Measuring Success in Content Development

Prospective clients often tell us that their previous or existing SEO agency is producing X pieces of content for them on a monthly basis.

My follow-up question is always “How is that working out for you?”

Many clients respond with “What do you mean?”

Content and Goals

In many cases, content developed for “SEO” reasons is not tied into the goals of the website or business. This content is produced to rank well. If anybody ever reads the content or responds to the page’s call for action—these are considered bonuses and not expectations.

When a client asks us to develop content for them I ask them two questions:

What is the goal of this content?

The three most common content objectives are to increase leads, to increase sales, and to build awareness. Occasionally the client desires content that is not product-related. For instance, some clients require a FAQ page, covering the most commonly asked questions. In this case, the goal might be to decrease the number of support phone calls over time.

How will content success be measured? By rankings?

Typically, increasing rankings is not a goal of content creation because SEO agencies often develop content targeting a very specific long-tail keyword that barely anyone searches. Is ranking #1 for an obscure keyword really the goal of content development? In most cases, the answer is no.

By leads or sales?

Sometimes a client will need content developed around a very specific product or service, where the search volume is low, but the buyer intent is really high. In this case, the goal for that piece of content is to generate leads or sales. It is not to rank highly because ranking highly without the subsequent sale doesn’t help the client reach their business objectives.

How Are You Measuring Success?

When your SEO agency creates content for your website, how are you measuring its success and impact on your business goals and objectives? Are your content goals directly linked to your larger objectives? If not, let us help! Contact us to learn more about our content marketing services.

If you’re looking for a content marketing agency that can help you achieve your business goals, contact Braveheart Digital Marketing today. We’ll be happy to discuss your content needs and provide a content strategy that aligns with your overall business goals.