Google’s Penguin, Panda, and now Hummingbird updates hit many businesses organic search rankings hard and the bad news is that there are more updates to come as Google seeks to promote genuine, valuable content that people want to read. This is unfortunate for dedicated SEO companies and their clients – but that could be good news for your business because you have the opportunity to provide valuable content that your target market actually wants to read and share.
Thought Leadership vs. Gaming the System
Google wants to promote thought leadership and penalise people who are just gaming the system. This means that you can use content marketing to stand out as a thought leader even in a crowded marketplace, position your business as a credible alternative and attract the kind of clients who are pleasure to work with if you are willing to publish valuable content that is well-written and builds trust.
If your website content is focused on your area of expertise, uses appropriate keywords and search engine tags, and is read and shared by your readers then your visibility will increase. The exciting thing about this strategy is that it is stable. You won’t be jostling for first page because over time Google will recognise the enduring value of your work for readers who are looking for information about your specialty. Most businesses who practice this kind of content marketing have noticed an instant boost each time Google releases a new update.
When it comes to professional service businesses most people who are searching online are looking for more than just a name and address. They want to know who you are and whether you are trustworthy. Consistent publication of informative material helps people see this. Not only will it attract new clients, it will also build the confidence of current clients and help them to stick with you.
Trying to game the system may get you to the top of Google faster in the short term, but it will be expensive to stay there and it may not attract the calibre of clients you are looking for. I predict that it won’t be too long before it doesn’t provide any advantage at all.
Do SEO Services Still Deliver?
Several of my new clients have expressed disappointment in the return on investment from their SEO services. In one case, traffic actually declined and visitors spent less time on the new ‘optimised site’ after the business had engaged an SEO company and had their website rewritten. This particular business owner told me that they lost almost all of their organic traffic and were only getting pay-per-click and Adwords traffic afterwards. Other stories are less dramatic, but generally tell of an initial increase in traffic followed by plateauing or declining interest.
My pet peeve is the SEO company who offers to write your content for you and publish a blog. You pay, they produce. The problem with this content is that it’s generic and usually screams its origins. If you want to be a thought leader in your industry then it needs to be your thoughts which are being written. You don’t necessarily need to write them yourself, but if you aren’t being interviewed or providing some sort of outline, then the content won’t reflect who you are and it won’t necessarily provide the results you are looking for.
Your prospects are becoming increasingly conscious of poor quality content masquerading as thought leadership. Serve them by providing real value and the results will speak for themselves.
This means that you should actually read the content your SEO company publishes on your behalf and ask yourself if it represents your values, and reflects your company the way you want it to be seen. It also means that you should be keeping a close eye on the results and measuring the quality of traffic as well as the quantity you are getting. Is increased traffic resulting in more sales or more qualified enquiries?
How Does SEO Content Marketing Differ From An SEO Service?
The reality is that there are some simple behind-the-scenes optimisations that you should pay attention to such as categories, meta-tags, and keywords – but your audience should be unaware of these. What your readers see on each page should be engaging, appropriately titled and relevant to the headline and subject. This strategy will create the readership, interest and relevant links Google looks for when it evaluates your content.
I firmly believe that SEO companies are dying thanks to Google, and that businesses (especially professional service businesses) who get their philosophy and values out now will reap massive rewards. The exciting thing about Online Content Marketing is that you never know how far your information will reach and what opportunities it will open up.
It’s usually not a ‘get-rich-quick’ solution – in my experience 6 months of steady publishing and promotion and at least 30 articles is the minimum threshold for significant results – but it is a wise investment in the future of your business and can open up amazing opportunities.
What is your recent experience with SEO services? Are you seeing a decent ROI?