In the ever-evolving landscape of SEO and content marketing, we’ve gathered insights from eight industry experts, including CMOs and CEOs, to guide businesses towards better strategies. From focusing on search intent quickly to leveraging international keyword research, these seasoned professionals provide a wealth of advice on enhancing your online presence.
Focus on Search Intent Quickly
Make the search intent your primary focus. We know how much the search engine loves and ranks content that meets the search intent. But it is a bummer if your content impresses only the search engines and not the users.
It is important to address the search intent as quickly as possible in your content piece. For example, if your blog post has a long intro and explains the “why” of it, the reader may have already lost interest because the intent has not been found yet.
Make sure you quickly address the search intent so that the user knows that your content writing is the right solution for their query.
Shivbhadrasinh Gohil, CMO and Co-founder, Meetanshi
Tailor Content to Audience Problems
Everything changed when we started tailoring our content to address our audience’s specific problems, questions, and needs rather than just stuffing keywords or chasing algorithm updates. Our content became not just visible but valuable.
Here’s the thing—search engines are becoming smarter, prioritizing content that truly responds to what users are looking for. We saw a significant boost in our rankings, user engagement, and conversions by aligning our content with real user intent. This shift requires a deep understanding of your audience, a dash of empathy, and the willingness to learn and adapt continuously. So, if there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s this: invest time in understanding your audience deeply. Their questions are your content’s roadmap; follow it.
Vaibhav Kakkar, CEO, Digital Web Solutions
Invest in Audience Research
An effective SEO and content strategy is not just about integrating keywords or following the latest SEO trends; it’s about creating content that resonates with your audience’s needs and interests. Early on, we made the mistake of focusing solely on what we thought was important, only to realize that our assumptions did not align with our audience’s actual questions and pain points.
This realization led us to pivot our approach, dedicating more time to audience research and engagement. By listening to our users and analyzing their behavior, we were able to tailor our content to address their specific concerns, drastically improving our site’s relevance and authority in their eyes. Therefore, my advice to businesses is to invest in understanding your audience at a granular level. This insight will not only inform your content strategy but will also guide your SEO efforts, ensuring that you’re not just visible but truly valuable to those you aim to serve.
Sahil Kakkar, CEO and Founder, RankWatch
Consider Human Appeal Over SEO
As a digital marketing expert, I recommend that instead of focusing on why Google dislikes your site, you consider why humans dislike it. I feel that the majority of folks who believe they have an SEO problem actually have a brand, page title, or quality issue.
If you have a decent brand, nice page titles, and good content, Google will usually rank your site in the appropriate position.
To figure out why humans don’t like your site, choose a query you want to rank for, look at the existing results, and then attempt to evaluate them.
Ask people to rank the titles based on how much they expect the page with that title to provide a very high-quality answer to their query. If they do not rank your title highly, you have a titling issue rather than an SEO problem.
Kartik Ahuja, Digital Marketer, kartikahuja.com
Prioritize Long-Tail Keyword Strategy
Based on my industry experience, I recommend that businesses prioritize long-tail keywords in their SEO and content strategies. Begin by identifying low-search-volume keywords with transactional intent and aim to rank for them. This approach helps in establishing a consistent flow of traffic, as competition for these keywords tends to be lower.
Once you’ve optimized for these keywords, gradually target slightly higher-search-volume keywords with commercial intent. Eventually, progress to informational-intent keywords. This methodical approach will gradually build your SEO presence and drive substantial traffic to your website.
Mei Ping Mak, Director of SEO and Web, Weave Asia
Create Quality, Relevant Content
One pivotal piece of advice for businesses aiming to enhance their SEO and content strategies is to prioritize quality and relevance in their content creation. Modern search engines have become increasingly sophisticated, with algorithms that favor content offering genuine value to readers. This means moving beyond keyword stuffing and focusing on creating comprehensive, engaging, and informative content that addresses the needs and questions of your target audience.
High-quality content not only improves your site’s SEO rankings but also establishes your brand as an authority in your field, building trust with your audience. It encourages visitors to spend more time on your site, reducing bounce rates, and increasing the likelihood of conversions. Relevant and valuable content is also far more likely to be shared, generating backlinks and further elevating your SEO performance. This is a simple one-two punch that will take your organic traffic to the moon!
Andrew Jenkins, Owner, Catalyst RVA Marketing Agency
Produce Best-in-Category Content
Write content that is the best on the internet in its category. If you do this, much of the SEO will happen automatically as people who find your article valuable will share it across social media and also link to it from their websites.
Marc Bromhall, Founder, StorageBuddy
Leverage International Keyword Research
My advice for businesses is to leverage international keyword research. It helps target the right audience by tailoring content to their specific search terms and cultural contexts.
It also uncovers long-tail keywords for better traffic and keeps you updated on search trends in your target markets. By going global with keyword research, businesses can create content that resonates with international audiences and achieve better SEO results.
Faizan Khan, Public Relations and Content Marketing Specialist, Ubuy Australia
