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How to Win with Zero-Click Search SEO Adaptation

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The rise of AI-powered search engines and zero-click results is reshaping the online space, forcing marketers and content strategists to rethink how they measure success. You’re not alone if your website traffic is dipping, but your conversions and on-site engagement are increasing. And you’re not doing anything wrong. That’s what you can expect in the era of zero-click search SEO adaptation. We’ll explore zero-click searches, why they matter, and how to optimize your content for this evolving search environment. We’ll also discuss why traditional metrics like click-through rates (CTR) are becoming less relevant and what marketers should focus on to stay competitive and drive meaningful results. Zero-Click Searches: Explained What are zero-click searches? Let’s break it down. Zero-click searches are queries answered directly on the search engine results page (SERP), so the user doesn’t need to click through to a website. Think of Google’s featured snippets and the AI-generated answers now populating the platform. These days, a majority of Google searches result in zero clicks. The data above shows that, in 2024, 58.5% of Google searches in the U.S. and 59.7% in Europe did not generate clicks. In other words, zero-click searches often mean users get their answers instantly, and usually don’t need to go further. It’s convenient for the user, but potentially frustrating for the publisher who invested in that content. Yet here’s the twist: this shift isn’t necessarily bad. It just requires a change in strategy.  The New SEO Strategy: Adaptation Is a Must Traditional SEO focused heavily on driving clicks. There’s nothing wrong with still wanting to generate traffic. However, with AI-generated summaries and snippets giving users instant answers, we must adopt a new strategy: zero-click search SEO adaptation. This approach acknowledges that success can’t be measured solely by traffic volume anymore. Instead, it looks at other metrics to determine how your content is performing. This includes: Time on Page: How much time are they spending on a single page? Scroll Depth: Are they scrolling to the bottom of the page or stopping halfway? Conversion Rates: How many people convert by completing a form or purchasing?  On-Site Engagement Metrics: How many people are engaging? How many are returning visitors? How many pages are being viewed per session? Why would we want to track these metrics? When traffic is low, we want to learn about the behavior of the users visiting your site. Those who click through are often further down the funnel. They’re more informed, curious, and ready to act. The Reality of Declining Top-of-Funnel Traffic With AI surfacing top-level queries right on the SERP, fewer users visit your website for basic information. Before you panic, it isn’t all bad news. This means your site may see: Lower traffic overall Higher engagement per visitor Lower bounce rates Higher conversion rates This isn’t a decline, necessarily. You’re reaching people who are further along in their decision-making process. As a result, you may see people exploring your website more or making purchases. Your Guide to Zero-Click Search SEO Adaptation How can you adapt your strategy to zero-click search optimization? Let’s break it down. Step 1: Restructure Your Content Strategy If most zero-click search results address the top-of-the-funnel questions, you need to invest more in middle and bottom-of-funnel content. The way to pivot is to create content for different search intents. For example: Top-level content (e.g., “What is X?”) should still exist but can be shorter, more concise, and optimized for AI or snippet capture. Middle-funnel content should answer comparative or evaluative questions like, “How does X compare to Y?” or “What features should I look for in X?” Bottom-funnel content should target purchase-related or decision-making keywords like “Best X for [use case],” “Where to buy X,” or “[Product] reviews.” It’s also smart to use a pillar-cluster model. Create pillar pages exploring high-level topics, then link to more focused cluster pages with specific keywords and subtopics. This helps AI and search engines understand the depth of your expertise. Step 2: Focus on Conversion-Ready Users Remember: not all traffic is created equal. One engaged, ready-to-buy user is worth more than 100 casual browsers. So, you’ll want to use on-page signals to nurture leads. You can do that by: Including clear calls-to-action (CTAs) based on visitor intent Offering downloads, checklists, or calculators to encourage engagement Embedding videos or interactive content to increase time on page Rather than focusing on impressions and CTR alone, you should start prioritizing: Engagement Rate: How many users engage with something on-page? Dwell Time: How long are they staying? Lead Conversion Rate: How many take the next step? These are the accurate indicators of content success in a zero-click world. Step 3: Make Peace with the AI Layer AI isn’t going away. It’s becoming the first touchpoint for many users. That means your top-level content isn’t wasted, but it’s being repurposed by AI to answer questions. That visibility still builds trust, even if you don’t get the click. For example, if your content is used in a featured snippet or quoted in an AI-generated summary, users may recognize your brand and return when ready to engage more deeply. To optimize for AI, try: Using clear headers and structured content Answering questions in the first few lines Writing with a natural, conversational tone Providing concise, factual, and trustworthy information Step 4: Reevaluate Your Keyword Strategy AI search is increasingly semantic and contextual, meaning it’s not just about matching keywords. It’s about understanding intent and creating your content with that in mind. Instead of stuffing the page with exact-match keywords repeatedly, try using variations naturally throughout the text so you don’t get penalized. Also, structure content in a way that answers a question, offers an opinion, or presents data. Let’s use this blog post as an example: Overusing the “zero-click search SEO adaptation” keyword would turn off Google and readers. So, it helps to use similar keywords such as “zero-click search” and “what are zero-click searches.” This post is also formatted with H2s and H3s, as well as bullet … Read more

How to Generate Backlinks That Will Boost Your Website Search Engine Ranking

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8 20 Blog

If you build it, they will come.  This may be true for magical baseball fields in Iowa. But to boost your website’s search engine ranking, you need to do more than just build a site and wait.  Search engine ranking, or where your website lands on a search engine results page, is inherently linked to website traffic volume. The higher you rank, the more traffic you tend to see.  Many factors play into how well your site is ranked, including quality of content, page authority, and even URL length. One of the most important, and often overlooked, elements of achieving a desirable ranking is generating high-quality backlinks. A backlink is created when another website links to yours. Search engines view these links as recommendations or votes of confidence for your site. The more authority a linking site has with a search engine, the more valuable that backlink is to your authority.  Below is a simple diagram depicting types of hyperlinks.  Read on to learn how to generate backlinks to your website like an SEO expert. Why You Should Generate Backlinks Because the cool kids are doing it.  No, really. Envision a quality backlink as that popular friend at school who will introduce you to the people you want to know. Generating backlinks is a way of networking your website to gain audience and authority. And much like when you network in person, the more people who link to you, the stronger your industry presence becomes. Rank Higher on Search Engine Results Pages A recent SEO study conducted by Backlinko found that the “#1 result in Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2-#10.”. Additionally, sites with backlinks from many different domains ranked higher than sites with less diversity in their links. The following chart depicts the correlation between backlinks and ranking. See an Increase in Referral Traffic  A high-quality backlink, from a trusted source with a solid web presence, can provide a steady stream of new traffic for your site. Even “no follow” links, or those that don’t directly count toward search engine ranking, can ultimately benefit your website’s SEO by increasing traffic to your site and adding diversity to your backlink portfolio. Get Indexed by Web Crawlers Faster Search engines use website crawlers (also known as spiders) to gather and parse internet content. These search engine bots scan a website’s pages and index its information. Then, when you perform an internet search, an algorithm is applied to this index and the websites with relevant content appear on the search engine results page (SERP).  Given that there are billions of web pages, the spiders start with a list of known sites and look for hyperlinks to add to the crawl list. More popular and authoritative sites tend to get crawled first.  Getting a backlink from a quality source can put you on the fast track to getting noticed on SERPs. Increase Authority and Brand Awareness Think back to the school metaphor. If a friend you trust and admire introduces you to a new person, you might immediately feel more positive toward them given the common ground. Similarly, when someone clicks on your link from a site with authority, it can help improve your authority through association.  Website backlinks from popular companies can also help increase your brand awareness. It’s like distributing your product through a major retailer versus selling it at a local market. The more people who see your name, the more potential customers you have.  4 Website Backlink Strategies That Will Boost Your Ranking An experienced backlink generator knows that link building can yield bountiful results, but they also know it can be a long and arduous process.  Luckily, there are many ways for you to successfully generate quality backlinks and rank higher on search engines. A little bit of hard work and patience will go a long way in helping you develop a robust backlink portfolio for your website. Here are four industry-proven backlinking methods. 1. Generate Foundational Links on Social Media and Business Review Sites Aptly named, foundational links are some essential building blocks of an SEO strategy. These types of backlinks are a natural step forward after publishing your website and they’re the first chance for your site to gain traffic and get crawled.  The links that you place on your business’s Facebook page or LinkedIn profile to direct people to your site are two common examples of foundational links. Social media links don’t technically count in page ranking, but they’re still a valuable contribution toward your internet presence, especially when first starting your SEO campaign. Guest posting for websites in your niche is also a good starting point. In these posts, you can include relevant links to your website that help build your backlink portfolio and boost your domain authority. Bonus — you get the benefit of building professional relationships with your peers. Internal links, though they’re not technically backlinks, can be considered foundational as well. They are hyperlinks on one part of your website that link to another part of your site. These early internal links can help you begin to rank on SERPs for low-competition keywords in your niche that you highlight with anchor text. 2. Pack Your Pages with High-Quality Content People Want to Share While this should be a no-brainer, you’d be surprised how many website owners leave their pages devoid of good content. A sparse number of blog posts or a lot of poor-quality posts can equally work against your domain authority. Consistently publishing content that’s of high value to your industry, combined with an effective backlinking strategy, is a surefire way to get noticed. Start by doing industry research into trending topics and keywords and studying the content of popular competitors to get an idea of the type of well-ranking web pages. Note that content format also affects ranking. For example, “why” posts and infographics tend to get more clicks than listicles and general posts.  Once you’ve compiled your research, write similar (but still … Read more

Best AI Content Detectors and 5 Ways to Avoid Failing an AI Detector

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12 24

The rise of AI content creation has introduced both opportunities and challenges for writers, marketers, and businesses. On the one hand, AI tools promise efficiency. Conversely, they blur the line between human creativity and machine-generated text. This is where AI content detectors come into play. These tools help identify AI-written content so you can ensure originality in everything you publish. However, it’s important to note that these tools aren’t foolproof. Even human-written content can sometimes fail detection if it lacks quality. In this article, we’ll explore the best AI content detectors, how they work, and practical steps to ensure your content stands out while passing detection tests. How an AI Content Detector Works An AI content detector uses advanced algorithms to analyze text patterns and sentence structure to determine whether the content is AI-generated or written by a human. They will flag various issues, including: Repetitive Language: AI often overuses specific phrases or structures. Overused Clichés: A clear sign of lower-quality or AI-generated writing. Unnatural Tone: AI-written text sometimes lacks the rhythm and flow of human writing.  These tools aren’t perfect, though. Poorly written human content can mistakenly be flagged as AI-generated, especially when stuffed with keywords or riddled with generic phrasing. This highlights the need for higher writing standards so your content can stand out above the rest. The Best AI Content Detectors for You to Try Ready to give these tools a try? Here are some of the best AI content detectors. 1. Grammarly’s AI Writing Tool  Grammarly is a popular tool among writers as it’s a must for improving grammar and style, but did you know there’s an AI detector, too? Grammarly will scan your text for AI in real time and tell you the percentage of your content it thinks is AI-written. By breaking your text into smaller sections, it’ll highlight content typically written by tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and more. However, a paid Grammarly subscription is required to see which areas are likely AI. 2. Copyleaks Copyleaks is an award-winning AI detector that has been studying human writing for nearly 10 years. With almost a decade of experience collecting and analyzing data, it’s a great one to check out. It features an easy-to-use interface and can provide detailed reports that explain why specific text has been identified as AI. This feature makes it easy to rewrite content, but you need to subscribe to use it. 3. Originality.ai  For a tool that does it all, Originality.ai is sure to be your friend. Not only is it an AI content detector, but it also serves as a plagiarism and fact checker. It’s said to have a high accuracy rate and can support multiple languages if you’re not creating content in English. It does require a subscription, so you’ll need to be prepared to sign up if you want to take advantage of its features. 4. ZeroGPT ZeroGPT was designed to detect AI-written content, specifically from platforms like ChatGPT. Copy and paste or upload a document to get your results. ZeroGPT will scan up to 15,000 characters for free. Should any of your content come back as an AI red flag, it’ll highlight problematic sentences so you can efficiently rewrite them. Should you want to use its premium features, a subscription is required. 5. QuillBot Once your text is uploaded, QuillBot will share the percentage of your content that’s AI-generated, AI-generated and AI-refined, human-written and AI-refined, and human-written. Any text that could be AI is highlighted to make it easy to see where you can improve. QuillBot also includes paraphrasing and grammar tools to quickly refine content before publishing. Non-Software Methods for Identifying AI Content As mentioned, these tools aren’t 100% reliable. Luckily, there are manual ways to spot potentially AI-generated text. Here’s what to look for when editing your content: Inconsistent Tone: Does the writing shift back and forth between being overly professional and casual? This change in tone can indicate AI wrote the text. Unusual Phrasing: Sometimes, AI creates odd sentence structures that can leave your content choppy. Generic Examples: If examples lack specifics, it could be a tell-tale sign of AI. Repetitive Patterns: AI can often repeat sentence structure, words, or ideas.  These methods, paired with an AI content detector tool, will deliver the best results so that Google and its readers don’t perceive your content as AI-generated. Why Human-Written Content Can Fail AI Detectors Ironically, human writers can fall into patterns that make their work appear AI-generated even when it’s not. And when you’ve spent hours bringing your content to life, there’s nothing more frustrating. This happens because you’ve likely fallen victim to some of the most common writing culprits. The first mistake is keyword stuffing. If you’re overloading text with targeted terms, you risk disrupting the natural flow of your work. It becomes choppy and disjointed because it’s written more for a search engine than your human reader. Using generic phrasing, such as vague or repetitive language, mirrors AI tendencies and can put your content at risk of being flagged. Even content that lacks depth can read like a hastily generated response from an AI tool. The takeaway? Good writing isn’t just about avoiding AI detection. It’s about meeting higher standards of originality and engagement to rank well in search results and appeal to your readers. 5 Best Practices for Avoiding AI Detection Issues Are you worried about your human-written content failing an AI-written content detector? You aren’t alone. Here are some best practices you can implement to avoid any issues moving forward. 1. Write for Humans First The internet is saturated, and the pressure to stand out online is greater than ever. Everyone wants their content to land at the top of Google’s search results. Unfortunately, many are taking the wrong route to get there. Writing solely for Google or relying entirely on AI-generated content isn’t going to deliver the results you want. Instead, the best thing you can do is write with your human reader in mind. Focus on storytelling … Read more

It’s Time to Update Your E-Commerce Content Marketing

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AI has come a long way since it first debuted. From being nothing more than a bag of bolts to running a vast majority of our everyday lives, it seems unlikely that it will be taking a backseat to the future of technology. With some feeling reminiscent of the turn of the century when the internet put messengers out of jobs, it is understandable that there is an ever-growing pressure to “join in on the future.”  Embracing AI is inevitable, but this article provides expert-backed insight on why you should update your e-commerce content marketing strategy with human-optimized listings.  The Importance of Keeping E-Commerce Listings Updated E-commerce content demands shift with algorithm changes, trends, and customer expectations. Staying on top of these changes might seem daunting, but those willing to go the distance may benefit from a positive impact on key performance metrics on e-commerce platforms. Below are a few reasons why you should ensure your content is regularly updated.  Changes in Algorithms Search algorithms are king for generating traffic for your e-commerce website. We might not know exactly what’s behind the complex analysis performed by these algorithms, but a great rule of thumb is to remember that algorithms prioritize content designed for humans.  The term “designed for humans” requires in-depth dissecting as it offers the most insight on how to tailor content to suit the various steps in your customer’s purchasing journey.  To ensure your content remains visible to your customers, you should ensure it reads well and adequately satisfies the search query that directed them to your platform in the first place.  Changes in Consumer Behaviors You might already know this, but companies are spending a fortune on data collection on their consumers. This is all in an attempt to understand and utilize consumer behaviors in e-commerce. Buyers’ needs and expectations change rapidly, often outpacing how fast businesses can adapt.  Regularly updating your listings with relevant, engaging, and high-quality content is the best way to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit from new market opportunities.  Competitive Advantage If you’re selling on an e-commerce platform, you’re no stranger to competition and know the importance of standing out from the crowd. Creating content that not only aligns with your brand values but also reflects your commitment to quality is just another step to ensuring you outshine your competitors and retain the lion’s share of traffic generated from a search query. The Limitations of AI in E-Commerce Content Creation: Where Human Content Shines  On a recent project for a client, we got to see just how important the “human touch” is when creating e-commerce content. Loctite is an industry leader in the construction industry, with its niche centering around adhesives such as world-leading specialty glues.  The company approached us to revamp their e-commerce listings and essentially “breathe new life” into them, as they were outdated, generic, and irrelevant to their consumers. Their content strategy involved drafting content from AI, which resulted in content that sounded and read okay but did not provide value to the customer.  Using this real-world scenario, below is an analysis of where the disparities between AI content creation and human content creation become clear.  Differentiating Similar Products As mentioned earlier, Loctite deals with a wide range of products that sometimes overlap in utility, chemical, and structural formulas or physical properties. Their line of super glues, for example, consists of gel super glues, liquid super glues, and specialty super glues.  In its first AI draft, the language model showed an obvious struggle in creating unique selling points to match the sometimes subtle differences between the super glues. However, from the human perspective, a writer can efficiently review the product, identify the unique selling point, and create content around how this product would directly benefit the customer.  Unique Selling Points: Maintaining Relevance Where AI could correctly identify unique selling points, it often struggled to highlight how they may be relevant to the customer, overlooked better selling points, or prioritized selling points that might not be of particular interest to the customer. An excellent example of this is AI doing a deep dive into how advanced Loctite’s formulas are in a manner that borders on a chemistry lecture.  Ideally, the human writer could point out how the advanced formula can benefit DIYers and professionals who prioritize an extra strong bond with added flexibility.  Keyword Optimization It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of keywords in e-commerce content marketing. Recently, AI language models have gained the capability of incorporating keywords throughout the length of the content. However, its efficiency at doing this can be likened to slapping a band-aid onto a gaping wound (it’s not exactly useless, but it wouldn’t go so far as to save your life). In e-commerce content marketing, keywords must be incorporated to sound natural to the customer.  This not only avoids a salesy tone but also lets algorithms know that your content is of high quality, allowing you to rank higher.  Brand Style and Unique Voice Loctite’s super glues are known as record holders in the Guinness Book of World Records. However, an AI’s ability to remember that Loctite’s super glues can lift cars is not as good as a human writer’s. Similarly, AI struggles to get the full picture when capturing your brand’s unique style and voice.  Additionally, if you have adopted unique writing styles or voice techniques for your brand, AI will fall short of embodying these in your content strategy for e-commerce.  Improving Customer Connection We are still a long way off from realizing Alex Proyas’ I, Robot dream of empathetic AIs. Current-day Sonny is incapable of understanding the customer journey, and its automated content doesn’t mirror the everyday frustrations your customers seek solutions to.  However, a human writer can envision themselves using your products (if they haven’t used them already), which poses the obvious advantage of creating content that connects with your customers.  The Art of Product Description Crafting product descriptions requires a multifaceted approach. From the infographics to the captions … Read more

The High Cost of Low-Quality Content: How Cutting Corners Can Damage Your Brand

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Content quality plays a direct role in how customers perceive your brand. Engaging, well-written content establishes authority and trustworthiness, showing customers that a brand values their time and business. On the other hand, poorly executed content loaded with errors, irrelevant details, or copied material sends a message of carelessness. Many companies believe they can save money by outsourcing to cheaper, less skilled writers. But what seems like a savvy business move can quickly turn into a revenue-draining mistake. A recent conversation with a potential client revealed a growing frustration: they fired their previous agency because they outsourced writing to low-cost, foreign writers. Their content ended up being plagiarized, poorly written, and riddled with basic language mistakes. Not only would this hurt a brand’s reputation to publish, but it would also cost time and money to rewrite it. Let’s explore the key reasons low-quality content is more expensive in the long run. The High Cost of Low-Quality Content: 6 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Cut Corners In today’s competitive online world, high-quality content isn’t just nice to have. It’s a necessity. Content is often the first touchpoint potential customers have with a brand, making first impressions everything. Unfortunately, many businesses learn the hard way that skimping on content quality to save a few bucks often backfires. Here’s how low-quality content can hurt your brand. 1. Brand Damage: Losing Customer Trust and Loyalty  When customers encounter sloppy content filled with typos, factual inaccuracies, or overly simplistic language, they’re less likely to trust that brand. It feels unprofessional and inconsistent, leading them to doubt the quality of the products or services offered. And once trust is broken, it’s difficult to restore. Quality can also decrease when brands focus more on pumping out tons of content to meet deadlines or self-imposed posting schedules. About 83% of marketers said they feel it’s better to focus on quality over quantity, even if it means posting less often. Example: Imagine visiting a website for a consulting firm and finding blog posts that read like they were written by a grade-school student. Instead of imparting expertise, this type of content can make a brand look amateurish. Low-quality writing can easily lead prospective customers to look elsewhere, costing the company potential sales and long-term loyalty. Solution: Professional writers and editors uphold a brand’s voice and credibility by producing accurate, engaging, and expertly written content. This creates a consistent brand image that customers can rely on. 2. Plagiarism Risks: Legal Issues and SEO Penalties Hiring cheap writers often means running the risk of plagiarized content. Not only is this a legal liability, but it also puts your business at risk of being penalized by search engines. Google is increasingly cracking down on websites that engage in content duplication, which can result in a lower ranking or even complete removal from search results. Example: A business unknowingly publishes plagiarized content supplied by a low-cost writer. The result? Not only does the website get penalized in search rankings, but it also faces potential lawsuits. The cost of cleaning up this mess far outweighs the savings from cheap content. Solution: Partnering with agencies prioritizing original, well-researched content eliminates these risks. Professional agencies use thorough editorial processes to ensure content is plagiarism-free, protecting a business’s reputation. 3. AI Overuse: Robotic Writing That Fails to Engage With AI technology advancing, many agencies are tempted to rely on AI-generated content, hoping it will save time and money. While AI can help with brainstorming or data analysis, it falls short in creating content with a human touch. Audiences today crave authenticity and unique perspectives that resonate on a personal level, which is something AI simply can’t provide. Example: A potential client receives AI-generated articles that come off as generic and robotic, missing the nuanced tone their brand requires. Instead of engaging readers, this content feels lifeless, leading to lower engagement rates and higher bounce rates. Solution: By working with an experienced content agency, you get real writers, editors, and strategists. Human insight and creativity are irreplaceable in crafting compelling, relatable content. 4. Time-Consuming Rewrites: Fixing Low-Quality Content Is Costly When a brand hires low-cost writers, the expectation is that the content will require minimal edits. However, this is rarely the case. Subpar content requires extensive editing or complete rewrites, consuming valuable time and resources. In the worst cases, businesses end up hiring new writers to redo everything from scratch, effectively paying for content twice. Example: A company saves money upfront by using cheap writers, but quickly discovers that most of the content is unusable. They spend additional time revising it in-house, only to realize they’re still falling short of their quality standards. Solution: Investing in quality content from the start prevents this costly back-and-forth. Partnering with a trusted content agency that provides high-quality writing from the beginning ensures your resources are used efficiently. 5. Client Retention: Low-Quality Content Costs Agencies Their Clients For marketing agencies, poor content has a far-reaching impact. It doesn’t just harm one client’s brand. It also damages the agency’s reputation and causes clients to look for other providers. If clients repeatedly receive lackluster results, they’ll quickly lose confidence in their agency and move their business elsewhere. Example: A marketing agency loses a major client due to constant complaints about poorly written content. The agency’s decision to cut costs by hiring low-quality writers has now resulted in lost revenue and a tarnished reputation. Solution: By collaborating with a professional content agency, marketing firms can offer their clients reliable, premium content. Consistent quality helps agencies retain clients and build stronger, long-lasting partnerships. 6. SEO Decline: Low-Quality Content Means Lower Rankings Search engines prioritize content that is original, insightful, and useful to readers. When a business fills its site with low-quality, keyword-stuffed content, it risks a drop in rankings. Search engines are quick to recognize mediocre material, and over time, this can significantly impact a brand’s online visibility. Considering 85.19% of all blog traffic comes from organic search, don’t you want to take advantage? You must … Read more

10 Benefits of Hiring a Content Manager to Support Your Outsourced Content Team

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The demand for consistent, high-quality content has never been greater. As businesses seek to grow their online presence and engage with customers through blogs, newsletters, and social media, many turn to outsourcing to meet these demands. Outsourcing offers flexibility and scalability, but it also brings challenges. This is especially so when managing large teams of writers, editors, and designers. That’s where a dedicated content manager becomes essential. A content manager can be the key to getting the most out of your outsourced content team by ensuring quality and efficiency. Let’s explore the top 10 benefits of hiring a content manager.  10 Benefits of Hiring a Content Manager to Support Your Outsourced Content Team In business, you don’t have to do it all alone. Your best bet is to build a skilled team that can lend their support as you build your brand. So, if you’re outsourcing content creation, you need a content manager to lead the way. Here are 10 reasons why you could benefit from hiring a content manager. 1. Ensure Consistency and Brand Alignment A major challenge when working with multiple freelancers or agencies is maintaining a consistent brand voice. Without someone managing the process, you may end up with content that feels disjointed or off-brand, which can confuse or alienate your audience. A content manager is responsible for ensuring that every piece of content aligns with your brand’s tone, style, and values. They create and enforce brand guidelines, ensuring consistency across all platforms, no matter how many different people contribute to the final product. By maintaining this cohesion, your audience experiences a unified brand presence that builds trust and reinforces your company’s identity. 2. Streamline Communication Between Teams  When working with an outsourced team, communication can easily become a bottleneck. Freelancers and agencies often work remotely, in different time zones, and on varying schedules. Without proper coordination, this can lead to delays, misunderstandings, or overlooked instructions. A content manager acts as the central hub for communication, ensuring that writers, editors, and designers all receive clear direction and feedback. This streamlined communication helps prevent mistakes, keeps the team aligned with your goals, and ensures deadlines are met without confusion. 3. Improve Workflow Efficiency and Organization  Content creation involves many moving parts, from initial brainstorming to writing, editing, revisions, and final approvals. Without proper oversight, this process can quickly become chaotic, especially when managing multiple freelancers or agencies. Alternatively, some teams don’t have enough people to lend a hand with many roles left unfilled. About 58% of B2B content creation teams struggle with a lack of resources. Not having the right people, the right tools, and an ample budget can create a lot of frustration. A content manager designs and implements an organized workflow that suits your business’s unique needs. By developing a customized content creation process, they ensure every task is completed on time, in the correct order, and with minimal issues. This efficiency leads to faster turnarounds and higher-quality content. 4. Provide Personalized Content Strategy One of the biggest advantages of having a content manager is the ability to develop a long-term, personalized content strategy. Rather than focusing solely on individual content pieces, content managers look at the big picture. They assess your target audience, business goals, and current market trends to create a content strategy that drives long-term results. This strategic approach ensures that your content isn’t just filler. Instead, it’s actively working to achieve your business goals. At Express Writers, we take this personalized approach seriously. Our dedicated content managers work closely with clients to build custom content strategies that address their specific needs and help them stand out in their industry. 5. Review Content and Quality Control   Quality is non-negotiable when it comes to content marketing. Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or email newsletters, every piece of content reflects your brand. With an outsourced team, you need someone who is dedicated to maintaining high-quality standards across the board. Content managers ensure every piece of content meets your standards for accuracy, grammar, tone, and style. They’ll also make sure your content is optimized for SEO so you can trust it’ll perform well in search results and reach the right audience. 6. Facilitate Scalability As your business grows, so does your content production. However, scaling content efforts can quickly become overwhelming without proper management. A content manager ensures that your team can grow without sacrificing quality or efficiency. They manage the influx of new content requests, ensuring that your team scales smoothly and continues to deliver top-notch content on time. 7. Save Time and Reduce Stress Managing content creation can be a full-time job. Business owners, marketing managers, and executives must often juggle content production alongside their core responsibilities, leading to burnout and reduced productivity in other areas. By hiring a content manager, you offload the day-to-day coordination of your content efforts. They handle everything from communicating with writers to managing deadlines, allowing you to focus on high-level strategy and business growth. 8. Facilitate Long-Term Content Success Content marketing is a long game and success doesn’t come overnight. A content manager looks beyond short-term goals, focusing on long-term success. They continuously monitor and analyze the performance of your content, adjusting as needed to improve results over time. This forward-thinking approach helps you stay ahead of trends, adjust to changes in your industry, and continually refine your content strategy to ensure long-term success. At Express Writers, our content managers are committed to building long-term partnerships with our clients. We adapt strategies over time to keep your content fresh, relevant, and effective. 9. Provide a Single Point of Contact When you work with an outsourced content team, you often have multiple freelancers or agencies involved in different aspects of the project. This includes writers, editors, designers, SEO experts, and more. Coordinating between all these individuals can be overwhelming. A content manager serves as your point of contact, streamlining communication and ensuring all team members stay aligned with your goals. This single point of accountability makes … Read more

Content Marketing in 2024: The Top Trends You Should Know

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As we step into 2024, the landscape of content marketing continues to evolve, presenting both challenges and opportunities for businesses looking to make their mark in the online space. In a world where attention spans are fleeting and consumer preferences are ever-changing, mastering the art of content creation and delivering quality is essential. In this article, we’ll explore the top trends for content marketing in 2024, highlighting the importance of short and long-form video content, the staying power of long-form blog content, and more. Staying Ahead: Why You Should Be Aware of the Trends In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, staying on top of trends is a must for crafting a successful strategy. Trends provide insights into evolving consumer behaviors, emerging technologies, etc. By embracing this information, businesses can then align their strategies with the needs of their audience to ensure relevance and resonance in their field. However, it’s not just about adapting to market changes. It’s also about seizing opportunities for growth so you can have a bigger impact within the online landscape. By staying ahead of the curve, you’re also decreasing your risk of getting lost in the crowd. You must be able to keep up with what’s happening in the world and adapt accordingly if you want your brand to stand the test of time. Content Marketing in 2024: The Top Trends You Should Know Here are the trends you’ll want to consider as you map out your content marketing strategy for the year ahead: 1. Quality Long-Form Blog Content: The Evergreen Anchor As a team of skilled, professional writers, it should come as no surprise that we are always going to encourage businesses to embrace long-form blog content. While the digital landscape shifts toward dynamic and immersive content formats, the importance of quality blog posts remains strong. In-depth articles not only establish expertise and credibility in your field but also significantly contribute to search engine optimization (SEO). If you want your business to be seen online, you must be consistently putting out quality content that has been optimized to rank high in search results. If you want to master content marketing in 2024, you need to make sure you invest in creating comprehensive, well-researched blog content that will not only attract organic traffic but also provide lasting value to your audience. Need help creating top-notch content for your company blog? Let us help! We offer different levels of content writing to suit your needs and budget. Visit our Content Shop to learn more. 2. The Dynamic Duo: Short and Long-Form Video Content Are you tired of seeing video content on every list of content marketing trends? Well, let that be proof that video isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So, if you have yet to jump on board, now is the time! Video content has been a cornerstone of digital marketing for years, but as we head into 2024, it’s becoming even more diverse. Short-form videos on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels are embracing brevity and creativity to captivate their viewers. These easily digestible videos are perfect for capturing attention in a world where time is a precious commodity. Simultaneously, long-form video content is enjoying a comeback. Platforms like YouTube are still seeing a demand for in-depth, informative videos. As a result, brands need to find a balance between short and sweet videos and longer formats. This will help cater to diverse audience preferences and ensure you’re reaching as many people as possible. 3. Podcasts: The Steady Growth in Popularity If you’re feeling a bit camera shy, you can always add a podcast to your content marketing in 2024. Podcasts have transcended the niche status they had once upon a time and have emerged as a mainstream content medium in the last few years. Alt Text: Graph showing the growth of podcast listeners in the United States from 2013 to 2023. As shown by the graph above, the amount of podcast listeners in the United States continues to grow year after year. And since podcasting shows no signs of slowing down, there’s never been a better time to get started if you and your audience are interested in audio content. Whether commuting or multitasking, podcasts offer a unique opportunity for brands to engage with their audience on a more personal level. This is your place to share industry insights, tell stories, and cultivate a more intimate connection with your listeners, fostering a true sense of community. It’s safe to say we can expect to see even more businesses leveraging podcasts as a tool to build brand loyalty and thought leadership. 4. Social-First Content: Meeting Your Audience Where They Are There’s no denying that we’re in an era that’s dominated by social media. That means having a social-first strategy is kind of a non-negotiable for businesses these days. But wait! What exactly does that mean? To put it simply, having a social-first strategy is all about creating content with social media in mind. You need to be strategic when considering and crafting your marketing companies to see success. Tailoring content specifically for each platform and understanding the nuances of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is crucial for maintaining a strong online presence. Otherwise, you risk getting lost in the crowd. And if you’re putting the time and effort into creating amazing content, you don’t want that to happen. You want to be recognized and you deserve it, too! This is why you want to figure out where your target audience is spending the most time online so you can meet them where they are. Put yourself on the platforms they’re using the most. Then, you can use that platform’s features to publish quality content that’s going to grab their attention. Before you know it, you’ll notice one of the key benefits of social media: increased brand exposure. Did you know we have social media experts who can create captivating, highly engaging content for your brand? It’s true! Our team can create social media posts for … Read more

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Mastering Your Email Marketing

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Content Writing Chat recap

When building a brand, nurturing your relationships with those in your target audience is crucial to your success. You need to be able to position yourself as an expert in your field, as well as become a trustworthy resource of information. And you need to ensure you’re doing this consistently by staying in touch with your audience regularly. But how can you do this effectively? Through email marketing! Email is a powerful way to connect with your audience and build relationships over time. Instead of fighting with tricky social media algorithms, you can reach people where it matters the most: their inbox. However, you might find it’s a bit tricky to truly master email marketing when you consider you need to build your list, create a welcome sequence, and develop a newsletter. Luckily, we’re here to help! That’s exactly what we talked about in this #ContentWritingChat. #ContentWritingChat Recap: Mastering Your Email Marketing Welcome to the November edition of #ContentWritingChat! 😊 Today, we're chatting all about email marketing so you can craft newsletters your audience will love. 💌 — Express Writers | Your Content Writing Partner (@ExpWriters) November 1, 2022 This month’s #ContentWritingChat was packed with valuable tips that will help you become a true email marketing master. Whether you’re just getting started or email has been part of your strategy for a while, you’re sure to find some great advice here. Q1: Why is email marketing important to a brand’s overall marketing strategy? What benefits does it provide? A1. Email marketing is generally recognized as one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. It allows brands to communicate on a more individualized and tailored basis to existing and prospective customers. #contentwritingchat — Andrew C. Belton, MBA (@AndrewCBelton) November 1, 2022 As Andrew said, email is one of the most effective forms of digital marketing today. It provides an easy way for brands to communicate with their audience while delivering content that’s tailored to their needs and interests. a1 📩 email marketing allows brands to build a closer connection with the community of subscribers. ✅people give us their email, which means they are interested in what we have to say. #contentwritingchat — 🍋 / joana rita sousa 🦄 💩💎 (@JoanaRSSousa) November 1, 2022 Joana feels email is fantastic for creating a strong connection between you and your community of subscribers. And that will go a long way when it comes to your brand’s success! A1: Email marketing is a great way to connect and build relationships with your audience. It's also an opportunity to stay in touch with them and keep your brand top of mind. #ContentWritingChat — Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) November 1, 2022 Another great element about email marketing is that it can keep your brand top of mind with your audience if you’re consistent when it comes to sending emails. A1: #Email is a warm lead vs #socialemdia. Someone has given you permission to contact them. That is huge because you've gotten their attention. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/dkAbJB5vGJ — Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) November 1, 2022 Email subscribers are often warmer leads than those who merely follow you on social media. That’s because your subscribers have taken that extra step to provide their name and email in order to receive a freebie and access your newsletter. Q2: The first step to email marketing is building your list. What’s your advice for getting more subscribers? A2: Make sure you offer some sort of freebie in exchange for their name and email when they opt in. It could be anything you think your audience would enjoy, whether that's a short ebook, free training, etc. #ContentWritingChat — Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) November 1, 2022 A freebie is going to be essential to getting people on your email list. Everyone wants to know what’s in it for them, so give them a reason to sign up. This could be a short ebook, free training, or anything else they might enjoy. A2. Optimize channels to build your audience. Create offers/discounts/specific content that is accessible with a Call-To-Action to sign up for an email list. Prominently feature the option to sign up for your email list on your website. #contentwritingchat — Andrew C. Belton, MBA (@AndrewCBelton) November 1, 2022 Once you’ve chosen your freebie, don’t forget to write a powerful call to action and make it easy for people to join your list. Q3: Once you’ve started building your list, you need to send captivating content to your list. How do you know what to write about? A3: I look at what content my subscribers are responsive too and increase this. You can also poll them through surveys. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/zUaIT7jcG9 — Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) November 1, 2022 As Carla said, you need to pay attention to what your subscribers are responding to. Give them more of what they’re interested in and they’ll want to stay on your email list. A3. As a main component of your content marketing strategy, you could share research studies, blog content, promotions, events, helpful tips, industry information and news should be included. Create emails that are providing value and inbound to your brand. #contentwritingchat — Andrew C. Belton, MBA (@AndrewCBelton) November 1, 2022 Andrew suggests sharing research studies, blog content, promotions, event details, helpful tips and tricks, industry information, and the latest news. Ultimately, it’s about providing value to your audience. A3: Consider your audience. What information do they want or need to know that is relevant to your brand? Relay statistics, promotional content, updates on industry innovations or advancements. #ContentWritingChat — Nicole Kowalke (@KowalkeNicole) November 1, 2022 Nicole recommended sharing interesting statistics, promotional content, and updates on the happenings within your industry. Q4: Inboxes get crowded! How do you write a subject line that grabs attention and gets people to open your emails? A4: First, keep subject lines short and sweet. You'll also want to communicate what's inside the email to give them a reason to open and read. #ContentWritingChat — Rachel | … Read more

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Establishing Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Field

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Content Writing Chat recap

By now, you’ve probably heard the phrase “thought leader” thrown around quite a bit. But what exactly is a thought leader? And how can you become one in your field? That’s what we talked about in this month’s #ContentWritingChat! So, if you’re ready to establish yourself as a well-known industry expert, keep reading for all the tips! #ContentWritingChat Recap: Establishing Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Field Welcome to #ContentWritingChat! We're so excited to have you all here! 🥳 Today, we'll be talking all about how to establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. — Express Writers | Your Content Writing Partner (@ExpWriters) October 4, 2022 Our community offered some valuable advice in this month’s chat. It’s everything you need to know if you want people to see you as a go-to resource. Q1: In your opinion what does “thought leadership” actually mean? A1. Thought leadership is new and unique information that provides insight into an industry, process, product or strategy. #contentwritingchat https://t.co/fVyeRei2T1 — Andrew C. Belton, MBA (@AndrewCBelton) October 4, 2022 To establish yourself as a thought leader, you want to consistently offer new and unique information for your community to consume. A1: Thought leadership is proactively sharing your high-impact, innovative and/or useful ideas to show others how they can get involved with your work/movement. #ContentWritingChat — Ross Romano 🚢 (@RossBRomano) October 4, 2022 A huge element of thought leadership is sharing your ideas and encouraging others to get involved at the same time, so don’t be afraid to speak up! Q2: Why would someone want to establish themselves as a thought leader in their field? What benefits does it provide? A2: Establishing yourself as a thought leader is also a great way to showcase your expertise and ultimately build trust with your audience. And of course, the Know, Like, and Trust Factor is essential for driving sales. #ContentWritingChat — Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) October 4, 2022 Building the Know, Like, and Trust Factor is crucial for creating success as a brand. When people view you as a thought leader in your industry, they have developed a trusting relationship with you and will be more inclined to support your business. A2. Becoming a thought leader in an industry is desirable because a level of credibility and respect in that sector. It can be helpful for being able to pursue new opportunities, make new contacts, discover helpful resources. #contentwritingchat https://t.co/6HP7gpXi4q — Andrew C. Belton, MBA (@AndrewCBelton) October 4, 2022 As a thought leader, you’ll have a certain level of credibility and respect in your field. This is great for getting your content shared widely, but it can also lead to tons of new opportunities for your brand. Q3: What are some of the top qualities you feel thought leaders typically possess? Q3: A desire to help others. Truly, to be a valuable thought leader, I believe you're motivated by the desire to share ideas/info that you believe will benefit those who hear them. #ContentWritingChat — Ross Romano 🚢 (@RossBRomano) October 4, 2022 Q3: Also confidence, willingness to be "wrong," willingness to rethink/adapt. Some things may be good ideas now but not stand up over time. If they're well considered, TLs will share them and be okay later to amend based on new evidence. #contentwritingchat — Ross Romano 🚢 (@RossBRomano) October 4, 2022 Thought leaders have a desire to help others through their content. They are also confident and willing to adapt over time. A3. Top qualities that leaders typically have are adaptability, flexibility, focus, accountability, willingness to teach and continuously learn. #contentwritingchat https://t.co/xQUbmuDjQ7 — Andrew C. Belton, MBA (@AndrewCBelton) October 4, 2022 Adaptability, flexibility, focus, and accountability are all characteristics you’ll want to have if you desire to be a thought leader. You also need to have a willingness to teach others, plus a desire to learn and grow. Q4: What are the first steps in building a thought leadership strategy? A4: Set goals based on your business and the needs of your audience. Research thought leaders in that space. Identify thought leaders in your company, prep them, and launch your perspective. #ContentWritingChat — Iron Horse (@ironhorseio) October 4, 2022 First, you need to set goals. What do you hope to achieve by becoming a thought leader? It’s also smart to research other thought leaders so you can learn from them. Q4:1. Identify your audience2. Identify their pain points3. Identify your expertise and your voice4. Find areas where 2 and 3 match up5. Consider what you want to say and why5. Build a plan/topic list. Then consider medium. Social, articles, podcast?#ContentWritingChat — Ross Romano 🚢 (@RossBRomano) October 4, 2022 Creating a thought leadership strategy starts with knowing who your audience is, what their pain points are, and what kind of expertise you have that will serve them. From there, you can begin creating content that appeals to their needs. A4: Start talking! IRL and go into spaces. Have conversations that help YOU figure out what you feel and what is important to you. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/TGUOLv3bN0 — DiKayo | dikayo.eth (@dikayodata) October 4, 2022 It’s important to have conversations with your community and other experts in your field. This is a powerful way to learn what others are looking for and what gaps currently exist in your industry that you can address. Q5: Creating high-quality content is an effective way to position yourself as a thought leader. Is there a certain content format that’s best for doing this? A5: The best content format for you is the one that plays to your strengths and appeals to your target audience. #ContentWritingChat — Rachel | Mindset Coach + NLP Practitioner (@rachmoffett) October 4, 2022 Always create content that showcases your strengths while also appealing to how your audience likes to consume content. You can also repurpose your content into multiple formats to reach a wider audience, as we all like to learn in different ways. A5: The types of content are flexible, according to audience … Read more

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