Unique and frequently updated content written with the user in mind is a critical component of any search engine optimization strategy. The following infographic from Brafton, an online news and content agency based in Boston, explains how content impacts the visibility of a website in search results. It delves into several factors that impact how search engines determine the relevancy of content, including:

• Social media
  • Bing takes Facebook Likes into account when ranking content
  • Twitter has increased the rate in which Google indexes content; as such, tweeting new content can help it to rank in search engines more quickly
• Conversions
  • 52% of consumers say that blogs have positively influenced their decision to complete a purchase
  • 42% of consumers use blogs and articles as trusted sources for product information about a potential purchase
• Google algorithm updates
  • Google Panda algorithm updates have increased the number of referring keywords that drive traffic to websites
• Brand visibility
  • Appearing as an expert in your industry by having relevant content appear multiple times in search results can increase the amount of click-throughs

In addition to exploring the current state of influence that content has on SEO, the infographic also provides a forecast of how the components of SEO will change in the near future. Their SEO forecast predicts that:

• Paid links will have a decreased impact on rankings
• Page-level social signals will become more important
• Readable content and site interaction (high click-through-rates, low bounce rate, extended visit duration, etc) will continue to have a positive impact on search results

Check out the full infographic below for more insights into why content impacts SEO. I also recommend checking out Brafton’s blog for more great content marketing related articles.

By Brianna Smith