For web professionals, it is a shame to see that many companies still snub this obvious fact: content has a major impact in a web communication strategy on several levels:
- E-reputation
- SEO
- Conversion
- Commitment
- Loyalty
As you surf the web, you can read here and there that “content is king”. And rightly so: a good ROI is largely due to the content.
While the best reason to invest in original, impactful content is simply that it’s what the audience expects, here are three more reasons to believe in the benefits of a good content strategy:
Editorial content for SEO
Better than traditional advertising
Working on a content strategy for SEO has this advantage of promoting the business without spending a penny of the advertising budget. Unlike TV, radio or press campaigns, an optimized natural referencing allows to reach customers without disturbing them, by addressing them specifically on what they are looking for. Especially as people are spending more and more time in front of their PC or mobile screens, more and more of them are also barricading themselves against advertising with an adblocker.
The other big plus in creating original content is its timelessness. Unlike advertising campaigns that are spread over a specific period of time, web content remains. Long after their publications, they can still be visible and continue to generate traffic.
Strengthen your position on keywords
Being invisible on Google and search engines, due to a bad SEO, is a real handicap. And it is no longer a secret for many people: incorporating keywords relevant to the sector of activity and products of the company effectively and sustainably improves SEO.
Indeed, the Google robot analyzes the density of keywords on all pages of a website or e-commerce. Thus, the more certain keywords appear in the tags and the body of the text, the more Google will consider that the website from which the content originates is focused on the subject. The website will then move up in the Google SERPs, as the search engine giant will judge it as a relevant answer for a user who makes a query on topics related to the keywords present in large quantities in the site’s content.
Value-added editorial strategy
Of course, the content must be of high quality. It’s not just a matter of injecting keywords into meaningless text. An interesting editorial content will be one of the main reasons for a user to follow a company on the web and social networks. Therefore, when developing a content strategy, an informative and utilitarian approach should be taken. In any case, value-added content will remain more unifying and engaging than ostensibly commercial and intrusive content.
Thus, the formula is quite found to retain visitors on a website: propose interesting contents, which give information, practical advice, which arouse emotion. Especially since quality content will have a better chance of being relayed and circulated on the web. Shared content allows you to obtain inbound links, even though the implementation of a link exchange strategy to increase the authority of a domain is now penalized by Google.
Content for e-reputation and brand image
The creation of content within the company serves its image by allowing it to position itself on a niche and adopt a tone to address its customers. By choosing to focus on a content strategy, the company can tell its story as it sees fit and thus have total control over its brand communication and its e-reputation.
Producing content yourself avoids letting others do it for you, and distorting or even degrading the image you want to give. Clearly, a good content strategy allows you to occupy the space in your own way.
Innovation, humour, seriousness… it doesn’t matter which personality traits the company decides to focus on, as long as they match the target audience. By adopting a tone, the brand and its image are associated with a universe, a personality. The company becomes an entity with moral and societal values.
It is true that nowadays, people buy a product for its material value, but also for all the symbolism that revolves around it. The products or services offered for sale can therefore only be enhanced if they carry the values of a community, of a lifestyle. And the relationship with customers will be calmer, more intimate and loyal.
Content to establish the company’s expertise
A company is always an expert in a field. It is this professionalism that must be exploited as much as possible.
The content produced reflects the skills of a company and positions it, or reaffirms its position as an expert, on a given theme or subject. Practical for the company that seeks to address its audience and build loyalty by talking to them about their interests. Indeed, the secret of viral content is to deliver something to the reader that they will want to share. And sharing on social networks means even more visibility.
Information is the lifeblood of the war, or at least the focus of attention. In addition to the editorial content on the site’s web pages, the creation of a professional blog or weekly news articles or an online advice magazine is strongly recommended. In addition, the Google robot loves updates.
Photo, infographic, video, contest, survey, article… you can’t skimp on any type of content. Each one can be distributed on a number of channels: blog, social networks, e-mail, newsletter, website… and invade the web to develop your business.