I just published my second guest post for the Constant Contact blog, and I have to say, I’m loving writing this series on Content Curation versus Content Creation.

We create content because it gets us seen. Good quality content gets your website or blog to the first page of Google–or at least that is the hope.

While I don’t entirely agree with the concept that SEO optimization is dying, I will be quite happy if the concept of trying to game Google into higher-rated search results was. I suppose that will never happen—as long as there is the front page of Google, folks will be trying to claw their way onto it—legitimately or not.

But gone are the days of just being able to buy some back links and end up on Google’s first page. Ideally, it’s quality content that gets you there; content that is shared, and builds layers of trust between you and your readers.

Today’s infographic is all about the new rules for content marketing.

Want to rise to the first page of Google? Check out these tips. 

Don’t be a robot: all marketing, no matter whether it’s B2C or B2B, is H2H; Human to Human. We long for a human connection. If your content includes some personality, it goes a long way towards convincing the reader that your copy is written by a real person, not a machine. You’ll often see me using colloquialisms in my posts, or making references to pop culture. These things show my personality, and that I am, indeed, a real, live human being. Do this consistently to create trust.

Make it visual: Draw the eye in with images or video. When you have a piece of content you want to write, try to think if there’s something about that content that you can translate into a visual. Can you make a graphic, an infographic, or a video out of it? This helps to draw in the reader, and our brains translate images way faster, as well.

Tie into hot topics: is there something going on in the news recently that you can tie your content into? I did this recently with a post I wrote about the social media furor over the death of Cecil the Lion. People who are searching for info on that topic may see and read your post.

Consistency: In order to garner a following and be trustworthy, you need to create content on a regular basis. Make sure to post something new at least once a week, and use an editorial calendar to hook your posts into noteworthy dates.

Guest posting and commenting: these are two amazing ways to build your SEO. Commenting on other’s blogs leaves a “bread crumb trail” back to your own blog. It also builds up a relationship with that blogger. If they are a more successful blogger than you, with higher traffic, after you’ve built a relationship with them, you can ask if you can guest post on their blog. This is a more legitimate and quality way to build up back links.

Calls to action & drawing the reader more deeply in: at the end of each post, include a call to action, asking readers to comment or share. Additionally, use a WordPress plugin like YARRP, which automatically inserts links at the end of each post, directing the reader to related posts. The longer you can keep someone on your site, the lower your bounce rate will be, and the higher your SEO will go.

Don’t keyword stuff. Yeah, there was a time when that would have made a difference, but no more. Use your keywords in strategic places, like in your headline, or in a <H1> or <H2>, as well as a couple places in the body of your post. This is a good thing, because it makes your content more readable.

Infographic courtesy of PrintFirm.com

What’s your favourite tip for creating good content that will get you on the first page of Google? Let me know in the comments below.