If you’re looking for more leads, consider an SEO content strategy that is also AI-friendly for your website. I will be the first to admit that my website was a sample of my writing for years and not a lead generator. I’ve primarily been a referral-based business. The pandemic changed my mind. As the world moved to digital EVERYTHING, it became clear that my content could fuel my business and help achieve my business goals. And it has.
In 2022, my husband accepted a job in Charlotte, North Carolina, a cross-country move from his home state of Arizona. I was happy to be moving to the East Coast; I was born and raised in Connecticut. It was easy to move my business as it was already entirely virtual, but now I’d have new sets of eyes on my content. I realized it needed an update and to be more SEO-friendly.
I joined an SEO course from Love at First Search and fell in love with Meg Casebolt’s approach to SEO and her no-nonsense approach to business. When I saw that she was speaking at a conference last month about SEO content strategy for the AI era, I signed up immediately. I had already been building my AI muscles using Claude for personal routines, and had grown to business and writing routines.
In between the fangirling, I was introduced to RightBlogger and fell in love again! Ryan and Andy have built content creation tools in conjunction with ChatGPT and other popular LLMs. The tools include keyword research, an article writer, and my tone, which teaches AI your writing voice. It’s not a perfect article, so they recommend adding your branding and experience, and I agree with that recommendation.
Key Takeaways
- Technical SEO and AIO are kissin’ cousins. The strategies are similar for SEO and AIO, including keyword research and focused articles. The rule of putting good content on a well-designed website still applies.
- Keyword research doesn’t have to be expensive. Use free or affordable tools like Ubersuggest, RightBlogger, and Google’s People Also Search feature to identify the best keywords. (RightBlogger also has a tool called People Also Search.)
- Consistency matters more than frequency. Whether it’s once a month or once a week, strategic, consistent content builds authority over time.
- AIO is the future. Optimize content for AI tools like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Google’s AI Overviews using clear Q&A formats, key takeaways, and FAQs.
- AI enhances, but doesn’t replace. Use AI tools for efficiency, but human expertise, brand voice, and authentic storytelling are irreplaceable.
- Traffic doesn’t equal sales. More website visits increase lead potential, but you still need clear calls to action and follow-up to close sales.
What Is My 3-Step SEO Content Strategy Guide?
Perhaps it’s a holdover from my days as an Economics major, but I love efficiency. My process is simple when I work with marketing agencies, ghostwriting, or book coaching clients. We want to tell your story, the story of your business experience, or the story of your nonprofit. I believe it should be straightforward for your SEO strategy. There’s no need to overcomplicate what we do for the SEO content strategy guide, even in the AI era.
- Website Optimization that includes technical SEO and an AIO strategy.
- Keyword Research and focused content.
- Create content that is strategic and gets noticed by search engines and AI.
Each of these steps has its own process. Together, they can grow visits to your website and improve your ranking in SERPs. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but I know from my own experience, and that of others, that it works.
Step One: Is Your Website Optimized for Technical SEO and AIO?
When was the last time your website was backed up? When were the plug-ins updated? Does the site have Meta tags on each page? If unsure, it’s time to have an expert review your website. If a site isn’t performing, it may be a technical issue.
Google scans sites in a certain way, so we want to be sure your website is set up for search engines. Technical SEO focuses on improving the functionality of a website to enhance user experience. It’s not my area of expertise so I collaborate with my partner Heather at Hammersmith Support to ensure my website and clients’ websites are adequately maintained.
As a client, you receive a website analytics report from them. Take note of the number of visits, how people find your website, and the keywords used to find the website. If your business isn’t making major changes to services, programs, or products, this is a great place to learn how your visitors find your website online. If you’re changing direction, jump to SEO tools like RightBlogger and Perplexity AI for keyword ideas.
Should You Put Good Content on a Bad Website?
Well, here’s the thing. I used to stay to stop putting good content on an outdated website, but my stance has changed. If the website is getting found, is mobile-responsive, and maintained, you could add good content to a bad website. In that case, you should also update the website before search engines can no longer search it. Make the most of the website maintenance plan and keyword-focused content that is AI-responsive.
Step Two: How Do You Identify Keywords?
Remember when I said I love efficiency? The simpler and faster we can find what we need, the better. That goes for keyword research. In my opinion, most businesses don’t need in-depth, expensive research. Most of us need resources and a clearly defined target audience to find the keywords for our content.
-
- What is your primary industry? For me, it is moving from blogging to book coaching and ghostwriting.
- Are you serving people in a particular geographic area? If you’re a birthing coach, you want to attract clients near you. While your website may provide valuable information to anyone searching for a birthing coach, you may only serve a specific area. If you move, like I did from Phoenix to Charlotte, then you need to update your Google listing and use your new city in content so Google and clients know you’re in a new service area.
- What search terms do people enter to find your website? Check Google Analytics or read your website maintenance company’s report to learn how people find your website. RightBlogger has tools like keyword search and keyword cluster, where you can get hundreds of ideas related to keywords and phrases. (Trust me! I have a long list of keywords and content ideas!)
Answering these questions gives us a good start to identifying keywords. Understanding user intent is crucial here, as it helps pinpoint the searches that align with what visitors truly want.
BUT…
What you call yourself may differ from what others search to find your business, so user intent guides us to those relevant terms. I like to be referred to as a content writer, but most people are searching for a freelance writer or a content author. That means creating content that includes the different terms used for what I do. If people search for a graphic designer but you’re calling yourself a brand specialist, you need to create content using the words people are using. Add a geographic reference if you’re serving clients in a specific area, like a Physical Therapist in New York City.
Then, list what you wish people knew about your business and/or industry. What are the myths you can bust about your industry? Write about those. You can also ask Perplexity or other AI what others are asking about your industry and other content ideas.
Step Three: What Makes Content Strategic?
When I started my first business website in 2015, it was basically a blog. I wanted all my writing in one place because I was building a name and brand online. I started paying attention to keywords, ensuring they were in the blog post’s title, headers, and body. And the content was original. It feels like my business grew up with Google and early social media. Google was making updates, so I adjusted my content and the client’s content to adapt to the changes.
Today, I am focusing on melding SEO and AI to create articles that are found by search engines and LLMs like Perplexity AI and ChatGPT. I’m sure there will come a time to adjust this, too.
For now, create consistent content and tell stories. Consistent is, however you define it, whether once a week or once a month; the Google bots love to see website updates. The bots also want to know when your website is updated, so be consistent with whatever cadence you choose; yes, it can adjust over time. If you’re looking for more website visits, the more consistent, the better.
Let’s be clear on one thing. More website visits do not equal business, but it does increase the potential for leads. SEO is a long game that, when done strategically, can bring more visitors and build authority over time. AI seems to move faster, but it’s still new-ish, so we will see as time passes.
This strategy can help your business, but will not follow up on leads or close sales for you. An SEO and AIO content strategy will increase your website’s organic traffic. A clear call to action will get them in contact with you, and then you can continue to build the relationship and close the sale.