SEO Content | SEO Content Agency | SEO Copywriting

Want to know the power of SEO content?

We’re sorry to say there’s probably been no tougher time to get your business to rank in Google (or Bing, or Yahoo). But we’re going to use all our powers, insights, and experience gained from helping businesses like yours and outline what great content is, how you create it, and why SEO content is still critical in 2023.

So, you want to get your business to rank on Google? Every business does, and that’s why SEO is so hard.

You don’t come here for problems but answers, right? The secret to sustainable success is (wait for it) SEO content. Of course, we’re an SEO content agency so we’re going to stay that, but even in the world of AI content generation, creating valuable content is the best way to boost your business online.

Who is 42group?

If you’ve landed on this page and don’t know who we are, first we’ll say: hello!

42group is Bristol’s leading SEO content agency, producing the kind of keyword-rich content that’s critical for search engine ranking. We’re Google Partners, which means we have a vital insight into what the world’s search engine is searching for in content.

We’ve built our business by providing SEO content for global brands, SMEs, and fast-growth start-ups. We’ve won awards, secured funding, and helped businesses use SEO content to connect with their customers.

It all comes down to results though, doesn’t it? Check out how we transformed Flowrite’s search engine performance, reaching over a million organic visitors in a year.

We’ve done it for them, and we can do it for you.

SEO content services

SEO keyword research

SEO content briefs

SEO content strategy

SEO content creation

SEO content editing

SEO content updating

SEO content analysis

AI content checks for SEO

What is SEO content? Your ultimate guide:

Let’s start with the basics. SEO content is anything that appears on your website. That includes your web pages, product descriptions, blogs, articles, whitepapers, and more. Basically, content for SEO is anything that Google can read.

SEO content isn’t social media posts, PDFs, downloadable whitepapers, or anything outside of your website. (Although these things all play a part in a comprehensive SEO strategy…)

While we can work with you to optimise your on-page content, in this article, we’re exploring SEO content – and for most businesses, that means a blog (or insights, articles, updates, news, whatever you want to call it). To keep things simple, when we talk about SEO content, we’re going to use the term blog.

Want to know what it is? Thankfully, Google doesn’t keep it a secret – it’s all about E-E-A-T. That stands for:

Experience
Expertise
Authoritativeness
Trustworthiness

When Google’s bots scan your website, they assess everything for these four factors. They run through your content and look for posts that add value. They want to see content that’s original, authentic, and written with authority – and that’s what we do.

Too many businesses assume that posting a 500-word post every few weeks will help them to rank for the most challenging and competitive search terms. Want an example? Bristol SEO agency is a good one.

You can check out the amount of searches each month to give you a great idea of how many people are searching for a Bristol SEO content agency. Google has a tough job identifying who is best, and uses content as one of its biggers signifiers.

Check it out for yourself. When you read the pages and posts for any Bristol SEO agency that ranks, they all embody what we would call great content. They tick every box in Google’s E-E-A-T list, delivering value to the reader.

And that, in a nutshell, is what SEO content is.

10 ways SEO content can boost your business

#1 SEO content can help you improve your search engine ranking. It’s that simple. While it can’t achieve everything (you’ll still need to build backlinks, optimise the site, refine the user experience and more), content is the cornerstone of any and every effective SEO strategy.

#2 You’re providing value. If you produce content with value, then customers, clients, and other website visitors will want to read it. You’re demonstrating your expertise, insights, and authority. You’re also sticking to the core principles of the internet: sharing information!

#3 You can identify niches: Too many businesses try to rank for keywords with high competition (in our example, we can use Bristol SEO agency). SEO content enables you to target niches that may be ignored by others but are just as effective in driving traffic.

#4 You can share insights with new clients: New clients will love to read your blogs about your business. The blogs for SEO agencies, for example, provide great insights into the technical stuff that can improve search engine performance. Practical tips and industry knowledge are perfect.

#5 Content can be repurposed: One blog can provide a whole week’s worth of social content. You can take out quotes, tease headlines, and repackage lessons into social posts.

#6 Access LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and a critical tool for connecting with clients. A steady flow of content on your site can be shared across LinkedIn.

#7 Regular content is a strong SEO signal: Posting regular content is a strong signal to Google that your website is relevant, valuable and that you invest in it. The result is better search engine performance.

#8 You can showcase your skills: Blogs don’t need to be boring- but can be a creative way to showcase your skills, achievements, and awards. Say it loud and proud when you publish content on your blog.

#9 Content is the most cost-effective SEO strategy: Buying backlinks is a dodgy business, but why bother when publishing content can achieve even better results. 42group, we provide an affordable content production package shaped around your business. We’re cheaper, faster, and better than other Bristol SEO agencies.

#10 You can capture links: When you post high-quality, person-centered content, you’ll find it rapidly picks up valuable backlinks that you don’t need to buy on the SEO black market. That can provide a massive boost to your ranking, and it all costs absolutely £0.

Why does SEO content matter in 2023?

The year is 2023, and the machines are taking over. When AI can create content that works, why bother working with an SEO agency?

It’s a good question, and the answer is simple: Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

Chat GPT and other copywriting and content platforms produce junk content that doesn’t fulfil any of Google’s core E-E-A-T criteria.

Remember when outsourcing was the key to SEO? Content mills can produce 2,000 words in a fraction of the time and for a fraction of the cost of a reasonably paid UK writer with a mortgage, cat, and cake addiction.

But what do you receive from cut-price content agencies or some unscrupulous SEO agencies that outsource? You get 2,000 words full of spelling mistakes, errors, and a lack of genuine insight. It would have been easier to stick that monkey in front of a typewriter, and hope you get lucky.

Positively, Google is always investing in its algorithm, which means it can detect – and penalise this junk content. Whether it’s crap produced by content mills, or AI content we would wipe our **** with, it will know.

The result could be content that negatively impacts your ranking.

In 2023, high-quality, human-centered content is more valuable than ever before. It’s also essential got boosting your business.

Let’s refocus our lens on the potential for content to contribute to business growth. We’ll use the example of Bristol SEO content agency. Getting through to customers is critical, but there aren’t many local SEO agencies in Bristol that can afford to spend £12 on one click (which is what it costs). Content can do a lot of the heavy lifting, helping these businesses to achieve a coveted page #1 slot on Google.

What’s great about content is that the results are sustainable. Unlike PPC ads (which can stop showing your ad at the top of the page if someone outbids you) or paid-for backlinks which can be deleted or (even worse) attract a Google penalty, content continues to have an impact.

Another benefit is that content can become an asset in itself. We’ve worked with several businesses who have used content as part of exit negotiations. A steady stream of high-quality SEO optimised content (and a existing contract with an agency, in this case, us) helped them to increase the sale price. Result!

How 42group creates SEO content

Now, we’re not going to give away all our trade secrets here. But we are building a huge resource to show you how to create great content, and it all starts with an SEO content strategy.

We’ve become the number 1 SEO content agency partner because we have a tried and tested process for creating successful and impactful content. Here are some of the stages we work through:

We take time to understand your business, including understanding what you do and why. This motivation is vital at helping us communicate with clarity.
Our writers don’t start creating content until we understand your audience. You can share us details of your personaes, but we want to know about real people.
Keywords are critical, so we’ll use our Google partner expertise to dive into the details.
Content strategy is about identifying opportunities that others are missing, so we’ll sift through your data to find them. Avoiding high-competition keywords doesn’t mean we’re not focusing on boosting your business for the future.
Every piece of content is written by an experienced SEO writer who works under our supervision. We don’t outsource content, use content mills, or untrained writers.
We QC and MC all content. That means quality control and machine check. Yes, we check EVERY piece of content for AI – and will share the results with you. It’s total transparency for every piece of content.
We optimise content when it’s on the site. We don’t just send and forget, we’ll work through your content and update it (if requested) to keep it relevant and delivering in SERPs.
We get results. That’s the bottom line, our content boosts rankings and builds brands.

10 tips for great SEO content

OK, that’s a lot of promo about our business (but we’re an SEO agency, and it’s a competitive world, so bragging is fine).

Here are some practical tips for helping you to commission or create SEO content.

Start with audience insights, not keywords.
Build a strong brief that sets out exactly what you want to achieve (audience, information, outcomes)
Develop a strong structure, with page titles, tags, H1s and more
Post length is important. For high-competition keywords, you’ll need 2000 words or more
Develop core pieces of content (like this guide) and build from there. We’re publishing a whole range of SEO content resources, you can check out here.
Understand E-E-A-T. Building E-E-A-T into your briefing process can help ensure you tick every box.
Remember, you’re writing for people not algorithms. Ensure your content has some personality as well as promoting your business or service
Check for grammar, spelling, originality and AI before publishing. Think Google doesn’t care about AI? Think again
Optimise posts with links, images, video, and more
Work with 42group (I wouldn’t get paid unless I included at least 14 shameless plugs for Bristol’s best SEO agency)

10 SEO content mistakes

So we’ve told you what to do, now here are 10 things you shouldn’t do when writing SEO content. These are the sorts of rookie errors that can damage your business and hit your ranking *hard*.

Ready to start?

Don’t copy. If you’ve seen something your competitor has done, don’t just copy it. Learn why it works and put those lessons into practice creating your own content.
Ensure every piece of content is strategic. Don’t just publish a post because you should. Ensure every post has a purpose (whther that’s brand building, or boosting your ranking).
Don’t outsource abroad. If you’re writing content for a UK or US audience, it’s better to use a naturalised language speaker. The savings you make on commissioning content could cost you in poor rankings.
Don’t use AI (yet). In the future, AI writing assistants could work but today, they’re going to damage your ranking and website. Our advice: avoid.
Don’t trust your web design agency. Unless your web agency knows about SEO, don’t trust a thing they say.
Don’t forget the basics. Titles, tags, and all the Hs make your posts readable and rankable (is that a word?). Develop a robust process to ensure that they’re all taken care of.
Write for real people, not algorithms. Try to find ways to be original, engaging, and (if you’re not a robot) funny!
Don’t overuse your keywords. Writing SEO agency 400 times won’t help your ranking. (SEO agency, SEO agency, SEO agency, SEO agency – let’s see if it works).
Don’t be afraid to take risks. Do something different. You may strike upon a strategy that delivers SEO success. If so, use it.
Don’t post once then forget. We love reading blogs, but if you haven’t updated yours in the last 3 years we won’t trust anything you say on your website. Sorry.

Are you confident creating SEO content?

We’re at the end now, and you should always wrap up with a solid conclusion that summarises the key points. So, here goes:

SEO content remains a critical part of any successful SEO strategy. But the success of your work rests on the quality of your content and how well it delivers on Google’s E-E-A-T criteria. Simply posting more and more junk content written by inexperienced outsourced teams or AI won’t help. Instead, you must invest in content that delivers value, answers questions, shares insights, and sets you apart from the competition.

Can you trust your SEO agency to do this? It’s hard to say. Some are great, others are useless. We regularly partner with technical SEO agencies, working together to deliver a comprehensive package of SEO support that gets results.

If you want to know more, we’re 2 clicks away…

Searching for an SEO content partner?

42group is Bristol’s leading SEO agency producing content for brands and businesses of all sizes. Want to improve your ranking? Then commission us to create the content you need. We’re fast, friendly, and endlessly creative.

Come on, let’s chat about SEO content. (We know you want to…!)

Get in touch

SEO content FAQs

OK, we’ve given you quite enough of our insights (without you paying for them), but everyone likes an FAQs section (including Google, obviously) so here are some SEO FAQs.

Does my business need SEO content?

Let’s flip the question. Do you want your site to rank highly in Google and other search engines, like Bing, Yahoo, and maybe even Ask Jeeves (remember that?). If you do, then you need to invest in SEO content. It’s part of a comprehensive SEO strategy.

Content alone won’t get you the results you want. Sorry. But it plays a role in a comprehensive SEO strategy, so use it.

Is it worth investing in SEO content?

See above! It’s absolutely worth investing in SEO. You must do so strategically, creating content with a clear purpose. We call it strategic content, and if your post has a purpose, it’s going to push your business on. If it doesn’t, then it’s a waste of time.

Is content the most important SEO ranking factor?

Google is highly protective of how its algorithm works, so we can’t say for certain what the most important ranking factors are. However, as Google Partners, we do understand a little bit about how to improve ranking, and content is 100% part of every successful SEO content strategy.

Sorry if this is getting boring, but you need to invest in well-written, high-quality, customer-driven content. If you do that, it’ll have a positive impact.

How long will it take for SEO content to improve my site ranking?

Difficult question. When you upload a new piece of content to your site, Google will scan it during a regular crawl of your site. It will assess the quality of the content, links, and all the other E-E-A-T ranking factors.

Sorry to say that a single piece of content won’t move the dial, but an SEO-focused content strategy, where you regularly post valuable content will start to bring dividends. You will need to give it at least 3 months to start to see results. It could come sooner, or it might take longer, but do all the right things, and you’ll get results.

What are Google penalties (and how can I avoid them)?

Google penalties (also known as manual actions) happen when someone decides your website isn’t complying with Google’s Search Essentials. That could include copying somebody’s content, for example. If you simply lift a piece of content, then you’ll find that you’re hit with a penalty.

In the future, we reckon Google will extend what it considers to be infractions of its codes, and that will include using AI content generators to try and game the algorithm by publishing page after page of junk.

What kind of content will help my site rank?

We could say content must be 2000 words, but that’s not necessarily true. Your content needs to solve a problem or answer a question. If you can do that in 700 words (and it resonates with your audience), it’ll work.

Obviously, we recommend you should invest in well-written, 100% original, and person-centred content. In terms of length, it depends on competition. But this guide runs to over 3,000 words, so let that be a guide. (If you’re reading it, then it’s going to have been successful in capturing search intent.)

Can I get AI to write my SEO content?

Yes, you can. Pay for a subscription, and you can get chat GPT, Bard, or any of the other AI copywriting platforms to knock out a blog in seconds. Faster than it takes to read this sentence, in fact.

Should you get AI to write your content? That’s a whole different question. Morally, you’re passing off work you haven’t written yourself as your own. AI crowdsources “facts” from the web as it was in 2021, so it’s hardly up to date. It’s also going to be 100% unoriginal.

Currently, Google doesn’t penalise you for AI content, but we reckon this will change in the future. We wouldn’t risk it.

Should I trust my SEO agency to create content?

SEO agencies are amazing at doing the technical stuff (on-page and off-page) that you need to improve your ranking. But they’re not writers. Sure, they can promise to supply you with optimised content, but in our experience, most provide you with junk knocked up by amateurs or outsourced to content mills.

It’s your money and your choice, but we’d recommend working with a dedicated SEO content agency.

Why should I trust 42group?

Good question. We’ve provided content for some of the world’s biggest brands (hello Google!), and exciting start-ups (have you met Flowrite?) and all types of businesses in between. We specialise in providing the best SEO content out there. As well as working directly with businesses, we also white-label content for the best agencies in the UK. They trust us, and so should you…

Which is the best SEO agency?

We’re not qualified to answer this question. The right SEO agency for you depends on your size, business sector, and budget. We always recommend getting several quotes and checking out their reviews, case studies, and testimonials

How to create SEO content

Content that boosts your business online