Search engine optimization requires a delicate balance of keyword utilization, easy navigation, reader captivation and website organization. Every element of your business’s website plays a role in your search engine ranking and your overall success online. When deciding on new content to create for your site, it’s important to know what should be a blog post and what should be a webpage. In this SEO content organization guide, we will help you adjust your topics and writing strategies based on the type of content you are creating.
Why You Shouldn’t Put EVERYTHING In Your Blog
This is an error that a lot of business owners make when they first enter the world of SEO. They focus on getting some basic service pages on their website, and then they throw all the new content after that into their blogs. Having a business blog provides a quick and easy platform for new content, but that doesn’t mean you’re limited to organizing it all there. Doing so could greatly reduce your potential search engine ranking.
Here’s why: When you put all of your new content into your blog, you create what’s known as a “flat structure.” This is not difficult to weave through when you only have a handful of blogs, but it becomes incredibly dense when you’re posting multiple pieces of content each month. Over time, good quality information gets buried underneath new and fresh content, even though the older advice is still completely valid. If you can turn that cornerstone content into well-organized webpages, Google will have a much easier time finding (and ranking) your website.
Diversifying Your SEO Content For A Silo Structure
We’ve talked about SEO silos before, but let’s take a moment to review how they work. With a silo structure, webpages with similar information are grouped together, either in the way they interlink or the way they are uploaded onto the site. A home remodeling company in Michigan may have a silo for each service it performs with location-specific pages for each service. Example: The parent page for the silo is “Basement Remodeling,” and there are child pages for “Basement Remodeling In Metro Detroit,” “Basement Remodeling In Troy, MI,” etc.
Using a silo structure gives your website more authority for specific topics. You can capitalize on your target niches and show Google that you truly know what you’re talking about. Think about this from an accounting perspective. This is just like grouping receipts together for each month, then each year. The profit and loss will remain the same if the receipts are entirely out of order, but organizing them makes the calculations much easier.
The faster you can guide Google through your website, the more likely you are to rank for your target keywords.
Choosing Between Blog Posts And Webpages
In most cases, webpages relate to specific services or products you have to offer. Blog posts answer questions, highlight local news, showcase recent projects, and provide helpful tips to potential readers. Webpages appeal to people already searching for your business (“best SEO company in Michigan”) and blog posts appeal to people who could convert to leads in the future (“how can SEO help my Michigan business?”). Let’s look at some examples…
Examples Of Blog Content
- How To Guides (unless they are a fundamental component of your website content)
- News
- Case Studies
- Company Announcements
- Seasonal Information
- Opinion Posts
- Elaborated Answers To Frequently Asked Questions (in addition to your FAQ page)
Examples Of Webpage Content
- Service Pages
- Location Pages
- Basic Website Navigation Pages (about us, contact us, etc.)
- Informational Resources (the fundamental how to guides mentioned above)
- Call To Action Pages (designed around target keywords)
There are exceptions to every rule, but that should give you a basic idea of what type of content should go in each area of your website.
Converting Old Blog Posts To Webpages
If you already have blog posts on your website that you think would make good webpages, there are a couple options to consider. In WordPress and many other content management systems, there are simple steps you can take to “convert” a blog post to a webpage or vice versa. This may change the URL for the page, depending on how your website is structure. The risk here is that moving the content around may disrupt the flow of traffic already going to the blog post or webpage. You may want to test this option on a low-traffic page first to see how it impacts your website as a whole.
As an alternative, you could simply write a new webpage loosely based on the old blog post. You do not want to copy the content directly because that will add no value to your website. Instead, take this opportunity to freshen up the information and add to it. You can do the same in reverse if you are running out of ideas for your blog. Pick a popular webpage on your site and use that content for topic inspiration.
Building On Your SEO Content Organization
Once you have the foundation of your SEO content organization down, all you have to do is build on it. Create a balance of webpages and blog posts for your site that maintain your relevance for desired search terms. If you want to try a new keyword strategy, use webpages and blog posts simultaneously to build your site’s authority on the matter. This is particularly beneficial when you add a new service to your business because you can use social media to boost awareness even more. Enhance your existing silos until you think it’s time to add new ones to your website, all while adding new, relevant content to your blog.
If you would like help with your SEO content organization, contact Detroit Internet Marketing to speak with a local SEO expert in Michigan. We will conduct a thorough review of your existing website, along with a content development plan to encourage business growth and brand development. Call (248) 234-4830 for a complimentary, one-on-one consultation with an SEO marketer near you.
