SEO Content Strategy That Drives Conversions
Tubopedia Mission
Shaun Els is a guest on the [Niche Pursuits podcast](/posts/Niche-Pursuits), where he discusses creating a content strategy for websites. He emphasizes the importance of maximizing the value of each piece of content by utilizing it on various platforms such as landing pages, social media, and emails. Shaun has a background in web design and runs an [SEO](/posts/Search-Engine-Optimization) agency, giving him a well-rounded perspective on content creation. The podcast episode is sponsored by Search Intelligence, a company that specializes in building digital PR links. Shaun shares his journey into [web design and SEO](/posts/Search-Engine-Optimization), starting with simple website building and eventually focusing on generating traffic through quality content and blogging. [SEO Content Strategy That Drives Conversions](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu5Pn53JFq0) ## Design First Approach - Shaun emphasizes a design-first approach when building a website, focusing on creating a visually appealing and well-designed site. - He believes that the offer and purpose of the website play a crucial role in determining the design and traffic strategy. - Shaun's approach differs from the content-first approach typically adopted by SEO practitioners. - Designing the website first allows for effective split testing and conversion optimization of service pages before launching campaigns. - He emphasizes the importance of solid copywriting principles in building out service pages and ensuring search engine optimization. - Shaun compares the website structure to a pyramid, with the home page at the top, followed by money pages (service and product pages), and supporting content. - The money pages are the focus of traffic generation and optimization efforts, while the supporting content helps with [internal linking and SEO](/posts/Topical-Authority). - Building a strong site structure and internal linking strategy is essential for effective search engine optimization and user journey. ## Money Pages - There is often a conflict between good design and good SEO when it comes to optimizing money pages. - Balancing SEO requirements (keyword placement, related keywords, [on-page basics](/posts/On-Page-Optimization)) with conversion rate optimization can be challenging. - Shaun recommends including the keyword in the H1 tag while also focusing on well-written, conversion-focused headlines. - FAQs should be included on the landing page to provide context to Google and address user queries. - Finding a balance between SEO and copywriting is essential for the benefits of both strategies. - Google's algorithm updates have improved its understanding of page content and user intent. - Landing pages can be relatively short if the service is simple and doesn't require extensive information. - It's crucial to differentiate money pages from informational content on websites and maintain a balance between the two. - One common mistake is not optimizing the page at all or optimizing too broadly, instead of niching down to a specific market or location. - Niching down helps reduce competition and target a more specific audience, increasing the chances of conversion. - Figuring out how to niche down can be a challenge, but it involves understanding the target market, customer type, industry, and specific location. ## Niching Down and Supporting Content - Niching down involves specializing and focusing on a specific target audience or market. - For service delivery websites, niching down means identifying and serving a specific niche, such as being a gardening service in a specific town. - For niche site or blog owners, niching down involves finding qualifiers or specific topics within a broader niche, like self-defense for women or self-defense for older people. - Niching down helps optimize for search, effectively target your market, and increase conversion rates. - Supporting content, such as blog posts, can provide additional value beyond service pages. - Blogging allows for addressing client challenges, sharing content on social media platforms, and providing resources to email subscribers. - Sharing informational content demonstrates expertise, builds authority, and attracts potential clients who either need your services or want to learn from your resources. - Content can be repurposed and shared across different platforms, optimizing for search traffic, nurturing leads, and guiding customers through the buyer's journey. - Lead magnets, like guides or short courses, can be offered in exchange for email addresses, allowing for lead nurturing and further marketing opportunities. - By implementing retargeting ads and tracking cookies, you can reach and engage with users who have interacted with your content. - Clever hooks or compelling headlines can significantly impact the success of PR campaigns and attract media coverage. - Applying content strategies applies to both service providers and website builders. - Questions to consider include where the content fits in the buying funnel and how to repurpose it for different platforms, such as social media. ## Content Strategy - When figuring out what to do with the content you've created, it's important to mix it up and touch on different topics. - You can choose to have an eclectic timeline where you cover various subjects or focus on a specific theme for a certain period. - If your content is not search engine optimized, it's recommended to optimize it before sharing it widely. - Structure your content strategy by building top-down, starting with the homepage, service pages, informational content, and guides. - Create silos of content based on different services, comparisons, or products to make it easier to repurpose and share on social media. - Within a specific theme or silo, you can have multiple pieces of content that delve into different aspects or subtopics. - Themed sharing allows for rich content delivery and the ability to focus on a specific subject for a week or more. - You can choose to share content within one silo or across multiple silos to add variety to your timeline. ## Content Themes - Content themes align with building topical clusters and establishing topical authority in blogging. - Themes allow you to cover various aspects of a topic and position yourself as an expert. - From a user perspective, themed content creates a valuable resource and solves problems for readers. - Internal linking within themed content enhances user experience and builds authority in their eyes. - Google favors deep resources with a variety of content, increasing engagement and improving search rankings. - Building a blog with themed content generates leads, increasing the value of your business. - Blogs are standalone assets that contribute to the overall business value and are sought after by buyers. - Big players in various industries focus on building blogs as they add value and are not solely dependent on ads. - Optimizing non-search engine optimized content is a good starting point for sharing on social media and other platforms. - For SEO-focused individuals already producing optimized content, practical steps include sharing on social media, creating lead magnets, building landing pages, starting an email newsletter, repurposing content, and considering advertising. ## Repurposing Content - Repurposing content can be a practical approach to maximize its value. - The steps to repurpose content depend on the business structure. - For niche sites that aren't service-based, the focus is on converting traffic into revenue through affiliate offers and display ads. - Start by creating a blog post and then creating social media posts around it. These posts can be diverse in nature, such as controversial takes, summaries, or links back to the original post. - Repurposing content can be facilitated by using frameworks like Justin Welsh's spreadsheet approach, where each row represents a blog post and each column represents a type of content for LinkedIn posts. - Systematize the process by identifying the types of social media posts you want to create and schedule them using tools like Chachi PT. - Intersperse content sharing on social media with other engaging posts to maintain audience interest. - Email marketing is another avenue to repurpose content. Use key takeaways from blog posts as a framework for creating email content and share valuable resources with subscribers. ## Email Marketing - Email marketing is important for nurturing and building relationships with your audience. - It allows you to stay in touch with potential clients and customers on a more reliable platform that you own. - Use informational emails to provide valuable resources and information to your subscribers. - Emails can include quick introductions, resources, and links to relevant blog posts or content on your website. - Include call-to-action elements in your emails to encourage engagement, such as pop-ups or embedded forms on your website. - Newsletters can become a powerful business model by marketing products, services, or courses to your subscribers. - Email marketing helps you stay top of mind and build know, like, and trust with your audience. - Prove yourself as a valuable resource and be useful to your subscribers to foster trust. - Personalize your approach and tailor your email marketing strategy to the needs and interests of your specific audience. ## Niche Site Applications - Shaun shared an example of a successful niche site they have for martial arts. - The site focuses on beginner-friendly content and guides for people interested in martial arts. - They monetize the site through affiliate products related to martial arts equipment. - To grow their email list, they offer a free self-defense course that attracts visitors to sign up. - They leverage social media, particularly Facebook, to engage with their audience and drive traffic to their site. - The site has a Facebook page and a closed group for martial arts enthusiasts. - Content from the blog is repurposed and shared in the Facebook group, driving traffic back to the website. - The goal is to build trust with the audience and convert them into customers through affiliate products or digital products. - The speaker's main business is an SEO agency called nanopage.com. - They can be reached on Twitter (@ShaunEls) and LinkedIn.