Ask multiple marketers who is king, and some will tell you it is Google. This is understandable given Google’s dominance of search engine traffic and the fact their ranking algorithm is the one most website owners and SEO agencies are trying to master. However, there is another aspect of digital marketing that many will tell you is the real king and that is content.
For our money, it is probably more appropriate to say that content is the kingmaker as it is content and its quality, relevance, and impact on user experience that Google takes into account in deciding whether a website ranks number 1 or number 100 in its search results.
Most business and website owners might not wish to get too involved in the more technical elements of SEO, but they all should have an appreciation of what constitutes good content. Sadly, much of the evidence suggests that many do not know, or if they do know, they choose not to pursue it. The result is poor content that does nothing to boost their brand or their rankings.
We trust you are in the other category and want to ensure that the content which is produced on behalf of your business is not only something you are proud to put your name to but which also contributes to boosting your website’s position on Google and the other search engines. If so, read on and we will outline 5 great techniques that will take your content to a higher level.
Create Content Which Is More Targeted Towards Your Audience
There was a time when as long as content was of sufficient quality it could be general and speak to a wider audience, but that is changing. For content to be at its most effective in stimulating users into taking action, it needs to be targeted towards a more specific audience. This requires research beforehand to establish what types of content work well within your niche, and most importantly what content converts best when created with your target audience in mind.
Interactive Content Is Preferred By Online Users
With the advances in browsers, broadband speeds and devices, interaction is now at the forefront of internet usage, and that means your content should be too. Text may still have its place, but content such as interactive videos, virtual events, interactive quizzes, virtual reality, 3D, and animated infographics are but a few of the new content options you should be considering as this is what today’s internet users love.
Content Must Be Mobile-Friendly
If you are not optimising your content for consumption on mobile devices you are upsetting two entities. First, Google, who will downgrade your rankings as a result, and equally important, over 50% of your audience. 50% is at least the proportion of searches done via mobile devices and if someone happens to access your content, but it looks strange, is difficult to read, or will not load properly, you have lost them forever.
Content Repurposing Is Essential
Ever seen those TV programmes where one or more disused items are transformed into something usable again? Well, the same principle applies to your content. We do not just mean older content but every price of content you have created until now, which can all be repurposed into another piece of content. For example, a single blog post can be used to make any or all of the following:
- Video
- Podcast
- Infographic
- Social Media Posts
- Email Newsletter
- Guest Post
- Quiz
- Checklist
- Worksheet
- Slideshow/Presentation
- …And Many More.
Content Should Show Your Expertise Authority And Trustworthiness (E-A-T)
We take our lead from Google once more as they seek out content that displays expertise, authority, and trustworthiness from the source who created it. This means your content should be well-researched, accurate, relevant to the subject, topical, and well written to meet Google’s ‘E-A-T’ parameters.