If you’ve been following my recent posts, you’ll already know that artificial intelligence and semantic search are drastically altering the SEO landscape. Producing content still matters, but quality is now just as important as quantity. Posting a bunch of junk articles to your website won’t help you, and may in fact hurt your business in many ways.
Smart marketers are realizing this and are adopting a new approach to search engine optimization. Here are a handful of tips for adjusting your content creation strategy accordingly…
Keep the Articles and Pages Coming
Content is still the cornerstone of a search engine optimization plan. More content is better than less, and newer content is better than older, outdated pages. Knowing that, you should try to set and maintain a regular editorial schedule so you can post new ideas to your website regularly. Plus, you’ll want to review your existing pages from time to time to ensure they stay current.
Focus on Topical Relevance, Not Keyword Density
Because semantic search has somewhat reduced the value of exact phrase matching, it’s not worth it to fit awkward sounding expressions into your web content. Instead, you should focus on having an entire website that’s filled with articles and topics that would be of interest to your target audience. Google has the capacity to put them all into context and determine what your website is really about.
Use Internal and External Links (But Not Too Many)
Internal links serve as search signals and make it easier for readers to move from one topic to the next. External links can serve as citations and supporting information that prove your assertions are accurate. Make a point of using both, but don’t include so many links that they overwhelm the purpose of your content as a whole.
Post Longer Content When Possible
Studies by well-known Internet marketing researchers like Moz have shown that longer pieces of content (up to around 2500 words) tend to attract more search traffic and user engagement. In this day and age of information overload, people like having trusted resources that provide definitive and authoritative information. Don’t be afraid to write something lengthy if you can back it up.
Encourage Comments and Respond Accordingly
Comments on your articles and posts serve double duty. First, they add to the volume and recency of content on a page. In essence, they make it longer. And second, they show that others are paying attention to your ideas and are taking them seriously. That’s a positive search signal for Google, and it could lead to even more searchers coming across your ideas.
Content is still at the heart of search engine optimization, but it’s all about quality and engagement rather than keywords and quantity. If you’re looking for help navigating these changes, or just want to put a smarter Internet marketing plan in place, call the Philadelphia-based Biondo Creative team today. You’ll be amazed when you see what we’ve been able to do for other companies just like yours!