How Content Marketing Delivers a Punch for Your SEO (Site Experience Optimization)

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Recently, Google announced that its search rankings algorithm would be influenced heavily by relevant and useful content throughout the consumer’s online search journey.  This was a subtle move for Google, but one that was bound to happen sooner than later.

To break it down:

Good SEO=

  • Content quality
  • User intention
  • Content revelance

Bad SEO=

  • Keyword stuffing
  • Adlinks
  • Meta tags

This is fantastic news for those of us content marketers that believe in the philosophy of user experience in the content strategy. What used to be a practice only intended to build websites and technology platforms, UI (User Interface) is now about how you serve the right information and experience at the right time to visitors. It’s also about understanding the consumer’s needs, wants, and even burning desires (over 80% of consumer purchases are based on an emotional intent).

Basically, Google wants brands to start aligning their web and mobile content to the needs of the consumer they are really searching for. Here are some basic UI practices that you can keep in mind when building out your online presence:

  • User Experience – How easy is it for visitors to find the content they are looking for? Do some basic user research to test your site’s navigation as well as whether your content is easily understood and relevant to your intended audience
  • Voice – Does your content speak to your intended audience? Your website content should reflect the language and terms that your audience understands and finds informative
  • Site Flow – Google is saying a big “heck no” to just filling up your homepage with keywords. Your website should be a great resource and experience for your audience if you set up the proper internal links and flow to guide visitors to different pieces of content. Don’t think of your website as a brochure but as an interactive tool.

For years, we have known that content is king when it comes to digital marketing. Google has just now handed over the crown.