As Mentioned in Installment One of Our SEO Series, Content is King
Content marketing has come a long way. From the anecdotal days of Readers Digest subscriptions to today’s downloadable Kindle, content can no longer rely on just one source for distribution. Gone are the days of getting a great recipe on the back of a hamburger packet. That same recipe must now appear on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and as an instructional YouTube video. Hence the term, cross-channel marketing.
Cross Channel Marketing is NOT Enough
Be warned that you should not push your content – until you make it link-worthy. For content to be deemed link-worthy it must be, (1) informational, (2) inspirational, (3) educational, and (4) entertaining. Not necessarily in that order. Please understand that your link-worthy content will not guarantee links. Killer content is the solution.
Killer content is link-worthy content that will capture links and garner attention through cross-channel marketing. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “It always seems impossible. Until it is done.” Therefore, I am going to break this down step by step to transition from the impossible – to getting it done. The first step is always the hardest. Creating content.
Developing knee-jerking, audience-captivating content is not a simple feat.
However, it is not nearly as difficult as one may seem. For starters, run a Google search on the topic you wish to write to and repurpose trending content. Make it relevant to your own brand. Rewrite the content, according to your own interpretation of the information you gathered through reading the article.
Secondly, run a Google search of influencers on the topic you wish to write to. Use some of their own quotes from these thought leaders to generate buzz with their name. (Back-Link Strategy: those authors can link back to your article where you have quoted them and inserted a hyperlink to their original post.)
Finally, partner with a brand that is similar to your own. By co-authoring via your partnership, you are able to expose your brand to your co-author’s community and vice versa. Besides, two minds don’t just think better than one – two minds think better AS one.
Content Link Building
By using industry influencer material, you have already opened the door for a back-link opportunity. Podcasts, featuring industry leaders is another win-win for back-link opportunities. Your guest speaker will undoubtedly link to your podcast as a resource. Speaking of resources, add resource pages in your website sidebar, and link them to shareworthy content. Finally, content with long life-cycles such as guides, ebooks, DIY posts, or checklists – to name a few – make for great links.
Release the Hounds!
Killer Content that is. Now that you have masterminded some well-structured, well-written, and useful content and linked it to viable sources, it is ready to be distributed across your digital assets. Don’t have the time? SproutSocial’s management software can do the dirty work for you.
Benefits of Killer Content for Link Building Strategies
- It attracts more links in the short and long term.
- Positive relationships emerge both within and outside of your network.
- You will be positioned as a thought leader.