Content marketers avidly follow every adjustment Google makes to its algorithm, and one of the most notable changes they saw most recently is that the algorithm favors original content. Content that's an easy rehashing of what's found in other places won't work as well.
How this impacts content marketing strategy
For many content marketers, this change encourages a shift in how they pitch, develop, and publish content. They're now looking to see what they can add to what’s already out there and to be more unique.
What does this mean from a tactical perspective?
It means that smart content marketers are developing entirely new stories, an original angle on an existing trend, or commentary on work that’s already out there.
They're also looking for new statistical research to include, or they're conducting a unique interview that adds to their narrative.
If marketers come across an article from another source, can they still use it? They can pass it on to their readers as long as they attribute it to the original source with links. That action also helps build credibility.
The impact on keywords
At this point, keyword strategy is also changing for content marketers. Keyword stuffing - adding as many keywords as possible into an article so they’re flagged by the search engine – doesn’t do the job as well as it once did.
Instead, writers are encouraged to add keywords into an article as they make sense and relate to the copy. Original articles with natural keywords are the goal.
This change is ultimately a good thing
There are a few reasons why Google is making these changes. At the top of the list is the fact that they believed the way the previous algorithm worked encouraged content that was less valuable to readers.
They’re likely hoping that this will ultimately provide higher quality information. When that happens, everyone wins.
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Dave Polykoff
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