Are SEO & Content Optimization the Same Thing?

Yes and no. Part of your SEO strategy will most likely include content optimization. But one does not necessarily equal the other. Modern-day content optimization requires a whole extra level of planning and execution. That’s because engines like Google are getting smarter at understanding semantics and user intent. Now when you optimize your content, you can’t simply plug in keywords where you think they’ll have the most impact, and you certainly don’t want to be upping your keyword density — at least not for the sake of upping your keyword density.

Today, you have to have a strong understanding about who your users are, and how they’re navigating the Internet (and more importantly how they’re navigating your website). Once you understand user behaviour, you can begin to plan out the best ways to communicate the right types of messing… at the right time… to the right people.

When you think SEO, you probably think keywords. And you’d be right to do so, but only partially right.

MarketMuse created a whitepaper (download it here) to help you understand how to create authoritative content. Inside, you’ll also get tidbits about:

• Understanding the intent behind a query
• Shifting toward “content strategy” and away from “keyword density”