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The Importance of Good Content: Helpful – Evergreen – Hygiene Content

    Last Updated on November 23, 2023

    Creating Content that Gets You Eyes

    Topics covered in this post you may like more information on: Marketing Hygiene, YMYL, E-E-A-T, KAKADU, Content Hubs, Evergreen Content, Helpful Content

    Hygiene content? Helpful content? Did I make this up? Isn’t all content helpful? What is the point of content that isn’t helpful?

    I come from a generation that read the cereal box packages before school. That was helpful content – it kept us quiet while our mother made our lunch for school. Honestly, it’s a funny sort of content that isn’t helpful.

    I wondered whether there was any unhelpful content and even the most extreme examples probably serve someone in some way.

    For example, those subtitles in movies (eerie music, loud screams) – but if you have the sound turned off, I see the point. How about those signs that say “sidewalk ends” at the end of the sidewalk?

    I even saw a “Best YouTube Videos” book. There I did a double take until I saw there were QR-Codes included so you could view the videos.

    Perhaps one person’s unhelpful content is another person’s useful content. As long as it is good for someone. And, let’s keep it clean content. Let’s keep it hygienic. Why? Because hygiene makes us feel good, and in an age of fake news and online scams, hygiene keeps us safe.

    What is Hygiene Content and Why is it Helpful?

    Hygiene content, sometimes also called Help Content, is the best kind of content you can produce. Why? Because it’s just that – it’s helpful. It’s useful. And it stands the test of time and requires less fussing about. That’s why you might also see it talked about as Evergreen Content. It’s also why you might find these terms connected when you search for Sustainable Marketing. Even Google is big on Helpful Content.

    “Would I write this content if search engines didn’t exist?” is an excellent question to ask when you are trying to decide whether the content you are creating is created for people-first or search engines. #HelpfulContent

    Hygiene content aims to attract your target audience, and the topics you choose to address are often based on the searches conducted by those people.

    The primary purpose of hygiene content is to attract new visitors, particularly through organic search (unpaid and non-local search). Being visible on search engines ensures you a consistent flow of new users to your websites. Another aim of hygiene content is to retain existing users.

    So, how does this work? How do I get my content visible on search engines?

    Well, people, like you and I, actively search for things. We use “key terms” or search phrases such as “best ways to remove red wine stains” or “cheapest family holidays in Spain”. Those are the keywords or terms, that we try to match our content with. Everyone is doing this, and it’s competitive. There is only one, Google Page 1.

    However, even if you’re not a Fortune 500 brand you can still generate highly relevant help content that resonates with your audience. You just need to understand what it is they’re looking for. You need to know what problems they are trying to solve, and then offer solutions.

    Interested in Search Engine Optimisation for your own website?
     Read more about SEO and Keywords right here.

    Subplot: What Does Hygiene Content Have to Do with Sustainable Marketing?

    Marketing Hygiene is the process of maintaining the freshness and function of our marketing tools, processes, and strategies to preserve the overall health and well-being of your business. We think most often of sustainability as having to do with the climate, food production and consumption, and even our survival as a species.

    Sustainability can also be about how we build or decorate our homes, or what we wear. It can also be about our personal, work, or cultural relationships.

    A clean process, pipeline, tool, and workflow, allow things to go from A to B faster, easier, effectively, and more efficiently. There is less friction. Speeds win.

    If you want no other reason to be hygienic in your marketing, or your content, it is so your content appears where people can see it. It is so you, and your audience, win.

    Watch my video about Marketing Hygiene and Sustainable Practices on GreenGeeks: https://www.greengeeks.com/blog/marketing-hygiene-and-sustainable-practices/

    How to Plan Your Hygiene Content

    A content plan helps you to structure and plan the content on your website or social networks. If you write a blog or post good content regularly, it is best to keep an eye on the keywords that will help you score in search engine optimisation. The following points will help you plan your content:

    Set goals: first set goals for yourself. Ask yourself what you want to achieve with the content, how many visitors you want to attract to your website and how many clicks you want to achieve. What do you want your blog posts to look like?

    Allocate time: Think about how much time you can devote to content creation. It’s best to take a calendar and note down the days you can devote to your blog texts. Think about how long it will take you to write the blog posts and realise how much time you will have to sacrifice.

    Make a plan: Based on the information you have gained about your time, now plan at what interval you can post your blog posts, for example. Make a habit of choosing a topic that you divide into smaller posts and post regularly on social media. Together, these small posts make up a blog post that you publish on your website.

    Content Formats and Analysis: Here’s How to Proceed

    Once you’ve set your goals and created a plan, it’s time to move on to formats and analysis:

    Determine content formats: Determine what you want your posts to look like. For example, you can publish posts in which you give tips, share interesting facts or write how-to articles. Depending on the topic and the target group, the formats of the texts may differ.

    Content planning: Allocate one day a week to precisely plan the content. Prepare the content and write the texts. Also, look for the appropriate keywords to use for SEO.

    Analysis: Once you have published the content, you need to analyse it. How good were your posts and how did they go down with your target group? Did you get feedback and were you able to attract more customers or website visitors?

    What Tools You’ll Need for Planning Your Hygiene Content

    Got a pen? You can do a lot with a pen and a paper napkin. Honestly.

    Stay up to date with what’s happening. Screenshot those posts on Twitter. Forward those emails to yourself. Send yourself messages when you get a good idea. Don’t wait.

    • + Simple social media management like Buffer.com
    • + Working in a Team? Editorial planning in a team with Trello.
    • + Editorial Calendar plugin for WordPress.
    • + Edit Flow is a free open-source plugin for WordPress.

    Honestly, I use sticky notes on the wall beside my desk. It’s primitive, but you see it! That can be very motivating. Especially if you’re easily distracted or neurodivergent.

    Here is an example of Hygiene Content for a Plumber’s Website

    The internet is full of content. Is it helpful? Sometimes. Is it hygiene content? Maybe. What’s important is that your content is. Hygiene content links back to your authority. So, you have to demonstrate it. But that’s easy, you’re already an expert and that’s how you get client referrals. 

    Hygiene content shows people who are searching that you know what you are talking about. Here is an example:

    Do you need to call a plumber? You might encounter minor plumbing issues that can be resolved on your own. Do you have the right tools at hand to tackle these problems effectively? Here are some recommended tools for common plumbing tasks you should have at home:

    • Plunger: A plunger is a must-have tool for every household.
    • Pipe Wrench: This adjustable wrench is crucial for tasks like loosening or tightening pipe connections. Reminder: When using a pipe wrench, position it perpendicular to the pipe and apply steady pressure to avoid damage.
    • Teflon Tape: Also known as plumber’s tape, is a thin, white tape used to create a watertight seal on threaded pipe connections. Wrap the tape clockwise around the threads to ensure a secure connection and prevent leaks.

    Disclaimer: The information provided is for general guidance only. Always exercise caution when working with your bathroom and kitchen plumbing, and consider seeking professional assistance if needed.

    Hygiene Content answers people’s questions – regardless of season, demographic, or who won the Superbowl. Questions like:

    • What Causes a Leaky Bidet Toilet?
    • What Can I Put In My Garbage Disposal?
    • Why Does My Toilet Keep Running And How Do I Fix It?
    • Why Do We Run Out of Hot Water So Quickly?

    Find out more about Bridget Willard’s content packs – from Plumbers to Roofing Contractors and more – right here: https://bridgetwillard.com/launch-with-words-premium/

    Where to Effectively Place Your Hygiene Content

    Use Hygiene Content on Your Blog

    The most useful place for your hygiene content is on your blog.

    Blogs are easily connected with other relevant posts, product pages and content hubs. Blog posts are also easily shared on your social media channels.

    Content on your blog is also a page on your website – this serves as a backlink, a very useful URL (with applicable keywords), and a way to measure the interest people have in the topics you are writing about. In addition, it’s digital real estate – another potential way people can find you when they search. And, less expensive than billboards, direct mail, and bus bench adverts.

    The best part of an active company blog is that individual posts can be repurposed, updated, rewritten and merged with other posts over time. Content needn’t ever get old and drop in the rankings if you keep it useful, evergreen, and hygienic.

    Use Hygiene Content on Social Media

    Social Media is one of the most important ways people find your small business. Most of your visibility in search engines is actually not your website. Try it yourself. Go to Google and search. site:yourdomain.com

    See how many results there are? Now search for your company. See how many more results there are? A lot of those results are on social media and related pages. We call these “Off-Page SEO”. Your website is “On-Page SEO”.

    Your social media channels are an amazing opportunity to connect with local people who will also share your content. It is not a place to sell things. It’s a place to create relationships. It’s not an online shop. It’s a conversation. 

    Helpful content, evergreen content, hygiene content does not sell – it helps. Focus on adding value to the lives of those people who follow you on social media. That’s how you attract prospects. You do know that social media is good for lead gen, right?

    Ensure that the content you offer on Instagram is not the EXACT same content you offer on Facebook. Each platform has a unique purpose and perspective. It’s not helpful to anyone to see the same content on all your channels.

    Here is Bob the Plumber Talking About Drains as an Example:

    • Your Blog Post: Here are the 1500 words about how to avoid kitchen sink drain blockages with some relevant images and a list of tools. An FAQ would be great here as well.
    • Your YouTube Channel: Here is Bob’s video showing you how to unplug those nasty kitchen sink drains you wrote about in your blog post.
    • Your Twitter Post: Here are your 25 words about kitchen sink drain blockages and a different image from the one you used in your blog post.

    Let’s Chat About Your Content Needs

    I’ve been creating content for clients for many years. Whether it be longer articles, blog posts, or how to’s – please let me know how I can assist you. My SEO experience means your content will be very helpful!

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