CONTENT MARKETING AND SEO: Can one survive without the other?
In a recent article in Forbes, content marketing was described as the soul of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). To be honest, it isn’t surprising, given the interdependence of the two. Most SEO practices today revolve around content marketing as most websites require keywords, articles, substance etc. Many confuse the two to be in loggerheads with one another but that is actually far from the truth! Actually, SEO is as much dependent on content marketing as it is the other way round, with the two overlapping in some cases.
So what exactly does this two terms mean?
Search Engine Optimization refers to the process of technically ushering in more visitors to your website as well as increasing the quality of the traffic. On the other hand, Content Marketing refers to the process of creating and using relevant and quality content to increase user engagement.
How is SEO and Content Marketing related?
The primary aspect that distinguishes the Search Engine Optimization and Content Marketing is that content marketing is a much broader and holistic term while SEO tends to be narrower and more technical.
Nevertheless, contrary to some beliefs, one cannot be replaced by the other. Good SEO practice requires engaging content that fulfills the technical demands of SEO, while content marketing can be made more effective and successful by implementing apt SEO techniques. According to Neil Patel, to put it simply, SEO makes the demand, content marketing fulfills it!
The value of the Right Keywords
Keywords can work wonders for your web-page! Using the right keywords with your content can help in ranking it better in search engine result pages (SERPs). However, be wary of over-optimizing the content with too many of them. Finding the right balance is the key. Research appropriate keywords in various other websites related to your field to get an idea about what really works for you. Google Keywords Planner is a great way to go about keyword research in a more strategic way.
Power of Quality Content
In the present rat-race to churn out content in large amounts, people forget one golden rule- Quality over quantity! Creating fresh and unique content will help you rank higher in search engine results. It should be able to capture the imagination of your clients, so that they keep coming back for more. This will also help in increasing the domain authority of your website too. Thus, it can’t be reiterated enough -Content is King!
Backlinking is Key
Linkbacks are every digital marketer’s dream! Powerful linkbacks can change the game for a website. For instance, a .edu link to your website means you have arrived! Now, you can even expect a DA score above 50. However, how to go about doing this? Again, the answer is QUALITY CONTENT!
Sure, there are other ways like hiring SEO agencies but nothing beats quality content. Bringing out amazing content, that makes a difference, is the best way to get trustworthy backlinks.
User Experience- Never forget!
After everything else, one cannot ignore the importance of good on-site optimization. Enhancing the user experience (UX) of your website will ensure that search engines rank your website better and keep it free of broken links. So, bettering metadata, optimizing robots.txt and using appropriate tags is important too.
Well, it makes finding your content easier. A good sitemap, for instance, can help your user navigate to the right place in the website. A well-optimized robots.txt can help web-engine crawlers to reach the apt crevices in your site. Similarly, the right tags will let users know the exact content they can expect on your site, thereby increasing your traffic.
Hence, Content Marketing is an indispensable part of SEO and optimization cannot happen without the right content. The success of one depends on the other. This symbiotic relationship, if used in the right way, can lead to miraculous outcomes for your site!