With all the changes 2013 brought to SEO, the same theme runs through them all. Content is king. Better content for SEO means a few different things. Some will not have to change a thing.
They may have always focused on content and those few are set. Others will be in big trouble. They worried about nothing but keywords and now they cannot even track what is happening thanks to the “not provided” characteristic of Hummingbird. Most, however, will not be sunk but will have plenty of brushing up to do. What do you need to do?
Realize that Content Trumps Keywords
When writing better content for SEO going forward, realize that actually writing quality content is far more important that using keywords. This is not because keywords are no longer important. It is because we have no way of knowing for certain which keywords to use. It is no longer possible to track traffic, revenue, and conversion based on keywords. Therefore, focus on writing quality content first, and relevant keywords will likely find their way into it.
Remember Older Content When Writing Better Content for SEO
You must defend the rankings of your older content. The keywords used at the time may or may not still pull in the rankings, and there is no way to ever know. The best strategy is to review old content and spruce it up a little while focusing on new content.
What Makes Good Content?
Good content is well written, relevant, and interesting. Does it answer a question or offer some sort of information that readers will want? Will it make them stay and look around a while? Does it spark conversation? Will it bring them back for more? If so, it is good content. You want readers to post about it, comment on it, and share it because that kind of social activity is a huge part of SEO now. You want them to come back for more, or course. You also want it to make them stay and look for more. Read relevant message boards and stay on top of current events in the topic area in an effort to keep content fresh and relevant.
Writing better content for SEO is the only way to stay in the rankings these days. It may be helpful to have a separate writer and SEO specialist so that each can focus on what they do best. Many writers are not trained in SEO and many SEO specialists are not very good writers. Separating the jobs could make a difference. However, if you find a one stop shop that offers it all, that is all the better for saving time and money. The point is, if it wasn’t before, content is definitely king now.