3 Content Marketing Takeaways from BrightonSEO

Earlier this month, Team Peaky was in Brighton for the first in-person brightonSEO conference since COVID hit the UK. After a handful of virtual iterations of the popular search marketing event, it was a welcome experience to finally catch up with other digital marketers and hear from some of the industry’s brightest thinkers.

We learned a lot at the conference, including some of the latest insights on Digital PR. Below, though, are our key takeaways from all things content at brightonSEO 2021.

A Content-Rich SEO Conference

As always, content marketing was a hot topic at this year’s conference. We were spoiled with fresh talks by some of the best content marketers in the industry, all sharing their insights on current trends and what’s working in the field. Naturally, we took notes! 

Read on for a handful of our key takeaways on the state of content marketing, as heard at brightonSEO. 

If you’re looking for more handy content marketing help, check out our blog on top tips for creating knockout content for your brand.

1. A User-First Approach to Content is More Important Than Ever

As Google’s march towards perfect content categorisation continues, the search engine is becoming increasingly partial towards content that reads well for humans first and foremost. Ironically, putting the user above Google in your priorities when producing content will often result in content that Google tends to like. 

What does this mean for you? Well, if you place a greater emphasis on writing for the user rather than for SEO purposes, your SEO performance will improve. That’s not to say you shouldn’t use keywords and headings; on the contrary, they remain more important than ever. Just aim to use them to guide the reader and inform them rather than solely tailoring it to Google’s criteria – because these criteria are increasingly user-centric.

2. Target Keywords for Each Stage of the Marketing Funnel

Helene Klaustrup delivered a cracking talk on how to take the marketing funnel into account in your keyword strategy. When choosing keywords to focus on, aim to use keywords relevant to all stages of the funnel to ensure you’re drawing search volume tailored to a variety of search intents, resulting in a more robust campaign.

As you may know, the stages of the funnel are Awareness, Consideration, Activation and Advocacy. Sometimes, your targeted keywords may crossover into multiple stages, meaning they can be used for a variety of content topics. 

Ensuring you’re delivering relevant content to users at each stage of their journey is hugely important for developing brand loyalty. If your content hasn’t been performing well, it’s worth thinking about which stage of the funnel you could use more content in.

3. You Could (and Possibly Should) Be Podcasting!

Podcasting was a hot topic at brightonSEO this year. We heard some great talks by Dan Snow and James Carson of History Hit, as well as Azeem Ahmad of The Azeem Digital Asks Podcast. The consensus of these talks was that podcasting is huge and is only becoming more popular over time. 

It’s estimated that 74% of people listen to podcasts to learn something new, so it’s a great way to reach your target audience and drive community engagement. It’s also easier to produce a podcast than you might think! 

If you’re looking to position yourself or your business as a thought leader in a particular field, consider starting a podcast if you haven’t already. They’re easy to distribute as well as produce, so once you’ve got a snappy title, some attractive cover art and a few episode ideas in the bank, you’re ready to go.

Enlist a Content Marketing Agency for Your Business

At Peaky Digital, our goal is to position our clients on the cutting edge of their digital marketing efforts. Our team is made up of content marketing specialists who deliver results that work, helping you get your brand’s message out there.

If you’re looking for robust content marketing that takes your brand to new heights, contact us today to start the conversation – we’d love to hear from you!

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