If there were an actual textbook on online marketing, one that we could all agree on and learn from, it’s likely that writing good search engine optimization content would fall within the first few chapters. After all, there aren’t many things as great as having a well-optimized page or post that’s indexed quickly and brings lots of interested buyers to your business website.
Having great, keyword-heavy content isn’t everything, though. In fact, there are a few types of content you can get that are even more valuable:
Almost anything related to your business that’s funny. Humor is the original form of viral content. Long before there was such a thing as the Internet, or even before mainstream publishing, people were passing jokes and quips among themselves for entertainment. That’s why anything that gets a chuckle out of your customers can be turned into something with marketing value that goes far beyond what you get in a few keywords.
An article, post, or idea that pushes a new viewpoint. The world is heavy on content, but lean on new ideas. In other words, so much of what we write, publish, and talk about has been discussed before… sometimes to death. So, if you can find a way to contribute something entirely new to an important discussion – or at least shed some light on an often-missed point – then you’ll have created something that customers will want to share with one another, regardless of how well you promote it.
Information that is timely. In the same way, being the first to report something, or understand, has a lot of value in our “everything right now” world. The public, and your customer base, are always looking for the next big thing. Sometimes, you can be the first to report on it; other times, you might simply have the best perspective to understand what’s actually going on in your industry. Either way, timely content might not always last as long, but it can generate a lot of traffic and interest while it’s hot.
What do each of these types of content have in common? Your customers and prospects will spread them among themselves – you don’t have to wait for them to come and find you. So, if you can make a habit of creating them, your business will keep growing. Even better yet, why not combine something funny, informative, or insightful with a few keyword-rich paragraphs to get things moving along?
Great content might be more important than offering something with high SEO value, but who says you can’t have the best of both worlds?
