Organic search was the best performing channel for marketers in 2017 and will be a number one priority again next year as brands look to create targeted and relevant news, articles, videos and other forms of content in order to drive engagement with users on Google and across the web.
That is one of the most important trends noted in new research published earlier this week by SEO platform, Conductor. The study canvassed the opinions of 500 marketer executives in numerous sectors and industries across the globe with the aim of informing content strategies for 2018 and beyond.
More than two thirds of respondents expect to spend more on marketing next year, and content marketing appears to be the de facto method for achieving goals and objectives. A sizeable 76% of execs said they will increase investment in content, while 60% are doubling down on search engine optimisation (SEO).
Content and SEO now go hand in hand as Google has stated that ‘content’ is one of the top factors its algorithm takes into account when ranking web pages. High quality, long form content with an understanding of an audience’s needs and keyword optimised can transform a brand’s performance in SERPs.
To aid content, SEO and marketing as a whole, 68.5% of marketers are also set to introduce new tech during the next twelve months.
“Customers want marketing that delivers them value,” Conductor CEO, Seth Besmertnik said. “And marketing leaders are starting to seriously pay attention and act by massively increasing investment in content, SEO and value based forms of marketing.”
