In the ever-changing world that is search engine marketing, you can probably find dozens and dozens of articles every day about the multiple different views and methods to getting any number of results for your website. Considering there is a new way to improve your online presence seemingly every day, what is your best bet for getting your message out there? How do you convince people to choose you over the millions of other sources out there? Your content marketing strategy can define whether your site is taking steps in the right direction, but should you strive to develop more and more content, or focus on the overall quality of your creations?
There is No One Way
In reality, the answer to that question in reality is a combination of both. If you are able to develop a lot of high-quality content on your site, the people will come in droves. It’s like Kevin Costner in the “Field of Dreams.” If you build it, they will come – but if you don’t build it, you may never get the chance to hang out with James Earl Jones. All right, that may not be the exact message we are looking for, but I think you get the idea. If you are going to create content, it should be the best that you can make, and if you have the time and resources available, you should develop as much as you can.
Your Strategy
Factors to take into consideration are your target audience, your chosen field, and your overall level of expertise. Coming up with a quality content strategy is key to developing your online presence. It is not always easy to come up with a multitude of mind-blowing ideas to develop content, but there are many sources out there that can provide you with a start, like this article from the Search Engine Journal.
What about My Article Length?
Is it better for your content to have deep, emotional thoughts, making a long, complex post that has your readers thinking? Or is it better to give short, to-the-point content that has a quick beginning, middle, and end so your readers can be on their way? The answer remains both.
When you are developing your content, you are looking to answer a question, especially in a time when search engines are beginning to give longer and longer search phrases prominence. The faster that your reader is able to answer their question, the more likely they want to stay and finish reading what you have to say. Some questions require longer answers; others can be answered in 50 words. There is no best length, only a best practice.
There is no one way to perfect your content strategy. In the world of online marketing, there is never one way to get the exact results that you are looking for. It’s like reading a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book. You don’t like the result you got from your first choice? Go back and choose a different path. Perhaps that one will get you to where you want to be.
