In our recent post about the latest changes from Google, we discussed the new amendments to ad placement in search engines results pages (SERPs) and their subsequent effect on marketers.
One of the biggest motivators for the changes was our increasing use of mobile devices for online browsing. Akin to the new mobile algorithm of April 2015, Google is acknowledging people’s browsing habits and is trying to improve the user experience.
But while this means grave changes and fiercer competition for those reaping the
benefits of PPC advertising, it does not mean that content marketing should be ignored – in fact, it is something which marketers should address even more carefully in the future.
The underlying theme behind all of Google’s recent updates is
improved user experience, not just from a device perspective, but also delivering relevant, engaging content that is suited to the user’s needs. Just before Christmas 2015, Google rolled out a new quality update dubbed “Phantom 3” by bloggers worldwide.
Though Google never confirmed any changes, industry experts have suggested that the update was a follow up to a Quality Update as confirmed in May 2015.
What do these updates mean?
So what do these updates mean for content marketers, particularly within the e-commerce industry? Now is the time to produce content with the user in mind, rather than focusing on the ultimate goal: conversions. By improving your users’ experience, you will ultimately
improve your conversion rate without even thinking about it.
This means getting rid of all those annoying problems that bug users. When producing content, consider: “Is the user going to be scrolling indefinitely?” “Does my site have excessive pagination?” “Is my content thin or lacking valuable sources?”
An
industry standard SEO audit or conversion rate optimisation review will help you address any current issues on your site, but whatever your website intentions, you should have these considerations in mind for the future.
The final step for improving conversion rates through better content marketing is to assess
just what quality means. This has baffled content marketers for years but the answer is quite simple: quality content is
addressing your users’ needs. Engaging, fresh and well written content with relevant keywords direct users to your site, and also ensure they stay there. Make use of your
Google Analytics interface to assess your users’ journey, and be sure to consider key statistics such as bounce rate.
It's surprising just how many companies forget to put themselves in the shoes of the consumer when producing website content. Ask yourself: “What would I do?” whilst browsing your site. By focusing on your users’ intentions, you’ll soon see your conversion rates improve. It only takes a few small changes can make a huge difference.
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