Digital content takes centre stage in 2012

Whether you’re tasked with improving search engine rankings or building a brand, there’s never been a more important time to focus on the online content you produce.

In 2011, changes to the Google algorithm took considerable steps towards weeding out unhelpful content across the web; meaning that brands that had traditionally built their SEO strategies upon vast amounts of keyword-rich, value-poor content were faced with a tough challenge if they wanted to maintain or exceed their current search performance levels.

But what represented a challenge in 2011 could now represent a big opportunity in 2012. Google has always strived to bring its users the content that is most useful and relevant to their query and with each update to its Algorithm the search engine has moved closer to being able to achieve it without being bogged down by spam content.

The essential principles of SEO, of course, still apply. But brands will have to think much more carefully about the content they publish and distribute from now on. Rather than producing on- and off-site content with Google’s spiders in mind, organisations will now (more than ever before) need to put greater focus on what their content communicates about the brand and how useful it is to the end user. If it falls short with the latter, expect it to do likewise with Google.

Content strategy

This isn’t a new concept, but there are many brands that still don’t consider content strategy an important part of their marketing and communications. Too many are guilty of churning out poor quality content, such as sporadic mixed-message blog posts, irrelevant and rehashed article marketing or waffle-strewn on-site copy.

Any brand that intends to produce online content during 2012, whether as a means of communication or to strengthen search engine rankings, will need to take content strategy serious achieve success. At the very least, planning is required and it should be borne out of a review and analysis of existing content, the resources (both time and financial) that are available and established tone of voice and brand guidelines.

The plan should also outline what content will be produced, when, how often and by whom. It should be tied to clearly-defined and long-term objectives (as should be case for any form of digital strategy) and it should be fully integrated into the organisation’s culture and existing communications strategy.

SEO strategy

So, what does this mean? For starters, it’s likely to see SEO teams working much closer with public relations agencies, web editors, digital copywriters and marketers to help brands achieve all of their communication objectives, as opposed to each being left to their own devices. As such, we can expect to see the content elements of SEO strategies becoming much more sophisticated and user-driven during 2012.

Digital content that remains on-brand and on-message, communicates effectively, offers something of value and is frequently and consistently maintained is what both Google and end-users have always looked for.

In 2012, brands will have no choice but to give it to them.

Keith Price, senior copywriter, Rippleffect