ID-10047471In the past few years, content marketing has emerged as an important part of integrated marketing and public relations programs. Traditionally, marketers were in the business of sending one way broadcast-type messaging to its audiences through advertising, direct mail and the like.

Now marketers are engaging in two way conversations with audiences. Buyers are seeking solutions on their own and suddenly marketers are finding that they need to become more like publishers to be found on search engines and through social channels.

The tide has turned. Buyers have more control in the marketplace and marketers have added inbound marketing and content marketing to their strategy to adjust and build online presence.

Recently, the Content Marketing World team hosted a Tweet Chat discussing the intersection of search, social and content marketing. Here are some of the highlights from the chat. There is also a full transcript of the chat and a slideshare presentation with the findings.

  • People first, search second. Write for your audience and the search engines will follow. Ask your customers how they found you. If it was a web search, ask them what keywords they used. People search similar to the way they ask questions. Create content with answers to your top questions, like an FAQ sheet.
  • Search and social are connected. Search engines now weigh social signals so there is a definite relationship and importance in having your content shared across networks. Some content is better suited to be shared on social to educate whereas search brings seekers directly to your content.
  • Optimize images and videos for search. This is an often overlooked opportunity to help search discover all of your content. Tag and add relevant copy where you can.
  • Create transcripts for videos, audio and presentations so the information can be captured in search. It is also useful for people who don’t have time to watch the video or presentation but want to read about it while they are on the page.
  • Content, social and search will continue to grow together. Learning how to make it all work is an ongoing process.

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