Hitting it big in search results isn't luck. There is a methodical process behind writing optimized content, and it starts with empathy.
Tom Gerencer, Author of Think Like Google, knows that the days of trying to "game" search algorithms is long behind us. Google is looking to surface the most relevant results, and to do so they study behavioral cues such as click throughs that don't return to a search and time on site.
During this episode Tom walks me through numerous tactics content marketing strategists and writers can use when planning to write and packaging content. They include 3rd party research tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs and SEO Moz; studying target audience pain points, conducting a competitive analysis, packaging content for easier consumption with tools such as Canva, and using links to provide comprehensive coverage of a topic.
Tom also cautions against spending too much time during the SEO research phase of the writing process. It's easy to rathole, but 30 minutes can be enough to make informed decisions and keep moving.