Great content is like nothing else. It dances across the page, inspiring the reader and propelling action. But even the best content won’t get read if it can’t be found. That’s why the right combination of content marketing and SEO services is so much more than just telling a compelling story. It’s the best way to make sure your message gets in front of the right people.
Optimizing content for SEO – that is, following best practices to be visible to search engines and making sure to align with Google’s ever-changing updates – helps you rank higher than the competition and drive organic traffic. It’s the difference between being ranked above-fold for a specific search term versus being deep down on page 50.
For any piece of content, that’s life or death.
So, does that mean you should pivot to SEO-driven content creation only? Or should you take a content-first SEO approach? Which is more important? Truth is, you need a balanced SEO and content strategy where both components work in tandem to boost engagement and drive conversions.
Here’s how to harness that best of both worlds with SEO that gets attention and content marketing that engages.
It’s harder than ever to stand out online. The sheer amount of content available to consume on a daily basis is truly mind-boggling.
Take blogging, for example.
Over two million blog posts are published every day, according to Hosting Tribunal. And yet it remains one of the most popular channels for B2B and B2C marketing. Semrush reports that nine out of 10 marketers use blogging to achieve content goals. In HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing report, blogging (alongside other digital content and SEO) is listed as the top channel with the biggest expected return on investment this year.
Competition for attention is fierce and consumer expectations are higher than ever. Uninspired or unengaging content simply won’t cut it. But you also need to ensure that your story is discoverable in the vast sea of digital content. Cue: an SEO-informed content marketing strategy.
Engaging, SEO-minded content is powerful. When we implement these kinds of hybrid strategies for our clients, we aren’t surprised to see triple-digit increases in organic traffic, followed by increases in conversions, contacts and sales.
Mastering SEO best practices for content marketing is the first step to an effective strategy. You can’t fast-track success. Driving organic traffic and enhancing brand visibility takes consistent effort.
Before we dive into the nuances, let’s recap the basics.
Keywords are the building blocks of SEO. These terms are the bridge between what the user is looking for and the content addressing that need.
Backlinks, also sometimes known as inbound links, serve as a vote of confidence, indicating to search engines that your content is valuable and authoritative.
The user experience offered to your audience matters more than you may think for SEO purposes. That’s because search engines prioritize websites that offer a seamless and satisfying experience.
That includes:
Effective content for SEO isn’t just about following these best practices, though. That’s just the start – it’s table stakes.
Content marketing is the cornerstone of any digital marketing strategy, helping you to engage and retain audiences while fostering brand loyalty. There’s a reason why content strategy is still king – because it still very much matters.
By delivering valuable, relevant and consistent content, you establish yourself as a trusted authority within your niche. And it’s more than just creating and distributing lots of content – it’s about building meaningful connections with your audience.
A piece of content can be perfectly optimized for search, but if it doesn’t resonate with a human reader – it won’t move the needle with a person or a crawler.
Whether you’re publishing a blog, a video, an infographic, an ebook, or any other type of content, storytelling is at the heart. You need to connect with your audience on an emotional level, weaving together a narrative that touches on their values, goals and pain points. Add in valuable information that educates and empowers, in addition to entertaining, and you’ve got a winning formula.
Content always has and always will be critical, but it doesn’t remain unchanged. Audience preferences and trends evolve over time and it’s important to stay ahead of these changes to remain relevant and engaging.
Here are some of the big content trends to keep in mind right now:
If SEO is powerful and content matters, just imagine what happens with strategic content marketing and SEO integration – success is exponential!
SEO and content marketing are not mutually exclusive. And, maybe contrary to popular belief, optimizing content for SEO doesn’t necessarily sacrifice value or engagement. Rather, the two complement and support each other for a better overall experience for the end user – a compelling, interesting piece of content that meets their search intent on Google.
At Kuno Creative, the results of that SEO and content marketing synergy are noticeable. From initial audience research to planning a content calendar to optimization content for search visibility, our two teams work together to create content that resonates with the target audience and aligns with business goals.
SEO keyword research and audience persona research guide content creation by uncovering in demand topics for your readers. Search trends, keyword volumes and competition provide insight into content gaps and opportunities so that the content strategy can be tailored for maximum relevance and impact.
Of course, quality content lies at the heart of any effective SEO strategy. Brand journalists leverage these insights and guidance from in-house SEO experts to draft valuable, relevant and authentic content with the potential for lasting impact.
From comprehensive guides that address specific pain points, to visually appealing infographics that simplify complex concepts, successful content integrates SEO tactics with captivating storytelling to rank well and resonate with the target audience.
If in doubt, keep this in mind: content should be crafted to inform, educate, entertain or inspire human readers, supported by SEO best practices as a means to enhance discoverability and reach from search engines.
So, how do you know if your efforts are working? There are a few ways to measure the impact of combined SEO and content marketing initiatives.
Establish clear goals and objectives: Don’t just publish for the sake of publishing. Have defined goals, whether that’s increasing website traffic, boosting conversions, enhancing brand visibility or any other performance indicator.
Some of the best first-level KPIs to measure include:
Use a combination of quantitative and qualitative metrics to assess performance and understand the impact of your efforts across various channels and touchpoints.
There are a variety of tools and techniques for gleaning insights about your content marketing efforts.
Popular tools include:
Make sure to regularly analyze key metrics and performance indicators, use A/B testing and experimentation to optimize content based on data-driven insights and monitor trends to stay ahead of the curve.
At Kuno Creative, we specialize in crafting comprehensive digital marketing solutions that leverage the combined power of SEO and content marketing to drive results.
Whether you're seeking to enhance your visibility, boost organic traffic or elevate your brand's storytelling, our team of SEO experts, brand journalists, marketing strategists and others is here to guide you every step of the way.
Schedule a consultation to learn more about all that our team at Kuno Creative can do for you.
