Time are changing. Basic SEO practices aren’t enough anymore—and companies that want to stay top of mind online need to make some changes.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how SEO is shifting and a few basic ways to incorporate creative SEO into your company content strategy.
How SEO has changed in recent years
It’s common knowledge that SEO has shifted dramatically since the early dot-com era. In its earliest days, SEO simply meant shoving a keyword as many times as possible into your blog post and calling it a day.
Then things changed.
Competition got tougher. And Google’s algorithms got smarter. Soon, keyword stuffing was a firm no-go, and smart companies started going after long-tail keywords that were easier to rank for, making sure to use the exact keyword a certain amount of times in their copy.
And that’s where we were for quite some time.
But things are starting to change again.
SEO has been getting more and more complex in recent years. (Google’s made 36 algorithm changes in the last five years alone!) There have always been multiple factors to great SEO, like site mapping, backlinks, mobile optimization, site speed, and more. But now, the complexity is more pronounced.
Google is getting better at understanding what people are actually looking for when they type a few words into the search bar. This means when you type something into Google, your top results may not actually use your exact words—but chances are, it’s the most helpful content.
In short: Great SEO focuses on user experience and expert-driven, useful content more than ever before.
(In fact, you may have noticed that a lot of companies are now shying away from the term “blog post” and using “article” more.)
Simply searching for keywords (yes, even long-tail keywords) isn’t enough anymore. Enter: creative SEO.
What is creative SEO?
Creative SEO is a term I use to describe the new way to write incredible content that makes Google happy.
It shifts the spotlight away from SEO keywords alone and toward prioritizing creativity, expertise, and data to create the kind of content your customers actually want to consume.
In other words:
Creative SEO uses your product positioning and your customer persona to come up with article topics—then strategically incorporates the right keywords throughout each piece.
When you focus on your ideal customers first, the traffic will follow (and you earn more business).
How to use creative SEO for your company website
Creative SEO requires a little more elbow grease than bygone SEO tactics, but the benefits far outweigh the extra effort.
Here’s a basic rundown of how it works:
1. Do a deep dive into your product positioning and customer personas
Stop relying solely on keyword tools and Answer the Public to come up with blog post ideas. There, I said it.
Instead of asking Google what you should write about, start by looking inward—at your own product and customers.
I recommend taking time to analyze your company’s product positioning (where you fit in the market) and your ideal customers. You need to get really clear on your brand and voice, why people want to buy from you, and what questions they need answered before they will buy from you.
Reflect on these questions to get started:
- How does your product or service fit into the market? What makes you unique?
- Who exactly do you serve? Why is your product/service the best choice for them?
- What things tend to keep your ideal customer from buying from you?
- How can you help answer those objections in a way that educates or entertains them?
- What other questions do customers have related to your product offering? What do they actually want to know?
- How can customers use your product or service to make their lives better?
- What relevant industry trends or news can your company provide expert commentary on?
2. Create expert-driven, high-quality content
Companies that have the best on-page SEO adopt a magazine mentality and have high editorial standards. They focus on offering helpful information, expertise, and quality writing.
My recommendation? Make that your goal, too.
Hire excellent writers. Lean on recent research. Use trusted sources and cite them. Structure your articles in a way that helps readers learn best.
3. Strategically use relevant keywords in your articles
Yes, keywords still matter! And I even recommend writing some articles based on keywords that are truly relevant to your readers. But keep them in their proper place.
It still makes sense to put exact keywords in the headline of your article (as close to the beginning as possible), use them a few times in your body heads, and sprinkle them throughout your copy.
But don’t force it. Use them organically and add a few different but related keywords as well.
The result? An article worth reading—and not even Google can deny it.
Need a creative SEO writer or strategist for your company blog?
Excellent content takes time, it’s true. And your time is probably better spent doing what you do best (growing your business, making sales, or overseeing your marketing team).
If you need content strategy or article content, you’ve come to the right place! With over a decade of writing and journalism experience, I regularly write SEO articles for businesses, including fast-growing startups and established Fortune 500 companies.
Want to work with me? Email me at hello@jennyrosespaudo.com to discuss your writing needs.
Jenny Rose is a freelance copywriter and content marketer specializing in B2B marketing, real estate, and accounting. She's written for clients like AAA, Edward Jones, Flyhomes, Guild Education, and more. Her writing has also appeared in publications like Business Insider and GOBankingRates.
