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For many years now, SEO and content marketing have been inextricably linked together. Creating content for websites is often cited as a top content marketing initiative. Yet getting search engine rankings as a result of these efforts is cited less often. Why is that?<\/p>\n
For B2Bs that want to both create website content and<\/em> get measurable results like search engine rankings and organic traffic, this article is for you. In this article:<\/p>\n I am going to start with some interesting facts before giving you my thoughts. Content Marketing Institute\u2019s 11th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends<\/a> report reveals a lot regarding content marketing and SEO opportunities.<\/p>\n In looking at the data in the report, we see that online content falls into the top activities of a content marketing program. Creating articles was the No. 1 type of content tactic. And posting it on a B2B company\u2019s blog or website was among the top three channels.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yet the majority of respondents reported their content marketing strategy was only \u201cmoderately successful.\u201d<\/p>\n Sixty percent said the creation<\/em> of new web content contributed to their success. However only 37% reported search engine rankings as a marker of their results. I\u2019ll touch on this problem more later in the article.<\/p>\n In the chart below, you see that 78% percent used keyword research as an editorial tool while creating content. This is a promising data point. Why, then, aren\u2019t search engine rankings either more attainable or more important as a result of their content creation efforts? Could it be missed opportunities for optimization?<\/p>\n In some good news, guest posting articles dropped 10 percent since the last CMI survey. From the data alone, it\u2019s impossible to know why, but could it be that companies are starting to catch on that guest posting is bad for business<\/a>?<\/p>\n It\u2019s obvious to me that many B2B companies want to succeed with their content marketing strategies, but I think that their KPIs are off. Creating content is not a KPI. How that content performs is.<\/p>\n Of course, many may say that creating brand awareness and creating value are goals. And that is fine if you can measure them. But if your main activities are creating content for your website, one goal should be rankings \u2014 and the traffic, engagement, and sharing that come with rankings. Content unread is not a goal.<\/p>\n Here are several questions that B2Bs can ask to ensure their content marketing goals are supported by measurable results.<\/p>\n What I\u2019m about to say may sound like a broken record for some. You need to focus on the quality<\/em> of your content, not the quantity. Simply creating content for a website as a goal ignores what\u2019s most important: the contents of what you produce.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines<\/a> detail how expertise and authority play into quality. Our article on the Complete Guide to the Fundamentals of Google\u2019s E-E-A-T<\/a> explains how to achieve it with your content.<\/p>\n Bottom line: Your content needs to be written at an expert level for the topic and be authoritative on the subject matter.<\/p>\n Keyword research is essential, and it\u2019s nice to have target search terms when you are creating content. However, how you analyze those keywords and optimize the content with them can make or break how the content performs in the search results.<\/p>\n For example, say your SEO person has done the keyword research. They hand this off to the content creator with instructions to include the key terms in the content. If that is the complete strategy, is it any wonder that the content doesn\u2019t perform?<\/p>\n You must go deeper. You must be able to take those keywords and find out who the competition is in the search results for that query. You need to understand what they are writing about around that key term and how. Then you need to meet or beat them to have a better chance to rank.<\/p>\n Our WordPress SEO plugin<\/a> can help B2Bs here. It gives you real-time data by analyzing the top-ranked pages in the search results with targets for things like metadata, readability score, and word count. For more on this, read: Want Customized SEO Advice Per Keyword? There\u2019s a Plugin for That!<\/a><\/p>\n Why guess when you can get all the data you need to really compete?<\/p>\n Optimizing a page with keywords is one of the most common tasks that a content creator does when creating content for a website. But the question often remains: Are they doing it well enough?<\/p>\n While keyword optimization happens naturally while writing about a topic, there\u2019s always more you can do to help the content perform better.<\/p>\n I\u2019m going to recommend our WordPress SEO plugin here again. It can show content creators how many times to use the key term based on real-time analysis of the top-ranked pages. Plus, it has a nice visual that shows you\u2019ve used the term throughout the content from top to bottom (which may impact the relevance of the content to a search).<\/p>\n For more, check out: How a WordPress SEO Plugin Can Help you Optimize Your Content with Keywords<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been over a decade since we started using the term \u201ccontent marketing.\u201d And yet, it still feels like B2Bs are challenged when it comes to how to get the most from it.<\/p>\n Search engine optimization is a supportive strategy for any content marketing program. It can boost results on your most important digital business asset: your website.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for help with your content marketing strategy or SEO, let\u2019s talk. Fill out our quote request form<\/a> today.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Effective content alignment starts with setting clear and concise goals. B2Bs should define brand awareness, lead generation, or thought leadership objectives. These goals serve as a compass, guiding content creation towards specific outcomes.<\/p>\n Quality over quantity remains the cardinal rule in B2B content marketing. Crafting content that resonates with the target audience requires in-depth understanding. Conduct thorough research to identify pain points, industry trends, and pressing questions. Tailoring content to address these aspects enhances engagement and contributes to measurable results.<\/p>\n Leveraging the right distribution channels amplifies the impact of B2B content. Whether through industry-specific publications or social media platforms, reaching the intended audience is crucial. Moreover, a consistent posting schedule maintains relevance and keeps the audience engaged over time.<\/p>\n However, true alignment with measurable results comes from harnessing the power of data and analytics. B2Bs should integrate robust analytics tools to track key performance indicators (KPIs). This offers insights into what works and what needs refinement. Analyzing metrics such as conversion rates, click-through rates, and engagement levels provides a clear picture of the content’s effectiveness.<\/p>\n B2B content marketing success lies in aligning goals with measurable results. By defining precise objectives, creating tailored content, utilizing effective distribution channels, and leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can drive engagement, nurture leads, and ultimately achieve their content marketing goals.<\/p>\n Step-by-Step Procedure: Aligning B2B Content Marketing Goals with Measurable Results<\/strong><\/p>\n By following these steps, B2Bs can systematically align their content marketing goals with measurable results, driving success in the competitive B2B landscape.<\/p>\n This article was updated on December 21, 2023. \u00a0 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Find out how B2Bs can get more from their content marketing programs with search engine optimization (SEO).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":91745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1765,1628,1767,1232,1766],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/a>How B2Bs Are Doing Content Marketing<\/h2>\n
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Blog posts\/short articles listed as the top content type<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"Organic](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/content-marketing-distribution-b2b-e1616460047614.png\")
An organization’s website and blog listed as the No. 3 most used channel<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/content-marketing-b2b-ratings-e1616460156871.png\")
How B2Bs rate their content marketing success<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"Factors](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/content-marketing-b2b-factors-e1616460275754.png\")
Factors B2B marketers attribute to success<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n![\"Editorial](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/content-marketing-editorial-tools-e1616460339452.png\")
Keyword research favorited by B2B content marketers<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Guest posting losing popularity for B2B<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>How B2Bs Can Make Their Content Marketing Perform Better with SEO<\/h2>\n
Does Your Content Prove Expertise and Authority?<\/h3>\n
Are You Using the Right Tools When You Create Content?<\/h3>\n
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Bruce Clay SEO WP plugin summary tab<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nAre You Optimizing the Content Thoroughly?<\/h3>\n
![\"Keyword](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/keyword-distribution-visualization-BCI-SEO-plugin.png\")
Keyword distribution visualized in Bruce Clay SEO plugin<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/a>FAQ: How can B2Bs align their content marketing goals with measurable results?<\/h3>\n
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