Companies must create valuable content in order to earn quality off-site signals that translate to industry authority and brand visibility from search engines. However, for organizations that don’t have large existing audiences, even superior content may not be discovered without a push. Content promotion is a must-have for brands looking to expose their content to new audiences online and ultimately earn the traffic and conversions that are the end goals of SEO.
A look at the most important search engine ranking factors makes it clear that content promotion is essential for SEO. Here are five of the greatest reasons to promote quality content:
Search engines care about content promotion
1. Social Signals – Content promotion is all about getting your valuable content in front of the right eyes at
the right time via the right channel. If the promoted content is helpful, informative or educational, you can rest assured that it will drive engagement via social channels.
2. Earned Links – Links that are truly earned have become more valuable following the devaluation of built and paid links by search engines. Genuine earned links are the result of well-promoted content that creates value for its consumers.
Trailing indicators of successful content promotion
3. Improved Domain Authority and Rankings – Studies have shown that social signals and valuable inbound links can have a drastic impact on domain authority and search rankings. Increased creation and promotion of valuable content will result in these indicators of success.
4. Increased Web Traffic and Conversions – Higher organic search rankings translate directly to higher traffic and, naturally, more conversions. These are not only the end goals of SEO, but some of the most important results of effective content promotion. Thus, content promotion and SEO are intrinsically tied together. Success in one creates success in the other.
The SEO success cycle
5. More Off-Site Signals – As web traffic and conversions shoot through the roof, more consumers are being exposed to your content. The result is more social shares, more links, more traffic, more conversions and ultimately higher rankings – leading to even more of these results. Success in SEO is cyclical, and it all starts with the promotion of valuable content.
Brands should create industry contributions that position them as thought leaders in the eyes of their prospects and customers. Highly reputable off-site signals drive a domain’s authority and search visibility, and the most sustainable way to earn these signals is by creating and promoting content so valuable that it’s worthy of being cited.
For a holistic approach to content promotion from start to finish, register for your free copy of the Content Promotion Manifesto, which will be released in mid-September.