How to Create Cornerstone Content That Google Loves

Cornerstone content is arguably the most valuable component of your business website – and for Google.

It is more important than any average piece of content.

It is at the forefront of driving traffic and creating brand awareness.

Cornerstone content allows you to create a first impression that will motivate your target audience to explore what your website has in store for them.

The creation of cornerstone content has a positive impact on your online marketing campaign. Yet, not all marketers acknowledge the challenge of producing something that is “Google-worthy.”

Even with a knack for both marketing and writing, there is no way for anyone to create cornerstone content that Google loves without an understanding of what the search engine wants in the first place.

The Google Hummingbird Update

About seven years ago, Google initiated a major algorithm update to determine how it would rank websites, and they called it Google Hummingbird.

The update had a consequential impact on content creation because it was the first time for the search engine to introduce “semantic search.”

This injected a new component that enabled the algorithm to understand both the context and intent of a basic search that an internet user performs.

So, what makes the Hummingbird update relevant?

For starters, it paved the way for one blog post to rank for several different keywords, including long-tail ones.

Simply put, Google found a way to comprehend that a specific search such as “how to find the best ghostwriter” is similar to a search like “steps to finding the best ghostwriter.”

Google eventually ranks the same post for those two long-tail keywords. This is essentially the start of cornerstone content.

I like to describe cornerstone content as a comprehensive method of targeting keywords. I

t plays a critical role in driving traffic to a website because it gets juice from hundreds of keyword variations.

Reimagining the Purpose of Google Content

Much has changed with the way Google ranks a website, and content is at the forefront.

If you want your blog to drive traffic to your website, you must alter your predispositions about it. In other words, think of your content as your primary channel for inbound marketing.

For example, if you have a blog, then you no longer can think of it as a place to share your expertise or knowledge. The content in it must be keyword-driven and SEO optimized.

In rethinking your content, you must find a way for it to be something that Google will love. So, how do you go about creating cornerstone content that drives traffic?

Well, it is not as simple as stuffing keywords on your blog or adding links. The first must that you must realize is that the perfect cornerstone content must go through a handful of crucial tweaks.

1 – Start with keyword optimization

You probably are well-versed in keyword research by now. There is no way you have reached this point of discussion if you have not tried it before.

But in creating cornerstone content that Google loves, you must embrace some changes along the way. For example, the primary keyword must appear in the title tag and the URL.

Since your title tag works as your headline, you will have to figure out something that will catch your audience’s attention.

The failure to incorporate the keywords in the body of the article is a crucial mistake. If you are using long-tail keywords, be sure that they fit naturally.

2 – Content must be in a conspicuous location

The reason why it is called “cornerstone” content in the first place is that you want it to lead the pack. It must be the foundation of the very existence of your website.

For that to happen, you must place it near the top of your website’s pyramid. What this means is that a user can access the content from the homepage.

Accessibility of your cornerstone content also means that it must be regularly cross-referenced with related posts. You can do so by taking advantage of links.

Google loves internal linking, so be sure you focus on that in improving the accessibility of your content.

3 – Focus on the substance of your content

The difference between cornerstones and the typical content you put on your blogs is that the former has a more “in-depth” approach in providing information.

Although I am not taking anything away from short yet informative content, cornerstone material is a level higher in terms of standard.

The reason why it needs to be longer than other articles is that it needs to incorporate competitive search terms and be of excellent quality at the same time.

When you create your cornerstone content, be sure you put in all the necessary effort and time to make it exciting, relevant, and worthy of being linked to by other sites.

The content substance should be prioritized, not compromised. Even if you need to inject some juice in it through keywords, it does not mean that you ought to sacrifice the meaning and trustworthiness of the material.

4 – Forget about making a sale

When crafting your cornerstone content, you must forget about making a sales pitch, at least for now. I do not vouch for foundational material to contain salesy language.

It just does not work.

The moment someone sees that your homepage is quite aggressive in selling something, it might turn them off right away.

Google does not like it, either. The idea of cornerstone content is to provide information to someone, not convince him/her to buy something from you. The goal is to build trust, not to make money.

Crucial Reminders

Successfully creating the content and publishing it does not mean you are done.

If you want Google to notice and appreciate your website and its cornerstone content, you must keep it fresh and updated.

Doing so means you should be aware of new trends, including improvements on your user experience and features.

Although the content stays the same, you do not want your page to appear obsolete or outdated.