Experience is to a resume as _____ is to an SEO effort.
If you guessed "content", pat yourself on the back! You can toy with all of the frivolous technicalities of SEO as much as you want, but if you're missing compelling content, don't be surprised if your efforts are wasted.
Or as my great uncle Clayton used to say: "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it still stinks."
Duane Forrester, Senior Product Manager of Webmaster Outreach at Bing, released the following video in cooperation with Stukent.com to provide novices like myself the quick-and-dirty of how SEO works, and why, at the end of the day, good content should be your foremost concern. If you have the time, watch it! If not, continue to my highlights below.
Why is content so important?
Let's take a step back and think about SEO holistically: the entire point is to improve your website to make it more relevant to searchers. To quote Duane, "Everything a search engine does is guided by what the searcher responds to." In short, websites are a customer driven effort.
So - what happens when you create lackluster content but have manhandled all of the code on the back-end to get amazing click-through? You'll probably end up with an equally amazing bounce rate. Which, in turn, will have today's top search engines degrade your site's ranking.
Alternatively, if you make great content but lack the sophistication of an Alexa-top-100-site webmaster, then sure, you won't grow as fast or by as much as you could. BUT - you will get an audience, you will create buzz, and you will get shares. You'll create enough momentum to give yourself time to get to the technicalities.
Content is what provides value to visitors to your site. Search engines are designed to gauge that value and reward it with high rankings.
Where should I begin?
"Write what you know" has never been truer than in this age of information overload. If you've been tempted to simply use syndicated content or spin other content with your own flair, know that you are unlikely to build any type of following or community. Search engines punish these practices because searchers don't seem to care for it.
You need a niche. Per Duane:
Owning a niche is like putting a crow bar in a small crack. Over time that crack opens up and you can see more of the world ahead of you. That's the power of owning your niche.
Pick a topic that you have unique experience in. Share that experience and knowledge often and freely. Where startups need a unique selling proposition, you need a unique follower proposition.
Again from Duane, here's a short list of things you can do to be your audience's subject authority:
- Know the topic inside and out
- Engage your community
- Share useful content freely
- Be consistent and useful
- Market your strengths
- Be a go-to resource
- Learn to spot trends in data
Oh, and don't forget to be humble. You're not an authority until other people say you are.
Lastly, don't be afraid to add a little personality to your writing. Try the different "voices" that make you you and see what resonates with your audience.
What should I write?
This is where technique comes into play. Sure, you could listen to your heart, but wouldn't you rather listen to your audience, make educated guesses, and see results?
Both Bing and Google have keyword tools available that will key you in on what your readers are searching for when they find you. This information is gold and should inform your content decisions. It can help you uncover new niches and refine your site's focus. It can provide inspiration when writer's block comes-a-knockin'.
Speaking of writer's block, you should write frequently (horrible segue, I know). If you're strapped for time, once a week should be your bare minimum. Information has a shelf life and search engines know it.
How can I get an audience other than searchers from search engines?
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Or for you, humble reader: if a person writes an article and no one is around to read it, does it even matter? You will probably feel like it doesn't when it happens to you.
Never fear - there are more tools than ever to get your content out. While search engines are the best, using your personal and professional network through social media is a great option. And in so doing, you will likely impact the success of your SEO efforts as well.
Search engines like shared content for the following reasons (italicized items are per Duane):
- Signals topical authority
- Real-time - engines want fresh content, fast
- Integrated social signals influence click actions of searchers
- Social signals are becoming more prevalent relevance indicators for search engine rankings
You may think "I don't have time to measure and manage a bunch of accounts on various social media websites!" Congratulations, you're not the first to think this and the market has provided many, many solutions. Per Duane, here are some of the best:
- Hootsuite
- Alexa.com
- Board Reader
- Sysomos
- Facebook Insights
- Follower Wonk
- Google Insights
- How Sociable
- Ice Rocket trends
- Buffer
- Klout
- Peer Index
- Kred
- Mention Map
- Social Mention
- Iconosquare
- Twitter Counter
- Tweetreach
- Visual.ly
In Summation
Discover your unique follower proposition by finding the niche that only you can speak to. Create quality content that engenders a loyal audience, and listen to that audience with a search engine keyword tool to create more targeted content. Share your content on social media to build an audience that ultimately creates a virtuous cycle of more audience data and better content targeting.
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