3 Tactics To Close The Gap In Your SEO Strategy
SEO strategy has evolved dramatically over the past few years. More than just content generated simply for gaining online traction and maximising the number of hits from search engines, an SEO strategy now needs to be informative, engaging and of a high quality in its own right.
Changing attitudes toward online media and a greater knowledge of website functionality and usability from the average customer means a higher level of research needs to be put into content generation. After all, the amount of time a user spends on a page is just as important as clicks and likes, so content needs to be super engaging for the customer – a ‘one-stop shop’, if you will, in order to maintain interest and awareness, and increase conversion.
If your SEO strategy hasn’t been updated or developed recently, then there will inevitably be gaps in your strategy. Gaps appear when a certain market or user isn’t being reached as a result of limited and/or generic content. Potential key relationships with users can be missed and lost to competitors, and neglecting these components can be crucial in maximising the outreach of your business.
So you can see how easy it is to get left behind. With new and improved styles of content being conjured up daily, it’s almost impossible to maintain content creation for all platforms. Gaps in content production, or collection, therefore, begin to show, and although it may seem like a mountainous job to get it up to scratch, it can actually become a simple hurdle.
This is where a content gap analysis comes in. It’s essentially the process of isolating where you’re at and your destination, then building the bridge to get from A to B. The bridge being your shiny new content. A content gap analysis will have your content in tip-top condition in no time.
SEO STRATEGY TACTIC #1: RESEARCH
The first step to fulfilling your content dreams is research. This process involves and analysis of your current offsite SEO strategy, as well as your current content assets. Getting solid qualitative research from within your workplace is an ideal starting point. One-on-one discussion with colleagues and clients will give you a clearer sense of customer experience, industry challenges and what is and isn’t working. To identify the content that is most engaged with, look into the analytics of previous blogs, social posts, and web pages, then isolate the most clicks and engagement for that particular content. Take note of patterns that emerge and start devising a strategy for what areas need be focussed on.
SEO STRATEGY TACTIC #2: INVENTORY & AUDITING
Taking a content inventory and auditing your existing database will give you a solid idea of what areas you are covering and what needs to be capitalised upon. Developing a ‘gap map’ from this data can help visualise the pitfalls in your inventory. Which content is backing up your strategy? What topics and keywords appear regularly? Where are the gaps in your content that need to be filled? Programmes such as Auditor and Google Analytics can assist in automating this process.
SEO STRATEGY TACTIC #3: COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Looking toward your competitors can help in generating content inspiration and analysing differences in your audiences. It’s not just about finding gaps in the opposition’s content, but finding what works for them and comparing it to your own strategy. Tools such as SEMrush, Buzzsumo and MutualMind assess the competitors URL’s, search queries and social media engagement, giving a more technical, number-crunching approach to content gap analysis.
A gap analysis is a strategic tactic that should be employed by all content managers or SEO specialists to maximise the potential of the site and to target as wide an array of users as possible. The more valuable and relevant the content, the less chance there is of neglecting (or disinteresting) key members of your target audience.
Creating an engaging landing page experience for users and making it the ‘one-stop shop’ it ought to be, will likely lead to greater awareness, higher traffic and eventually, more conversions.
If you would like to discuss SEO in more detail, please contact us at www.Contevo.com.au/contact.
