{"id":141605,"date":"2020-07-23T16:31:01","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T16:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/?p=141605"},"modified":"2020-07-23T16:31:01","modified_gmt":"2020-07-23T16:31:01","slug":"how-to-use-trending-keywords-from-current-events-in-content-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2020\/07\/23\/how-to-use-trending-keywords-from-current-events-in-content-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use trending keywords from current events in content marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"well\">\n<h3>30-second summary:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies can rank for trending keywords by combining content marketing with current events.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are some specific Dos and Don\u2019ts for creating this content in a tasteful manner.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dos include questioning your motives, thinking of clients first, keeping content value-driven, and giving company updates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019ts include pretending nothing is going on, posting irrelevant content, abandoning your existing SEO strategy, or giving up.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VP of sales and marketing at <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strategic Sales &amp; Marketing<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, helps you achieve SEO value while maintaining sensitivity using trending keywords.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good content marketing strategy should already be backed up by a list of target keywords or keyphrases your business is trying to rank for. But alongside these evergreen keywords, incorporating trending search terms into content marketing can boost SEO significantly. There\u2019s already plenty of advice for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2020\/04\/10\/keyword-research-guide-using-google-keyword-planners-historical-insights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">finding trending keywords<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but how do we harness their power without being distasteful?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Approaching serious current events in content marketing can be a tricky wire to walk. In 2020 alone, businesses and marketing teams everywhere have struggled to decide how to use keywords related to the COVID-19 crisis, the Black Lives Matter movement, Brexit, increasing climate change, and even a sighting of murder hornets. To avoid embarrassment and truly rank for important trending searches in an authentic way, follow these dos and don\u2019ts.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Do: Question your motives<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A national or global news story breaks, new keywords start trending immediately, and the first thing you think is\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the answer was \u201cOoo I can use this\u201d, then you may not have the best motives for adding that current event to your content marketing. Stopping to question your motives is the first step to harnessing the power of trending keywords without making a marketing blunder. It should and will take deep thought as to how to approach a trending topic with sensitivity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ranking for trending keywords shouldn\u2019t be just about good SEO. Your keyword usage serves as a connection between what is important to both a brand and its consumers. When the great toilet paper shortage of 2020 occurred, bath tissue companies could have easily changed their marketing to fuel the need and push profits even more. But brands like Cottonelle took the exact opposite approach with their #ShareASquare social media campaign and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedway.org\/the-latest\/press\/cottonelle-asks-americans-to-shareasquare-and-commits-1-million-to-united-w#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">partnership with United Way<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Content marketing should always be motivated first and foremost by your business values, not your bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t: Pretend nothing is going on<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some companies read the news and move right along with business as usual. That\u2019s okay if you don\u2019t have the right motives or anything significant to add value for your audience. However, the conversation surrounding authentic branding is growing, and more and more consumers are wanting to see companies respond to important events with transparency and empathy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/content\/dam\/Deloitte\/uk\/Documents\/consultancy\/deloitte-uk-consulting-global-marketing-trends.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019 Deloitte study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 55% of survey respondents reported believing that \u201cbusinesses today have a greater responsibility to act on issues related to their purpose\u201d. It\u2019s okay to ignore which Kardashian is getting divorced when it comes to your marketing. But issues like climate change, world health, and racism cannot be ignored or you risk alienating consumers who equate silence with complicity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Do: Think of your clients first<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any good company already has their customers at the center of their content marketing strategy. Now more than ever, businesses need to refocus their marketing and make sure they are putting their customers\u2019 needs first. This can be difficult in a climate where world events are creating new and different needs seemingly daily.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consumers are shifting their needs and preferences to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2020\/07\/20\/lessons-from-lockdown-four-content-types-that-users-really-engage-with\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new types of content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and new ways of engaging with companies. In particular, educational content is gaining popularity and driving \u201chow to\u201d searches. Think of what your clients need to know or hear in order to interact with your business, products, or services. The client always comes first.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t: Provide irrelevant content<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anything you share concerning current events needs to be connected to your business in some way or another. Posting something completely irrelevant or out of the blue may throw off and leave a sour taste with customers and followers. If you can\u2019t tie the content directly to your customer\u2019s needs, then it\u2019s likely not relevant enough to share.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One way to connect your business with seeming-distant trending topics is to think of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2018\/12\/11\/related-keywords-tools-discover-optimize\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">secondary trending searches<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> still related to your industry or product. COVID-19 has changed the way people live which has led to a wide variety of spiking trends such as gardening or home haircuts. There\u2019s always an authentic way to connect a current event to your company.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Do: Keep your content marketing value-driven<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you\u2019re making a commentary or stating a position or opinion, you still need to add value to your content. Every message should have a takeaway that readers can apply to better themselves or their lives. Sometimes the value is in buying your service or product, but other times the value lies in the emotional connection imparted to the reader.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think, what does value mean to your clients right now? Nike is a great example of a company providing new value to consumers. With gyms everywhere shutting down, Nike released their workout content for free and ramped up posting blogs to its apps and website. Their latest trend-focused content features celebrities challenging at-home exercisers to various workouts. Creating this value-driven content allows them to rank for many trending 2020 searches such as \u201cat-home workout\u201d as well as various trending athletes and celebrities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-141612\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-trends-home-workouts-trending-keywords-1024x508.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-trends-home-workouts-trending-keywords-1024x508.png 1024w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-trends-home-workouts-trending-keywords-300x149.png 300w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-trends-home-workouts-trending-keywords-768x381.png 768w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/google-trends-home-workouts-trending-keywords.png 728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source: Google Trends<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t: Abandon your content marketing strategy<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In turbulent times, your audience needs some nuggets of normalcy. A good content marketing strategy will provide the flexibility to adapt to sudden world changes or important events that need commenting on without abandoning the original plan. That being said, you\u2019ll probably need to pivot on a few things, or at least give your audience a heads up about why they may still be seeing the content you already had planned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following travel restrictions due to Covid-19, Travel Zoo issued an email and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelzoo.com\/blog\/a-week-like-no-other-travelzoo-in-the-time-of-coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blog statement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> explaining why they were going to continue on with their email series promoting travel, even when they knew their audience wouldn\u2019t need their services right then. They add that they will be offering the same great content and deals they had planned, so email subscribers will \u201ccontinue to find experiences that inspire and enlighten, whether in fantastic locations around the world or through something new you can try right in your home\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Abandoning evergreen keywords for trending ones can lead to a big drop in your overall SEO. Remember, these searches are \u201ctrending\u201d for a reason. That means, just as quickly as consumers are finding your recent content marketing, they are moving on to new trends and keywords.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Do: Give company updates<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you decide to approach a trending topic in a blog, email, or any piece of content, it\u2019s good to give clients company updates related to your first statement. This creates more opportunities for using related trending searches without keyword-stuffing your original content. This also shows consumers that you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackenterprise.com\/lets-not-turn-black-lives-matter-into-black-lives-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">follow through on your promises<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which builds customer\u2013brand rapport.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A great example of a constant commitment to this is Ben &amp; Jerry\u2019s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.benjerry.com\/values\/issues-we-care-about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Issues We Care About blog<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These articles keep consumers interested in the company while ranking their content high in trending search results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-141613\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/unnamed.png\" alt=\"Ben &amp; Jerry's blog example\" width=\"512\" height=\"316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/unnamed.png 512w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/unnamed-300x185.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Source: benjerry.com<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t: Give up<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using trending keywords related to current events is key to helping consumers find your content. Just because it may take more consideration to create does not mean it\u2019s worth skipping. \u201cGoing dark\u201d can hurt exposure, engagement, and sales. And even businesses that weather the storm will face further recovery time if their company was out of mind due to lack of marketing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Times are tough, there\u2019s no doubt about it. But when it comes to keeping your business running in the face of global catastrophe, you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cannot<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> give up, especially on your marketing. Rather, content marketing and reaching clients and consumers at home requires your doubled commitment. You can make your content a place people turn to for wisdom and perspective\u2014all while scoring those trending keyword SEO points.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gregg Schwartz is the VP of sales and marketing at <\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strategic Sales &amp; Marketing<\/span><\/i><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a lead-generation firm based in Connecticut.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using trending keywords from current events in content marketing requires sensitivity, but doing so correctly can provide significant SEO results.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1092,"featured_media":141614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,7],"tags":[75,118,27897,1022,27813,1119],"content_type":[],"class_list":["post-141605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-content","category-industry","tag-content-2","tag-content-marketing","tag-content-marketing-best-practices","tag-content-marketing-strategy","tag-covid-19","tag-strategy"],"acf":{"tad_independentcommercial":false,"tad_content_format":false},"post_info":{"name":"idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com","title":"","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/trending-keywords-and-content-marketing.png","category":"Content","timeago":"6y"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1092"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=141605"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141605\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/141614"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=141605"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=141605"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=141605"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=141605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}