Yes, SEO Strategy Still Matters for Marketers [Podcast]
Search engine optimization is a constantly evolving practice—meaning that it’s probably a whole different ball game than the last time you refreshed your SEO strategy. While factors like domain authority and keyword density are still important, the rise of smart home devices and Google features like featured snippets and knowledge panels are starting to change the game.
From content writing to strategizing for voice search, this week’s guest on the Conex Show, John McAlpin, covers the areas where marketers should be experimenting to maximize visibility. You’ll hear his tips for appearing as a featured snippet, writing for smart home devices, writing a click-worthy “hook,” and more essential advice for anyone serious about SEO.
John McAlpin, SEO Director at Cardinal Digital Marketing, joins the Content Experience Show Podcast to discuss key ingredients of a successful SEO strategy.
In This Episode:
What Google Values Most Right Now
Google’s goal is to provide the best search experience for users, which means they’re adding more features to the search engine results page. We’ve started seeing a huge explosion in information-packed featured snippets and knowledge panels, which is great for users, but not so much for the businesses who are missing out on the traffic to their sites.
“Is Google doing the right thing for businesses, or should they keep focusing on users?” – @seocounseling
How to Tailor Your Content for the Best Shot at Becoming a Featured Snippet
According to McAlpin, to land that coveted featured snippet placement, there’s a little bit of technical optimization and a lot of content finesse. But what it ultimately comes down to is answering a user’s question, while also piquing someone’s interest enough to click through and learn more.
“If you can educate your audience on how to use their devices for voice search for your brand, that's where you can win.”
Tips for Crafting Search-Friendly Copy
In order to effectively mix fluff and the factual things that will actually get you to rank on Google, the format you’ll want to follow with your content is: short answer, supporting information, and within that you can have examples. The examples will allow you to mix great content writing with more supportive information and keywords.
“The longer the content, the better you can rank, but you can’t really rank if your content is just fluff.” – @seocounseling