SEO or Search Engine Optimised content is important for content searchability — and that’s something we all know. It makes your website and other digital properties easier to find, thereby improving brand visibility. Did you know though, that this is not the only reason it’s essential for your brand? For starters, it helps build trust and credibility. How? Well, anyone who’s looking for anything today just ‘googles it’. And if your brand is right on top of the search results, you’ll definitely come off as more credible than your competitors. What’s more, local SEO equals increased traffic, engagement, and conversions. It goes without saying, that when you optimise your content for a specific vicinity, your brand becomes that much easier to find, taking customers one step closer to a transaction!
Convinced yet? Well, you should be! The best time to implement SEO is right now, and here’s how you can get started:
Say the right things to the right people
To incorporate the right keywords in your messaging, start by asking the following questions:
- Who all are in your audience segments?
- What kind of information do they need?
- Why do they need that information?
- Which search terms are they using to find it
Answering these questions may seem complicated, but it’s simple when you break it down into the following steps:
Identify your target audience, and find out where they are online. Conduct surveys and one-on-one interviews to understand what they like, dislike, and what they look for from a brand like yours. Next, find profitable keywords that relate to what you offer and what your TG is looking for. And then, all you need to do is come up with engaging content based on those keywords.
Ensure quality and depth in content
Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines defines high-quality content as that which exhibits Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (EAT, for short). It’s only when your content meets this requirement that it’ll show up on top of search results, where you want it to be. So, focus on long-form blog posts — Backlinko analysed 1 million searches and found the average first-page search result was 1,890 words. That being said, quality matters too. Make sure you have enough to say to cover a long-form article by picking topics that can be explored through different angles. Pad up your work with research from well-known sources such as Google Scholar and JSTOR, as well as government and industry publications.
Don’t forget the featured snippets
These refer to snippets of text that appear right on top of Google’s search results to quickly answer any query. This content is automatically pulled from web pages in Google’s index. These are a great way to get more clicks through organic search, and an opportunity for your brand to dominate ‘no click searches’ i.e. when a Google user doesn’t click on any of the search results. Here’s what you can try increase your brand’s chances of getting its featured content showcased:
- Answer questions in a short and definitive manner
- Create numbered lists
- Back up information with stats and data
Now that we’ve covered the ‘how’, let’s look at a brand that has aced its SEO content. And it’s none other than the world’s second-biggest e-commerce marketplace. It’s almost always on top of relevant search results, in no small part thanks to the user-generated content in the form of thousands of product reviews. On the SEO level, user comments on a product page mean even more content to accurately describe its offerings.
You’ve got all the tips and tricks you could need in your arsenal — all you need to do is apply them to take your brand right to the top of search results (and your TG’s mind)!
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
Tina launched the company in 2011, and today, it is known for its award-winning work in creative & business communications, and digital services. She comes with extensive experience in the creative industry, and is passionate about empowering women entrepreneurs.
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