Debunking SEO Content Strategy Myths

Most experts today agree that having a solid SEO content strategy in place is one of the best ways for a website to achieve good rankings and online visibility. However, there are many common myths and misconceptions about SEO content that still persist. Here, we will shed light on some of the most common ones.

Some people believe that content strategies are just about coming up with new ideas for content. Others think it’s just a one-time task. This article will debunk the myths surrounding what content strategists do and share how important it is to have a plan in place for achieving short- and long-term goals.

1. Content Strategy is the Same as Content Marketing.

A lot of individuals think that content marketing and content strategies are one and the same. Content strategy is oftentimes interchangeable with terms like “content marketing”. However, there are some key distinctions between the two.

Content marketing aims to create and distribute relevant, valuable, and consistent content to attract and engage a target audience.

Through content creation, one can provide their audience with the information they need to solve a problem or answer a question. This will help SEOs and marketers build an effective content marketing strategy.

On the other hand, an effective content strategy ensures the creation of the right kind of content for the right audience and in the right format.

Although these two fields have some common aims and tactics, they differ in several ways. Content marketing is important, but it’s just one part of a successful content strategy.

Simply put, content strategy is a plan, while content marketing is one tactic that can be used as part of that plan.

2. Content Strategy is Simply about Getting the Right Keywords and Topics.

This is a big misconception. Some site owners believe that a content strategy is simply a list of keywords and topics, so they insist that they don’t need the assistance of a service provider. As a result, they lose out on an important opportunity.

The truth is, coming up with a list of topics and keywords is just one small part of creating a successful content strategy.

Depending on the marketing goals and preferred channel, a content strategy should have:

• SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) goals
• Specific marketing goals to achieve business objectives
• An overall picture of the marketing strategy
• A clear target market
• Various content for each platform
• List of keywords for every content for SEO and each customer level in the marketing funnel, if any
• Guides for content designers and creators
• Content marketing process for content distribution
• KPIs for evaluating the performance of content

3. Content Strategy Only Works for Blogs

Yet another big misconception about content strategy is that it’s “only useful for blogs”.

Creating a content calendar may work well for clients and businesses, but it’s not the same as having a content strategy in place.

When integrating blog content marketing efforts with the rest of the content strategy, it’s crucial to understand that content strategy is for blogs and other kinds of written material that can be distributed for marketing purposes.

This means that a content plan must include what needs to be produced, when it will be published and how it will be promoted. But it also means thinking about the audience and what type of content they would find most useful or engaging.

4. Content Strategy is Only Good for SEO

Often, SEOs are the ones who consider content strategies. Why? Because without a keyword list, no content strategy is viable.

There are at least some audiences looking for specific content on search engines, whether branded or otherwise. It’s easy to get stuck thinking that content strategies only benefit SEO, but in truth, it can actually prove advantageous for every marketing platform.

5. Content Strategy is the Same as Social Media Content Strategy

This is wrong. The two are not interchangeable.

Unfortunately, there are still some marketers and company owners who believe this, especially in the e-commerce sector, since they largely rely on social media for their business.

When it comes to content strategy, it’s a comprehensive plan that involves researching, planning, developing, auditing, implementing, managing, distributing content, and assessing its effectiveness in order to achieve corporate and marketing objectives.

The social media content strategy is a specialised aspect of the overall content plan. It’s essential to develop a social media content strategy to meet the business’ objectives for social media after identifying what needs to be advertised on social networking, as well as the whys and the hows.

6. Content Strategy Focuses on Creation

Content strategy is not the same as content marketing, and it’s most certainly not just about creating content.

The creation of content is a component of the overall content strategy. However, if the entire content strategy is focused on production, opportunities to get a return on investment in terms of content will not be maximised.

7. Businesses Don’t Need a Content Strategy.

Creating conversion-focused SEO content is an important part of any inbound marketing strategy, but it’s worthless if there’s no distribution process in place.

There are some niche e-commerce businesses that wrongly think investing in content strategy is a waste of money. It’s not. But money is only wasted when content is created without a plan or strategy.

On the contrary, having a content strategy gives direction to the when, why, and how to meet goals.

With each niche explored, the more important it becomes to have a content strategy in place. This involves doing research on what will bring the target audience into the customer journey and convert them into buyers.

8. Content Strategy is a One-Time Event.

A content strategy is required for every successful website. This is especially true for websites aiming to rank high in search engines or drive leads and sales via any marketing channel.

Without planning what sort of content to create and how to market it, no site can expect to attract visitors and meet its objectives.

Unfortunately, far too many organisations consider content planning as a one-time activity. They come up with a strategy, put it into action, and then move on to the next stage of their operation. This is not just a misconception but a common mistake when it comes to content planning.

9. Content Strategy is Short-Term.

While it’s true that a content strategy must take short-term considerations into account, it’s also important to think about the long term. An SEO content strategy should be designed to reach long-term business milestones.

An effective content strategy must take into account the whole customer journey, from first contact to post-purchase follow-up. By understanding what the audience needs, businesses can give them content that is both engaging and easy to grasp.

It is not easy to create high-quality work, but it’s worth the effort.

By looking at content this way, one can create a more holistic and practical approach that will benefit the organisation in the short and long term.

10. Letting SEOs Take Care of the Content Strategy

SEOs are essential because they know how search engines function and what people are searching for.

They are well-versed in both activities and can do so simultaneously. However, SEOs have a lot more to investigate than just links, such as:

• Increasing competition
• The Website’s Technical Issues
• Rewriting Title Tags for Google
• Observing Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T)
• Ensuring Website Stability from Google’s Algorithms Changing Regularly
• Transitioning from Universal Analytics to GA4
• Google Indexing Problems
• And more

Developing an SEO content strategy can be a daunting task. It can seem like there’s a long list of things to consider, from business goals to marketing messages. However, when this is broken down into smaller chunks, it becomes a little more manageable.

11. Content Strategists Only Take Care of Content Calendars

This is a big misconception that business owners have about content strategists. Their responsibilities extend far beyond simply setting dates on a calendar and ensuring things are published on time.

A content strategist is a digital marketer who works with a company’s employees, clients, and other stakeholders to create a strategy for their content that aligns with the organisation’s overall business goals and develops methods for achieving them. They consider the audience they’re aiming to connect with and come up with formats and themes that will resonate.

They ensure that all their content is in line with the company’s overall marketing plan, allowing them to drive leads, traffic, and sales.

This involves auditing the existing content, generating or obtaining content, ensuring it meets expectations, optimising it for search engines and social media, monitoring how well it performs, and taking notes for the next planning session.

12. It’s Best to Have In-House Content Strategists

It’s not always necessary to have an in-house content strategy team. But whether hiring in-house or outsourcing content strategists, there are several questions to consider.

• What kind of company are you?
• Is your organisation dealing with huge marketing objectives and budgets?
• Do you want to have the whole marketing team in-house?
• What is the size of your in-house marketing staff?
• Are you confident that you can locate the appropriate people?
• Do you have the time to experiment with a content strategist?

Optimise Your Brand with Superior Content Strategies

Having a content strategy is essential for any business, big or small. By creating and publishing high-quality content on a regular basis, you can improve your brand’s online visibility and credibility while also attracting more visitors to your website.

We at position1seo.co.uk are experts in creating and executing successful content marketing strategies. We can help you develop engaging and informative content that will resonate with your target audience, boost your website’s ranking on search engines, and help you achieve your business goals.

If you’re looking to take your brand to the next level using Google’s SEO content tips, contact Position1SEO today for a free consultation by calling 0141 404 7515 or emailing jason@position1seo.com.