Content writing and SEO are the peanut butter and jelly of the digital marketing world. When combined correctly, they create a powerhouse that drives your online marketing efforts. Creating a successful digital marketing strategy takes expertise and an understanding of how content marketing and search engine optimization work in tandem. Read on to learn how.
What is Content Marketing?
Experts don’t always agree on what digital content is and is not. Is it useful? Sometimes. Is it of high quality? Often, but not always. In simplest terms, content informs, entertains, teaches, or enlightens. It’s intended to evoke an emotional response that drives the reader to take some action: make a purchase, click a button, download something, send an email, or fill out a form.
The varieties of digital content are vast. Everything from blogs to social media posts, videos, e-books, infographics, and PDFs are all considered types of content. Not only do would-be customers and clients like this content, but Google does, too. And that’s where SEO comes into play.
What is Search Engine Optimization?
When someone enters a search term into a search engine, the results are anything but random. Google, and all the other search engines, use algorithms to rank the web pages that are returned in a search. The ranking is based on the algorithm’s perception of the page’s quality. In short, Google is looking for content that’s:
- Useful
- More valuable than other sites
- Credible
- High-quality
If all these elements are in place within your published content, there’s a better chance that the search engine will return a page higher in the results. And that means more people will find your business.
Is Digital Marketing That Really Simple?
No, it’s not. Along with optimizing content, SEO requires a good bit of research and planning.
First, you must identify keywords to use in your content. Incorporating the right terms into your content helps search engines find your page. But you can’t just stuff your content with terms. Google won’t consider your page credible. To further build credibility for the algorithms, you must also include backlinks to credible websites.
Next, there are title tags, meta descriptions, and URLs to consider. These are the more technical aspects of content marketing, but they are no less important. Search engines use these elements to learn what a page is about and tell readers what they’ll find on the page. Getting the wording right is tantamount. Your page may rank in the first three Google results, but the ranking is meaningless if the meta description doesn’t entice a reader to click.
Want to Grow Your SEO?
It would be great if digital marketing were a do-it-yourself task, but it’s not. It would help if you had a knowledgeable team to help you craft and publish your content. By relying on a digital marketing agency to guide your efforts, you’ll be better positioned for success in the digital space. Stratgrow, our experienced digital marketing company, stands ready to help your business grow. Get in touch today to discuss digital marketing services.