These two are not at odds. Savvy marketers know that content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) work in conjunction, rather than opposition. In fact, the two tactics overlap quite a bit. Gone are the days of keyword stuffing. Yet quality content can’t stand alone against search engines without a robust SEO strategy.
Peter Fisk
By now, consumers are pretty fed up with “in your face” marketing tactics and articles with repetitive search terms. Time is of the essence and people seek value in every task they commit. In fact, content marketing generates over three times as many leads as outbound marketing and costs 62% less.
That’s where the power of quality content shines the most. With a smart audience, SEO tactics—like keyword stuffing—may actually offend consumers. Efficient quality control and content management is the key to modern digital marketing. Treat people like scholars, not fools, and you’re halfway there.
Key Differences
There still seems to be a bit of confusion on how exactly SEO and content marketing fit together. If you are trying to grow your qualified search traffic, you need to use both strategies simultaneously. Running separate campaigns will yield lower traffic than using them in conjunction.
90% of all organizations use content in their marketing efforts, but are they doing it right? The only way to successful content marketing is through a solid search engine optimization strategy. Simply looking at the numbers OR creating superb content won’t cut the mustard. You must be able to think with your left and right brain. That means paying attention to search engine page rankings but also ensuring what you are saying is worth the while.
Convince & Convert
There are some key differences between the two practices that may be why some people are confused. SEO is technical and narrower, whereas content marketing is broader and more holistic. While SEO makes demands, content fills them. There is no such thing as SEO if you don’t have the initial content to start.
SEO insists on keywords and content marketing infuses meaning into them. One is a technical process, while the other is creative. While SEO can pick out the perfect links, it is content marketing that finds a place for them. The point is, although they greatly differ, SEO and content marketing very much need each other to prove success. There are a variety of ways to integrate the two. The following are just a few…
In-Depth Content
Back in the day, when search engines were in their infancy, people would game the system. You could post any type of content, completely stuffed with keywords, and make it to page one on Google—easily.
It wasn’t long before search engines caught on and realized in order to be taken seriously, they had to return results to people with valuable content. This is what motivated the search engines to continuously change their algorithms to favor quality over quantity. Now, 10% of searchers use Google to find more detailed content and in-depth articles.
Pros
The idea is to post comprehensive content. Although the online rumor runs around that consumers have the attention span of a goldfish, that would really be selling your message short. In fact, search engines favor long-form and valuable content. Besides, people aren’t as finicky as the internet says.
2,000 words or more is the recipe for success. That’s the average length for a web page that ranks on the first page of Google. However, before you aim for large quantities, focus on creating quality content. Rather than throwing out 500-word articles, take some time and produce longer articles with deeper thought leadership. Your readers will appreciate the effort and it will inspire greater brand awareness and loyalty.
Backlinks
In addition to creating value for consumers and pleasing the search engines, in-depth content also assists in SEO efforts by building a plethora of backlinks on every piece of content. The longer you speak, the more opportunity you have to link out and strengthen your content. And this is all free marketing!
When you compare content marketing to paid search, you get three times the leads per dollar spent. Despite paid search being touted as the ideal for cost-effectiveness, a recent study has proved quite the opposite. Content marketing has both lower up-front costs and deeper long-term benefits. Content marketing builds its own momentum without any extra cash required. It’s all about consumers seeing your commitment.
Keyword Data
Although quality content is first and foremost, it’s important to have an SEO backbone to start. That means a robust keyword search is in order. Not only will it guide you in the direction of what people are discussing, it will help create content that draws the attention of search engines and ranks you higher on their pages. That being said, you also shouldn’t be blogging just for the sake of putting up keywords. It’s a dance between the two strategies that proves the greatest outcomes.
BrightEdge
The best way to check the success of your content is to use a variety of keywords and then analyze the results of your search engine traffic. Google Analytics has several reports that can reveal ways in which you can tweak your content to increase traffic. Once you have chosen your list, periodically cross-reference them with Google Trends. If your topic seems to be dying down, it’s time to consider another direction with your keywords.
Guest Posting
There are so many benefits to reaching out and networking with like-minded professionals. Whether you guest post for them or vice-versa, the main idea here is relevancy. The more links you have out there, the higher you will rank on search engines. That’s because they want to return the best content possible to searchers. The more relevant yours is, the more likely the search engines will show it first. It’s simple logic.
To increase traffic to your site that is of higher relevancy (thus increasing the chances of conversions), consider the following tasks:
- Don’t link back to your own site. Search engines will see the manipulation and punish you.
- Avoid using rich anchor text. This is considered “over-optimizing” your site and will have search engine algorithms frowning upon you. If you do, do it once, and once only.
- Only guest post on relevant sites. If you own a dog grooming business, you won’t have much viable traffic if you guest post for a gardening blog.
Guest posting is important, but it is also critical to be aware of search engine guidelines and follow them accordingly.
Lucidpress
A decade ago things would have been different, but algorithms are so tight these days, it leaves little room for error.
FAQs
If you are having trouble with conversions and all else fails, simply ask your audience what they want. This is another creative way to build a keyword list. Sure, SEO can guide you, but the people will light the way. And do not doubt, there have been times where the search engines are wrong, and consumers have spoken up. That means it’s ultimately up to the people putting in the money, to dictate where they want to buy.
Therefore, when it comes to content marketing and what you will write to please consumers, sometimes it’s good to start with a simple survey. By using sites like Qualaroo or Survey Monkey, you can figure out why your visitors aren’t converting into customers. Then use the answers to define a new SEO and content management strategy.
If you are stuck on what to ask, consider some of the following to inspire direction from your readers:
- What would you like to see on this page?
- Was there anything off-putting?
- Are there any broken links?
- Is there a reason you didn’t want to become a customer?
- Are there any concerns or questions you have about the product/service?
You can ask any question you feel might enlighten and further your content efforts to ensure future business. Then use these answers to guide the type of content you create. By employing this simple SEO method, you can find all the objections that are causing people not to convert and address them head-on. Starting with customer pain points is one of the best-kept secrets to producing quality content.
Animus Rex
Once you have compiled a formidable list of concerns, consider creating an FAQ (frequently asked questions) page to further SEO efforts. This type of content will help you start ranking long-tail keywords that are related to your product/service. Although pages like this may not drive a ton of traffic, the type that it does is sure to be highly relevant. After all, they are asking specific questions about your brand.
Modern and savvy marketers use every tool at their disposal, rather than pitting methodologies against each other. It’s OK to use both SEO and quality content to reach the finish line. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer, just know this:
SEO cannot exist without compelling content. Quality content will never be seen without SEO. The two strategies overlap and the quicker a business jumps on board, the more likely they are to succeed against competitors in a tough digital arena.