When working to implement SEO techniques into a website and creating content that is optimized for search engines, it is easy to forget that SEO is not the goal of writing content. It is easy to get swept up in all the changes that Google makes to their algorithm or worry about whether a website uses enough on-page SEO to drive conversions. However, while SEO is an important factor in helping drive targeted traffic to a site, it is not the main concern.
User Intent
Whether you write your own content or hire a blog writing service, you should always focus your content on what really matters–user intent. You can have the best SEO strategy and on-page SEO in the universe, but if your content does not help your prospects or give them the information they need, SEO will not help.
Focusing on People
People are what make a company thrive. And we need to always keep our customers and prospects in mind when we are creating, managing and writing content. In an excellent article in Search Engine Land, Nate Dame points out that search engine technology often goes beyond keywords to return results based on intent. He uses an example of the keyword “bed bugs” to show that people who search for bed bugs are actually searching for information on how to eradicate them. While not every topic is as clear-cut as bed bugs, the concept that the search engine is adding user intent to the equation is key.
Discovering User Intent
There are several ways to discover the intent behind searches for information in your industry. You can do keyword research with an eye on user intent. However, you may find that for your company, there are more immediate methods of divining intent. Talking to your sales and customer service teams will divulge a list of questions that customers ask repeatedly. Offering answers to these questions on your website will help you find customers who are interested in your product or service.
Increase Conversions
Once you have a firm grip on the user intent for your company, you will be better able to craft content and landing pages, understand your demographic and drive conversions. Hubspot’s post, “Why Your Keyword Strategy Is Incomplete Without User Intent,” discusses in detail how the knowledge of user intent improves SEO and content strategies.
If you move your content creation from focusing on SEO to focusing on user intent, you will find that optimizing for user experience is less reliant on the whims of Google, and instead relies on fulfilling your customers’ needs, the primary goal for any company.
Paula A spends too much time online, drinks too many cups of coffee and enjoys her vices thoroughly. You can find her in front of a computer or on her smartphone with a cup of coffee nearby almost any day of the week.
