Search Engine Optimization Basics: How Relevant Is Your Content?

How long has it been since you refreshed the content of your website?  Not just updated your operating hours or posted your latest special, but really picked it apart and changed it up.  Unfortunately, it is common practice to just write it and forget it when it comes to website content.  And as search engines update their algorithms continuously, it’s more important than ever to ensure your website content is optimized, fresh, and engaging in order to stay visible in the search results.

The three main aspects of a website that influences SEO are:

(1) Structure
(2) Website design/user experience
(3) Content

While these are all important, it has always been said that content is king.  Ultimately most people are searching for information, right?  Therefore, you must provide them with content that is valuable and relevant to their search intent. In other words, an answer that makes sense.

What do the search engines deem as valuable and relevant content?

Search engines use algorithms to return results, and those algorithms (in turn) should determine much of your content strategy.  For instance, Google’s most recent Panda 4.0 update focuses on rewarding sites with robust content and penalizing those with thin or low-quality content; while the major search engine’s Hummingbird update focuses on the intent of the search (among other things).  In general, it’s best to think about your content from the perspective of a searcher. Would your content be interesting to YOU? Would you be enticed to click around the website, or would you bounce from the site and look elsewhere? It’s extremely important for content to have context, be clear, and answer the intent of users’ queries.

Here are several things to think about when writing content for your website.

How to keep your website content relevant:

• Content that provides value to the user (give answers to searchers’ questions)
• User enjoys reading it and they bookmark it and/or share it
• Helps bring more traffic to your website and increase conversion
• Directed to your target audience
• Highlights the unique selling points of your business
• Include words/phrases that people are using to search for your business

How to keep your website fresh and engaging:

• Talk about current local events and trends in the area that correlate to your business
• Incorporate holidays and seasonality into your copy
• Keep things up to date, immediately remove expired specials or past events, etc
• Utilize online reviews and social channels to see what people love about your business or what they find interesting and then talk about it on your site
• Mix in multimedia content such as videos to engage users from a different angle

We recommend you review this list at least once a year and evaluate the opportunity to refresh your copy.