The year 2013 certainly marked some historical changes in content marketing. Thanks to all of the notorious algorithm changes, Google has made web content marketers wake up and smell the rankings. It’s no longer about who has the best keyword usage or who knows how to trick the search engines — it’s all about who can offer the most unique information to readers. At Express Writers, we think 2014 will be the year of the Informer. So basically if you’re not informing, you won’t be ranking. 2013: The Game Changer Google’s Hummingbird release really hit hard for most websites. If Google Panda and Penguin didn’t make it clear enough, Hummingbird has made it obvious that Google wants readers informed and not filled with useless Internet dribble. We all know it’s always been about content, but now it’s time to take that content seriously. We know more changes are coming and if you’re not a step ahead, you’re going to take a hit to your precious ranking. That is why we’ve devised a few content forecasts we see coming for 2014 and we’re going to share them with you. Content Will Be About Quality — Not Quantity Google values quality above all else and Hummingbird sealed the deal for content marketers. In 2014, we see Google putting their statements into action and taking websites with quality, not quantity. Hummingbird uses a more in-depth search approach that looks for answers to Internet user’s questions. It won’t matter so much about the keywords you use in your content; instead, Google wants to deliver an accurate, relevant answer to its user. It’s no longer about producing mass amounts of content just to rank. It’s all about the quality of that content. Google isn’t going to look to see if you post daily, they’re going to look to see what you’re posting and if it’s worth the time. The quality theory also applies to keyword usage. Google doesn’t want to see you use your keywords in a specific percentage. The day of meeting three to five percent will be gone in 2014 — or so we think. Sure, keep your keywords and targeted phrases in mind as you produce your website’s content, but don’t go crazy trying to fit them in. Your content should flow naturally and your keywords too. The SEO will handle itself, so you should just focus on quality first. Guest blogging was the “it” thing to do in 2013, but we see that taking a drastic decline in 2014. Matt Cutts already stated in his latest video that guest blogging should be “used in moderation.” Google is all about a site’s reputation, and guest blogging shouldn’t be your primary way to boost your reputation. Sure, use guest blogs here and there, but don’t make them the core of your content strategy for 2014. Lastly, in the quality category is relevance. If you were one of those website owners that used high-ranking keywords and backed it with irrelevant content, it’s time to change your ways. The future of content is all about relevancy. The new search engine algorithms know how to analyze a site for relevancy. So pop out the irrelevant keywords and start focusing on how your content can deliver useful, targeted information to Internet users. Authority Will Take Priority In 2013, it was made clear Google wants authority, but we see that statement really taking hold in 2014. Google and Internet users want stuff written by people who really know what they’re talking about. They don’t want someone guessing or filling their heads with factually incorrect garbage. To help boost credibility of the world’s countless number of Internet authors, Google is putting more emphasis on Google Authorship — as should you. You’ll want to link back high-quality articles to your Google+ page as much as possible, according to Copypress.com. Building a solid reputation for quality will increase traffic to your site and help you establish your virtual cred. Most of the competition out there is already working on building up their reputation. So instead of waiting for January 1st to roll around, start working on quality articles you can link to your Google+ page. Personality Will Matter Let’s face it; if you wanted a lecture you’d go back to school. Right? We predict more personality and branding in content for 2014 and for good reason: it is what people want to read! The average Internet reader is easily bored. Can you blame them? After spending hours sifting through Internet trash to find something interesting – that’s what they really want – something interesting. You need to leverage your own personal style and write some unique content that really showcases what makes your brand different from the rest. Now we aren’t saying use street lingo — unless you’re selling street clothes and that would be killer — but you need to speak to your target audience. Add the personality and conversational tone that your target customer would expect from your brand. There’s no need to take it too far. After all, you’re an industry expert so you know the people you’re speaking to and how they want to be spoken to. Think of it as if you were talking to that customer in person. How would you approach them? Discuss your products? If you were teaching them something, how would you talk? No matter what, avoid the snooze fest. It’s okay to add a little personality here and there, even on a very serious topic. Don’t force it, just be yourself, and be natural. The more natural and conversational your content is, the more likely it is to be shared on social media — which brings us to our next prediction for 2014… Your Social Status Could Come Into Play Social media is highly influential. Think about it. When you think of today’s top trends, where do you see those trends most? On social media, of course. Google has already stated that social status … Read more
