Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a critical element of every content strategy. In simple terms, SEO for content marketing implies optimising your content to attract organic traffic from search result pages.
When it comes to search engines, Google clearly rules the roost. Though search engines such as Yahoo and Bing cannot be eliminated from the equation, drawing out a better Google SEO strategy is a sure-fire way of widening your reach and promoting organic lead generation.
Therefore, your SEO content strategy must aim to match Google’s algorithm if you are to rank among the first few search results. To help you out, here are some tried-and-tested SEO strategies that Google rewards.
Incorporate optimised keywords in content
Google supports quality over quantity, and well-placed keywords in well-researched and well-written content is rewarded. Google, with its user-first approach, will always highlight content that is relevant to a user’s query. To ensure that your website makes it to the top, list out the best keywords for the most asked queries in your niche, analyse their potential through search volume numbers, and incorporate them into your content naturally.
Once this content driven SEO plan is rightly implemented, Google’s crawlers will automatically detect this, improving your visibility. However, remember that keyword stuffing will only have a negative impact on your ranking.
Build a prominent backlink profile
Google highly ranks websites that establish themselves as an authority in their niche. One way of positioning your brand as such is by improving the number of websites that link back to your website. Your backlink profile encompasses the number of the number of pages that link to you (inbound links).
Having a strong and relevant profile indicates to Google’s crawlers the trustworthiness of your content and portrays you as an expert in your niche. Obtaining backlinks from a trusted domain is akin to your content getting a vote of confidence from a significant personality and is among the best Google SEO tips you can use.
Work on improving your quality score
Today, search rankings are no longer limited to keyword performance and your website content is judged as per the quality of your content and how relevant it is to the user’s query.
How does google drive SEO? Well, Google’s algorithm is said to consider parameters such as deep click rates, bounce rates, pogo-sticking rates, and click-through rates. It is probable that Google stamps a quality score on your web pages, much like it does so for Google Ads. So, strive for quality and once the metrics work in your favour, you’ll start gaining unpaid traffic.
Use tags and spruce up your meta description
A simple SEO strategy, on the lines of optimised content marketing, is to use alt tags with your images and optimise your meta description. Though Google maintains it does not use data from meta descriptions for ranking your website, experts suggest that a keyword-optimised and well-written meta description does have a positive impact on Google search rankings.
Moreover, a meta description is the first thing a user reads about a website on the search result page. If your meta description reflects your content’s relevancy to user queries, you’ll see better click-through rates, which will boost your rankings.
Invest in creating shareable content
There’s no way around it: your SEO content strategy must work with your digital marketing strategy. Ensure that you create shareable content and employ visual and audio elements such as podcasts and infographics. Additionally, verify that your content is easily shareable by keeping your website’s load time to a minimum, its layout responsive, and adding share buttons, linking to all relevant platforms.
Refresh your website content
Even if you are on top of the search rankings, Google’s crawlers audit your website to ensure that it maintains quality. Therefore, update your website’s content if the last time you made improvements to it is more than a handful of months. You can optimise it with trending keywords and more recent information and even enhance it with a video or an infographic.
Further, in terms of SEO, voice search poses new problems and avenues for growth. So, upgrade your SEO strategy by tailoring your content for voice-based queries.
Equipped with this information, design and implement a SEO content strategy that draws the attention of Google’s search engine algorithms. Grow your business with Edisol to ensure you have a fool-proof content strategy backed by research of your target demographic, a content calendar that clearly defines the way forward, and a passionate team which works as an extension of yours.
