Content Gap Analysis & Why You Need to Understand it for Bettering Your Chance at Google Marketing

Competing in a world with an influx of information is not easy. It can be overwhelming searching for buzzing keywords without a lot of competition. It is also important to remember not all content on the web is good content. Google rewards content that shares knowledge that is fact-based and personal. A lot of websites miss expertise in a particular subject. 

This creates a gap in the information from distributor to reader. But how do we figure that out? Simple. Understanding content gap analysis can be the reason why your business makes or breaks where it concerns Google. Let’s talk about it. 

What Is Content Gap Analysis?

Content gap analysis is when you can review your own existing content and find out where the missed opportunities are. More specifically, it looks at what goes wrong when checking out the “sales funnel” or “buyer’s journey.” For example, what makes them click on certain links, or why do they exit out of an article within 10 seconds? 

You can consider content gap analysis to be an audit of your entire webpage. It doesn’t necessarily have to be blogs. It can be landing pages, bios, etc. 

Main Factors Considered With Content Gap Analysis:

• Analysis can determine whether a piece should be long or short based on the information searched. Not all information needs to be drawn out when the answer is simple. 
• Keywords that aren’t being used or placed properly are an information gap because your content won’t be SEO friendly. 
• Looking at existing pieces from competitors to see what they are doing well versus what you may not have. 

How To Understand It to Better Your Marketing

Most of the audit is going to revolve around understanding SEO’s best practices. What’s difficult about this is that SEO practices and algorithms change whenever Google decides to. This is why an audit can be helpful because it ensures that your content is up-to-date with its facts and best practices. It’s not always easy to spot your own gaps, and in such cases outsourcing your advertising and marketing to media services like Pathlabs Media marketing services adds to your advantage allowing you to focus on the operations thoroughly.  

Your Keywords

When it comes to SEO, keywords rank highly in the list of properties. Keyword placement and the number of times you use a keyword are critical. Overusing or using the wrong keywords can cause Google to push your content down. Keywords also play an essential role in your meta descriptions. Without your keyword in the meta description, it won’t appear well on Google. Meta’s are the one to two-liners below the link on Google results. 

Your Quality

The quality of your article is essential. Google encourages easy-to-read segments for your audience. This means shorter sentences and paragraphs that don’t go on for years. Articles that get to the point without filler rank better. This also includes simple language rather than difficult words. 

For example, If users want to know how to create a home project. You likely will just need to tell them the directions and materials needed. It may be imported to include a list of FAQs. You don’t need to include indirect information just to add length. This could be a breakdown of what the materials are. 

Your Facts

Out-of-date information is an easy way to get pushed down the ranks. You also need to bring new information that your competitors don’t have. If it sounds like the same content as everyone else, there is nothing unique to bring visitors in. Even providing a personal experience adds value to the content. Readers want to prove that a method works or a product is worth the buy. 

Links

Outdated links or the wrong kind of links are something that should be included in your audit. Linking to authority sources is one of the most important things. Linking to false information is just as harmful as writing bad information. However, backlinking to your own content so traffic can explore your website longer is great to drive traffic. 

Something to be aware of is linking to your competitors. This can be a tricky one. Sometimes arrangements are made between competitors to link to each other’s pages to share traffic. This can be beneficial. However, it doesn’t always pan out equally and can sometimes decrease your Google ratings. 

Improving Your Marketing

Understanding what you can do for the future is just as important as updating your old content to fill the gaps where content has gone stale. When you understand where the gaps are in your content, it increases efficiency for the future. Analysis should change to keep up with the times, so it doesn’t hurt to have these audits done every once in a while. 

One of the biggest advantages that a brand or company can take advantage of is studying its competitors. Looking at Google’s top page for the same content field offers the opportunity to use what they do well and improve on what they struggle with. It’s not always easy to spot this on competitors’ sites or even on your own.

As a company, you can buy automated tools to help with the assistance, but this doesn’t compare to a human team doing the analysis themself. It should be unique, just like your content.