Every Good Content Strategy Starts With Having an Actual Strategy
As an SEO, I talk a lot about developing great websites that earn top rankings, as opposed to manipulating search engine algorithms for temporary gains. There is a lot that goes into a good SEO campaign, one of the most important being your website’s content.
Yet, it seems that many sites are at a disadvantage when it comes to content development. Informational sites do wonders at pumping out pages and pages of articles, blog posts, tips, how-to’s, videos and tutorials. But, this is a drawback for e-commerce sites. Oh wait… I guess e-commerce sites can do that, too! Hmmmm…
Unfortunately, many SEOs are up against the mindset from e-commerce site owners that content is just an annoyance rather than a help. They want rankings but don’t want to create the content necessary to get them there. They don’t want to create articles, blog posts, tips, how-to’s, videos or tutorials. Why? Because all that takes time.
Why do all that when you can just hire an SEO to do whatever it is they do to get top search engine rankings?
But that is what we do. Or at least, it’s what we do when we’re given freedom and a budget to work with. Businesses don’t want to take time to do all of these things because they don’t have time and/or don’t know how to do it right. Fair enough. But it also takes time for the SEOs to do it – especially if you want them to do it right.
Strategy also includes how, when and where your content will be published. Blogs are great publishing platforms, but some content is better published elsewhere – maybe on your site, maybe on another site. Either way, you have to think strategically about each piece of content so that it’s published in the right place at the right time on the right platform.
Other pieces of content might require interviews, soliciting opinions or a companion video piece. These are all things to consider in the development stage. The better prepared you are, the better each piece of content will ultimately be.
After writing your content, take some time away from it. Take a few hours (or even days, if possible) to let an article “rest.” This time allows you to come back to it with fresher eyes. You’ll often find, upon re-reading, that a point you were trying to make didn’t quite come across as you intended. Or a joke you thought was hilarious was really a clunker. A good proofreading can help you dramatically improve your article by adding additional thoughts that escaped you during the initial draft. Or, maybe just add in some better jokes.
Not every article should be socialized the same. Yes, you can use Twitter to broadcast every article, blog post, tip, how-to, video and tutorial you write, but that’s the beginning rather than the end of your social media efforts. Which takes us all the way back to strategy.
Good content starts and ends with a good content marketing strategy. Can anyone do it? Yes. Does the employee who already has a full-time job have the ability to do it? Possibly. But if you really want your content to succeed, you need to be sure your entire content strategy is designed for success, not designed as an afterthought.
Image credit: ragsac / 123RF Stock Photo
Stoney deGeyter is the President of Pole Position Marketing, a leading search engine optimization and marketing firm helping businesses grow since 1998. Stoney is a frequent speaker at website marketing conferences and has published hundreds of helpful SEO, SEM and small business articles.
If you’d like Stoney deGeyter to speak at your conference, seminar, workshop or provide in-house training to your team, contact him via his site or by phone at 866-685-3374.
Stoney pioneered the concept of Destination Search Engine Marketing which is the driving philosophy of how Pole Position Marketing helps clients expand their online presence and grow their businesses. Stoney is Associate Editor at Search Engine Guide and has written several SEO and SEM e-books including E-Marketing Performance; The Best Damn Web Marketing Checklist, Period!; Keyword Research and Selection, Destination Search Engine Marketing, and more.
Stoney has five wonderful children and spends his free time reviewing restaurants and other things to do in Canton, Ohio.
I’ve seen a lot of companies do a great job creating really valuable and well-written content, but then they kinda of choke on the promotion aspect. You can’t wait for people to find your content, no matter how brilliant it is!
Hello,
For any website content is a king, what kind of content or quality of content lots of matter in google search engine ranking factors, in google algorithm it clarifies that it wants only quality content, that has no grammatical errors, not duplicate content, so thanks for sharing such information here, keep it up.
Hi Stoney,
Some really good points. There is so much more to content marketing than just writing some random blog posts once in a while. I’d also strongly encourage your readers to create an editorial calendar. The calendar should be 6-12 months out and detail the old who, what, when and where.
Good point Arnie. We’ve been working with our clients on this and it is immensely helpful in keeping quality content on track.
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