A content strategy that can withstand the numerous and increasingly frequent Google updates. That would be it, wouldn’t it? Isn’t it possible? Yes, it is. You can do something like that, and you should, because:
The number of Google Core Algorithm updates is increasing rapidly. Due to the increased user focus and consideration of EEAT, this has become even more dramatic in recent months. Never before have Google search results changed almost daily, sometimes by many positions.
Many pages fluctuate by more than 5 positions up or down within the top 50 results almost daily.
The significant movement within the rankings is a clear sign that Google is increasingly fine-tuning and refining its search results. Google is already able to directly answer almost half of all daily queries, and the number of clicks on search results is declining. This makes it all the more important to develop a strategy that can withstand the Google update.
The updates have wiped out many websites. Some were able to recover, while others disappeared from the top results forever.
Since the integration of SpamBrain, an AI-powered system, Google has become even better at detecting manipulative links. The focus on natural linking is more important than ever.
How do you develop a content marketing strategy that can withstand Google algorithm updates?
In order to map the topics for an algorithm-safe content marketing strategy into content production, it is first necessary to know which factors are particularly valuable to Google. We want to focus on these valuable topics.
Developing a robust content strategy, therefore, means not just producing content but also working on a solid foundation. The first step is a systematic website content audit, in which existing content is reviewed and analyzed for quality, structure, added value, and relevance. This allows us to determine which content is already helpful for the target audience, which needs to be optimized, and which potential topics are missing.
Especially in B2B content marketing, it’s important to understand search intent precisely and create content that adds real value to readers—not just to the algorithm. Only by understanding the needs of your target audience can you develop a content strategy that achieves lasting visibility and will also withstand future Google updates.
Google and the monopoly of search results
Google makes a lot of profit from AdWords, Google’s advertising. Consequently, anything that can be directly advertised or displayed on Google is of great interest to Google. Google no longer wants to be a search engine; it wants to provide the answers.
Understandably, Google has done a lot in recent years to force website owners to provide Google-compliant texts and content.
These points can all be incorporated into the content strategy:
- Core Web Vitals & loading speed have become more important for the user experience.
- Google is increasingly providing zero-click results to directly answer search queries (e.g., Knowledge Panels, Featured Snippets, Direct Answers).
- Direct answers to questions in search results (not just weather)
- Google changes the page description and page title to better reflect user intent. This happens independently, and sometimes in ways the website operator didn’t intend.
- Local businesses, jobs, hotels, flights – all managed by Google products
- Google can do this because there aren’t really any alternatives. While there are a few alternatives to Google in certain countries, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia have very small shares of the search market.
If Google determines how content is presented, then we need to think carefully about what we display so that our websites can withstand the next algorithm update.
How to develop a future-proof content strategy
Against this backdrop, it becomes clear: anyone who creates content for people while ignoring Google’s requirements risks losing visibility and reach. Therefore, a content strategy must always consider the context of search engine logic – without losing sight of the needs of the target audience.
A strong content marketing strategy begins with defining clear goals: Do you want to generate attention, build trust, or acquire qualified leads? In the B2B sector, for example, the requirements differ significantly from those of purely consumer-oriented platforms. The buyer journey is longer, and content must not only be relevant but also high-quality, understandable, and solution-oriented.
The following applies: Content formats and content must be regularly reviewed, developed further, and adapted to user behavior. Only those who continuously align their strategy, respond flexibly to changes, and focus on user intent will achieve long-term ranking success – even after the next Google update.
Define goals clearly and address the right personas
A successful content strategy always begins with clearly defined goals. Do you want to build reach, establish trust, or convert specific prospects into leads? The answer to this question is crucial for the alignment of content and channels. Only when you know what you want to achieve can you manage content specifically and achieve measurable results.
At the same time, you should know the personas – fictitious, yet realistic profiles of your target audience. What questions do they ask? What problems do they want to solve? What content resonates with them? Only by tailoring your content to the needs and language of your users can you successfully reach them. A clear objective not only helps with strategic planning but also with developing content that’s tailored to your target groups.
Full content
Producing comprehensive content on a search topic is at the core of what we strive for. When optimizing a page for a keyword, keyword research is essential beforehand.
During keyword research, we try to find out using tools such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Trends, or Google Search:
- Which keywords are clicked
- Which keywords work in ads
- What questions do researchers ask when it comes to the topic
- Which keywords are important for image search
With this preparation, we can complete the content very well.
Selecting the right content formats – targeted and effective
Anyone who views content solely as text on a website is wasting valuable potential. A modern content strategy considers various formats tailored to the buyer journey, audience behavior, and specific goals. Especially in the B2B sector, it’s worthwhile to create content that’s emotionally AND technically compelling – with formats that both inform and build trust.
For example, white papers or use cases are ideal for the middle phase of the journey, while short how-to videos or infographics work better for the introduction. It’s important that the formats aren’t thought of in isolation, but rather combined sensibly – adapted to the needs of the target audience and the channels used.
Strategic orientation of the website
If Google traffic is primarily directed to two or three pages, then you need to consider how to make the content there so original that Google immediately considers it important.
To ensure complete content, it is also necessary to optimize individual areas for snippets.
Furthermore, the strategic direction of your website must not rely solely on traffic from Google. Instead, you need other sources that bring visitors to your site. These sources include not only AdWords, but also other websites, blogs, forums, etc. Link building is therefore still immensely important in 2019.
Independence from Google also means being present on portals (very important for local SEO) and in important alternative search engines. Amazon has practically become THE search engine for products, with a far higher conversion rate to purchase than would be the case with Google. Social media and owned media (newsletters, communities) have also taken on an important role. The implementation and integration of a content distribution plan (e.g., social media, LinkedIn articles, YouTube, etc.) is also important.
Retain your customers
Long-term retention of regularly returning customers through newsletters, AI-driven conversational AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot), and one-to-one marketing measures helps you defend yourself against the Google search engine. Loyal and satisfied customers will surf to you even if you aren’t currently found on Google. Dynamic content and email marketing with AI are revolutionizing customer loyalty.
Link Risk Management
The impact of negative SEO is very significant. Image theft causes a direct decline in rankings, as a page’s valuable imagery becomes increasingly worthless due to spam sites. Toxic links link to pages and keywords that permanently damage the link profile, even if significant branding efforts have been made. We have discovered, uncovered, and eliminated many such attacks over the past two years.
Building the brand
Try to add as many brand links to your site as possible. In addition to your content strategy, you need a solid link strategy. Build your brand with customers – both online and offline. You need to be remembered in every situation. Recent core updates have shown that companies that have their link building under control have benefited greatly from these updates.
Links are still one of the most important ranking factors for a good search position in Google, especially because, in addition to good content, they support topical relevance and brand signals.
Digital PR & Thought Leadership as modern link building strategies ensure optimized findability – including in AI response engines.
Don’t consider SEO as a sole remedy
SEO is important. But the usability of a site is just as important. So are the articles published by the PR department. Furthermore, the click-through rate should be monitored so that you can respond as quickly as possible to fewer clicks.
Content planning: How to turn strategy into a clear editorial process
Even the best ideas are of little use if they aren’t implemented efficiently. Therefore, developing a content strategy also includes thoughtful content planning. This begins with evaluating the target audience’s interests and culminates in an editorial plan that defines topics, formats, publication dates, and responsibilities.
Various tools help you maintain an overview and plan content continuously. This should allow for enough flexibility to respond to current events or new keywords. Successful planning also considers the integration of campaigns, such as trade fairs, product launches, or seasonal promotions. Clear planning saves resources and allows you to create, publish, and adapt high-quality content in a targeted manner.
Modern content marketing strategy: The most important success factors
Your process should begin with an audit and the creation of an editorial plan. Evaluating what interests your target audience is the foundation of the editorial plan. To ensure that important content finds its way into your content strategy, you should consider the following key success factors.
1. AI-powered content marketing & automation
Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way content is created and optimized. Companies can use AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper AI, or Frase to generate content that specifically adapts to user search intent. But AI alone is not enough – the key lies in the combination of automated content creation and human expertise to make content credible, unique, and high-quality.
Best practices for AI-powered content marketing:
- Use AI to analyze data and identify trends to identify relevant topics early on.
- Implement personalized content through AI-powered automation in email marketing or chatbots.
- Content scaling through programmatic SEO: Automated content creation for large keyword sets.
2. EEAT & first-hand experience as a ranking factor
Google will place even greater emphasis on EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) in 2024. This means that content should not only be technically accurate but also written by real experts or people with experience.
How to optimize your content for EEAT:
- Create author pages with expert profiles and make specialist knowledge visible.
- Enrich content with your own experience and case studies.
- Use trustworthy sources and statistics to make informed decisions.
- Implement structured data (author, organization, review) to make expertise visible to Google.
3. Zero-click search queries as a challenge
More and more users are finding answers in Google search results without clicking on a website. These zero-click searches are powered by featured snippets, knowledge panels, and direct answers. Those who want to remain visible need to optimize their content so that it is displayed preferentially by Google.
Strategies to combat traffic loss due to zero-click searches:
- Optimize content for featured snippets (e.g., clear answers, lists, tables).
- Provide interactive content (quizzes, calculators, infographics) that keeps users on the website.
- Incorporate call-to-action strategies into snippets to encourage clicks.
4. Content distribution: Distribute content in a targeted manner
By 2024, relying solely on organic Google traffic will no longer be enough. Companies must distribute their content across multiple channels to maximize reach and visibility.
Effective content distribution channels:
- LinkedIn & Twitter for B2B content & thought leadership.
- TikTok, Instagram & YouTube for visual & entertaining content.
- Newsletter & community engagement as a long-term retention strategy.
- Press work & digital PR to increase brand awareness.
Tip: Crossposting can help you reuse content – a blog post can be repurposed as a LinkedIn article, social media post, or video.
5. Optimize conversational search & voice search
Voice search (e.g., Google Assistant, Alexa) and conversational AI are changing search behavior. Users are asking more complex questions, which are often longer and more naturally phrased.
Optimization strategies for Voice Search & Conversational Search:
- Write content in natural language that uses question-and-answer structures.
- Integrate FAQ sections & structured data (FAQPage, HowTo).
- Give more consideration to long-tail keywords to cover spoken search queries.
6. Use programmatic SEO & automation
Programmatic SEO involves the automatic generation of content for large keyword sets —particularly for e-commerce, tourism, and directories. Major platforms like Amazon, Airbnb, and Booking.com are already using this method.
How companies benefit from programmatic SEO:
- Create dynamic landing pages for different target groups or regions.
- Automatic content generation for product pages with individualized descriptions.
- Improve internal linking and structured data to optimize content for Google.
Content measurement: Which metrics are really important
To assess the effectiveness of your content marketing strategy, you need measurable results. This includes not just visitor numbers, but, more importantly, metrics that reflect the quality and impact of your content.
Important metrics include click-through rate (CTR), average dwell time, search engine visibility, number of qualified leads, and social media interactions. The rankings of individual blog articles and their development also provide clues to success. This data should be analyzed regularly to determine which content performs particularly well and where there is potential for optimization.
Only those who measure specifically can learn from successes and improve weaknesses.
Content audit: Targeted analysis and further development of existing content
Before creating new content, you should review what’s already there – with a structured content audit. This involves systematically analyzing existing pages and content: Which pages generate traffic? Which have good rankings? Where is the added value missing, or is the content no longer relevant to the search intent?
The audit reveals which content should be updated, merged, or deleted. This is especially important for large sites with numerous subpages or old posts. A good audit lays the foundation for strategic development – and helps to allocate resources more effectively. This creates a solid starting point for creating new, coordinated, and equally valuable high-quality content for both Google and users.
Important: The future of content strategy – user-centric, AI-supported, and independent of Google
Content marketing is no longer just a matter of SEO optimization for Google; it requires a holistic, user-centric strategy. While traditional ranking factors like backlinks and keywords continue to play a role, the focus is increasingly on high-quality, trustworthy, and interactive content. Google is increasingly evaluating websites based on EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), meaning that authentic content written by experts is gaining importance.
At the same time, the way users search for information is changing. Zero-click searches are on the rise, Google is answering more and more questions directly in search results, and voice search is becoming increasingly precise thanks to AI-powered systems. Companies must therefore design their content to be optimized for both search engines and direct user interactions. Structured data, FAQ sections, and interactive elements help make content valuable for both Google and users.
A sustainable content strategy also means not relying exclusively on Google. Successful companies rely on content distribution, distributing their content across various channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and newsletters. Social media and their own communities are becoming increasingly important as traffic sources, as they allow companies greater independence from Google.
Furthermore, content marketing is undergoing fundamental change thanks to AI and automation. AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Jasper AI, and Frase enable faster content creation, but quality remains crucial. Companies should leverage these technologies to support their efforts, but ensure that content is authentic, unique, and grounded in real experience.
The future of content marketing, therefore, requires a combination of strategic foresight, technological adaptability, and user-centric thinking. Those who manage to distribute their content intelligently, build a strong brand, and differentiate themselves from the competition through expert knowledge will be successful in the long term – regardless of what updates Google rolls out in the future.
Do you want to put your content strategy on a solid foundation?
We help you develop content that will remain visible long-term – despite Google updates, AI changes, and growing competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is content marketing? Is it a short-lived trend or a long-term strategy?
Content marketing is a long-term strategy that engages potential customers with useful, informative, or entertaining content – without direct advertising. The goal is to build trust, demonstrate expertise, and strengthen brand loyalty. A short-lived trend? Quite the opposite: Content marketing is now a key component of sustainable online positioning.
So how do you create a content strategy for B2B companies that also brings in customers?
A B2B content strategy begins with clearly defined goals and an analysis of buyer personas. This is followed by a structured plan that defines formats, channels, and topics that appeal to potential customers along the buyer journey. The key is to create content with real added value – tailored to the target audience and their challenges.
Is a content marketing strategy really necessary?
Yes. Without a strategy, content marketing is pure luck. Only a clearly defined content marketing strategy makes it possible to plan content purposefully, produce it efficiently, and achieve long-term, measurable results—whether it’s visibility, leads, or customer loyalty.
Why is a content marketing strategy important?
Because it’s the foundation of any structured content process. It ensures that content is aligned with goals, target groups, and channels. Without a strategy, there’s no common thread – with it, you can reach potential customers in a targeted manner, build trust, and ensure long-term success.
What makes content marketing so effective?
Content marketing is so effective because it relies on relevance and trust, not advertising pressure. Content that solves problems or answers questions is more likely to be clicked, shared, and saved—thus leading to greater visibility, qualified leads, and better brand loyalty.
How can you improve your content marketing strategy?
Through regular analyses, feedback, and targeted refinements, a content audit, the evaluation of key performance indicators, and monitoring the competition help to better align content with user needs. Successful strategies are continuously developed and adapted.
Why is content marketing so important for B2B?
In the B2B sector, the purchasing decision is usually more complex, long-term, and information-driven. B2B content marketing helps build trust, demonstrate expertise, and guide the buyer’s journey – from initial contact to completion. Case studies, white papers, and specialist articles that offer real added value are particularly helpful.
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