Crafting An Effective Content Strategy With Finesse - Step By Step

What was once only attainable through visiting different locations, waiting for and checking out radio, newspaper/magazine, and television ads, browsing through yellow pages of the phonebook, and calling different businesses enticing you with similar services can now be done by simply typing a few words on the Google search bar and pressing enter.

A SOLID SEO CONTENT STRATEGY - WHY YOU NEED ONE

Through the internet, everything is a lot easier to find. However, this also has led to the growing impatience among searchers. As the internet continues to evolve, becoming more like a faster personal assistant, providing answers to your questions with just a few strokes on the keyboard, it fuels our preference for instant gratification. These days, online searchers often don’t have a lot of patience checking further beyond pages 2 or even 1 of the Google search results.

 People would usually go for the first few search results, especially the ones on top. Google, which every now and then implements changes to its algorithm and stricter rules, ensures online searchers get the best options through its search results. With the overwhelming number of websites offering solutions to different concerns, how do you stand out? How do you get your business on the top results?

We are now in a fast-paced digital landscape, where those on top search results reign supreme. To be among the top, you need a solid SEO (Search Engine Optimization) content strategy. As it is widely accepted, content is king, and SEO optimizes your content with keywords your target consumers are likely to use in searching, so that they are more likely to find you. You'd end up with a higher ranking in search engine results.

YOUR SEO CONTENT STRATEGY - A SIMPLIFIED CREATION PROCESS

For a strategy that will give you more online visibility and drive more organic traffic to your website, do the following:

Step 1: Define Your Goals 
If you have clear goals, it will be easier to come up with a content strategy that works, and rest assured, your efforts will be guided in the right direction. Decide what you are aiming for increased website traffic, lead generation, or more brand awareness.

Step 2: Keyword Research 
You have to know what your target consumers are likely to look for. There are keyword research tools that will help you determine the keywords and phrases the consumers will be typing on Google Search. The tools will give you search volume and competition. Choose keywords that strike a balance between relevance and attainability.

Step 3: Zero In On Your Target Consumers  
Be aware of your preferred audience’s pain points, interests, and preferences, and tailor your content to meet those.

Step 4: Follow A Content Calendar  
Regularly update your site with fresh, relevant content. Through this, search engines are notified that your website is active. Come up with a calendar to plan and schedule the release of your content.

Step 5: List Down Content Ideas 
Take some time to list down whatever comes to mind and later on, you can decide on which topic to write about. They should align with the chosen keywords, the interests of your audience, and of course, brand expertise.

Step 6: Creating The Content - High-Quality Content Is a Must 
It’s time to create your content based on your chosen topics; it could be an article, blog post, infographics, or video scrips. It isn’t enough though that they are well-written; your content should be engaging and informative. Quality should be a top priority.

Step 7: Use of Internal & External Links 
Don’t forget to include internal links in your posts as these help your website visitors in exploring your website. The internal links also distribute authority across your site’s various pages. External links, on the other hand, can add to the credibility of your content, so make sure respected sources are used.

Step 8: Optimize On-Page Elements  
Incorporate your target keywords on-page elements (titles, meta descriptions, headings, and image alt text). The content should read well and not sound “forced” just to accommodate the keywords. Make sure the content isn't over-stuffed with keywords.

Step 9: Promotion & Outreach 
Share your content - you can do so on social media, by email, and by collaborating with influencers in your niche. Urge others to link to your content. Try guest posting on authoritative websites. Actively build high-quality backlinks to your content from authoritative and relevant websites. Outreach to other websites for guest posting opportunities and collaborate with industry influencers.

Step 10: Auditing Content 
Assess your existing content to determine which pages need improvement, updating, or consolidation. Identify content gaps that you can fill with new content.

Step 11: Monitor & Analyze Site Performance 
By using tools such as Google Analytics and Search Console, you’ll be able to regularly monitor as well as analyze your website’s performance. By tracking metrics like traffic, bounce rates, and keyword rankings, you would be able to identify what’s working and what areas need to be improved.

MAKE SURE YOUR WEBSITE IS MOBILE-FRIENDLY & USER-FOCUSED 

With a mobile-responsive and user-friendly website, visitors won’t have a problem browsing your site. It would be easier for them to read and browse content on your website, keeping them engaged and encouraging them to stay longer. This reduces bouncing rates.

ALWAYS ADAPT & EVOLVE 

With an ever-evolving field like SEO, you have to keep your eyes open for the latest changes in algorithms as well as industry trends. Be able to adapt and make the changes necessary in your strategy to keep it in line with the new rules, keep your search visibility, and therefore be ahead of your rivals.

For your SEO content strategy to be effective, a well-rounded approach is required, involving processes from keyword research to constant monitoring. Follow the steps above or, you can go for the easier and more tried and tested way: hiring an established SEO expert like Digital Search Group to handle everything for you.

SEO isn’t an instant magical solution. It takes time for the results to materialize, so it’s essential to be patient and at the same time persistent.