How to Effectively Include Trends in Your SEO Content Strategy: 5 Practical Approaches
In the world of SEO, staying ahead of the game is crucial. One way to do that is by incorporating trends into your content strategy. Trends represent popular or emerging points of discussion online, and by leveraging them effectively, you can connect with a wider audience and set your content apart from competitors.
So, how exactly can you include trends in your SEO content strategy? Here are five practical approaches that will help you stand out.
1. Create Timely, Trend-Relevant Content
Keywords and their search volumes are useful but highly competitive. On the other hand, trends offer a less crowded landscape. By creating top-quality content that captures immediate audience interest, you can increase traffic due to lower competition. Social search platforms like Google SERP, Reddit, TikTok, and YouTube can reward quick responses by featuring your content alongside traditional website content.
To effectively create timely, trend-relevant content, you need to identify and monitor emerging trends using tools like Glimpse and Google Trends. When a trend reaches a favorable position and you believe it’s worth investing time in creating content, look at where the trend is exploding. Create content on those platforms first and then support it with content on preferred channels. Whether it’s video content, blog content, or imagery/infographics, choose the execution that will assist your target audience most effectively.
2. Re-Optimize Existing Content for Emerging Keywords
As you become familiar with trend tools, you’ll notice that most of them track keywords and show related trends. Take advantage of this by checking for emerging trends related to your existing content and updating it accordingly. If a page is already ranking well, these updates can quickly boost its performance, maintaining and improving its rankings.
To do this, conduct keyword research to determine what content to create. Then enhance it by mapping trends to your keywords. This will help optimize your content to align with current trends. Update headings, sections, or other parts of your content to incorporate emerging keywords and trends.
3. Identify and Plan Content for Recurring Trends
In addition to reactive approaches, you can also be proactive when it comes to trends. By identifying trends that reoccur at specific times of the year, you can plan your content strategy accordingly. Utilize historical data to discover patterns in the trajectory of a trend, predicting when it will resurface.
To do this, review historic traffic around a topic or leverage trend tools to identify recurring peaks throughout the year. Set alerts based on growth to be notified when trends are expected to peak. By being ahead of the curve, you can create content that aligns with these recurring trends and attract a larger audience.
4. Use Trends for Digital PR and Influencer Marketing
Trending topics attract high visibility and media attention. By combining trends, content, and newsjacking, you can gain attention and insert your brand into the conversation. Connecting digital PR with emerging trends can help you gain links, build authority, and increase revenue through media attention.
To do this, use tools like Glimpse, Exploding Topics, and Google Trends to identify trends relevant to your industry. Ensure these trends align with your brand’s messaging and community. Write press releases highlighting your brand’s involvement or expertise alongside any influencer partners in the trending topic. Monitor the news for breaking stories related to your industry and create content or statements that tie into the narrative.
5. Create Drive Trends
Instead of simply following existing trends, brands can leverage trend data at a category level to explore what users are interested in and what is trending at a meta level. By driving content around a related product, you can create a trend that becomes exclusive or synonymous with your brand. This approach is popular among cosmetic brands and fashion brands.
To create drive trends, engage with online communities discussing emerging trends. Organize webinars, live Q&A sessions, workshops, or conferences focused on the trends you want to promote. Encourage your audience to create and share content related to your brand and its offering to drive the trend forward.
By incorporating trends into your SEO content strategy, you can stand out, engage with audiences, and lead the industry. Don’t just follow the crowd; be proactive and connect with your community in meaningful ways. By effectively leveraging trends, you can achieve organic visibility, grow your share-of-search, and build a loyal and engaged audience.
