4 Types of Content to Implement for Better SEO

What comes to mind when someone mentions “SEO”?”

Do you think about blog posts and keywords?

That tried-and-true form of content is definitely capable of boosting your rankings, but it’s far from the only option out there. If you really want to impress Google, be sure to diversify your content portfolio too.

4 Types of Content That Will Boost Your Search Engine Optimization

Before you publish another blog post, consider if one of the following forms of content also deserves a spot on your editorial calendar. Chances are that Google will reward you for mixing it up a bit.

1. Infographics

Infographics started popping up in large numbers a few years ago, but these user-friendly, informative images have since proven that they’re not some trend that’s going away.

People love infographics because they summarize complex information in a way that is immediately ready for consumption. Most infographics can be processed in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that infographics are great for SEO, too. Even Neil Patel lists infographics as among his top resources for generating backlinks.

The secret to creating high-quality infographics that will do the same for your site is:

• Pick a keyword-related topic
• Find and cite high-quality sources that give evidence to back your claims – infographics cannot be based on your opinions
• Take your time to make the image visually-appealing and informative – one without the other is worthless
• Use alt text to make sure Google understands what your infographic is about

Best of all, you can still write a typical blog post around an infographic for even more opportunities to improve your SEO.

2. Multipage Guides

On the other end of the spectrum, we have multipage guides.

Google wants to give their users the best possible experience. This means that, sometimes, a simple blog post isn’t going to be enough. If you’re trying to cover a topic that requires a lot of content to get the job done, you should consider using a multipage guide.

As it turns out, Google really loves this departure from the typical blog post. In fact, if you search Google for the highly-competitive keyword “SEO”, you’ll find Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO sitting in the very first position. It includes a short introduction and then 10 different chapters. Each of them is more than 1,000 words apiece and features numerous graphics.

The key to creating a multipage guide people will appreciate is to pick a topic that truly deserves this much content. Don’t try to stretch a basic point out simply to create a guide.

3. YouTube Videos

YouTube videos have a direct impact on SEO. This should come as no surprise, though, seeing as Google owns YouTube. You can leverage these videos a number of different ways to improve search engine rankings.

For example, publish the transcript of your YouTube videos, and you have another chance to show Google keywords on your site.

Keep in mind, too, that YouTube is a search engine unto itself, so creating relevant content specifically for that site can leverage a form of SEO unique to YouTube.

Creating high-quality YouTube videos may be out of the scope of this article, but know this: You don’t need a huge budget or impressive creative skills. Countless companies have found success with DIY methods. Solid content is what matters most for these types of videos, not expensive production.

4. Indirect Content

Social media may not improve your Google rankings directly, but we do know that social media marketing brings in traffic. This is because it helps you build your company’s brand, which means greater amounts of exposure. Better brand awareness could also increase your click-through rate (CTR) on Google’s search pages, which should improve your rankings as well.

Also, just like YouTube, social media platforms also function a lot like search engines. You can use content to “rank” on these sites that would be a lot harder to do on Google.

Other content channels provide similar benefits. Podcasts are another example. Again, Google likes seeing other types of content on your site and podcasts would definitely qualify. Also, podcasts indirectly help SEO by boosting your company’s social signal and brand awareness.

The point is that you shouldn’t concentrate too much on direct links to SEO when considering your strategies. Think about the mediums your market likes and then use them to deliver awesome content.

Switching Up Your Content Calendar

While adding content such as videos or podcasts may represent a big departure from what you’re used to, we encourage you to embrace this change – even if it’s a bit chaotic at first. If your current approach to search engine optimization is slow to produce traffic and engagement, you have nothing to lose by trying something new.