Content Marketing Articles – Creating Content That Counts
If your marketing strategy currently includes the creation of content articles, it’s important to check in regularly and see how they are performing. How many pageviews have they received? What source is the traffic coming from? What value are they adding to your brand? What is the quality like?
ARE THEY WORKING? HAVE YOU MAXIMISED THEIR VALUE?
Do you read the articles on your website?
Do you enjoy them? How would you rate them?
Adding Value or Ticking a Box?
Content for the sake of content is a grim marketing initiative – it’s like the old saying if you haven’t got anything nice to say – say nothing. But the misinterpretation of what content marketing means there is a great divide between articles designed to tick a task off the marketing plan – as opposed to creating something worthwhile that adds value and performs.
Authoritative Voice – Google E-E-A-T
As marketers we have all heard the term “be a thought leader” and it’s something we often include as part of our general strategy, however, we can miss the practical steps to achieve this. Google’s guidelines for content creation include the concept of E-E-A-T which stands for “Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.”
The Importance of Author Citation
Author citation is the practice of citing the authors of sources you use in your writing. This is important for two reasons:
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- To show expertise on a topic. When you cite your sources, you are showing that you have done your research and that you are familiar with the work of other experts on the topic. This can help to build your credibility and authority as a writer.
- For Google SEO. Google uses author citations as a signal of quality content. When you cite your sources, you are telling Google that your content is based on authoritative sources, which can help your content rank higher in search results.
Here are some tips for using author citation to show expertise on a topic and for Google SEO:
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- Cite your sources accurately. When you cite a source, be sure to include the author’s name, the title of the source, the publication date, and the URL (if available).
- Use a consistent citation style. There are many different citation styles, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago. Choose a style and use it consistently throughout your writing.
- Link to your sources. In addition to citing your sources, you can also link to them. This will allow readers to easily access the sources you used.
ChatGPT and Google Indexation
Will articles created by ChatGPT be indexed in Google or will they rank lower? I was unsure of this, so I asked BARD, Google’s AI tool (yes, I get the irony) and this is what it told me:
Whether articles created by ChatGPT will be indexed in Google is a matter of debate. There is no clear consensus on this issue, and Google has not made any public statements about its policy on AI-generated content.
However, there are some reasons to believe that Google may be less likely to index articles created by ChatGPT. For example, Google has a policy of ranking content that is original and informative higher than content that is duplicate or spammy. AI-generated content is often seen as being less original and informative than human-written content, so it is possible that Google may rank it lower.
Additionally, Google may be concerned about the quality of AI-generated content. AI models are still under development, and they can sometimes produce content that is grammatically incorrect, factually inaccurate, or simply nonsensical. If Google believes that AI-generated content is not of high quality, it is possible that it will choose not to index it.
Schools currently use Machine learning algorithms that analyse the syntax in the text to find patterns that are indicative of AI content. So yes, Google knows if an article is written by AI, and you can invest time in being smarter than these algorithms. OR best advise – practice the Google E.E.A.T.
Content That Ranks in Google
Content Marketing should meet the needs of the customer and add value to their experience. GIVE THEM SOMETHING THEY WANT. Instead of creating content just for the sake of it, ask yourself what purpose your content serves and what value it provides to your target audience. Develop a well-defined content plan that outlines your goals, target audience, key messaging, and distribution channels.
- Answer a Questions – Solve a problem. Check out Answer the public. AnswerThePublic can also help you generate content ideas. By seeing the different ways that people are searching for information about your topic, you can get inspiration for new articles, blog posts, and other content.
- Optimize Keyword Usage: Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant keywords for your article. Incorporate these keywords naturally in the article’s title, headings, body text, and meta tags.
- Use Proper HTML Markup: Structuring your article with appropriate HTML tags helps search engines understand its content better. Use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to organize the sections, include meta tags for the title and description, and use schema markup to provide additional context.
- Build Internal and External Links: Internal links within your article and to other relevant pages on your website help search engines discover and index your content more effectively. Additionally, establishing backlinks from authoritative websites improves your article’s credibility and visibility in search results.
- Promote Your Article: Sharing your article on social media platforms and other relevant online communities can increase its visibility and attract more readers.