Times are changing — fast. The influx of AI-generated content and Google’s continuous algorithm updates, including the Search Generative Experience (SGE), are reshaping the SEO space. Now more than ever, creating valuable, user-centric content is vital to the success of any business with an online presence.

I’ve used a 3-phased approach to SEO and content marketing for years now. And I still do — but it does continue to change somewhat. So let’s take a look at the SEO content strategy I use to keep in line with the industry changes we’re seeing in 2024.

This is the phase where I learn about your business. I learn about your competitors. I learn about your industry, goals and audience. I learn everything there is to know about you. The only way I can help is if I understand where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow.

During the research phase, I:

• Perform a comprehensive website audit to uncover technical issues preventing your site from positioning well in search engine results pages (SERPs). I focus on technical SEO and user experience, both crucial in light of Google’s latest ranking factors like Core Web Vitals and E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)​​​​.
• Do some keyword research — not so I can stuff your pages full of words I think Google wants to see, but to get inside the heads of your customers to understand how they’re searching for products and services like yours. I use AI tools to ensure I’m capturing the proper user intent, which now leans more towards transactional and commercial queries​​. Then I pull all the information together to map out keyword clusters (or themes) in a comprehensive content strategy.
• Review the competitive landscape — I look at what’s happening in your industry. Who are your main competitors? What are their strategies and challenges, and where can we fill in the gaps?

Now that I have all this juicy information about your business, your clients, your competition and your goals, I can begin clean-up. I’ll start to fix all those small technical issues and I’ll clean up existing web pages so they’re properly optimized to deliver the best user experience, while satisfying Google’s needs, too.
During the clean-up phase, I focus on:

• Topical authority and content depth: I make sure your existing content covers your niche comprehensively, so you’re seen as an authority in your space. This involves editing and repurposing various forms of in-depth content that demonstrates your expertise​​.
• Leveraging author entities: I enhance your content’s credibility by associating it with recognized authors, linking their experiences and social profiles. It’s how we build trust with both users and search engines​​.
• Improving user experience: I’ll review your customer journey and/or buy flow to ensure it’s fully functional and user friendly. I’ll test forms, internal links and other interactive functions, and I’ll review calls to action, headlines and other on-page elements.

At the same time, my content team will begin strategizing new and interesting ways to drive targeted traffic to your site. This is where many businesses get tripped up. They think SEO is about technical behind-the-scenes stuff — just set it and forget it. Sure, that’s part of it, but there’s so much more … which brings us into Phase III.

This is the ongoing phase. The long game. To stay ahead of the competition and dominate the SERPs, you need to continually serve unique, valuable content to your audience. That’s the only way to build trust and keep them coming back for more.

Did you know …

It takes at least 7 interactions to turn a prospect into a customer.

Why? You’re asking people to part with their most prized possession — CASH. That takes time.
People buy from people they like. They buy from people they trust. And trust is not built in a day.
Like any other relationship, trust takes time to build. It needs to be nurtured … slowly.

How do you build trust?

• Be there with answers to their questions
• Be there will helpful solutions to their problems
• Be there with the content they need when they need it
• Be there with a friendly smile and open arms
• And do it all without asking for the sale

That’s how you build trust and stay top of mind. When consumers are ready to open their wallets, you want them to think of you with confidence. Here’s how I approach phase III:

• Start with a base piece — maybe a how-to guide, case study or whitepaper.
• Create PowerPoint slides to showcase the content
• Design an infographic with visual representations of the content
• Record a video discussing the topic
• Transcribe the video into blog post
• Promote the blog post on content curation sites
• Break out the blog post into small bits of information to share on social media channels
• Design “right-sized” images and informational memes for social media distribution
• Transform the blog post into an email series
• … you get the idea.

Multi-channel marketing statistics prove that customers who engage with a brand across multiple channels are more likely to convert.

Just like your flashlight is useless without batteries, your website is useless without content.
SEO, CRO, blog posts, email, social media — they are the nuts and bolts of a larger digital marketing machine. Each component relies on another to keep it running efficiently.

Once you learn how to repurpose a large piece of content into dozens of smaller pieces, you’ll quickly realize that content marketing is not so overwhelming. Still, you have a business to run, and content marketing may not be your forte. That’s OK, we all have our own strengths. Focus on what you do best and leave the rest to the experts.

Ready to find out how I can shape your content strategy, helping you transform prospects into long-lasting customers?