Having great products, competitive prices and a great website are the perfect start. But customers need to find your site before they can buy. SEO is a long term strategy that builds lasting benefits for your company but which strategy is right for you?
SEO, in a nutshell, are the strategies and tactics people use to optimise their pages for search engines so they show up higher in the search results. The two main ways to benefit are to appear for as many relevant keywords and phrases as possible and then to appear as high as possible in the search rankings. If you can appear on the first page of Google you’ll get far more visitors to your site and that means more customers and more sales.
Worldwide companies spend over $50 billion a year on SEO. From the largest companies like Amazon and Coca Cola to your local furniture or book store companies have long recognised the benefits of SEO as it provides a lasting benefit and has no limits on how many you can reach unlike Google Ads or Social Media which will cap your exposure based on follower size or ad spend.
But not everyone can appear at the top of Google so it’s important to have a proper SEO strategy, the correct one for you and a strong agency that can do the work for you. In this article we will be focusing on content structures.
Cornerstone Content
What is Cornerstone Content?
Cornerstone content is a term used to describe a set of pages or posts on your website that cover a specific topic in-depth. These pieces of content are usually comprehensive, informative, and engaging, providing your audience with a wealth of information on a particular subject. The goal of cornerstone content is to establish your website as an authority on a given topic, and to provide a foundation for your website’s overall content strategy.
There are many different types of content that can serve as cornerstone content on your website. Some examples include:
Ultimate Guides: Ultimate guides are comprehensive, in-depth articles or posts that cover a particular topic from all angles. They are typically longer than most blog posts, and provide a wealth of information on a specific subject.
Tutorials: Tutorials are step-by-step guides that walk your audience through a specific process or task. They are often used in industries like technology, DIY, and beauty, and can be a valuable resource for your audience.
Case Studies: Case studies are detailed examinations of a particular situation, often including data and analysis. They can be a valuable way to demonstrate your expertise in a particular area, and provide real-world examples of how your products or services have helped others.
Benefits of Cornerstone Content
There are several benefits to creating cornerstone content for your website:
Evergreen: Cornerstone content for most businesses is built on their expertise and experience. When using this strategy it’s important to focus your efforts on content that will be useful both now and in the future. It is the page that you want to be driving traffic to your site for years to come.
Improved Search Engine Visibility: By creating comprehensive, high-quality content that covers a specific topic in-depth, you can improve your website’s search engine visibility. Search engines tend to favor content that is informative, engaging, and relevant to a specific topic, so by creating cornerstone content, you can increase your website’s chances of ranking higher in search results.
Establishing Authority: When you create comprehensive, informative content on a specific topic, you are positioning your website as an authority in that area. This can help to build trust with your audience and establish your brand as a go-to resource for information on that topic.
Increased Engagement: Comprehensive, in-depth content is more likely to keep your audience engaged and on your site for longer periods of time. This can improve your website’s bounce rate and keep visitors coming back for more.
Creating Cornerstone Content
Define your goals: First, define the goals of your cornerstone content. What do you want to achieve with this content? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or establish your brand as an authority in your industry? Understanding your goals will help you create a more focused and effective piece of cornerstone content.
Identify your target audience: Next, identify your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your content? What are their pain points, interests, and needs? Understanding your audience will help you create content that resonates with them and addresses their concerns.
Choose a topic: Choose a topic that is broad enough to cover all the key aspects of your niche or industry, but specific enough to be useful to your target audience. Make sure your topic is relevant, timely, and valuable to your readers.
Conduct thorough research: Research your topic thoroughly to ensure that your content is accurate, informative, and up-to-date. Use a variety of sources, including industry publications, studies, and experts in your field.
Create an outline: Create an outline that covers all the key points you want to make in your content. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that you cover all the important aspects of your topic.
Write the content: Write the content for your cornerstone piece, using your outline as a guide. Make sure your content is well-organized, engaging, and easy to read. Use subheadings, bullet points, and images to break up the text and make it more visually appealing.
Update and repurpose your content: Finally, update and repurpose your content over time to ensure that it remains relevant and useful to your target audience. You can also break it down into smaller pieces of content or use it as the basis for future content campaigns.
Evergreen Content
What is Evergreen Content?
Evergreen content forms the foundation of a successful content marketing strategy, setting it apart from time-sensitive or trending content. Unlike news or seasonal articles, evergreen content possesses lasting value and enduring relevance. It delves into timeless topics, essential concepts, and frequently asked questions that remain pertinent in your industry or niche.
To differentiate evergreen content from other types, let’s examine its counterparts. Trending or timely content captures immediate attention by capitalizing on the latest trends or news. However, its relevance diminishes rapidly as new trends emerge. Similarly, seasonal content thrives during specific events or holidays but loses its effectiveness outside those periods. In contrast, evergreen content remains valuable regardless of the time of year, maintaining its impact long after publication.
Benefits of Evergreen Content
By embracing evergreen content, your content marketing efforts enjoy a range of benefits. Firstly, it establishes sustained organic traffic to your website. Search engines prioritize evergreen content due to its enduring value, resulting in higher rankings and increased visibility over time. Additionally, evergreen content proves highly shareable, as readers find it consistently valuable and relevant. This ongoing appeal encourages social sharing, leading to enhanced brand exposure, increased website traffic, and potential conversions. Furthermore, evergreen content contributes to improved search engine optimization (SEO) by naturally accumulating backlinks from reputable sources. This continuous link-building effect enhances your overall SEO strategy, driving more organic traffic to your website.
Creating Evergreen Content
To effectively harness evergreen content, several key steps should be considered. Thorough research is vital before creating such content. Conduct in-depth analysis to identify timeless topics, common questions, and fundamental concepts within your industry. This research involves studying customer queries, competitor content, and industry trends, ensuring your content remains relevant and valuable in the long run. Keyword optimization is another crucial aspect. Incorporate relevant and well-researched keywords into your evergreen content, targeting high-volume keywords likely to remain popular over time and attracting consistent organic traffic.
A comprehensive and authoritative approach is essential in crafting evergreen content. It should provide a comprehensive perspective on the topic, offer practical advice, and support claims with case studies, statistics, or examples to enhance credibility and showcase expertise. While evergreen content is designed to be timeless, regular updates can help maintain its relevance. Stay vigilant in monitoring industry developments, new research, and emerging trends related to your evergreen topics. By periodically refreshing the content, such as adding new information or modifying outdated sections, you ensure its continued value to readers and search engines.
