How can I make my content stand out from the crowd in 2019? The answer is surprisingly simple: with high-quality content that is well-structured and as interactive as possible. In other words, with learning content!
I admit that content marketing is not necessarily one of my core competencies. It doesn’t have to be. But as a blogger, you’re somehow involved in the topic, and that’s why I can deliver this modest little contribution. And as a producer of learning content, recent trends in content marketing have confirmed my worldview. The following 3 basic pillars not only make learning content good but apparently also help with Google ranking.
Quality over Quantity
Until now, Google was hardly able to meaningfully assess the quality of content. Apparently, the ranking algorithms have made a big step in this direction. And so, in 2019, articles that provide high-quality answers to the most specific questions are making it to the top ranking positions.
Interaction
It’s noticeable that articles with small quizzes land at the top of Google rankings. So every article with “find out…” and “take this quiz” in the lead and an interactive quiz in the body.
This is called engagement.
This is how you capture readers and apparently search engines too. In addition, articles should address the questions that customers ask when entering a search query. If you manage to reach readers exactly where they are, you’ll end up at the top of the Google hit parade.
Structure
Good titles are important. Titles that clearly outline the topic, while being short and snappy. This is not just about the main title of the post but also about the subtitles used within the article to structure sections.
The good old marginal note, so to speak – even if on the web it’s simply a subheading. Such subheadings guide the reader through the article and let them participate in the development of a train of thought. Ideally, the subheadings and following sections cover exactly those thought steps that also go through the reader’s mind.
Well-Known Factors
Of course, the well-known factors continue to apply. But they’re actually standard by now:
- Text-image combination
- A video always helps!
- Linking to other content
- Call-to-Action
- Responsiveness
- Fast loading time
Learning Content
Now we know how to make Google happy. As someone who has produced textbooks and learning content all his life, I have to smile a little. Because for me, these findings are not surprising at all. A good teaching text works with exactly the same elements.
So Google teaches us that good texts are actually learning content. And vice versa. It’s that simple. So we need skills and systems that allow us to produce good learning content.
