Investing in search-optimized content marketing is a cost-effective way to attract qualified website traffic, increase brand visibility, build trust and reduce customer service costs.
By creating high-quality, search-engine-optimized (SEO) content, you can earn brand impressions that exceed traditional public relations earned impressions.
That's why content marketing is a core element of modern PR.
- You will build trust with your prospects by earning a Google "featured snippet" to a key prospect question or pain point.
- You will also generate more leads and conversions.
This business case outlines the benefits and returns of investing in search-optimized content marketing and presents a roadmap for implementation.
Why SEO Content?
In today's digital age, consumers rely heavily on search engines to research and make purchasing decisions. By most estimates, at least 70% of the buying process happens before any human-to-human touch point: at retail or by appointment.
To stay competitive, businesses must adapt to this new reality and invest in search-optimized content marketing for these reasons:
Increasing online competition: The growth of e-commerce and online services has led to a highly competitive online landscape, making it crucial for businesses to stand out in search results.
Growing reliance on search engines: Prospects and stakeholders use search engines to find information, products, and services, making it essential for businesses to be easily discoverable through search.
Cost-effectiveness: Search-optimized content marketing provides a relatively low-cost, high-return investment compared to other marketing channels.
What is SEO Content?
SEO content can be images, videos, or articles.
It all depends on your target audience's preferred source of information on purchase decisions.
- Optimized images from blog posts influence food and decor choices, especially when amplified by Pinterest and Instagram.
- Videos, which influence advocacy and product action, are easily searchable on YouTube and boost organic reach on social platforms, including LinkedIn.
- Thought leadership and case studies enable a deeper dive on your website, providing an opportunity to offer lead magnets that capture email addresses.
What is the ROI of SEO Content?
Investing in search-optimized content marketing yields several significant benefits:
- Improved organic search visibility: SEO content marketing can lead to higher search engine rankings. This is a HUGE brand-building opportunity, increasing visibility and driving more organic traffic to your website.
- Enhanced brand credibility: High-quality, informative content positions your business as an industry expert, building customer trust and fostering long-term customer relationships.
- Increased lead generation and conversions: Engaging, optimized content attracts more targeted leads, resulting in higher conversion rates and increased revenue.
- Lower customer service costs: Businesses can enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty by proactively addressing consumers' questions and concerns through content.
- Long-term growth: Unlike paid advertising, but similar to public relations, search-optimized content marketing provides lasting benefits, as high-quality content can continue to drive organic traffic and generate leads for years. That's why content marketing is central to a modern PR methodology.
How to Get Started on SEO Content Marketing
Implementing a successful search-optimized content marketing strategy involves the following steps:
- Conduct keyword research: Identify relevant, high-traffic keywords for your products or services to target in your content.
- Develop a content strategy: Interviews, video, and audio capture will be your highest content costs. Make the most of your investment with a plan to repurpose asset creation through smart interview questions, intentional shot lists and transcription services.
- Create high-quality, engaging content: Produce informative, well-researched, and well-produced content optimized for both search engines and users.
- Optimize on-page and off-page factors: Ensure that your website's technical aspects, such as site structure, internal linking, and metadata, are optimized for search engines.
- Measure and analyze performance: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as organic website traffic growth, website engagement (time on site; pages views, scroll-depth), YouTube watch time, social profile views, and organic clicks to evaluate the effectiveness of your content marketing strategy and make data-driven adjustments.
- Continuous improvement: Regularly update and improve your content to maintain relevance based on breaking news and evolving search trends.
Investing in search-optimized content marketing offers a strategic and cost-effective way to drive long-term growth, increase customer engagement, and enhance brand visibility.
By implementing a well-planned content marketing strategy, businesses can leverage the power of organic search traffic to generate more leads, conversions, and revenue, securing a competitive advantage in today's digital landscape.
