What Is An SEO Content Strategy
Let's make a crucial distinction. First, you build a strategy and then SEO content. An SEO content strategy is created with one simple goal in mind: to rank higher in traditional search and, therefore, AI engines too. So, successful B2B content marketing strategies are based on various formats and content types, including articles, case studies, infographics, search-optimized feature pages, guides, and videos. To bring traffic to all that content, you must understand the intent behind user search. What does your target audience search online? This logic will take you to the next step, which is identifying the right long-tail keywords and phrases. This way, it's easier to bring people to your website when you appear in their search engine results and talk about exactly what they want to read.
While SEO AI optimization is essential nowadays, we will solely focus on traditional SEO practices. Why? Whatever is credible for Google and Bing is credible for AI search engines, too. So, you should first enhance the organic promotion of AI-powered learning tools and then make AI-related improvements.
In This Guide, You Will Find...
- The Benefits Of An SEO Strategy
- 7 Steps To Build An Effective Strategy
- The Best Content Types To Include In Your SEO Content Strategy
- Ways To Build Topical Authority For Your eLearning And HR AI Features
- Metrics To Monitor And Improve Your Strategy
- Successful SEO Content Marketing Strategy Examples
The Benefits Of An SEO Strategy
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Structure
It goes without saying that all online marketing strategies offer clear structure and organization. When you put down your ideas, tactics, and methodologies, it's easier to execute your plan and stay prepared in case things go south. This way, you turn your words and thoughts into actions that increase your reach.
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Uniqueness
An SEO content marketing strategy gives you the opportunity to highlight what makes you unique and sets you apart from your competition. Maybe you can identify competitor content gaps and use them to your advantage to differentiate your SaaS product.
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Provides Value
Imagine publishing content no one really cares about anymore or that they've already consumed a million times. To attract targeted leads, you have to offer people what truly matters. An SEO strategy plan helps you focus on high-value content that your target audience is interested in, so you can position yourself as a thought leader and expert in the field.
7 Steps To Build An Effective Strategy
1. Keyword Research
Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand with keyword research, as you can't rank without using the right words and phrases. How do you find popular competitor keywords that gain a lot of traffic? You can use platforms like Ahrefs and Semrush to identify long-tail and shorter keywords. When you start writing content for your SEO content strategy, don't only add your main keyword, but also as many semantically similar ones as possible. Remember that both traditional search engines and AI tools use semantics to drive results. But which keywords should you choose? High-intent or high-traffic? A Search Engine Optimization specialist would tell you that high-traffic keywords may be tempting to target, but they are much harder to rank for.
On the contrary, high-intent phrases may receive less traffic, but it's from people who are actively searching for a SaaS product like yours. It's much easier to rank for them, meaning you receive traffic from highly valuable leads.
2. Competitor Research
Most keyword research tools allow you to view your direct competitors and the keywords they are targeting. This makes it very easy to conduct an SEO competitor analysis and note down the most common keywords and phrases they focus their content on. What happens next? Do you just create SEO-optimized content trying to beat them? Sure, you could do that, but it would take you a long time to see results, if any. That's why it's best to find keyword gaps. Once you do that, visit their blog sections to see what types of topics work well for them. You can create content on the same topics using alternative keywords. Check their articles and notice any features they add that you don't. For example, in this AI era we live in, FAQs are essential in increasing your chances of being featured in overviews.
Additionally, your competitors' SEO content plans may include more than one photo in every article and other visuals like videos, infographics, and screenshots.
3. Content Creation
Now it's time to polish your SEO content writing skills and help your ideas come to life. You have two options: you are either going to create something new or something better. You can definitely include both in your SEO content strategy, but it's best to have a favorite. For example, if you are new to the industry and you have limited resources, it's best to pick a keyword your competitors aren't targeting right now. On the other hand, if you are in the growth stage and you want to expand your clientele (aka "steal" customers), you should tackle high-volume keywords.
Moreover, your content should have a specific tone and angle. While different writers may be working on your team, their tone of voice should be as similar as possible. The content itself should be valuable and offer actionable tips and solutions, not just theories. You want to build lasting relationships with your readers. This means that they should fully trust you and come to you every time they want to research a topic.
4. On-Page SEO
There are many on-page SEO factors that play a pivotal role in improving your ranking performance. We could talk about this subject for an entire day, so let's sum up the most important parts. For starters, your articles' structure is crucial. Using plugins like Yoast SEO helps you tidy up things, like adding enough primary and secondary keywords, using your main keyword on your H2 and H3 headings, not overoptimizing, adding internal and external links, and not using too long paragraphs. Then, you should use as many semantically similar keywords as possible to create a clear connection with the meaning of the text. Your meta title and description must be powerful to capture users' attention and click on your articles.
Internal linking is important so that people visit other pages from your site, too. Just make sure to use the right anchor texts; they should be the main keywords of each article. Lastly, SEO strategies often focus heavily on the use of visuals, like special graphics, infographics, images, videos, and templates.
5. Link Building
Backlink building continues to be the backbone of a content and SEO strategy. There are many ways you can start investing in this process. Above all, you have to focus on creating valuable and high-quality content to make your articles irresistible. This way, you will generate natural backlinks without having to do anything. For example, Wikipedia and LinkedIn are in the top 10 of most linked websites, meaning other sites link to them voluntarily. You may not end up in the top 10, but you can be at a much more advantageous position than you are now. Let's start with broken links. Do you ever go on other websites to read their content, click on a link, and get an error? Contact the website, inform them of this broken link, and ask them if they want to replace it with one of your URLs. It's a win-win situation.
Next, you can leverage your competitor analysis to see how many backlinks your key competitors have. Check which websites feature them. This gives you an idea of who your targets are. Additionally, you can contact content syndication platforms and republish your content on relevant websites. If all that sounds too complicated for you, you can always outsource backlink building and let expert professionals, like eLearning Industry, handle everything for you.
6. Editorial Calendar
Most businesses start by filling out a marketing plan template before putting their plan into action. An SEO content strategy should be based on the same logic. A content calendar is significant in keeping you organized and on track. You know exactly how much content you need every month and what keywords you are using for each one. Also, it allows you to stay consistent and not repeat the same topics without any new angles. It's where you can include the latest trends and craft ideas to jump on the new waves. However, one of the biggest benefits of organized website content strategies is that they remove the chaos from internal communications.
You may also use a content calendar template to plan ahead of time based on holidays and special occasions. This means that you have plenty of time to prepare yourself for the future and not rush to find last-minute inspiration. As a result, you can meet deadlines without stressing at all about them. Lastly, you can identify content gaps and focus on filling them. Next time you check website rankings, the results may surprise you.
7. Content Updates
Auditing your existing content isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a necessary step to understand what engages and what bores your audience. You can also identify which pages have lost their ranking and boost your efforts to improve their performance. Among the best SEO content tactics is updating old content based on new updates. For example, let's say you wrote an article about the core features of your employee engagement software three years ago. Since then, you've added AI features and removed old ones that weren't used by your customers. The best tactic would be to go back and repost the article, making significant changes. Remove old screenshots and images, use new keywords and titles, and remove/add mentions of features as you see fit. When it comes to keywords, it would be smart to research AI-related terms like: AI-powered tools, AI-powered learning tools, AI-powered business tools, AI-powered chatbots for business, AI-powered business solutions, AI-powered business. Then write about those.
You may need to invest in AI search optimization to help your content get indexed on AI search engines. These changes don't have to be major. Simply adding FAQ sections, improving your technical SEO, and strengthening your backlink profile can result in serious improvement.
The Best Content Types To Include In Your SEO Content Strategy
The number one type of content every SEO marketing plan includes is articles. In the B2B world, companies usually write long-form articles that cover a topic from top to bottom, showcasing deep knowledge and expertise. Lists, guides, how-tos, and interviews usually perform really well. Landing pages are equally important for SaaS businesses, as clients may visit one of them before they visit your main domain. So, knowing how to optimize a landing page for lead generation is essential to increase engagement and conversions. For example, if you build a landing page for your new AI features, explain clearly and in simple language the benefits and solutions it offers. It would be great if you added videos explaining and showing exactly what your feature does. They could be snippets leading to a larger demo that customers can request from you later.
Additionally, when you do your SEO content planning, ensure you include webinars. They are a wonderful lead magnet to help you generate subscribers who can then turn into paying customers. These events show your personality and your in-depth knowledge of the industry. Infographics are another content type that breaks down complex topics and is easily shareable. But how do you prove your worth? This is where case studies enter the scene by explaining how your methodology and product helped a customer overcome their struggles.
Your SEO content strategist might also advise you to create whitepapers and press releases. While the former isn't exactly blooming right now, the latter is still widely used. In fact, press releases not only get your message in front of the right eyes, but they also generate credible backlinks on trustworthy publications.
Ways To Build Topical Authority For Your eLearning And HR AI Features
1. Localized Content
Long gone are the days when companies tried to reach only audiences in the same country. eLearning marketing localization is crucial for an SEO content strategy, as it helps you reach global audiences and break language and cultural barriers. Many companies are now using AI tools to translate and localize their content for universal engagement. You can optimize your localized content and target specific geographic areas using relevant keywords. For example, if you want to promote your LMS software's new AI features in the USA, you can use a long-tail keyword like "AI-powered LMS software available in the USA."
And you might wonder, "Doesn't everyone speak English?" Sure, a large portion of the population does, but writing in different languages shows prospects that you care about and respect their culture.
2. Local Influencers
Aren't influencers globally recognized? In many cases, yes, they are. Still, when you want to enforce your SaaS growth strategies and reach new audiences, collaborating with a local influencer can improve your numbers. In the example we used earlier, let's say that you find a Brazilian eLearning expert who has millions of local followers. If this person promotes your LMS to their audience, noting how it is also available in their native language, people are more likely to subscribe. Before you choose your influencer, though, make sure you check their audience to see their demographics and industries. Local influencers may have millions of followers, but if they have nothing to do with your niche, there is no point in promoting to irrelevant users.
3. Local Interactive Content
We have already mentioned how important video content is for your SEO content strategy. Now, let's see how you can create localized video content. Let's say you've created demos, explainers, how-to guides, and behind-the-scenes videos that shed light on your HR and eLearning software. Subtitles are nothing special. YouTube adds captions and subtitles automatically. So, you can simply add voice-overs in various languages to appeal to different demographics. This is effective for SEO content strategies because it shows people that you care enough to appeal to their needs. Nowadays, it's easy to achieve thanks to AI tools that generate realistic voices with flair and personality.
Metrics To Monitor And Improve Your Strategy
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Organic Traffic
If your SEO strategy is working, you will slowly start seeing your organic traffic increase. If not, it means that you should reconsider the keywords you pick.
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Reading Time
The longer people stay on your pages, the more useful the information you provide. High bounce rates and low dwell times might mean that your content is of poor quality and the user experience doesn't engage visitors.
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Clicks
If clicks aren't as many as you'd like, improve your meta descriptions and titles to something more catchy and descriptive.
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Traffic Quality
If your website traffic is great but conversion rates are very low, it might mean that traffic quality is poor.
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Keyword Ranking
To expand your reach, you should consistently rank at the top results based on your main keywords. If not, it's time to conduct a content gap analysis and fix the issue.
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Website Ranking
Check your ranking and overall SEO health as often as possible. It should give you a good idea of where you stand.
Successful SEO Content Marketing Strategy Examples
HubSpot
HubSpot is one of the first names we can think of when we talk about successful SEO content marketing. It has built a comprehensive ecosystem filled with invaluable articles, guides, templates, courses, and tools that appeal to millions of targeted audience members. The website is consistently on the first page of Google's results and ranks highly for thousands of keywords. How? Their content quality is simply top-notch, generating natural, relevant backlinks without them having to work too hard.
Moz
Moz is an SEO software company that stands out for its deep expertise in SEO-related topics. Their content library is filled with articles, guides, and their famous Whiteboard Friday video series discussing SEO subjects like trends, tips, and tactics. Thanks to their great keyword placement and research, they also rank highly when someone searches for an SEO topic.
eLearning Industry
eLearning Industry is a leading example in the eLearning and LMS niche. With a massive library of blog posts, thought leadership articles, and curated content, the platform ranks for tens of thousands of relevant keywords like "best LMS," "employee training software," and "instructional design models." Its success comes from blending high-traffic topics with high-intent keywords and consistently publishing expert content that attracts backlinks and builds authority in the space.
Docebo
Docebo is a cloud-based LMS platform that has also built a solid SEO content strategy. Their blog targets both general eLearning topics and specific product-related keywords, helping them capture audiences across the funnel. With in-depth guides, case studies, and thought pieces, they rank well for terms related to corporate training, learning automation, and LMS software comparisons.
TalentLMS
Another strong contender that uses a keyword-focused blog strategy and gated content like whitepapers and checklists to drive organic traffic. Their content is optimized not only for search engines but also for conversion, capturing leads with useful, downloadable resources after delivering value upfront.
360Learning
360Learning takes a modern, people-first approach to content marketing. Known for advocating collaborative learning, they publish high-quality blog posts, reports, and thought leadership pieces that speak directly to HR and L&D professionals. Their SEO strategy targets both trending and evergreen keywords like "collaborative learning," "upskilling," and "LMS for remote teams." They also do a great job of blending storytelling with data, which improves both their search visibility and content engagement.
BambooHR
A well-known HR software provider for small and medium-sized businesses that excels in organic search by offering a rich content hub filled with blog posts, downloadable templates, salary guides, and HR software comparisons. Their SEO strategy focuses on pain-point-driven keywords like "how to onboard employees," "HR software for small businesses," and "performance management templates." This targeted approach helps them attract HR professionals looking for practical solutions.
Gusto
Gusto is a competitor in the HR and payroll space, and it also ranks strongly due to its high-quality content strategy. Gusto's blog covers everything from compliance and payroll to employee engagement and remote work trends. Their SEO efforts include keyword-optimized landing pages, comparison guides, and thought leadership that ranks for terms like "payroll for startups" or "best HR software." They also invest in original research and calculators, which naturally earn backlinks and boost domain authority.
Key Takeaway
Building an effective SEO content strategy takes a lot of time and strategizing. It is worth the effort, though, as it keeps everything aligned and focused on your goals. Keyword and competitor research, SEO on-page optimization, content creation, an editorial calendar, link building, and content updates are the main steps to building an online content strategy. SaaS link building strategies are also a huge part of this process since they help you increase your organic traffic significantly. Incorporate various content types, including videos, articles, infographics, podcasts, and eBooks.
If you wish to appeal to international audiences, invest more in local SEO, including localizing content and hiring local influencers. Based on key metrics, you may need to make various improvements and enforce the best demand generation practices. You can always look at other successful examples of companies that leveraged all the necessary tools to get to the top. But remember that it's not that easy to stay there; you have to keep updating your content and identifying strong, untapped keywords.
