Why Original Content is Important for SEO
Blog posts, Tik Toks, Instagram images, Youtube videos, infographics, OH MY! As marketers, we know you are inundated with requests for content of all types. And for the customer you’re trying to attract, there are tons of content pieces to choose from. It’s a rat race for brands to develop original content, but a successful content creation routine can result in leads and lasting customer relationships.
The most important quality of the content your brand posts on its social media channels and website is originality. Read on for why it’s so important to produce original content for SEO, and how you can incorporate it into your overall digital marketing strategy.
What Makes Online Content ‘Original’?
Unless the information you’re delivering in your content is completely new, it isn’t going to be original by definition. But fear not, because original content does not necessarily need to be new content. When your brand can provide a specific take or opinion on a certain topic, that viewpoint warrants originality. Even if you take information that is widely available and present it in a unique, digestible, or visual way, you will provide an original angle to existing content.
If you want to show that your brand or organization is an expert on a particular topic, create content that takes a specific viewpoint and cites credible sources. Expertise is just one of the many SEO factors that Google uses to rank your web pages in the search results. Your unique take on a subject can increase your website’s expertise score, which is an SEO benefit from original content.
Other qualities Google looks for in a piece of content include the authoritativeness and trustworthiness of a piece, so make sure your “original take” is relevant to what your brand stands for.
Who Are You Talking to with Content?
Remember, the content you create is meant to enhance your prospective customer’s brand recognition and the overall impression of your website. It’s crucial that you understand who you are talking to and what action you want them to take after consuming the original content you disperse.
Identifying both of these fills a formula that will help you develop original and relevant content. Actions a user may take can include signing up for a newsletter, following your social media accounts, donating money, or making a purchase. Always keep this goal in mind while producing content!
You should also ask yourself how a person may have landed on this specific blog post or page…they must have searched for something specific. This is where keyword research comes into play (along with every other type of SEO strategy). Understanding keywords people are actually searching for will provide direction for the original content you create.
Keywords commonly include clues into the needs a user may have that you could meet, such as their intent – information gathering, ready to buy, etc. – and where they are in the conversion funnel. You can also identify the type of language they use to describe what they’re searching for and their questions about a certain topic.
There are many tools marketers can use for keyword research – we recommend Semrush, being a certified agency. Effectively including keywords in your content pieces will attract more traffic to your site and lead to higher Google search rankings.
Tips to Increase the Originality of Your Content
- Research your subject
After your initial keyword research, we recommend a quick Google scan of what is already being discussed on your subject, for more long-tail keyword options. Use this search volume research as an opportunity to form a different take than what other brands are already talking about while incorporating some of the same keywords.
- Prioritize content over clicks
Listicles are the new articles, just look at what you’re reading right now! But if the content is too clickbaity, Google won’t grant it with much authority. This is where an original take on a well-discussed topic can set your content apart from the competition, as long as you maintain trustworthiness within the piece.
- Analyze your competitors
Take a look at what brands similar to your own are doing and then design how you want to do things differently. This is more than copying an idea (while making it a little better). Effective competitor analysis requires building a strategy that would generate content that is distinctive enough that the originality sets it apart.
When it comes to creating original content, stay true to the values and mission of your brand or organization. What sets you apart from your competitors, in general, can also be exactly what you need to use to distinguish your content too! For more information on content marketing and when you should decide to hire an agency partner, read our article here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I write SEO content for any type of business?
Startups, established brands, nonprofits, and businesses in all other industries will benefit from SEO content. SEO content can increase a brand’s awareness regardless of industry.
What are the different content types?
Content can include social media posts, videos, infographics, SEO keywords, blogs, and customer testimonials.