For SEO, Use Both On-Site and Off-Site Content

Effective content creation for both on-site and off-site platforms has never been more important to the performance of your SEO campaign. The right content delivered at the right time in the right way can make all the difference to your bottom line. But the question is: are you doing it right?

Well-crafted on-site content can help strengthen your brand’s message and highlight your industry expertise. But you’ll also need to produce creative off-site content to help your business secure the best online coverage. In other words, spreading your message across a range of off-site publications increases your online rankings while amplifying your brand.

How Online Ranking Works

When done correctly, effective on-site content can increase your website’s search rankings. If you’re looking to become the go-to brand/service for your prospective customers, it’s crucial that you appear at the top of the online results page. But it’s no longer enough just to publish on your own website.

Google, the leading search engine, recently updated its search quality rating guidelines. This act has had a profound impact on the way content is created and used. In its revised 166-page document, Google has stated that it’s now paying greater attention to what users are searching for and what information they end up reading.

The tech-giant wants to focus on enhancing the user experience across its platform. The changes it has introduced reinforced this statement and initiative, which has had a ripple effect for content creators and marketers around the world.

Blogs Support On-Site Content

Ultimately, blog content on your business website supports your visitors’ journey, while providing them with the most insightful information for making good decisions. Blogs also support your website visitors when making a purchase, as they see you as a more trustworthy figure. There are a few techniques you can use to make sure your on-site blog content performs exceptionally well, such as:

• Understand your audience. The first step to creating blog content is to understand who reads it — usually, this is your main demographic who already have an interest in your products or services. Although you’ve positioned yourself as an authoritative figure, you need to speak to your website visitors as if they’re on your level for both acquisition and retention purposes.
• Write with clarity. Avoid any industry jargon, as this can be an instant turn-off for your readers. Be transparent with your audience and provide the information they need in a concise way that still delivers the same level of information.
• Differentiate yourself. Use your blog content as a way to tell your audience that you’re better than your competitors. You can achieve this by showing off your unique selling proposition — whether it includes next-day delivery or a lengthy warranty on your products. If your article delivers useful information, your readers won’t mind you being slightly advertorial, as your products and services can be beneficial.
• Create links. Internal links are a must in your blog post, but only if they’re relevant. If you’re discussing a certain product or service that you offer, you should link to the relevant website page to give readers more information and to help improve the overall page authority of the blog post.
• End with a call to action. It’s essential that you close your blog post with a specific call to action. If a reader has made it all the way through your article, they’re already invested in your business and are more likely to perform that action.

Off-Site Content Serves a Different Purpose

Creating off-site content is completely different from publishing blog posts for your business website. In this case, you’re not trying to appeal to your customers, but to journalists and major publications that can drive authority (and traffic) to your website. Off-site content gives you the ability to increase your brand visibility.

It may require a full team of innovative and creative people to come up with outreach ideas to support an SEO campaign. You must carry out extensive research into what is relevant in the news. This can allow you to see what type of content journalists are looking for and what’s currently working well in terms of online coverage.

Off-Site Content Goals

For your off-site content, aim to create articles for publications that cover different niches. For example, an article that discusses how technology has improved health and safety in the workplace would appeal to technology, business and HR websites, all of which can improve your link-building strategy for your online marketing campaigns.