When we speak of search engine optimization or SEO, we think of rankings, keywords and algorithms. Oftentimes, we focus too much on the “technicalities” of SEO that we forget one key ingredient in a successful search engine optimization campaign—content. After all, where will the keywords come from? From search engine optimized content, of course. Mark Jackson shares helpful SEO content strategies in an article for SearchEngineWatch.com.
For starters, Jackson points out the value of research—whether its relevant keywords or competitive analysis—and planning a draft. It is important that your content be able to address keywords or questions that your target audience might need to know and to build up links for the relevant copy on your blog.
Working on your website’s content strategy? Here are ten helpful tips.
1. Blog Content. O
ne of the most effective ways to communicate with your audience is by having a blog. According to Jackson, a blog is the perfect opportunity to answer questions and create helpful or “linkable” content. Hit two birds with one stone by making sure your content is keyword rich and is set up for permalinks. Not only are you doing invaluable customer service to your audience, you are also doing invaluable search engine optimization service for your website.
2. Facebook. Search engine optimization and social media go hand in hand. And when it comes to social media, Facebook is the way to go. Jackson cautions e-commerce merchants to “think about the audience” and not just about promoting yourself or your business. Give your customers genuine social media value by having shareable and unique content for Facebook as well as an editorial calendar for what you intend to promote via the world’s most popular social networking site.
3. Twitter. Like Facebook, having a Twitter account for your business is more about what valuable information you give and less about what free advertising you get.
4. Synergy of Blog, Facebook and Twitter. When using multiple social media platforms, Jackson suggests “strategically slicing or stacking content.” For example, when you write a blog post, you can support this with a discussion or question on Twitter and a poll on Facebook. Get your customers engaged on multiple levels.
5. Image Content. Jackson recommends Google’s Best Practices for Image Optimization for search 
engine optimized image content.
6. Video Content. Before the advent of YouTube, e-commerce merchants who wanted video content had to resort to hosting their own videos. Now, with YouTube, you can create helpful video supplement and use the opportunity to add keyword-rich, search engine optimized content to describe the video. Jackson further suggests adding a link back to the relevant page on your website as well as video transcription for more breadth in content.
7. Press Release Content. Aside from publishing updates on your website, you can take advantage of press release distribution services. Remember: don’t just write a press release about what’s new in your business. Maximize it for search engines by focusing on keywords.
8. Content. If you have content that does not fit on your blog or on a press release, put it in your website. Jackson notes that it is another way of “generating helpful content for your target audience.”
9. FAQ Content. Earlier we mentioned how blogs can also help you address questions about your business. For more specific questions about your products or services, address this on you FAQ page. The point here is for your audience to find the answers on a website you control.
10. Review Content or User-Generated Content. According to Jackson, for some e-commerce websites
, this may be the only way to get quality and unique content on a multitude of web pages.
