So far we have covered a lot of ground, and you should have a pretty good idea of the work it takes to rank on the first page. From the meta data, alt text, file types, and more – it takes a very skilled web design company to tackle the task.
Next up is tying up on-page optimization and segueing into off-page optimization. This content marketing, a vital part of growing your site and ensuring you don’t just show up on Google, but you have something of value to offer your readers.
Why is content marketing important?
The importance of content marketing is simple, and can be broken into three points:
Keyword targeting
Brand awareness
Messaging
Let’s look at a roofing company for example. Virtually all roofing companies do the same thing, making the choice between them come down to cost and insurance. If you get three bids from three different roofing companies you will see three similar prices, and will often choose rather the cheapest or most experienced depending on your situation.
So how do you separate yourself from the price wars and make an impact? You become a leader of industry knowledge.
This goes back to the fundamentals of how the search algorithm works. Google’s main goal is to give the reader the most beneficial and correct information as possible. This way they can ensure that people will keep coming back to their search engine.
By focusing on a educational and informational database on your site you provide Google with everything it needs to keep people using it’s search. This means having a content rich site is one of the most important parts of ranking on Google.
What is content marketing?
Content marketing is a broad term, and technically just a smaller part of what we call Visibility Marketing. This is a part that most start ups rather don’t have the money or time to focus on, and it separates the winners from the losers. Content marketing includes (but is not limited to):
Video marketing
Blogging
Social media marketing
Newsletters
Email marketing
Offline marketing
In this part of the series, we will cover the first four in that list; content and blogging. We will get to the rest in due time, but let’s finish up on-page optimization with some actionable items you can start doing in the new year.
Video Marketing
Video marketing refers to the use of video to help get your message across various platforms that allow such media. In 2023 surveys found that marketing campaigns that use video as their main source of lead generation saw a 92% positive ROI (return on investment).
Each industry has it’s own standard and there are many formats when it comes to video. The key is to make high quality content on a regular basis and study your analytics to find which has the highest impact.
Quality Over Quantity
When it comes to creating videos there are a plethora of options – with each social media site and app having its prefered length and format.
While apps like Instagram and TikTok look for daily posters to keep the content flowing, Youtube looks for a regular schedule of one or two videos per week.
The average length of a video on the a Meta app ranges from 15-30 seconds
Youtube shows the best engagement and ROI at 6-7 minutes.
54% of marketers on Instagram and Facebook use Live broadcasting
80% of brands say their customer journey starts on Youtube
This is why it is key to choosing where and when you want to post your content. With statistics so different from one platform to another, posting in the wrong format can lead to lower than expected results.
Additionally, it is shown that 62% of viewers will turn off any content of poor quality. This means much like having a pretty website, the quality of your content must represent the quality of your brand.
Investing in proper equipment can be the difference in being shared, and when it comes to ranking – sharing is what matters.
Video Marketing and SEO
So how does video marketing help your SEO? Well this can be done in a few ways. The first and foremost is sharing. You can get additional backlinks by creating video content that goes into great depth, covers trending topics, or is reusable by other brands.
Second, it helps close the gap. The average consumer is 4x more likely to watch a video regarding a product or service than to read about it on your website. This allows you to supplement your work with content that actually gets through to the other side.
Lastly, this content can be reused to help enrich you blogs posts, case studies, and services.
By studying your analytics and knowing your target audience you are able to find the type of video that resonates and helps spread your brand messaging.
Blogging: SEO and Brand Awareness
Let’s turn the spotlight to a tool that’s as old as the internet itself – Blogging. In the grand scheme of things, where videos sparkle and social media buzzes, blogs are the steady, pulsing heart of content marketing. Let’s unravel how blogging can be your silent warrior in boosting SEO and skyrocketing brand awareness.
Why Blogging? Because Google Loves a Good Read
Think of Google as a voracious reader always on the lookout for fresh, engaging content. Blogs are the perfect feast for this hunger. They’re the backbone of keyword targeting, giving you a canvas to naturally weave in those crucial search terms. And when it comes to messaging, a well-crafted blog can articulate your brand’s voice like nothing else.
How Original Content Elevates Your SEO Game
Here’s the kicker: Google adores quality content, especially content that keeps readers engaged, answers their questions, and offers them value. Each blog post is an opportunity to rank for specific keywords, increasing your site’s visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Keywords: Your SEO Ammunition
Crafting a blog post? Think of keywords as your guiding stars. They lead the way in content creation, ensuring your blog is discoverable and relevant. But remember, it’s not about stuffing keywords; it’s about weaving them seamlessly into insightful and informative content.
Freshness: Keeping Content Crisp
One of Google’s many quirks is its love for fresh content. Regularly updated blogs signal to search engines that your site is alive and kicking, constantly offering new insights. This freshness factor is a vital cog in the SEO machine, keeping you relevant and in Google’s good books.
Backlinks: Earning Digital Street Cred
Ah, backlinks – the currency of the internet. When reputable sites link back to your blog, they’re giving you a nod of approval, boosting your site’s authority and SEO ranking. It’s like the cool kids at school saying you’re one of them.
Educational Content: Positioning Yourself as an Industry Leader
Want to be seen as a leader in your field? Share your expertise through your blogs. Educate your audience, solve their problems, and offer them value. This not only builds trust but also positions your brand as an authority – a go-to resource in your niche.
Educational Content: Positioning Yourself as an Industry Leader
Want to be seen as a leader in your field? Share your expertise through your blogs. Educate your audience, solve their problems, and offer them value. This not only builds trust but also positions your brand as an authority – a go-to resource in your niche.
Engaging with Your Audience: Building Relationships
Blogs are not a one-way street; they’re a dialogue. Engaging with your readers through comments, answering their queries, and encouraging discussions make your brand approachable and relatable. It’s relationship-building at its finest.
Integrating Blogging with Other Forms of Content Marketing
Blogs are versatile. They can be the starting point for your video scripts, a rich
source for your social media posts, and a treasure trove for your newsletters. They interlink with various aspects of content marketing, creating a cohesive and comprehensive brand narrative.
Fuel for Social Media
Your blog posts can serve as excellent content for your social media channels. Snippets, infographics, or key insights from your blogs can be repurposed into engaging social media posts, driving traffic back to your website.
Video Content’s Best Friend
Remember how we emphasized video marketing? Well, blogs complement this beautifully. Use your blog’s content as a script or topic guide for your videos. This synergy not only strengthens your message but also ensures consistency across platforms.
Newsletters: The Bridge to Loyalty
Newsletters are a great way to keep your audience updated, and what better content to share than your latest blog posts? This not only drives
regular traffic to your website but also keeps your audience engaged with your brand, fostering a community of loyal followers.
The SEO and Awareness Double Whammy
Combining blogging with SEO strategies and brand awareness efforts is like hitting two birds with one stone. You not only climb up the SERPs but also carve a unique identity for your brand in the digital space. This dual impact is what makes blogging an indispensable tool in your content marketing arsenal.
Long-Tail Keywords: The Hidden Gems
Blogs are perfect for targeting long-tail keywords – those specific, niche search terms that might not have a high search volume but have a high conversion value. These keywords help in attracting a more targeted audience, which is more likely to convert.
Content That Stays: Building a Lasting Resource
Unlike social media posts that tend to be ephemeral, blog posts have a longer shelf life. They stay on your website, continually attracting traffic and engaging readers, long after they are published. This enduring nature makes them a valuable long-term asset.
Blogging as a Storytelling Tool
Ultimately, blogging is about storytelling – your brand’s storytelling. It’s about weaving narratives that resonate with your audience, narratives that inform, engage, and inspire. In the grand scheme of content marketing, blogs might seem like silent players, but their impact is loud and clear.
In the next part of our series, we’ll delve into the nuances of social media marketing, exploring how to leverage different platforms to amplify your brand’s voice. So, stay tuned, and remember, in the world of digital marketing, every word counts, every video speaks, and every blog breathes life into your brand story.