SEO and content marketing may seem like two very dissimilar things, but when it comes to getting your site ranked, they work together. SEO relies on content marketing for success, and so does content marketing. The synergy of both web ranking strategies makes all the difference in website rankings.
Previously, getting traffic to a site was down to how well you could add keywords, change link structures or successfully experiment with meta data. Once all of this was in place, you could sit back, watch and let the visitors start rolling in.
Today though, the process has become a bit more complex. First of all, Google wants quality content more than anything else, and without good, informative content, your website will not rank well on search engines. It’s as simple as that. Also, search engines cannot find your high quality content unless you have a solid SEO strategy behind it. This is why content and SEO go hand-in-hand.
How do they differ?
Both elements of web rankings are different, and the primary difference is that SEO is technical and somewhat narrow while content marketing is holistic and very broad. This seems like a stark difference, but it creates a union that when well maneuvered, works seamlessly and effectively.
How are they similar?
There are multiple areas where content marketing and SEO overlap and knowing this will help you get more traffic to your site. Below are three ways in which they are the same:
New pages can be ranked for both content and SEO
When it comes to SEO, it’s all about ranking as high as you can on search engines. However, without quality, brand new content it’s difficult to accomplish this. In creating new content pages, you are creating opportunities for higher rankings and reach. This, in turn, leads to additional keywords which can you can be ranked for. However always remember that quality is better than quantity.
Keywords can be optimized through content
By properly utilizing the keywords within your content, you can reach more diverse audiences including niche audiences. The idea here is to use keywords naturally in the content.
You can become an authority on quality content
By using content to deliver your chosen keywords, you can reach your target audiences, rank higher in searches and increase the authority of your website visitors.
WHY DOES CONTENT MATTER
It’s quite common to find owners of websites focusing on just a single side of the content marketing SEO coin while completely overlooking the other. However, both processes are vital when it comes to online marketing, and to have your business reach the heights it’s supposed to, you want to leverage both elements as much as you can.
The reason why you should place so much attention on SEO is that Google does not favor websites that are not growing. They want to see websites that will provide users with relevant and quality content for searches.
While it is possible to utilize SEO on pages over and over again, it is far more effective when the quality of your content is pushing your site through search engine rankings.
THREADING THE FINE LINE
As you have learned, SEO and content marketing need to be used together, and though its true SEO requires lots of content, you can’t put all your eggs in one basket. You need to work different angles.
As a popular link building resource, OutreachMama, notes: “Google’s understanding of search intent has improved leaps and bounds over the past 5 years. Whereas long-form content was the defacto default for targeting a high volume term, now the same search term can be deliver 3 long form results, a featured snippet, 2 short blog posts, 2 homepages and 3 product pages.”
Before jumping into link building, make sure the content you create is serving the intent Google attributes to your keyword. Considerations like this is where a balance between SEO and content marketing is going to be key.
Your goal should always be to attract visitors to your site then convert them once they visit and this is why you need synergy between both strategies. Once balanced, you should experience an increase in both visitors and conversions.