Content marketing and SEO are two separate digital conversion practices, yet the relationship between them is more of an “&” than of a “vs.”
Some experts still insist on drawing a strict line between content and SEO, but current research proves that you cannot have one without the other. While content marketing allows for an endless creation and promotion of value-driven content, which could be anything from text to multimedia, Search Engine Optimization helps drive traffic to that content and give it the visibility it deserves. Similarly, while SEO focuses on improving site ranking in the SERPs through technical methods, content marketing provides the substance to bring those strategies to life.
The purpose of this post is to show you how, by careful integration of content marketing into your SEO game plan, you can achieve remarkable business growth. Check out our top arguments below.
Keyword-Optimized Content Increases Search Visibility
What is a keyword? A keyword is a word or a phrase that online users enter in the search bar of Google, Bing, or other engines to get instant information on a general-to-particular subject. Whenever a new information request comes up, the search engine in question surveys the entire inventory of digital data on the web and retrieves only the best sites with the most relevant keywords in its results.
How does an interplay of SEO and content marketing work here?
Search Engine Optimization strives to bring your site in the top search engine results, so more users can view it, click on it and find the answer to their problem on your featured page. And if the content is optimized with the right keywords, Google ranks it higher in the SERPs after a crawling session. In other words, by utilizing a keyword-optimized content, you can attain search visibility and better search engine ranking.
Regional Content Reels In More Local Traffic
Suppose a user searches for the best internet deals in his or her area, and multiple results pull up on Google, all offering more or less the same kind of information. Which one should he or she pick? The webpage with a slightly dull title like “Get internet from ___ provider” or a title with an actual appeal, such as “Spectrum Internet Deals & Plans in San Antonio, Texas 2020”? The vote will go in favor of Spectrum, for its brilliant take on the regionally specific and time-relevant title tag. This is just one example. A million others will show you how geographically tuned content with an attractive title promotes local SEO and boosts the click-through rate.
Content-Length Contributes to a Website’s Authority
How can you make Google recognize your expertise? By posting long-form content, such as definitive or ultimate guides, case studies, listicles, and detailed roundups, etc. This way when you expound on a topic quoting the latest research insights, analyzing all inherent aspects and presenting systematic information in a crystal-clear language, not only will your visitors release your word’s worth but Google will also rank you higher in its SERPs while bumping your DA (Domain Authority).
According to SEMrush, articles that have a greater than 3000 words length manage to receive 3 times more traffic, 4 times more shares, and 3.5 times more backlinks, which works extremely well for your SEO efforts.
Quality Content Gets Quality Backlinks
Another way a search engine comes to acknowledge your site’s authority and elevate you in its search results is when well-esteemed sites with a popular following lend you some of their power through a backlink. Yes, a backlink is like a vote – the more you have, the higher will be your credibility in the eyes of Google. Technically, it is an incoming link, which connects other sites to yours, and vice versa.
How does content help?
A well-written, informative, relevant, and entertaining blog article has the potential to impress the toughest of webmasters and draw in more backlinks, thereby improving your site’s SEO profile.
Regular Content Posting Leads to a Faster Following
It is a rule of thumb that the more you talk about something, the more proficient you become in your niche. For instance, if you run a pet care website, and write smart tips for taking care of animals on a daily basis, you’ll come to have a dedicated user base in no time. Why? Because people crave for fresh content, and search engines cater to this craving when they retrieve results.
So, by publishing valued-added content regularly, you can leave a lasting impression of competency both on the search engine, leading to faster indexing, and your website visitors, gaining more traffic as a result.
Content that Transcends Text is Trendier
Though textual content holds traditional importance, the current generation feels more engaged by non-textual content elements, especially video, as shown in the graph below. Video grabs more attention on social media and drives additional traffic to your site. More traffic equals higher site authority, which leads to a better SEO ranking.
Source: HubSpot Research
Other than this, Google has also introduced image search functionality in its algorithm to facilitate users in the best manner. A user can drop an image in the search bar, sort the categories, and see the websites with optimized images that correspond best to the search queries. Optimizing images for SEO includes writing specific image alt attributes and adding relevant keyword tags among other options.
Images, videos, GIFs, and podcasts also do the job of retaining customer engagement, i.e. keeping them on the page for a longer period and lowering the bounce rate.
Wrapping Up
It all comes back to this point: You cannot prosper well in the digital realm if you don’t align your Search Engine Optimization efforts with your content marketing strategy. This post gives solid points on why this integration is more profitable than it sounds. It’ll be worth your while to give it a try.