Sure, you have a store of great educational, how-to and sales-moving content, but is this great content getting the attention it deserves? Great content without search engine optimization (SEO) is like peanut butter and jelly without the bread – it has nothing to stick to.

We’ve debunked some of the most common pitfalls to maximizing SEO to raise the visibility of your content:

1) First-Page Search Results Really Matter – So Use Your Keywords

Every company understands the importance of SEO and the benefits of being on the first page of Google search results. A recent study by Zero Limit Web observed that on the first page alone, the first five organic results account for 67.60% of all the clicks. That’s two-thirds of all clicks and a goal every company should strive to achieve. But being among the first five organic search results takes a bit of work. And it starts with knowing what keywords your customers search for and if you can compete for the first five results. Knowing your domain authority (DA) and the competitor’s DA on that first page is the initial step to understanding how to gain first page status for important keywords.

2) Backlinks, Backlinks, Backlinks. Did we mention backlinks?

Some clients question our strategy to include relevant, high-quality backlinks, including news coverage or analyst sources, because it may briefly divert traffic from their sites. However, a study by Ahrefs reviewed two million websites and revealed that 91% of all pages never receive any organic traffic from Google, mainly because they don’t have backlinks. And Ahrefs further concluded that more than 55% of pages do not include a single backlink, which decreases the rankings of the website content and deems it less credible. Finally, in a study of 920 million web pages, Ahrefs noted the more backlinks a page has, the more traffic it receives from Google. So, make sure your content is linking back to credible sources whenever possible and aim to include three to four credible backlinks that enhance your content.

3) Long-Form Content Trumps All

Worried your content is too wordy and no one will read it? Well, think again. According to serpIQ, the average content length of the top position Google article contains nearly 2,500 words. While good content should be long enough to answer your customers’ basic questions, Google gives an SEO ranking edge to content that is more than 2,000 words. Long-form content doesn’t need to be boring, and as long as you’re including relevant backlinks and insightful content, it can be impactful. Some great long-form content options include: eBooks, how-tos, application notes and white papers. While you want your content to be searchable, the best method for earning those organic clicks is to write for your audience, not Google algorithms.

4) Video Increases Time on a Page

According to the Cisco Annual Internet Report (2018 – 2023), it’s predicted that 80% of web traffic will be video. And next to Google, YouTube is essentially the second largest search engine and ranks very high in domain authority. When customers are searching, video often populates the first three results on the first page of search, so more customers are likely to click on a video. Videos are a good option to get customers to stay on your page longer and they will improve your domain authority, so you can rank higher in searches. Tips to consider when optimizing video for search include:

• Inserting a video transcript
• Making sure the thumbnail image is interesting
• Creating an engaging and accurate title and meta description
• Ensuring your video is on a relevant page and is optimized for SEO

5) Not All Keyword Searches are Created Equally

We’ve all heard the benefits of including long-tail keyword searches, as many searches are based on longer questions and simply include more words. While generic searches for products are typically one to two words, long-tail terms comprise four or more words. And more marketers are tailoring content for long-tail keyword searches because they have fewer ads and competition may be lower for those all-important first five listings on Google. While identifying long-tail keywords may seem like a daunting task, companies should start by engaging their own sales teams. Developing long-tail keywords is as simple as noting the top five questions your customers are asking in various stages of the sales funnel.

If you’re wondering where to start like many marketers new to optimizing content for SEO, Rainier can help! Our seasoned team is filled with excellent writers that understand technical audiences and can ensure your content is maximized for SEO. For us, it’s as easy as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.