The pace of content has shifted over the past year with the launch of several hundred AI tools like Copy AI, Jasper, and others. As a result, implications for a content marketing career have also changed, with writers dealing with much uncertainty regarding job security. However, it's necessary to understand the contours of the changes and how content marketing will look for beginners from 2023, and this is a detailed guide on how to do content marketing in 2023.
The Google Guidelines
Thankfully, Google is sticking to its EEAT guidelines and has told marketers that it will not rank AI-written content lower as long as it's informative and fulfills the searcher's intent. However, given the ease of producing a large amount of content, authoritative content will be necessary to dominate the SERP.
For this, it's necessary to understand the EAT guidelines laid down by Google.
The EAT guidelines are essential for content marketers who want to rank high in search queries. Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, or E-A-T, are critical components of how Google judges the quality of your article. Let's examine each one in detail:
Expertise: Google values Subject Matter Expertise when evaluating content. You can demonstrate your expertise in the following ways: a. Showcase the authors' expertise, skills, and qualifications clearly and concisely. b. Give accurate and trustworthy information backed by dependable sources, statistics, and references. c. Provide readers with insightful knowledge by delving deeply into the subjects under discussion.
Authoritativeness: This factor has to do with the credibility of the website and the content. To increase authority: a. Use a website with established authority in the sector or specialty to showcase your content. You can do this by building a track record of providing high-quality content, a potent backlink profile, and acknowledgment from reliable sources. b. Getting backlinks from trustworthy websites and guest articles can increase the perceived authority of your material.
Trustworthiness: Both users and search engines depend on trust. To increase credibility: a. Be upfront about the motivation behind your content. Avoid using any false or dishonest tactics. b. Show openness and credibility, prominently display contact information, privacy rules, and terms of service. c. Avoid endorsing or spreading erroneous information, conspiracies, or dangerous material.
Matching Search Intent
Most content marketing guides try and retrofit "search intent" after keyword optimization and technical SEO practices. However, usability and intent-matching are the most crucial components of SEM and SEO marketing today.
There are two sides to this:
Irrelevant volume = Irrelevant clientele: Let's do a study with a blog from Teachmint. This blog ranks #11 in Google Search and pulls in sizable traffic. However, the school administrators looking for ERPs are unlikely to remember a site they pulled "Motivational Quotes" from as relevant. Most people will not register that Teachmint is an ERP at all because the focus is on motivational quotes instead. So, you get a lot of users, but no one buys your product, and you'll have to begin from scratch.
Directed usability: One of the most critical use cases is relevant in financial articles. When someone is searching for a type of Mutual Fund (let's say the search term is "Large Cap Mutual Funds" or "Blue Chip Mutual Funds"), Google throws up a series of results with best performing Blue Chip Mutual Funds. This ETMoney article is at #1 because a known media house backs it, it has the definition and pros and cons, and it has a note of the historical performance of such funds. All three aspects add to the usability of the article.
Writing Better Headlines
In addition to getting readers to click on the link, a catchy headline is crucial for search engine optimization (SEO). Let's look at essential pointers for headlines that can engage your reader and improve your articles' standing in search engine results.
Incorporate Target Keywords Headlines must be as straightforward as possible. Clearly state the topic of the article, leaving no space for misunderstanding. Avoid unclear or deceptive titles since they might undermine your website's trust and user experience. Not only do specific headlines encourage more clicks, but they also aid search engines in comprehending the context and utility of the information.
Leverage Numbers and Data Headlines that promise insightful information, advice, or data frequently catch readers' attention. Make your headlines more appealing by including figures, statistics, or percentages. For instance, "10 Proven Strategies for Boosting Website Traffic" or "The Top 5 SEO Trends of 20XX."
A/B Test Your Headlines Try out various headline iterations to find which ones perform the best. You can use A/B testing to assess the potency of several headlines and determine which version connects with your audience the best. You can examine the effectiveness of various headlines using tools like Google Optimize.
Being More Accessible
Image and video searches can be potent ways to increase the reach of your website. However, many content marketers are not versatile enough to incorporate these facets into their articles.
As the video from Hubspot points out, Alt Text is one of the most powerful tools to rank your articles on Image Searches. Plus, interactive articles score above static simply because of the range of flexibility it offers to visitors on your website.
Alt Text also makes your website more accessible to users, and you increase your reach by quite a lot by just incorporating simple processes into your content marketing.
Your Key Lesson from this Content Marketing Guide: Write Good Content
Ai-based writing or human-based writing will be a debate for the ages. But, if you follow the pointers from above and bring expertise into your content, you will rank and bring in consumers. But, it is necessary to write good content.
Understanding customers, writing to match their intent, and being more knowledgeable in general will help you chart your way through content marketing. And as AI-assisted searches become more prominent, these principles will guide you toward a better future.
If you're a Product leader looking for help with their content, you can always contact me for help.