Client Content Strategy (or lack of)

[BigStereo]

Hey everyone,

I just finished pitching a client for some SEO work. He said he does not want to write any type of content. He also said his industry is so unique that he does not want anyone else writing content for him either. His site has about 25 pages of total content now.

I am going to get all of his onpage seo good to go but what would you do? Just build links?

I really prefer to have some sort of content strategy in place but find it can be challenging with clients.

[KeriMorgret]

If he answers those questions once on his website via an FAQ, then he doesn't have to go back and answer them time and time again in email and phone!

[EGOL]

I would do some analytics (after your new SEO matures) and show him how each page of the site is pulling in visitors.  Then explain if he gets pages up for new content each of them will pull in more visitors.  That should make "chaching" in his brain and might motivate him into new content.  Maybe you can suggest some topics in his industry where he does not have search presence?

I really enjoy hearing about people who don't want to write content.  It allows me to take their money!

[TheAverageGenius]

If it's a matter of not wanting to "write" any type of content, is he interested in any sort of content? The fact is that SEO and search is concerned with delivering content to searchers looking for it, so without content you won't have much to go on (25 pages can still work, though, it all depends on the quality of that content and the depth of the searcher's intent: do those 25 pages answer their query and satisfy their search, or will they bounce to a competitor's site?)...

I look at your question this way:

If your client is simply averse to writing, what sort of content is he more comfortable in delivering?

If your client is satisfied with his 25 pages, can you find keywords and examples where competitors are eating his lunch? Showing lost opportunity can help change his mind.

But at the end of the day, you need to ask your client what his goals are, and if this roadblock in content opinion is going to hinder your progress in helping meet the goals...if content is going to remain at 25 pages, you have to weigh that against the stated goal and deliver the reality check.

Other than that, it's hard to say what I'd do in your shoes apart from seeing the site and knowing the niche: knowing the opportunities at hand and knowing how deep you want to on this project is really up to you to determine. (That is, you have to know if you're actually able to even do your job given these limitations, and if not then you need to tell your client you can only deliver so much in terms of ROI and move accordingly.)

Another way to look at it is that you've just been given a defined boundary: making your job potentially much easier than it would be otherwise had there been more content to rank.

[I see a bit too late that there were 2 other responses above mine - whoops! I'm too lazy to edit other than making the observation.]

[BigStereo]

Good idea! This is actually what I have done in the past. The client was reluctant but is now writing his weekly content.

[BigStereo]

Thanks for the response! Yes, that does make sense. He said he does not want to spend time on things that do not directly make him money. He said he doesn't want to answer questions, be involved, etc. He just wants to do his craft. He said he tried it in the past and he was spending more time answering questions than actually making money.

[Unity]

Always tricky....

I'd set the client expectations first - let them know that in your professional opinion there needs to be a content strategy and without one they won't reach their desired goals - and then just let it be (for now). Move on to implementing the rest of your SEO strategy. During reporting time where rankings are slow or making no improvements you can just mention that it's due to lack of content and suggest a content strategy again but this time just trial one or two pages and track progress (rankings, conversions, bounce-rates perhaps....etc). After 2-3 months of the content (working alongside your link build and on-page optimization) the results should speak for themselves.

Good luck!

[danatanseo]

Perhaps one way to re-open the content discussion is to show him that content, aka "conversations" are taking place online about his topics/products. Those conversations are going to take place whether he writes content or not. Does he want those conversations to be able to define his business, without his participation? Or would he prefer to be part of the conversation? I think it might just be a matter of showing him that conversations are going to take place regardless of what he does or doesn't do, and that ultimately it would be much better for him to participate. Hope that makes sense!