As savvy as SEOs and writers are, no one is an expert in multiple industries. Yet, we all have to gain that insider expertise right away when we land new clients to best serve them.
And if there is one area in SEO where expertise is going to be absolutely critical, it’s content development.
Quality content doesn’t happen by accident – there is a process to follow. So how do you ensure quality content as part of an SEO program? Here are five steps to help content creators ramp up quickly to start creating expert content right away.
FAQ: How can I ensure quality content as part of an SEO program?
1. Do Thorough Keyword Research
At that point, you should understand the type of content that needs to be created for the website, and be able to give the content team some initial notes on how to create it in a content brief for each page.
2. Identify the Experts
Who are the experts at the client company who can contribute to the topics you are going to talk about? Identify these folks early on and make sure you can talk with them as needed for interviews on certain topics or pages.
As you start the process, Google recommends in its Search Quality Rater Guidelines to ask a simple question: “Think about the topic of the page. What kind of expertise is required for the page to achieve its purpose well?”
Your next step is to engage the expert writer. Here you can leverage a writer or writers with expertise in the industry or simply expertise in content creation.
3. Provide Company Resources
It is important for content creators to understand what the company does, not just what the topic is about. This is critical for context.
Consider helping the content team ramp up by providing a client profile that contains resources for them to get to know the company.
This client profile might include things like:
- A description of the company’s products and services, including demos as needed.
- Persona profiles.
- The brand personality.
- A list of market competitors.
4. Create a Content Repository
Another way to help your writers create quality content fast is to have a content repository they can draw from as they are in “research mode.”
This can look like a Google Docs folder with all (or the most important) marketing collateral that has been published in the past few years.
Building a library of product/service one-pagers, white papers, e-books, case studies, and educational videos minimizes the amount of ambiguity or back-and-forth between the content creators and the client.
5. Maintain the Brand
Creating quality content as part of an SEO program means creating content that is going to be “on brand” throughout the site. You will need to ensure the writers can keep up with the brand’s tone, voice, and authority on the topic.
Create some style guidelines they can follow – this may include the corporate style guide the company already has and/or a set of guidelines you create specifically for the SEO program.
A Prepared Writer Is a Quality Writer
Creating quality content requires a lot of groundwork, and providing the resources outlined in this article to the writers will help them demonstrate expertise faster.
We offer professional writing services for clients who need high-quality content with built-in SEO. Fill out our contact form to schedule your FREE 1:1 consultation.
FAQ: How can I ensure quality content as part of an SEO program?
Search engines increasingly prioritize high-quality, relevant, user-oriented content in an ever-evolving digital landscape. To stay competitive, it’s vital that SEO campaigns create and optimize quality content.
Conducting thorough keyword research is crucial. By strategically using relevant keywords in your content and weaving them naturally into it, you can improve its visibility in search engine results. Keyword research allows you to understand what your target audience is searching for and tailor the information in your piece accordingly.
Prioritizing user experience is equally essential. Google and other search engines use metrics like bounce rates and time spent per page as indicators of content quality. To create an enjoyable user experience, ensure your text is easy for visitors to read and scan. Use headings, bullets, and subheadings for digestible text. Multimedia elements like videos and images can provide deeper engagement experiences that give visitors more depth than just words can offer.
Maintaining a consistent publishing schedule is key. Regularly updating your website with fresh, high-quality content signals to search engines that your site is active and authoritative. Set a realistic content publishing schedule that allows you to produce valuable content consistently. Remember, quality should always come before quantity. It is far preferable to publish a smaller number of in-depth and educational pieces than multiple shallow, poorly written ones.
Proofreading and editing should never be underestimated — your content’s credibility could be severely damaged by typos, grammar mistakes, and factual inaccuracies. Carefully proofread/edit your content before publishing it. You may want to hire an editor/copyeditor.
Successful SEO depends on high-quality content creation. You can increase the quality and ranking of your site in search engines through thorough keyword research, prioritizing user experience, maintaining an ongoing publishing schedule, and making sure all articles are error-free.
