Content
Marketing has become even more important with Google’s Hummingbird update.
For many years, search
engines have ranked your web real estate by matching keywords or phrases typed
in a search box to keywords that appeared on your blog or web page. Quite
simply, search results were based on the user’s perspective, but Google decided
that words can have very different meanings.
In late September, Google
announced that it had once again revamped its search algorithm by releasing the
Hummingbird. The purpose of this change is to more clearly understand how
people think and to consider the various meanings of words or phrases use in
the search. Here are 5 tips to improve content marketing after
Google’s Hummingbird:
1. Content Must
Focus On Consumer Needs
There is probably no better
time to consider customer acquisition through a permission-based marketing strategy. Why?
Because it is the consumer who is defining quality content and Google intends
to satisfy the consumer. There is little to gain in designing a website or an
email campaign to force your message upon people who haven’t asked for it. When
people use the search, they are looking for a direct answer to a question or
useful information on which to base an important decision. For web content to
be quality, it must satisfy those needs.
2. Carefully
Consider the Language Used In Web Content
Even though Hummingbird
is geared to mobile and voice search, it will affect the majority of online
searches. You need to understand why people are typing a specific word or
phrase in the search box? Are there alternative words or synonyms that describe
your products or services? In other words, let’s say you have a real estate
website – what does your site content say about first-time home buyers or
problems that might be encountered in buying or selling a home? You must start
thinking beyond an exact keyword and focus your content around those ideas. Your
customer relationship management
techniques must focus as much on the “why” of the search as they do on the
“what”.
3. Quality
Content Needs To Be Shareable
Millions of people are
sharing ideas, opinions, and other valuable information in social networks
everyday. Are you adequately tapping in to this potential social media gold mine? Your
web page or blog should be designed to make it as easy as possible for people
to share your content with their relatives, friends, and co-workers.
4. Web Content
Must Be Interesting and Inviting
Professional web content
writing does not have to be dull. The Panda and Penguin updates punished
websites that contained thin, stale, or irrelevant content, as well as, linking
techniques of the same poor quality. People are scanners, not readers, and if
they don’t find something of interest in the first few seconds, they will be
gone. If you feel that defining quality content is difficult, outsource it.
5. Web Content
Must Clearly Define Your Brand
Your blog and web content
must be structured so your visitors can find a definite answer or clear
information. They don’t want to be directed somewhere else to solve their
problem. Don’t make people have to guess who you are or what you do. The best
content will be totally honest and transparent.
Google is making every
effort to make search quality better and the Googlebot is now trying to
understand the intent of the search. Our challenge is – How can be make a
direct relation with our target audience? The key ingredient is relevance and
we must learn to think beyond targeting just a few keywords.
If you need help in your
“connection building” techniques, contact us and we will help
you make sure the right message reaches the right audience.
