Content strategy is a crucial component of building and marketing any business online. If you’re not following these best practices, it’s time to start now.
Each year we try to cover as many topics as possible on Search Engine Journal because, at the end of the day, we want our readers to really understand what they need to do to rank their website or blog for keywords that matter most. We want them to actually succeed in their efforts. When it comes down to it, that’s the only thing that matters – results!
So with that said, here are 12 ways you can improve your business with content strategy.
1) Quality over quantity
If you want increased conversions and a better user experience for your visitors then follow this rule. Quality content trumps quantity any day, but don’t think that just because you’re not posting every hour of the day means your content is great. If it’s not, then take some time to get better at content creation. The good news is that there are lots of communities out there where you can learn how to create better content, like Quuu or Reddit.
2) Define quality for your brand/business
If you do decide to post more frequently than once a day, make sure you also have the ability to market what you’ve published so that people actually see it and choose to engage with it. If possible, use social media or even email marketing service providers (like MailChimp) for daily posts since they both offer tools to make this process easier.
3) Be very selective with keywords
Just because you can post about anything, doesn’t mean you should. Choose your keyword research carefully and determine what would really benefit your users the most (and not just what is going to help you rank high). Content strategy and search engine optimization go hand-in-hand, so keep that in mind when creating unique content that benefits everyone.
4) Use unique titles for each page/post
Keywords aren’t the only thing we need to focus on when it comes to writing a title. A good rule of thumb is to use creative titles so people actually want to read more about it. In short, never manipulate your audience by using click bait and always put your focus on quality over quantity.
5) Add value with visual assets
Not everyone is a writer, so make sure you provide the option for readers to be engaged by adding photos and videos. Whether you’re writing blog posts or creating YouTube videos, visuals can go a long way in helping people understand your subject matter (and don’t forget that Google loves fresh content).
6) Utilize dynamic language
SEO copywriting isn’t about stuffing keywords into text – it’s about naturally incorporating them into the flow of your writing with natural language patterns and conversational voice. Focus on building relationships and trust and you’ll see increased conversions as a result of better positioning.
7) Create shareable links/URLs
When you’re looking to increase your value you have to make it easy for people to actually consume the content. By including links with your posts you are opening up additional opportunities for engagement and new audiences that can help spread your message. Keep this in mind when creating unique custom URL names.
8) Ask questions
Some of the best content out there asks questions, rather than simply providing answers. This forces users to interact more because they have no choice but to comment. If there’s anything worse than mediocre content on social media, it’s a page or website without any comments at all!
9) Format titles correctly for SERPs
Titles don’t only need creative language – they need to be formatted correctly too! Rich Snippets and Structured Data are two types of formats that really help search engines understand what your page is all about. These take some time to set up, but once you have them in place they can increase clicks through SERPs by as much as 8%!
10) Use Nofollow links
Link building has changed a lot over the years and linking out is now more important than ever. Make sure you utilize the nofollow attribute when linking out because it will stop your website from being penalized for poor-quality backlinks. You should share content from other sites, but only if they’re relevant to your own audience.
11) Try a content funnel
Rather than produce one piece of content after another, creating a full-fledged marketing funnel can help increase conversions and engagement. This strategy involves posting about the same topic across different channels, but in unique ways that make people want to interact more. You can also share it within small groups of your audience on Facebook groups or by emailing subscribers directly to keep the value high.
12) Use catchy images
You’re probably already familiar with click bait titles designed to get more clicks on Facebook. It’s just as important on Google too! Images are one of the best ways you have to stand out on SERPs so try using custom images that are both SEO-friendly and attractive at the same time. Since Google is getting better at understanding what an image is all about, this strategy really helps improve SEO rankings.
Conclusion:
Well, I hope at least one of these SEO copywriting strategies have made a positive impact on you. If you are just starting out with this profession or are struggling to find some common ground then you should try reading some articles about successful writers in the field. Now, after all, is said and done, what do you think about the outcome? Is there anything that I missed?