La Search Engine Optimization (SEO) It can sometimes be treated as an afterthought, but keyword research can be instrumental in planning and developing an effective content calendar.
Too many marketers still do SEO at the end of a content marketing project. They finish a blog post or they finish a new marketing campaign, and at the end, SEO to find related keywords and connect them to the content.
Unfortunately, this approach is outdated and completely ineffective.
Robust, modern SEO research can decipher who your real online audience is, where visitors are in the purchasing path, what information they are looking for, and what content format they prefer. These ideas lead to more effective content strategies.
But if SEO is only given a voice at the end, it's too late to use the insights it provides. To fully enjoy the benefits – and optimize every piece of content – SEO must be a fundamental part of every project from the beginning.
1.- Keywords should help determine the content, not decorate it
Most online experiences start with keywords – so marketers should too.
There are many ways to get ideas and inspiration for a content calendar, but the questions that come to customer service and the comments that you hear around the office aren't necessarily what digital users are looking for. Content with SEO value should be inspired by the questions and needs that are being asked online.
And the best source for that information is Google.
Effective content strategies start with keyword research, because modern keyword research provides meaningful insight into what your audience wants and needs. The process allows marketers to identify user needs, create content ideas that meet those needs, and create the right content the first time. It also helps generate extensive content ideas to fill editorial calendars.
2.- Keyword research should define the content
When you expand to uncover user intent, keyword research tells marketers how to create content: what type of information is needed, who needs the information, and where buyers are in the buying process.
Marketers can perform keyword searches and use the search results to gather important information about the content:
What type of information is needed? If the search results for the target keyword offer beginner-level information, how-to guides, or basic definitions, the goal behind the keyword is general knowledge acquisition or learning intent. If the results include product features or price comparisons, user reviews, and brand landing pages, the goal behind the keyword is to drive a purchase decision or purchase intent.
Who needs the information? If the search results are very technical or provide very detailed information, the audience is likely to be those who contribute individually. If the search results are high-level leadership thoughts, the audience is more likely to be executive types. User intent research provides information about the person who is searching for a specific keyword, allowing marketers to personalize content for the right audience.
Where are the search engines in the purchasing journey? Keywords that result in introductory-level content are commonly used by search engines who are still in the “awareness” phase; Maybe they don't even know they have a problem that needs to be solved. On the other hand, keywords that produce product comparison content suggest that users are aware that they have a problem and have decided to make a purchase to solve it.
This type of keyword research allows the ideas captured in editorial calendars to be expanded upon in incredible detail. When the content is written, it will include the correct information, it will address the correct audience and it will correctly serve the purchasing process, avoiding waste of time and resources that are usually used when SEO is done once the content is finished and not before.
3.- SERP analysis reveals Google's priorities
SERP analysis helps marketers decipher Google's algorithmic preferences. In order to earn high rankings, marketers have to know what factors are priorities for their industry, content, niche, etc., otherwise, they may waste time and effort chasing things – like certain keywords – that They might not be important to your business.
Marketers can analyze page one search results to develop a personalized list of ranking factors for their niche or industry. By comparing the consistencies of the top results, such as publication date, page loading speed, use of visual media, and related topics covered, the most relevant ranking factors can be identified and addressed:
- If most of the results point to video content, it's because users searching for that keyword prefer videos.
- If the majority of results point to text content that exceeds 3,000 words, users are looking for comprehensive and long content.
- If the results are a mix of charts, infographics, videos, and slideshows, users searching for that keyword probably prefer visual content.
Identifying key ranking factors allows marketers to anticipate user preferences and create the right content, in the right format, the first time.
Using SEO research to improve existing content
Don't worry if your content has already been developed and published – it's never too late to start. Auditing existing content using SEO research insights is a highly effective way to boost engagement and rankings without starting from scratch.
Identify underperforming content, extract targeted keywords, and conduct user intent research.
1.- Start by determining if the existing content satisfies the user's intention. If the search results for your target keyword are mostly defining the term and teaching about the concept, but your website only offers a product page, you're missing user intent. That page must be updated to target the correct intent, or new content must be created to target the correct intent.
2.- Next, check the content against the purchasing process and user types. New ideas might show that you have a glut of content in early stages, but nothing that really speaks to the decision maker who is ready to buy. Make sure you have content that addresses all purchase stages and calls to action that help guide the user on your site.
3.- Finally, compare the content as a whole with what you gathered in your research. Determine if the content is in the best possible format to engage users, take time to understand if it is written for the right audience, and consider whether calls to action and other navigation elements are appropriate for the purchasing stage it satisfies. Review any elements that are not aligned with the user's perceptions of intent.
This exercise allows marketers to get more value from existing content, as well as expand the editorial calendar even further, identifying content gaps that need to be filled.
Modern SEO Keyword Research Creates Effective Content Strategies
Conducting keyword research at the end of a project, or after the content is written, is just as effective as a shot in the dark. It is user intent-based research that forms the basis for higher retention and better rankings by uncovering detailed information about who is searching for specific keywords, the information they search for, and the type of content they prefer.
Google – the master of connecting keywords with users – has all the information necessary to create effective content strategies, if we are willing to read between the lines.
It's never too late to change your approach. If your SEO efforts aren't working, and your content isn't increasing conversions, it's time to change. If you're not convinced, or need to start slowly, start with content that doesn't work properly. Look at the search results for your target keywords and check the results.