The Importance of Content Marketing to Your SEO Strategy
October 17th, 2016 by
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the basics of link building and how content is crucial to any editorial link building strategy. Today, I want to talk about exactly why it’s so important and what you can do to start writing great content, not only for SEO, but also for your overall content marketing strategy.
What Is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is the strategic creation, distribution, and promotion of content to generate leads, sales, and brand awareness. This could be anything from a social media post or a webpage to a regularly updated blog or news section of your website.
Really it applies to any piece of content that a consumer could see.
Content for SEO
That’s why, when it comes to SEO, content is one of the most important factors in search engine algorithms and the basis for multiple other factors that affect search visibility and traffic. It is also why SEO factors into your content marketing strategy.
Did you know:
– 75% of consumers use search engines regularly when doing product/service research (CMI)
– 60% of consumers purchase a product/service based on that research (UpScribed)
Well, search engines like Google do. That’s why they include specific guidelines for creating content:
Because content is the foundation of the consumer experience, search engines have placed a premium on its value as a ranking factor.
Consumer-Focused Content
Like any foundation, you need to build upon your website’s existing content to really reap the benefits. More valuable content equals more visibility and more links. It’s not enough just to have a website with good content. You need to keep creating more new and germane content to maintain your relevance in the eyes of search engines and to continuously provide opportunities for references, backlinks, and lead generation.
Did you know:
– 86% of consumers stated that using a search engine allowed them to learn something new or important that helped them increase their knowledge. (Pew Research Center)
– 95% of B2B buyers are willing to consider vendor-related content as trustworthy. (Curata)
– Businesses with websites of 401–1000 pages get 6x more leads than those with 51–100 pages. (Hubspot)
It all loops back to user experience. Search engine algorithms are developing to incorporate user experience as a ranking factor.
Content Creation Strategies
So, how can you create a content marketing strategy with search engines in mind?
- Create custom topical content. One of the major rules in SEO is to avoid duplicate content, so let’s start there. Your content should be completely unique and each page should have one main topic or focus, ideally centering on something potential customers would search.
- Utilize titles and headings. By organizing your content with descriptive titles and headings that focus on the topic you’ve picked, you’re more clearly indicating to search engines and users what the page is about.
- Reference products and services by name. Don’t skirt around the subject with euphemisms and colorful language. While advanced, search algorithms aren’t the best at gleaning information that’s not explicitly stated.
- Create new pages. Like I said before, each page should have a topic of its own so if there’s something you want to talk about, make a new page or post for it. Locations, products, and services are all examples of things that warrant their own pages, as long as there’s enough to say about them.
- Which leads me to my last tip: Fill up your pages. If you can’t come up with at least 300-ish words on a subject, it probably doesn’t actually deserve its own page.
Did you know:
– The average length for content ranking in the top 10 results of Google is at least 2000 words. (Quicksprout)
Just remember, search engines are ever-developing to match user intent. So, when in doubt, write for your potential customers and make sure your content is reaching them.
Image Sources:
Image 1 (Keyboard Graphic): Google Photos
Image 2 (Screenshot): Google Support
Image 3 (Office Space Meme): Relatably
[…] The Importance of Content Marketing to Your SEO Strategy, Search Influence […]
Great information. Like Bill Gates said, “Content is King. I would also like to add that there’s nothing better than good original content that comes straight from the blogger. I’ve tried outsourcing and have seen terrible results.
Hey Kenneth,
Thanks so much for response! I agree that in-house content is ideal but for a lot of businesses it’s just not possible.
I think for many businesses you have to weigh the in-house cost vs the budget it would take to find a qualified service. One that I know I can recommend is http://www.upscribed.com if you’re looking for help with content creation, distribution or reporting.
[…] The Importance of Content Marketing to Your SEO Strategy, Search Influence […]
Good article! “Content is king”, but always? 😀
[…] Check out my post on Search Influence’s blog to learn more about the importance of content marketing. […]
Good advice here: “Don’t skirt around the subject with euphemisms and colorful language.” I once had a client who was in dog niche but his domain and content were filled with puns about cats. Let’s just say his site had a hard time ranking.
Hey Kiersten,
Great resource, thank you. What are your thoughts on using other channels for content syndication (like video or audio)?
Thanks!
Hi Jeremy,
That’s a great question and the answer is somewhat complex. Overall, I think content syndication can be a great tool if you don’t have the time or budget to create totally new content but only if it’s done correctly. There are ways it can actually be detrimental if done incorrectly. Here’s a great resource I like to refer to: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/101-content-syndication/68590/
Great post!! Content is always necessary to generate leads and enhance ranking of any website.
Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I’m happy to find so many useful info here in the post, we need work out more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing.