Surely you have already come across the topic of “content” several times in the context of search engine optimization. We have summarized here what is actually hidden behind the word content and how you can optimize your existing content on your website. Without the right concept, you will achieve little improvement.
What ist content?
What types of content are there?
5 steps for your content optimization
How does content optimization for voice search work?
How important is informational content for shop SEO?
Thought of everything in content optimization?
What is content?
Content is the entire content of your website. First and foremost, you probably think of the texts on your site, but the term “content” encompasses much more:
- Text
- Images
- Graphics
- Audio files
- Videos
Attractively designed content increases the dwell time users spend on your website. The content you choose plays a significant role in encouraging the user to interact with the page in order to get the information they want. Both points, dwell time and interaction, have a positive effect on the ranking of your website in the SERPs.
What types of content are there?
The content of your website can be divided into three different categories:
- Textual content: This includes all text elements on your website. Here you can include the keywords you have researched in advance. Always pay attention to different ways of presenting your content. A text does not always have to be read as continuous text. Use tables, bulleted lists or information boxes.
- Visual content: All images, graphics and/or videos on your website are visual content. They loosen up the text elements and can be used to illustrate processes or products of your company. Especially with visual content, however, the maintenance of the alt tags is very important. These are detected by the Googlebot when crawling the website and have a positive effect on the accessibility of your website. Thus also positively in the Google ranking
- Audio content: The use of podcasts in particular has become increasingly popular in recent years. But audio content can also increase the conversion rate in e-commerce. For example, potential customers can be given the opportunity to listen to small excerpts of a new music album in advance. Here, too, the maintenance of metadata is very important for the ranking of your website.
5 steps for your content optimization
With content optimization, already existing content on your website is adapted. The goal is to improve the Google ranking and thus get more traffic and a higher conversion rate.
- Analysis and evaluation
To optimize the content, you start with an analysis and evaluation of your existing pages. For this purpose, you can use the tools of Google Analytics, for example, to get a better overview.
- The target group
Needs of a target group can also change over time.
For this reason, check whether the existing content (still) meets the requirements of your target group. To better put yourself in the shoes of the user of your website, it helps to create a persona. A persona represents a typical representative of your target group and is often described in great detail with characteristics such as age, marital status, profession, income, hobbies, skills and knowledge.
- New keyword research
In order to improve the content of the affected pages, it is advisable to conduct a new search for the keywords relevant to you. This will give you an overview of which terms are being searched for and whether they are still current. It will be easier for you to revise your textual content.
- Optimization of the textual content
After you have taken another close look at your target group and your keywords, it’s time to revise the textual content. Make sure that everything is written in an understandable and error-free way. Use the researched keywords sensibly to avoid keyword stuffing. Also, use different ways to present the content: include tables, bulleted lists or highlights for particularly important text passages. Using internal links and external links also increases the time spent on your website, which in turn can have a positive impact on search results.
- Optimization of visual and auditory content
To offer users added value, you can present more complex content in an explainer video or infographic, for example. When integrating the content, make sure that it is optimized for the web. This will reduce long loading times and improve your pagespeed. As soon as you include images, videos or audio files in your content, you have to make sure that you maintain the metadata and alt tags of the files correctly. This is essential, because the Googlebot can recognize this content as such, but not what is behind it. With a continuous maintenance of this data, the content can be correctly recognized and assigned. By the way, this also increases the accessibility of your website.
How does content optimization for voice serach work?
Voice search has become increasingly important in recent years. Voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa are now part of everyday life in many households. With voice search, the search query is generated via speech. In contrast to the familiar Google search function, voice search involves the user asking completely formulated questions and not just searching for individual keywords. Therefore, it is advisable to use so-called long-tail keywords when optimizing the content of your website. This represents a combination of several search terms and can go as far as a completely formulated question. Often the search volume for this type of keywords is lower for the time being, which is why you should not neglect them in your selection of keywords. Long-tail keywords allow you to be displayed or read aloud in voice search with targeted answers to the search query.
If you want to optimize your content for voice search, you should take into account that your textual sections are written briefly. Your chances of being displayed in voice search increase with short and concise sentences. Design your content in such a way that the user gets the most important information in the first sentence. Keep your paragraphs compact and avoid digressions. And last but not least: the spoken language is a simple language. In written language, we tend to create a lot of subordinate clauses or digress. Use a simple sentence structure when optimizing for voice search. This will make it easier for voice assistants to output your content.
How important is informational content for shop SEO?
The answer here is simple and clear: very important!
Often in online stores the content is designed for the search engine, but not for the user. With this strategy, however, you no longer get far to the front in the search results. To be successful with your store, you can provide the user with informational content for your products. For example, if you sell a product that requires a lot of explanation, you can create a page with application tips or instructions. This way you position yourself with your USP. You can also create additional informative content by designing FAQs about your products, your payment methods and your shipping conditions. These points are also relevant for every user of an online store.
When creating content, make sure that it is relevant to the user and easy to understand. If the user feels comfortable on your site and you gain their trust by providing them with the information they need, they will buy from you.
Thought of everything in content optimization?
Once you’re done optimizing your website, you should finish by asking yourself the following questions:
- Is the website designed in a user-friendly way?
- Is the content structured and error-free?
- Are you using the right keywords?
- Do you use internal and external links?
- Are the alt tags and metadata of your visual and auditory elements maintained?
- Have you optimized your texts for voice search?
If you can answer all these questions with “yes”, you are on the best way to bring your website in the Google ranking up 😊