Are you searching for the top content marketing tips and considerations to adapt to today's changing search landscape? Then, look no further. Today's internet users are changing the way they search the web, and as a result, search engines are constantly evolving to adapt to this change. This has had a significant impact on how searchers find quality content and how content does and doesn't rank, which affects the business's overall SEO performance. Gone are the days when measuring your SEO and content marketing success was solely based on keeping track of keyword rankings. With so many factors coming into play to achieve SEO success, it’s time to rethink your content marketing plan and social media strategy to keep pace with the ever-changing search landscape. When engaging in content marketing services, professional search engine optimization, or building your own content strategy, you’ll need to consider how you can restructure your content so that it appears in prime search locations.
Take a look at some of the ways search engines are changing along with searchers. We will offer several essential content marketing tips to take into account how to grow your success strategy to keep up with this changing landscape. SERP analysis is also crucial to developing a targeted and effective content marketing strategy.
Mobile Search is Dominating the Web
Mobile search is dominating the web, with 58% of searches, while desktop accounts for 40% of searches. Many users are now conducting mobile searches more than searches on any other device (e.g. tablets and desktops).
Key considerations: In order for your content to rank highly and achieve SEO success, you must ensure that the amount of content on your website is fully optimized for mobile. How do users absorb mobile content? Mobile-friendliness is key. Google now expects web pages to load in under 3 seconds. Improve your website load times by compressing images on your webpage and making sure that your content is crucial and easily digestible. Huffington Post is a prime example of a company that has nailed its mobile web experience.
Their content is easily scannable, digestible, and ideal for on-the-go mobile users. When you compare both the mobile and desktop versions, the Huffington Post’s mobile site is optimized to fit a smaller screen and also has fewer words on the homepage. As a result, readers are able to easily skim the webpage for engaging content. Additionally, using SEO best practices will help your content rank higher in SERPs. Creating content that caters to mobile users is one of the best ways to reach and engage a broader audience. Don’t let the mobile trend pass you by; adapt your strategy accordingly.
Voice Search Is Changing the Way People Search the Web
According to Forbes, 50% of search queries will be from voice by 2020. Voice search is dramatically changing the way people search the web. This has been made possible with the help of voice assistants such as Google Home, Alexa, and Siri. As a result, search engines like Google are placing a greater emphasis on voice search optimization.
Key considerations: With voice search on the rise, the way content is being ranked is also changing. How will this affect your overall content marketing and social media as ranking factors? Valuable content should focus on the intent behind the queries to drive more traffic to your website. Instead of using short and snappy keywords, try to optimize your content creation process to include long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords involve specific keyword phrases, making it easier for users to find your content. To effectively adapt to voice search, try writing how you speak for your content to rank better. For example, when users type a search query on Google, they usually type “Toronto weather.” However, when users conduct a voice search, they typically say, “What’s the weather in Toronto?” Since voice search and SEO pick up on users’ natural speech patterns, keep in mind that you should use a more conversational tone in your published content and social media marketing strategy to help boost and improve your search rankings.
Optimize Your Marketing Strategy and Drive Traffic with Featured Snippets
Google is increasingly showing featured snippets at the top of search results. Content that ranks within Google’s featured snippet section often drives higher traffic for the given search query. In order to embrace the changing landscape of search, it’s crucial to understand why you need to care about on-SERP SEO. For example, when you search for “What is SEO in digital marketing,” this is the featured snippet on the SERP (search engine results page) that shows up for the query:
The featured snippet appears above the #1 search result. How do you achieve this?
Key considerations: Develop a shortlist of specific questions that you can answer and rank for. If your content can rank on the first page for one of the shortlisted search query questions, look into optimizing the rest of the content on your webpage to specifically address that question.
Help More Pages Rank with the Topic Cluster Model
Because people are submitting more detailed and conversational search queries to get information faster, search engines are getting better at providing the exact answers that searchers are looking for. Pillar content and topic clusters are becoming more popular as a way for marketers to organize their content to ensure that it ranks higher. What is pillar content? According to Hubspot, pillar content or topic clusters help rank more pages to give searchers better answers to their queries. This is known as the topic cluster model. This approach involves creating pillar content, which is longer content, around a central topic and linking to related new content pieces.
Key considerations: When planning your content marketing strategy, choose a few broad topics for which you want to rank. After you’ve chosen the topics, create content (e.g., blog posts) for each of the specific keywords that make up the broader topic. This will result in broader search engine authority because you can connect specific topics to each other via hyperlinks, linking your content to help more pages on your site rank on Google. Additionally, consider how you can diversify your content formats (e.g., infographics, videos) to engage different audience segments and elevate your overall reach.
How Can AI Benefit Content Marketing?
Integrating AI into your successful content marketing strategy can streamline processes and improve user engagement. Start by utilizing AI tools to automate content creation, allowing you to generate high-quality content tailored to user preferences. This not only saves time and resources but also helps optimize SEO with advanced keyword analysis and topic recommendations.
To enhance your strategy, leverage AI to track performance metrics and analytics, providing insights into audience behavior. These insights enable you to personalize content more effectively. Additionally, automate content distribution by determining the best times to post and managing your social media schedules across multiple channels.
Don’t overlook the role of chatbots in improving customer engagement; they offer 24/7 support and help qualify leads, aiding in customer retention. Finally, consider using AI-powered curation tools to aggregate relevant content effortlessly. Overall, incorporating AI into your content marketing approach can make your efforts more efficient and effective in reaching your target audiences while boosting brand awareness and building trust.
As we move away from traditional search trends, how you approach your content marketing services is more critical than ever before. Remember to be social with your content and keep in touch with current SEO trends and how the search landscape continues to evolve. As overrated as this phrase may be, it still rings true: "Content is King."
If you want to improve your content marketing efforts, WSI offers a range of valuable resources and content marketing services. Our team can assist in developing a winning content strategy that includes using video marketing and repurposing your content across various platforms. Let us help you understand how to optimize your website content for greater reach and engagement. For more content marketing tips and considerations, contact WSI today.
