Google seems to have been on a mission over the last couple years with two big algorithm updates, Panda and Penguin. I have even been asked the question: “Is SEO dead?”
I can safely say SEO is not dead but there is a need to adapt your approach to it – today’s landscape is very different to a couple of years ago.
Google has always said that content is king but I think that content is the kingdom!
Visitors expect so much more when searching the web – sales cycles are so much longer. Visitors often seek recommendations or reviews when researching the web, they don’t just want a web page detailing the features and benefits.
This is where social media can play a big part in our online marketing strategies – social media allows us to push content out so our visitors can discover our content, engage with it and then share it.
Content needs to be focused towards your target audience and also created in the formats that it likes.
So you need to think more than just web pages – think video, images, press releases, PDFs and much more.
Google has encouraged us to take a step back and evaluate our web strategies – to spend time researching and planning our content and how we are going to promote it.
This where a content marketing strategy is the best way forward as your main focus is your target audience. It allows you to plan your content to suit your buying cycles. The mind-set is ‘what can be searched for can be optimised’.
Here at digital agency Intergage, we have created the 7 Steps to an Optimised Content Marketing Strategy to make it easy for you adapt your existing online strategy to a focused content plan.
We have broken down the steps in the infographic below – start with step 1 and follow through to step 7 Analysis which naturally brings you back to step 1. This is an on-going strategy that you can build on and revaluate.
Give it a go and let us know how you get on.
Mastering content creation is an increasingly important skill.
Book yourself onto the next Marketing Leaders Lunch to discuss such topics with your peers.