You don’t need to run your own digital marketing company to know how important quality content is for SEO and your site’s ranking on search engines. The purpose of Google (and other search engines) is to connect web users with relevant, quality content that answers their questions or provides a service. The easiest way to fulfill this need is by publishing consistent and high-quality content on your site.
Of course, you can’t publish just anything and expect to climb up the search engine results page (SERP). As part of Google’s complex ranking algorithm, there are certain characteristics that this search engine giant is looking for to determine “quality.” But what are these characteristics? Here, we take a closer look at the world of content marketing and provide some practical tips for writing content that Google (and other search engines) will be sure to love.
WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?
Content marketing is an important aspect of digital marketing that is focused on the creation of high-quality content. This type of digital marketing, essentially, lets the content do all the advertising by drawing in users who want to access relevant information and enjoyable content. This is a pillar of digital marketing and key for SEO success.
It’s also one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies. Instead of spending on pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns or buying up ad space, you’ll draw in users and potential customers organically because they love accessing your content.
WHAT KIND OF SEO DOES GOOGLE LIKE?
Throughout this article, we’ve repeatedly mentioned that Google is looking for “high-quality” content—but what exactly does this mean? How do we gauge which type of content actually counts as quality for the search engine? While Google’s algorithm is somewhat of a mystery (and constantly changing), it’s hard to know exactly what Google likes. But over time, SEO experts have been able to determine certain characteristics that will help your content, and website, rank well. Here are some of the golden rules for developing quality SEO content:
1. Consistency.
It’s hard to stay ahead in the digital world where countless pages are publishing new content every day. This means that you need to consistently publish fresh, exciting, quality content to keep your users engaged and coming back for more.
2. Keywords.
Using the right keywords in your content is essential for SEO success. Google uses keywords from user’s search queries to match them with relevant content. Performing keyword research for your specific market is an important first step in content development. You want to know what your users are searching for. On top of that, you want to know “how” they’re searching for it based on the keywords they use.
3. Content length.
Web content can take many forms. From an eBook to a tweet, the length of web content can vary drastically. For articles and blogs, however, Google is looking for content that is long enough to comprehensively answer a user’s questions. Your content should be at least over a thousand words in length. According to recent data, Google is looking for even longer blogs in 2021 and beyond (around 2,000 to 2,500 words).
4. E-A-T.
One of the classic acronyms in the world of SEO, E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google loves content that meets these three criteria so that users can trust your information. This is especially true for websites publishing content concerning health or financial issues (known as “your money your life” YMYL content).
5. Organization.
Effective organization is critical for SEO success. A good SEO writer will know how to organize their content to naturally guide the reader through the article or blog post. Use headers (rich with keywords) and aim for smaller paragraphs that allow your users to digest your information in smaller bites. Check out this best local SEO course to hone your skills.
6. Readability.
Reading web content isn’t quite the same as settling down for the night with a good book. Web users are looking for answers, products, or services—and they generally want these things fast. This means that your content needs to be easy to read so that users can find what they’re looking for.
Organization plays a big role here, but you also want to think about how you present your content. Bulleted and numbered lists are helpful. Also, keep in mind the difficulty level of your writing style and word choices.
WHAT TO AVOID WHEN DEVELOPING SEO CONTENT
Sometimes, creating quality content is just as much about what you don’t do as what you do. Following the rules previously mentioned will definitely set you on the right path toward developing content that Google loves, but you also want to avoid hurting your SEO with your content. Here are some shortcuts to avoid when creating SEO content:
- Auto-generated content.
- Pages lacking content.
- Hidden links or text.
- Doorway pages.
- Keyword stuffing.
- Scraped content.
As Google’s algorithm becomes more sophisticated, and even incorporates machine learning and AI with RankBrain, it’s easier for search engines to detect behaviors and tricks that don’t align with their core purpose: connecting users to high-quality, relevant information, products, and services. This should always be your focus as an SEO content writer.
CONCLUSION – WHAT KIND OF SEO CONTENT DOES GOOGLE LIKE?
No matter the size of your company or website, SEO needs to be a core component of your digital marketing strategy. Whether you’re in need of SaaS SEO, medical SEO, enterprise SEO, or local SEO, high-quality content is the safest (and most long-term) bet for improving your ranking on Google and other search engines. More than any other SEO factor, Google loves consistent and quality content—so if you’re developing a website, it’s important to consider giving Google what it’s looking for.
But how do we define quality? Google is looking for SEO content that uses the right keywords, answers the queries of its users, and is long enough to provide comprehensive answers. Google also prefers content that is easy to read, meaning short paragraphs and logical headers are essential to help guide your reader through your content. At the end of the day, Google wants to connect its users with quality, trustworthy content. By aligning your content marketing with Google’s goal, you’ll see more organic traffic than ever before.
