategy used to attract, engage, and retain an audience by creating and sharing relevant articles, videos, podcasts, and other media. This approach establishes expertise, promotes brand awareness, and keeps your business top of mind when it’s time to buy what you sell.” As long as the content is relevant to your product or service in some way, it’s very important for SEO. This is driving that search and discovery traffic – the really top of funnel stuff – which can turn into brand awareness. Over time, this awareness filters into sales. So, content marketing on your website, via email, on social or through video or audio streaming platforms, works to support your SEO strategy by providing qualified traffic. When they hit the website, all you need to do is support them with their questions and take them on the buyer’s journey.
What is good content for SEO?
Good content for SEO is highly subjective because it depends on what your audience would find useful. A blogging website about power tools can write a ‘successful’ thought piece on global warming, but the traffic is likely to be unqualified for the rest of your buyer journey. And good content is one of Google’s top 3 ranking factors. So, first, you need to know what your audience is interested in. Buyer personas, niche forums and Google search trends are likely to be a great indication. Then you need to answer their burning questions all in one place. A large, comprehensive piece is likely to rank higher. This is because it is likely to attract more links and has more words to help Google be 100% sure what the page is about. And, as a result, they’re more likely to serve it to searchers.
How do I create a content strategy for SEO?
Hubspot – the content kings- suggest you, “
- Make a list of topics.
- Make a list of long-tail keywords based on these topics.
- Build pages for each topic.
- Set up a blog.
- Create a consistent blogging schedule.
- Create a link-building plan.
- Compress media files before uploading them to your site.
- Stay up-to-date on SEO news and best practices.
- Measure and track your content’s success.”
As you track the success of your writing, you’ll see what pages perform better over others. You’ll identify what traffic is qualified versus unqualified and you’ll be able to streamline your content creation around these key pools more readily.
Where should SEO content be placed on a website?
This is a trick question. SEO is a consideration for every page, menu, title and header on your website. Your website should be built – from the ground up – with SEO in mind. Every nav menu should be sensibly organised for the traffic types and buyer profiles that you get. And it should all flow and interweave in a way that’s helpful for your visitor. If you’re not sure how to achieve this, give me a call.
How is SEO used in content writing?
When you’re writing content with SEO in mind, you’re thinking about providing a comprehensive article on the subject. You’re thinking about what other questions a searcher might have and you’re answering those too. Then, you want to provide useful graphics, illustrations and photos to support your claims. And finally, you’re ensuring common keywords are peppered throughout the article or page so that people can find what you’ve written. You’re not worrying about word count. Instead, your focus is on creating a piece that covers the topic exhaustively, is easy to read and is authoritative.
If you need help with SEO for your niche, have a look at how I can help.