So You've Got Your Topic, Now Here's How You Create Content That Can Rank
By Amanda Milligan
When beginning the writing process, most people start with a topic in mind. However, before hitting "publish," it's crucial to organize your thoughts and conduct further research. For content marketers, a primary goal is often to rank for specific keywords in search engines. While social media and email promotions can significantly boost content visibility, long-term sustainability requires ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This article offers strategies to create content that ranks.
Investigate Your Topic
Creating exceptional content involves a delicate balance between trusting your instincts and confirming them through research. Before fully committing to a content direction, have a clear plan for what you want to convey and to whom.
Consider these factors:
- Trending Topics: Evaluate if your chosen topic is currently trending. If so, understand its lifespan as interest may wane quickly. Tools like Exploding Topics can provide insights into topic longevity across different industries.
- Keyword Volume: Research keywords aligned with your topic to gauge their search volume. Free Chrome extensions like Keyword Surfer can assist in this process. Avoid solely focusing on volume; long-tail keywords (more specific phrases) in niche topics can also be valuable ranking targets.
- Marketing Funnel Position: Assess where your content fits within the marketing funnel. Bottom-funnel content, while potentially attracting fewer readers, can be highly valuable as these individuals are near purchase readiness.
For example, searching for the long-tail keyword "best billing software for lawyers" reveals that G2 achieves a featured snippet on Google due to its straightforward comparison of legal billing software. This positioning attracts law firms potentially interested in their listings and other services.
Understand Your Audience
Identifying your target audience is equally important. Crafting content tailored to specific personas ensures its relevance and value to a particular group. Begin by reviewing your established audience personas:
- To whom does your content idea resonate?
- How can you address the specific challenges and needs of that persona?