A content marketing plan is an important tool to help grow your business and increase sales.
Introduction As SEO has evolved over the years, so has its starting point: keyword research. In the early days, keyword research was all about chasing the highest-volume terms and stuffing them into your content. But today, success in SEO means understanding the human intent behind those searches. Human-first keyword research focuses on solving real problems, using authentic language, and offering valuable context that truly serves your audience. Not sure where to start? Let’s walk through how to create keyword research that’s built for humans first, algorithms second. Understand Your Audience First Like any successful business strategy, SEO starts with understanding your audience. Before diving into keyword tools, take the time to define your customer personas, who they are, what they care about, and what problems they’re trying to solve. Once you’ve identified your target audience, map out their pain points and motivations. For example, you might have a small business owner who doesn’t understand SEO, lacks an in-house team, and has a limited budget. That person might search for phrases like “affordable SEO,” “local SEO agency,” or “cheap SEO packages.” Use surveys, customer interviews, and online communities like Reddit or Quora to uncover how your audience actually talks about their challenges. Their language often reveals the best keywords. Shift from Keywords to Topics Modern SEO isn’t about isolated keywords, it’s about topical depth. Google’s algorithms now reward comprehensive content that explores an entire subject area. For example, if you’re offering guest posting services (like we do at Bubble SEO), you might also target related terms such as “content marketing,” “link building,” and “affordable backlinks.” These connected keywords build topic authority and help Google understand your site’s expertise. To organise this, create a topical map; a visual representation of your main topic (e.g., SEO) surrounded by related clusters (content strategy, backlinks, keyword research, etc.). This approach expands your reach and makes your site more relevant to a wider audience. Gather Keyword Ideas with Empathy Empathy is one of the most underrated tools in keyword research. Instead of guessing what people search for, listen to how they ask questions and express frustration. Use tools like: Google Autocomplete: Type your seed keyword (e.g., “SEO”) and see what suggestions appear. Reddit, Quora, and niche forums: Great for uncovering natural phrasing and trending topics. If your business is customer-facing, listen to support calls, emails, or chat logs. Real customer language can inspire highly specific, long-tail keywords like “how to improve local SEO” or “why backlinks are important.” Since Google’s Helpful Content System now prioritises user-focused results, these question-based keywords are more valuable than ever. Balance Data with Human Judgment While empathy drives creativity, data validates it. Every keyword you target should have measurable search demand and achievable competition. Check metrics like: Search volume Keyword difficulty or competition score Click potential You can use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Keyword Planner to evaluate your options. Not every high-volume keyword is worth pursuing. If a term doesn’t match your audience’s needs or intent, it can drive the wrong traffic, or none at all. Prioritise relevance and conversion potential over vanity metrics. Analyse Search Intent & Context Every search has a purpose, and understanding that purpose is essential. Search intent typically falls into three main categories: Informational – Learning something (e.g., “importance of content length in SEO”) Transactional – Buying or signing up (e.g., “buy guest post”) Navigational – Finding a specific brand or page (e.g., “Bubble SEO contact us”) A healthy SEO strategy includes a mix of all three. Match your content format to intent: Informational → Blog posts, guides, tutorials Transactional → Service pages, product pages, offers Navigational → Optimised homepage and contact pages Validate Before You Create Before investing time into content creation, validate your keyword choices. Simply search your target terms in Google and ask yourself: Do the results match what my audience would expect? Are the top-ranking pages similar to what I plan to publish? Would I be proud to see my content among them? If the results don’t align with your goals or audience, it may be worth rethinking your keyword focus. A quick competitor analysis can help you gauge difficulty and opportunity. Keep Iterating & Evolving SEO isn’t static, it’s a living process. Keywords rise and fall in popularity, algorithms shift, and user behavior changes constantly. Regularly review your keyword performance: Is this term still driving traffic? Has search volume increased or dropped? Are rankings becoming harder to maintain? If you notice shifts, adapt quickly. Revisit your keyword strategy, refresh outdated content, and look for new opportunities. Tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs Site Explorer can help track keyword trends over time. Conclusion Keyword research can be time-consuming, but it’s one of the most valuable investments you can make for your business. When done with humans in mind, not search engines, it leads to stronger engagement, better content, and higher long-term rankings. Remember: SEO isn’t linear. You’ll test, fail, learn, and adapt along the way. Keep your focus on solving real problems for real people, and the rankings will follow.
As SEO has evolved over the years, so has its starting point: keyword research. In the early days, keyword research was all about chasing the highest-volume terms and stuffing them into your content. But today, success in SEO means understanding the human intent behind those searches.
Human-first keyword research focuses on solving real problems, using authentic language, and offering valuable context that truly serves your audience.
Not sure where to start? Let’s walk through how to create keyword research that’s built for humans first, algorithms second.
Like any successful business strategy, SEO starts with understanding your audience. Before diving into keyword tools, take the time to define your customer personas, who they are, what they care about, and what problems they’re trying to solve.
Once you’ve identified your target audience, map out their pain points and motivations. For example, you might have a small business owner who doesn’t understand SEO, lacks an in-house team, and has a limited budget. That person might search for phrases like “affordable SEO,” “local SEO agency,” or “cheap SEO packages.”
Use surveys, customer interviews, and online communities like Reddit or Quora to uncover how your audience actually talks about their challenges. Their language often reveals the best keywords.
Modern SEO isn’t about isolated keywords, it’s about topical depth. Google’s algorithms now reward comprehensive content that explores an entire subject area.
For example, if you’re offering guest posting services (like we do at Bubble SEO), you might also target related terms such as “content marketing,” “link building,” and “affordable backlinks.” These connected keywords build topic authority and help Google understand your site’s expertise.
To organise this, create a topical map; a visual representation of your main topic (e.g., SEO) surrounded by related clusters (content strategy, backlinks, keyword research, etc.). This approach expands your reach and makes your site more relevant to a wider audience.
Empathy is one of the most underrated tools in keyword research. Instead of guessing what people search for, listen to how they ask questions and express frustration.
Use tools like:
If your business is customer-facing, listen to support calls, emails, or chat logs. Real customer language can inspire highly specific, long-tail keywords like “how to improve local SEO” or “why backlinks are important.”
Since Google’s Helpful Content System now prioritises user-focused results, these question-based keywords are more valuable than ever.
While empathy drives creativity, data validates it. Every keyword you target should have measurable search demand and achievable competition.
Check metrics like:
You can use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Google Keyword Planner to evaluate your options.
Not every high-volume keyword is worth pursuing. If a term doesn’t match your audience’s needs or intent, it can drive the wrong traffic, or none at all. Prioritise relevance and conversion potential over vanity metrics.
Every search has a purpose, and understanding that purpose is essential. Search intent typically falls into three main categories:
A healthy SEO strategy includes a mix of all three. Match your content format to intent:
Before investing time into content creation, validate your keyword choices.
Simply search your target terms in Google and ask yourself:
If the results don’t align with your goals or audience, it may be worth rethinking your keyword focus. A quick competitor analysis can help you gauge difficulty and opportunity.
SEO isn’t static, it’s a living process. Keywords rise and fall in popularity, algorithms shift, and user behavior changes constantly.
Regularly review your keyword performance:
If you notice shifts, adapt quickly. Revisit your keyword strategy, refresh outdated content, and look for new opportunities.
Tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs Site Explorer can help track keyword trends over time.
Keyword research can be time-consuming, but it’s one of the most valuable investments you can make for your business.
When done with humans in mind, not search engines, it leads to stronger engagement, better content, and higher long-term rankings.
Remember: SEO isn’t linear. You’ll test, fail, learn, and adapt along the way. Keep your focus on solving real problems for real people, and the rankings will follow.
Grow your business online with content marketing solutions from Bubble SEO today.
Place An Order
When making a guest post, it is important to track your metrics of your site and help you to improve.
Google is known for its constant algorithm updates, with the goal of improving the quality of search results and enhancing the user experience. In 2024, several significant updates have rolled out, impacting how websites are ranked and how marketers approach their SEO strategies. Below, we explore the key changes and what they mean for businesses and digital marketers. 1. Focus on Helpful Content: The "Helpful Content" Update One of Google's core focuses this year has been on promoting "helpful content". The Helpful Content Update prioritises pages that provide real value to users over those stuffed with keywords or created solely for ranking purposes. Google’s AI now does a better job of determining the true intent behind content, rewarding pages that genuinely address user needs. How to Adapt: Audience-Centric Content: Ensure your content addresses user queries comprehensively and prioritises providing answers or solutions rather than just boosting rankings. Remove Fluff: Thin, repetitive, or overly-optimised content can hurt your rankings. Focus on improving the depth and originality of your articles. User Satisfaction Signals: Pay attention to user engagement metrics, such as time on page and bounce rate, as these can indicate how "helpful" users find your content. 2. Enhanced E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness Google has added an extra "E" to E-A-T, now called "E-E-A-T"—"Experience." This addition means Google now considers whether content creators have first-hand experience on the topics they discuss. This change is particularly impactful in areas like health, finance, and other “Your Money, Your Life” (YMYL) niches. How to Adapt: Author Expertise: Ensure content is created or reviewed by individuals with direct experience or expertise in the field. Author Bios and Credibility: Include detailed author bios, qualifications, and links to credible sources that verify the author's expertise. First-Hand Accounts: Incorporate personal experiences, case studies, and testimonials into your content to demonstrate true experience. 3. Page Experience Update: Mobile-First and Core Web Vitals Google continues to push the importance of user experience with updates to its Page Experience metrics, especially emphasising mobile usability and Core Web Vitals. The Core Web Vitals include metrics such as Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), all of which measure the quality of a user’s interaction with your website. How to Adapt: Speed Optimisation: Optimise your website's loading speed, with particular focus on mobile devices. Stability and Responsiveness: Minimise layout shifts that might frustrate users, and ensure that interactive elements are highly responsive. Mobile-Friendly Design: Test your website across various devices and screen sizes to ensure a seamless mobile experience. 4. AI and Conversational Search: Integration of Generative AI Results Google has rolled out more integrations of generative AI and conversational search features into their search engine results. Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) aims to provide more interactive, AI-driven results that summarise complex queries in a conversational way. This impacts the traditional search result layout and the visibility of featured snippets. How to Adapt: Structured Data Usage: Ensure your website uses structured data to help Google understand your content better and make it more likely to be included in AI-generated responses. Conversational Content: Incorporate a natural, conversational tone into your content, anticipating longer, more complex queries that users might ask AI. Focus on Rich Answers: Create content that answers questions in a concise, authoritative manner to increase chances of being included in AI summaries or rich answers. 5. Spam and Link Quality Updates Recent updates have also focused on cracking down on spammy practices and low-quality link building. Google's SpamBrain AI is better at detecting manipulative link schemes and penalising websites involved in unnatural link practices. It’s clear that Google’s push for higher quality extends to off-page SEO as well. How to Adapt: High-Quality Backlinks: Focus on acquiring backlinks from reputable, relevant sources rather than quantity. Check out Ahrefs’ Guide to Quality Backlinks for strategies. Disavow Low-Quality Links: Regularly audit your backlink profile and disavow any links from spammy or irrelevant sites using the Google Disavow Tool. Avoid Link Manipulation: Avoid engaging in link exchanges, PBNs, or other tactics that could be flagged as manipulative. Conclusion: Staying Ahead of Google Updates Google’s recent updates underscore its commitment to improving user experience, content quality, and combatting spam. SEO professionals and content creators must adapt by prioritising helpful, experience-driven content, optimising user experience metrics, and focusing on high-quality, ethical link-building practices. Staying informed about these changes and continuously refining your SEO strategy are key to maintaining strong visibility in search results. Remember, Google's updates are ultimately aimed at rewarding websites that provide real value to users—so focus on creating the best possible experience for your audience, and you'll stay on the right side of these changes.
With Black Friday almost upon us, we have put together some tips of how you can get ahead with your socials
In the constantly changing landscape of SEO, staying ahead of the competition means focusing on more than just keywords and backlinks. A growing emphasis is on building topical authority—a strategy that helps websites become recognised experts in their niche, providing immense value to both search engines and users alike. But what exactly is topical authority, and why is it crucial for SEO success? Let’s delve deeper into this concept and understand how to build it effectively. What is Topical Authority? Topical authority refers to how well a website is trusted to provide comprehensive, expert information on a particular subject or niche. In simple terms, it's about becoming an authority in a specific area by covering it extensively and in-depth. When Google sees that your website consistently offers valuable, well-researched, and complete information about a topic, it begins to consider you a "go-to" source for users looking for information on that subject. For example, if your website specialises in “vegan cooking,” building topical authority means creating a vast amount of content that thoroughly covers every aspect of vegan cooking—recipes, ingredients, benefits, challenges, tips for beginners, and more. By consistently providing high-quality, interconnected content, your site gains authority over time, which translates to higher rankings and increased organic traffic. The Importance of Building Topical Authority 1. Improved Search Engine Rankings Search engines, particularly Google, are constantly working on improving the relevance of the search results they provide to users. With advancements in AI and semantic search, Google now looks beyond individual keywords and assesses the overall context of a website. Websites with topical authority are more likely to be ranked higher because Google recognises them as comprehensive and trustworthy sources. 2. Increased User Trust and Engagement Users are more likely to trust websites that provide in-depth, reliable information on a subject they are researching. If a visitor lands on your website and finds a treasure trove of well-organised content, they are more likely to stay longer, interact with your site, and return in the future. This engagement boosts important metrics like time on page and bounce rate, which further helps with SEO. 3. Higher Relevance in Competitive Niches When you establish topical authority, it helps you stand out even in a highly competitive niche. While it may take longer to build compared to targeting specific keywords, the payoff is that you become a resource that Google and users will continue to trust, giving you a competitive edge. Topical authority is especially important in YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) areas, such as health, finance, and legal content, where credibility is key. 4. Sustainable Long-Term Growth Instead of chasing temporary ranking gains through keyword manipulation or questionable link-building practices, building topical authority provides a long-term, sustainable path to SEO success. Google prioritises user satisfaction, and websites that genuinely offer valuable information are more likely to withstand frequent algorithm changes and updates. How to Build Topical Authority: A Step-by-Step Guide Building topical authority requires a well-planned approach that covers the subject matter thoroughly and strategically. Here's a short guide to help you get started: Step 1: Define Your Niche To become an authority, you need to start with a well-defined niche. Broad topics are difficult to dominate, so focus on a specific segment within your industry. For example, instead of focusing on “fitness,” narrow it down to “strength training for women” or “HIIT workouts for beginners.” This focused approach allows you to provide a complete, detailed collection of resources that users and search engines will appreciate. Step 2: Conduct Comprehensive Topic Research Once your niche is clear, research every aspect of it. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush can help you identify content gaps and topics that are underrepresented in your niche. Think of the questions people ask, the pain points they have, and the related topics that can support your main subject. The goal is to create a content plan that leaves no question unanswered. Step 3: Create Pillar Content and Cluster Topics Create a pillar page—a long, comprehensive piece of content that covers your niche in depth. From there, develop cluster topics or subtopics that provide detailed information on specific aspects of the main topic. For example, a pillar page on “strength training for women” could link to subtopics like “best strength training exercises,” “beginner strength training programme,” and “benefits of strength training for women.” This internal linking between pillar and cluster content strengthens the topical connection and helps search engines understand that your website covers the subject comprehensively. Step 4: Use High-Quality Backlinks To further enhance your topical authority, consider acquiring backlinks from other reputable sources in your industry. Platforms like Bubble SEO make it easier to gain access to high-authority guest posting opportunities, which can drive traffic and signal to Google that your site is a trusted resource. Aim for backlinks that are relevant to your niche and are from authoritative domains to boost your credibility. Step 5: Maintain and Update Content Google favours websites that are well-maintained and up-to-date. Continually update existing content to reflect the latest trends, statistics, and developments in your niche. Tools like Google Search Console help identify opportunities to refresh content that may be losing its rank over time. This ensures that your content remains relevant and useful, boosting your authority even further. Tips for Strengthening Topical Authority Answer Users' Questions: Make sure your content addresses real questions and pain points users have. Check forums like Reddit and Quora to see what questions people are asking in your niche. Engage with the Community: Actively participate in your niche community through blog comments, social media, and forums. The more you are seen as a contributor, the more authoritative your website will appear. Utilise Structured Data: Incorporate schema markup to help search engines understand the relationships between different pieces of content on your site. This boosts visibility in search results and helps with rich snippets. In an increasingly competitive digital world, building topical authority is the key to establishing your website as a trusted resource in your niche. By providing comprehensive, in-depth content and strategically creating clusters of supporting topics, you not only improve your visibility in search engine results but also build trust and loyalty with your audience. While high-quality backlinks and content promotion are important components of the strategy, the core of topical authority lies in consistently delivering value to your readers. Start by narrowing down your niche, mapping out a detailed content plan, and continually updating your material. By positioning yourself as an expert voice, you’ll create a sustainable path to SEO success that withstands algorithm changes and fosters lasting relationships with your audience.
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, content remains king, but how we approach content creation and distribution continues to change. One of the most effective strategies for brands today is combining the power of guest posting services with content diversification. This approach not only helps in building authority but also ensures your brand message reaches a wider audience across different content formats. Guest Posting: A Proven Strategy for Authority and Reach Guest posting is one of the most reliable methods for building authority in your niche and increasing organic traffic. When you publish high-quality content on established websites, you gain exposure to an audience already interested in your topic. Moreover, this kind of collaboration leads to valuable backlinks, enhancing your website's domain authority and improving its ranking in search engines like Google. Platforms like AI Guest Posts offer a streamlined way to find opportunities for guest blogging on relevant, high-authority sites. Leveraging such services helps save time and ensures that your guest posts are placed on websites that align well with your target audience and industry. For an impactful guest posting campaign, it's important to go beyond traditional blogs and text-based content. This is where content diversification comes into play. Content Diversification: Why It’s Essential for Guest Posting Success In 2024, audiences expect more than just well-written articles. Content diversification means offering information in a variety of formats—such as infographics, videos, podcasts, interactive quizzes, and more. By diversifying your content, you engage a broader audience and cater to different preferences, which ultimately helps boost the effectiveness of your guest posting services. 1. Reaching a Wider Audience Different people prefer different types of content. While some prefer reading long-form blog posts, others are more inclined to watch a quick video or listen to a podcast during their commute. By diversifying your guest post contributions beyond articles—such as embedding explainer videos or podcast snippets—you attract a more varied audience. For instance, visual content such as infographics is highly shareable and can make complex information more digestible. Sites like Canva provide tools to create eye-catching infographics that can be embedded within guest posts, adding more value for readers. 2. Improving Engagement and SEO Performance Diversified content tends to perform better in terms of SEO. Google favours websites that offer a rich variety of content types, indicating an effort to provide a holistic and engaging user experience. Including videos and audio clips in your guest posts can help you rank for video searches, drive more engagement, and reduce bounce rates. Studies show that pages with videos tend to have a higher average time-on-page, signalling quality to search engines. 3. Enhancing Social Shares Diversified guest posts are also more likely to be shared on social media. Visual content and short video clips are inherently more shareable than long text articles. To encourage social media distribution, it's wise to include interactive elements like quizzes or short polls that encourage readers to share their results. Tools like BuzzSumo can help identify the types of content that perform well on social platforms, informing your diversification strategy. How to Diversify Your Guest Posts Effectively If you want your guest posting strategy to succeed in 2024, it's crucial to take an integrated approach. Here are some tips to get started: 1. Incorporate Multimedia Elements When submitting guest posts, consider including a mix of multimedia elements. Whether it’s a quick infographic or an embedded video, these elements can help make your post stand out. A simple guide to creating these visuals is available on Visme, which offers resources for designing professional-quality graphics without advanced skills. 2. Offer Podcast Collaborations Instead of only contributing written content, offer to collaborate on a podcast episode for the host website. Platforms like Anchor make it easy to create and share podcasts. Podcasting helps you reach audiences that prefer listening over reading, and it adds a personal touch to your brand voice. 3. Tailor Content for Different Audiences Adapt your content for the website where you are guest posting. For example, if you’re targeting a site with a younger audience, consider a TikTok-style video or a visually rich infographic. Conversely, for a professional B2B audience, you may want to include detailed graphs and statistical analysis, which you can create using tools like Datawrapper. 4. Why Choose AI Guest Posts for Your Guest Blogging Needs? As digital marketers, time is always of the essence, and finding the right websites for guest posting can be challenging. AI Guest Posts offers a solution by connecting you with high-authority platforms that align with your brand. They help you navigate the guest posting process, ensuring that your content—whether it's a blog post, infographic, or video—lands in front of the right audience. By collaborating with a reliable guest posting service, you get access to quality backlinks that boost your SEO and bring more organic traffic to your website. Diversifying your content while guest posting helps you gain more engagement, improve your SEO metrics, and enhance your brand’s overall authority. Conclusion: Embrace Guest Posting and Diversify Your Content The combination of guest posting and content diversification is a powerful way to grow your online presence in 2024. Guest posts help establish your authority, while diverse content formats ensure that your brand appeals to a broader audience. Platforms like AI Guest Posts make it easy to find the right guest blogging opportunities, allowing you to focus on what really matters—creating high-quality, diverse content that resonates with your audience. Whether you're looking to improve your search engine rankings, gain exposure, or reach new audiences, integrating content diversification with guest posting services is the key to standing out in the competitive digital landscape of 2024.