How to Create Customers for Life with an SEO Content Strategy

Content marketing is creating valuable and relevant content that comes directly from you and your business or brand. Seth Godin famously said, "Content marketing is the only marketing left." Since then, content marketing has increasingly become the most important tool for businesses. Why? Because audiences are demanding authenticity. They want real, meaningful interactions and are tired of the same old sales pitches and flashy ads.

One way to define content marketing is by its formats, such as:

• Blogs
• Ebooks
• Videos
• Webinars
• White papers
• Case studies
• Infographics

But there are many other forms that content marketing takes. And just because the content is published in one of these ways, that doesn’t make it marketing.

A widely cited definition of content marketing (published both by HubSpot and the Content Marketing Institute) is: “a strategic marketing and business process focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience, and ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

Why Content Marketing?

Companies often choose content marketing because it’s more cost-effective than outbound marketing tactics such as paid advertising and direct mail. According to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing gets three times more leads than paid search advertising. But there’s another reason to engage in content marketing and do it well: You’re improving the quality and breadth of content people can find online about the problems your products and services solve, which helps everyone.

Content Marketing and Your Mission

For your content marketing to be worth the investment, it must align with and advance your business's mission. However, the mission of your content is not the same as the mission of your company.

If your company plans to engage in content marketing or is currently engaged, you need a content mission statement. When you determine why you’re creating content, that informs what content you need to create. Reversing the order of those decisions results in content that’s less likely to show meaningful results for the company. Your company’s content mission sets the tone for your entire content marketing strategy and ensures that the purpose of the content is aligned with the purpose of the business.

Justin Champion at HubSpot provides this template for creating a content mission statement, which is useful for companies of all types:

"Our mission is to [fill this in], but when it comes to our content strategy, it’s not about doing that, it’s about the idea that everyone should know how to [fill this in]."

Once you’ve articulated your content mission statement, it’s time to step outside your company and look at the work you do from a totally different perspective: the perspective of people who know nothing about you. But they do have some connection to the issues you’re working on, and chances are they’re researching those issues in some way using digital media.

Content marketing exists solely because of the technology that makes it possible. It’s the technology people use to find information to meet their needs, challenges, and desires. It’s Google (and Facebook, and YouTube, and every other search-driven platform). That’s why, to be an effective content marketer for your company, you need to understand how search has changed.

According to Moz, Google rolls out 500 to 600 minor algorithm changes each year, a major algorithmic update that significantly affects search results.

How to Win at SEO Now

Winning at SEO in the current landscape involves understanding and adapting to the latest Google algorithm updates. In March 2024, Google integrated the Helpful Content System into its core, emphasizing creating user-centric content. This update aims to improve search results by focusing on helpful quality content that adds value rather than content designed to manipulate search rankings.

EEAT: The Future of Content Marketing

Adhering to E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is crucial to ranking well in Google. This framework ensures that content is valuable and reliable, essential for higher search rankings. 

Google’s E-E-A-T is more than just an algorithm—it’s a blueprint for building trust, authority, and lasting connections with your audience. By integrating E-E-A-T principles into your content, you can create a strong foundation that not only boosts your search rankings but also transforms casual visitors into lifelong customers.

• Experience: Deliver Content that Resonates and Retains
• Expertise: Establish Your Brand as an Industry Leader
• Authoritativeness: Build a Legacy of Trust and Reliability
• Trustworthiness: Foster Genuine Connections and Loyalty
  
  

The Role of AI in Content Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming many aspects of content marketing, but it won't replace the genuine human touch that makes content truly resonate. AI can help with:

• Research: Quickly gather and analyze data to understand what your audience is searching for.
• Ideation: Generate ideas for content topics based on trending keywords and topics.
• Processing Data: Organize and interpret large datasets to find patterns and insights.
• Writing Better: Assist in drafting and editing content to ensure clarity, coherence, and correctness.

AI can streamline and enhance the content creation process, but your unique perspective and expertise will make your content stand out and build trust with your audience.

Evergreen Content: A Lasting Investment

One of the most significant advantages of authentic, high-quality content is that it’s evergreen. This means it continues to attract interest and generate traffic long after publication. Unlike ads that disappear once the budget runs out, evergreen content keeps working for you, bringing in more interested visitors over time.

Quality Leads Over Quantity

Authentic content doesn't just attract more visitors—it attracts the right visitors. People will likely become loyal customers when they resonate with your message and see you as a trustworthy source. This is why content marketing generates higher-quality leads than traditional advertising. It’s not just about getting eyes on your page; it’s about connecting with people who truly value what you offer.

Keeping It Simple in a Noisy World

With so much noise and competition online, it’s more important than ever to keep your content straightforward. This doesn’t mean dumbing things down; it means cutting through the clutter to deliver clear, valuable insights. Your audience doesn’t have time for fluff—they want answers, relief, and resonance.

At the Core: Helping and Engaging

At its core, content marketing is about answering your audience’s questions and helping them find solutions. It’s about sharing your knowledge and insights in a way that’s accessible and engaging. Whether through blog posts, videos, podcasts, or social media updates, content marketing allows you to communicate directly with your audience, providing value and building relationships.

Digging Deep Within Your Business

You need to dig deep within your business to create truly compelling content. Identify what makes you unique, and don’t be afraid to share your expertise and unique take on things. This authenticity will set you apart from the competition and help you build a loyal audience.

The Impact of AI on SEO and Content Marketing

AI technologies have recently begun to influence SEO, such as AI snippets that appear above the standard search results (SERPs). These snippets can take up a significant portion of the screen, potentially decreasing organic traffic to traditional search results. However, if your content appears in these AI snippets, it can lead to more clicks. While it's still early to fully understand the impact, ensuring your content is discoverable and indexable, with proper structured data and schema markup, is crucial.

Winning with Long-Tail and Conversational Searches

Search behavior is evolving with an increase in long-tail and conversational searches. Users are asking more complex, informational questions; content that comprehensively answers these questions will rank higher. Focus on creating in-depth content that addresses these queries and provides detailed, authoritative answers.

Authorship and Digital Footprint

Authorship is becoming increasingly important. Ensure your content is attributed to real people with expertise in the subject matter. Create authorship pages and link them to profiles on platforms like LinkedIn to establish a digital footprint. This builds credibility and signals to search engines that your content is trustworthy.

Leveraging AI to Enhance, Not Replace Your Content

AI should support your content creation process, not replace it. Use AI tools to enhance productivity, streamline research, and organize data, but keep the heart and soul of your content human. AI can help with outlining and drafting, but your unique voice and expertise are what will truly resonate with your audience.

Quality Over Quantity

In the evolving landscape of SEO, quality trumps quantity. More content does not necessarily lead to higher rankings. Focus on creating valuable, relevant, high-quality content that aligns with your expertise and addresses your audience’s needs. Conduct a content audit to understand your current performance, identify gaps, and create a plan to repurpose or create new value-driven content.

A genuine content ecosystem is not a random collection of content pieces scattered across various platforms. Instead, it is a meticulously crafted network of topic clusters centered around core themes that resonate deeply with your audience. This ecosystem is built upon in-depth content that showcases your brand's knowledge, expertise, and authority on topics that matter to your audience.

• Increased Lead Quality: By educating and nurturing your audience through in-depth content, you attract higher-quality leads more likely to convert.
• Reduced Marketing Effort: The self-sustaining nature of the Content Ecosystem Engine means less time and effort spent on constantly creating and pushing new content.
• Sustainable Growth: Build a long-term, sustainable strategy that continues to deliver results, even as market dynamics change.

Components of a True Content Ecosystem

Here are a few crucial components of a Content Ecosystem that will benefit your business in the long run:

1. Cohesive Content Strategy:
• Pillar Content: At the core of the Content Ecosystem Engine are pillar pages that delve deeply into your core topics. These comprehensive pages serve as the central hub of your content strategy.
• Supporting Content: Blog posts, articles, and resources that expand on specific aspects of your core topics surround these pillar pages, interconnected to create a web of valuable information.
2. Organic Growth and Engagement:
• Self-Sustaining System: Unlike traditional funnels that require constant input and monitoring, the Content Ecosystem Engine works continuously. It attracts and nurtures leads organically, providing value at every touchpoint.
• Evergreen Content: Create evergreen content that remains relevant and valuable over time, continuously drawing in traffic and leads without ongoing effort.
3. Trust and Authority:
• Expert Positioning: By consistently publishing in-depth, high-quality content on your core topics, you establish yourself as the go-to expert in your field.
• Deep Connection: Build deeper connections with your audience by addressing their specific needs and questions comprehensively.
4. Integration with Existing Efforts:
• Enhanced Funnels: Integrate your existing marketing funnels, webinars, and programs into the Content Ecosystem Engine to ensure a seamless flow of information and engagement.
• Amplified Ads and Social Media: Use your ads and social media efforts to draw attention to your pillar content, ensuring every click leads to a wealth of valuable information that nurtures and converts.

Conclusion

Content marketing is more than just a buzzword—it’s a powerful strategy for connecting with your audience and establishing your business as an authority. By focusing on authenticity, simplicity, depth, and the principles of EEAT, you can create content that not only attracts attention but also builds lasting relationships. This is the key to standing out and driving meaningful engagement in a noisy world.