Ever wonder how marketing decisions are made? Using a data-driven approach, this “Science of Marketing” blog series will break down the methodology behind the marketing madness. We’ll examine the strategy that accompanies the UX, design, copywriting, development, and analytics processes, all in order to maximize a company’s impact on its market.
Think about how many articles the average person reads each day. Blog posts, news articles, information on websites and more – we consume content constantly!
And yes, an article or blog post might really capture your attention and be interesting, but behind the scenes those same words are busy working to boost Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and gain new business. From search engines reviewing how content affects readers’ behavior to SEO keywords that rank websites higher on searches, a lot of analytics and strategy lie behind those engaging articles and blogs.
Below are some of the factors that play into effective copywriting:
Popular Keywords
Data surrounding keywords is one of the biggest drivers of optimized content writing, both in terms of topic and actual written copy. Tools like Google Analytics and SEMRush give excellent insight into what words and phrases users are typing into search engines, and if they’re finding what they need in the search results.
By analyzing how often a term is searched, similar terms, competition for those terms, and price to win the term in pay-per-click ads, SEO experts can tell which keywords are easy to “win.” Winnable keywords are targeted in website copywriting, blogs, and much more, and let your website come up higher in results when a user searches that term.
Appropriate Length
“For digital writing, the rule of thumb is that it’s best to say exactly as much as necessary to communicate your point – and no more,” notes Sam, Brandography’s content writing manager. Readers generally skim web content, so wordiness won’t help you. Plus, on mobile, lots of content can lead to sore scrolling fingers!
So a blog or white paper on a technical topic may need to be longer, but web page content or any copy that accompanies visuals should be as concise as possible. Less is more!
Fresh Content
“On the Internet, copy ages more like an avocado than a wine,” says Kaitlin, one of Brandography’s content writers. “Wait a day too long, and it’s no longer appealing.” Continually updating your blog and social media feeds with fresh, new content is critical to keep your readers’ interest — and Google’s. Using analytics tools, we can see what content (and SEO) works and what needs to be switched out.
Relevant Information
There are loads of tips online about how to “trick” Google into ranking you higher. These just don’t work. Google is great at shutting down workarounds, because its main goal is to provide users with relevant, helpful information. This should be the true goal of any content marketing strategy! And when your goals align with Google’s, everyone wins.
Want to learn more about the tools we use to measure keywords, track reader behavior, and test out new copy? Connect with our SEO consultants to find out more about content marketing services that support your readers.
