To be super-blunt, content marketing is Soft advertising
Articles (content) that offer information related to the product you’re selling, but not outright promoting a specific product and its benefits – that would be more like a product description, the typical glossy ad, or the iconic billboard. Instead, think of it like a complimentary read while you’re visiting somewhere, the catchy headline propelling your hand to pick it up.
Content marketing has replaced self-promoting product advertisement
Not to knock the value of the iconic advertisement like the dazzling perfume adverts on prime-time TV, they’re totally separate. And despite their price tags and A-list endorsements, they hold no weight with Google Search (naturally, this could change if you’re selling the perfume on your website).
“We never accept payment from anyone to be included in search results.” Google.
But they will appear on websites (banner ads and pop-ups) to help generate advertisement revenue. This is the same as it has been from the beginning, and it still is today with traditional publishing formats like magazines and newspapers.
But (cough into hand), What about the ‘Sponsored Listings’, they are Paying to be Included, Surely?
And if you’re curious about the sponsored listings appearing at the top of the results pages, we discuss the pros and cons of using paid ads here, but this post focuses on content marketing for SEO and how to climb the results pages organically (because you need deep pockets to keep paying for ads).
Google knows consumers are smart, and today’s Search delivers readable content that holds valuable knowledge related to what we search for in the first place – information or a product, maybe your product.
Keep it real: Google Search loves fresh ‘organic’ content
And despite what various marketing agencies might spout, you can’t buy your way to the top of Search. But what you can do is keep publishing new and useful content, and this is what content marketing is – using content to add value (to readers) and fuel SEO (search engine optimisation).
Still Confused? Look at Content Marketing like a Book Cover
Imagine a bookshelf, on the top and middle shelves sit the shiny hardbacks with impressive covers and intriguing storyline blurbs, and great reviews; on the bottom are dog-eared paperbacks with predictable storylines and a front cover with dull illustrations – which one would you want to read?
This Article is Content Marketing
Point is: You still need to shine and get your product or message out there, but it can’t all be about how amazing you are – leave that for social media. The author seldom writes anything on the cover about themselves, it’s all about the book and its storyline, and the blurb teases the reader about being caught up in an awesome page-turner and transported elsewhere through the eyes of its characters. This is what content marketing is. This article is content marketing – get it?
how big businesses do or don’t hit the top listings
It’s easy to think Amazon does very well in search engine results because it’s paid its way. Amazon may indeed place sponsored listings, but as we’ve mentioned, this is separate from the main listings, and you simply cannot buy your way to the top, no matter how big you are.
Amazon does well in organic Search because its product pages are content-rich and are constantly being updated with new products – they avidly encourage their vendors to write lengthy product descriptions, you’ll notice this when you expand the description brief.
“The freshness of the content plays a bigger role in answering queries.” Google.
Other big businesses selling the same item, even if it’s their own trademark brand, often don’t list as well because they haven’t invested in the written content required to satisfy search results. And many big businesses have gone bust because they didn’t adapt to the digital era fast enough, which was basically the result of a stubborn mindset.
Besides pleasing Google and other search engines, your customers should appreciate the information found in your content, and make converting their interest into a sale [profit] a lot easier.
Content Marketing Strategies for SEO: Styles
Who doesn’t love a good read or finding inspiration or a useful tip? Who’s sick of hearing every business professing they are the best or cheapest?
Content marketing comes in various styles and forms a valuable part of search engine optimisation (SEO). While content marketing often includes creating and publishing engaging or useful articles and posts, publications like newsletters are also an effective way to connect with readers to summarise (promote) your coming highlights.
Use or combine other digital and social media outlets to help your campaigns, producing things like podcasts or vlogs. It all depends on what you’re comfortable with, who your demographics are, how much time you have and what resources you can exploit.
We Create Downloadable Content:
Our shop’s shelves are stacked with a range of entertaining and useful articles available to download and publish immediately. We create content to help fuel content marketing efforts and boost SEO.