Every blogger knows content is the backbone of a successful website so it’s important we create the right type of content. Over the years I’ve often been asked: What Type of Content Ranks Well in Google? I’ve decided to dedicate this blog post to answering this question. If you have a better idea of the type of content which ranks well than you’ll be able to shift your focus which is important to achieve success.
Over the years I’ve been blogging and working with clients helping them stay focused so have learned a lot. For example, I’ve been able to test different types of content formats like: tutorials, how-to, video, infographics, etc and statistically prove where each has ranked over the years. However, you have to keep in mind that value and depth always play a huge role in your success because no one wants to read content which simply doesn’t provide the solution they are looking for.
Types of Content Formats
I’ll like to jump right in and explore the different types of content we’ll find online…
Tutorials –These can be known as “How-To” formats and succeed because they show step-by-step how to complete an entire task. These are written in great detail and provide a complete solution.
Video –Due to the popularity of YouTube.com many bloggers are integrating “videos” into their blog. They are very easy to follow especially for those who don’t speak English as their first language. Can be very practical and provide incredible depth which converts into serious profits going forward.
Infographics –These have picked up popularity over the last few years because they are visual and compress information. Infographics do not cost enormous money to create and share extremely well on social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
Case Studies –Amazing and these are my favorite because they are high converting and can pick up momentum quickly. Case studies set out to answer a question and show each step making them completely transparent. All of them start with research and answer a common question within your niche. Very detailed and will provide an in-depth solution for readers which they can than follow duplicating the results.
Podcasts –Not too familiar with these, but I have heard they are extremely engaging. Live voice tutorials which can be downloaded or even bought on iTunes, etc.
Above you have a great list of content formats and in the next section I’ll discuss the importance of research before getting started. No matter what content format you choose, it’s important to conduct the right type of research so you resonate with your readers once the content gets published.
ResearchNo content can be written without your fair share of research. You have to know what niche readers are looking for because it’s the only way to create content they find enticing. No matter what type of content you decide to write it’s important you know what your audience is looking for because this will help you stand out compared to your competition. I believe no matter what niche you’ll be involved in your going to have competition and the “factor” distinguishing you from your competition is VALUE. The more value you provide the higher chance of building loyalty leading to profits down the line.
Above I listed a handful of content formats and whichever one you decide to choose will require in-depth research. You should use what’s available to you to find popular questions in your niche then provide in-depth solutions going forward. I’ve written extensively about conducting the right type of research and will go over a few right now in point form.
Google Search –One of the best ways to conduct research and is absolutely free. I love Google because they have done a great job organizing information important to your research. For example, I can type in “link building questions” or “top SEO blogs” and find exactly what I am looking for then dig deeper creating an outline for my research. By using Google I can find questions my readers have and write content solving their problems. I can also research my competition to find popular topics then create some even better content.
Google Trends –Amazing to find keywords which are growing in popularity and these can be used within your content. You can twist the keywords around to create questions which will be relevant to your audience. Head over to Google Trends and type in a relevant keyword. Skim through the keywords looking for “rising” or “breakout” phrases because this tells you people are searching them more now than ever before.
Relevant Competition –If you have been blogging for years than you know where to focus however if your a beginner than do a quick search within Google for popular relevant blogs. Why? Simple…
You want to find content which is popular than find ways to put a twist on it making it more valuable and in-depth. By counting social shares, comments, views, etc, you can find content your audience would find interesting than create something better. For example, if you find content in text then consider creating a video or podcast to make it easier to understand or visualize.
The “3” methods mentioned above are a great starting point however you have other options like forums, Quora.com or even Google communities. The key is to find questions or content which is popular because this simply increases the chances of link backs boosting your ranks within the SERP’s.
Once you’ve done your research it’s time to write your content, but this must be done systematically. Let’s look at this further…
To find out more on content research, please read my 13 Content Writing Tips To Crush Your Competition
Writing Content
Here is where you want to be very careful because the way you write your content will either entice readers to continue to read or push them away. I’ll admit, no one wants to read content which is not organized and easy to comprehend because your simply NOT getting the value from it. However, over the years I’ve learned a lot about writing content and how to organize every aspect as you write. Here are some pointers:
Write Keywords –Before starting I always write my main keywords on a piece of paper so I’ll remember to incorporate them within my content, body or sub-headings. This is NOT only good for my readers, but for search engine optimization.
Outline –You should always write an outline of your work which will help keep your focus as you write out your content. Having an outline will serve as a guide so you don’t lose track of your main focus. I always write down:
Introduction (length)
Sub-headings
Body
Conclusion
Images and videos to incorporate
Main Body –
It’s important to jot down some important points you’ll be incorporating into your body. This way you know what should be included or avoided. It’ll help keep your focus and make sure you answer the fundamental questions you’ve set out to.
Conclusion –This shouldn’t be difficult at all because I use this part to summarize everything I’ve written above. The conclusion is great to write everything in point form reiterating what you’ve already discussed. When you write lengthy content it’s always a good idea to go over it in point form so your readers can put everything into action. I summarize than provide them with a step-by-step sequence which they can start to implement into their business.
Once you’ve written everything and have gone over it a few times it’s important to make sure your work is edited correctly. You have two options…
First, you have someone edit your work for you and you’ll be able to find a handful of people on Fiverr.com who will do a great job. Secondly, you can do it yourself only if you know everything sounds right with the right grammar and punctuations. Editing your work is very important because lengthy content which doesn’t sound right will not make sense and will have no value.
Publishing Process
This process is very natural as you’ll be following your regular publishing frequency. However, you may want to consider a few things before publishing asking yourself some important questions. For example,
When do people research your niche the most? This will help you decide when you should go live with your blog post. If you know 30% of niche people are performing research on Monday then you’ll want to publish on this day.
When is highest outreach on social media? Important since you want to make sure your post goes live on social media on highest engagement days. You’ll also have enough time to do the right amount of outreach if necessary.
What is the frequency of publishing for my content? This will help you choose a better posting schedule especially if there is too much of a gap in between.
If your using WordPress than all you need to do is upload your post and click publish to go live. In the next section I’ll talk more about the right type of outreach and how to do it correctly.
OutreachIf you simply publish content and wait for Google to rank you up the SERP’s it’ll take months before you see traffic trickle through. However, you can strategically do outreach to have authority bloggers market your content for you. I’ve used both and know that if you have a network of bloggers to help your content go viral than definitely take advantage of the opportunity. I have “3” awesome methods I use to conduct outreach and have written about them extensively in my previous content. Let’s jump right in…
General Forums –You have so many niche forums and communities which are looking for great content. If you have content which is better than all those online you’ll have an easy time finding the right links. Within my signature in forums I always link to fresh new content which solves a common problem. I’ll post answers relevant to my content and link back to my content provide more depth. It’s a great way to provide valuable and generate enormous traffic through social shares and links.
Competitor Analysis –One of the best ways to promote is to find those who have already marketed similar content. You have tools like Topsy.com and Buzzsumo.com that will give you a breakdown of those people who have shared the “URL” on Facebook.com and Twitter.com. You can than filter the results to find these people and contact them with a link to your content. The idea is if these people have shared similar content than they should share yours especially if you have created something better. The key is to write content which get’s ranked in Google so it’s important to attract valuable backlinks which will be accomplished by using this method. Why? Many people sharing content are blog owners with a huge following so having them share will attract traffic, links and build momentum.
Your Network –If you’ve been blogging for years you’ve connected with other bloggers and should use this to your advantage. Contact them and get your content in front of them because they’ll share it with their followers. I know many of the top bloggers have over 20,000+ followers which can generate massive momentum over time. This also increases the potential of link backs, loyal readers and generating traffic to your content. I believe link building is secondary because it’s directly connected to traffic. If you can get people to your content than it automatically increases the likelihood of generating more links. I’ve been using this strategy for years and have found it to be very effective in marketing my content and getting valuable niche links to my page.
Start slow and take time to contact each blogger within your network. Don’t forget to be genuine and you chances are increased if you’ve mentioned their name within the article.
Final Thoughts
When writing content to rank high within the SERP’s it’s important you know what your readers are looking for. You have to keep in mind Google has over 200 rankings factor with 50% being user engagement. They look at social shares, traffic, link backs, etc so you have to publish content which meets all requirements. As a blogger you have many options available which will put you on the right track but you have to take advantage of each. For example, I have listed the following above: Google Search, Google Trends and researching your competitors. You have several options available to ensure your content get’s in front of the right type of people which include social media, networking and general outreach. Next,
Once you have everything in motion it’s important you continue to market your content because building momentum and traffic is unlimited. The reason the internet has exploded is because you have no shortage of traffic and marketing avenues. If one piece of content goes viral it can be the difference between profit and stagnant growth.
Start implementing the following strategies into your content and the next time you write you’ll be producing posts which have been embedded with the value to outshine your competition. Start small and test along the way until you find a winning strategy which you can apply going forward.
Please leave your feedback below and I’ll be more than happy to answer your concerns. Hopefully we can share ideas and answer some more common questions you have.
