If there is one thing that is consistent in the many updates Google makes to its algorithm, it is this — quality content is king, and nothing mediocre can rank well. Here are some tips on how to master your local SEO strategy with the right content marketing approach.
Audience-Focused vs Keyword-Focused Content
Many SEO experts believe that researching a single keyword is enough to base a content strategy on it. Now, the problem with that is quite obvious — you are limiting the scope of your content and that automatically excludes a large number of people who would be interested in your product or service but would never land on your site because you have focused on a single main keyword.
To combat such misfortunes, you should analyze your target audience and dive deeper into understanding and showing the unique value proposition that your company brings to the table. When those two axes meet, you will have a functional, yet simple enough strategy.
Base your strategy on the following questions:
- What does my audience like?
- What are its needs?
- What type of content is suitable for it?
- What unique expertise does my business provide?
- How can I match my expertise with my audience’s needs?
Of course, there are going to be keywords that will definitely increase your organic traffic. The point is that if the keywords don’t meet the needs of your target audience and are not relevant to your industry, you don’t really need that kind of traffic in the end.
Build a Customized Content Strategy for Your Brand
- Set your goals – What are you trying to achieve? Document everything, decide on the tone of voice all your written copy will follow, and figure out what type of content you need.
- Identify your audience and their pain points – Customer service, sales, technical support, product management & marketing, social media marketing, all these fields must work together to find these points.
- Determine your unique expertise – It is all about research! See how your competitors work, and think about what makes you better than them. Focus on that!
- Keyword research – No local SEO strategy can work without that. Your keywords are the backbone of your planning process.
- Create the content – it’s time to get creative. Brainstorm, try out different ideas, A/B test them, spare no resources to get it right!
The moral of the story is quite simple: write not for keywords or search engines but for people. Also, don’t write for all people in general, identify the ones who need your service, and learn to speak their language.
