In August 2013, Google announced the arrival of in-depth articles, a search feature which has since become a great way to feature your brand’s best content while driving higher-converting organic search traffic.

With in-depth articles, Google finally began rewarding sites providing the highest quality content. This move supported my claim that an active blog is necessary for a successful SEO initiative, and validated one of the three pillars of SEO.

So, what are in-depth articles and how do you get your content to appear within this special section of Google’s search results? Furthermore, what type of content should you be publishing to maximize your SEO campaign? Has the new in-depth article section launched long-form content to the forefront of content strategy?

1. In-Depth Articles

In-depth articles are typically at least 2,000 words in length, and display automatically within Google’s search results under a special “in-depth articles” section when Google’s algorithm deems them worthy of the classification. They are non-promotional in nature; anything including promotional language is unlikely to be included.

In-depth article results appear in a separate section on the first page with thumbnail images, title, and snippets. The following example occurs when you type “NSA spy” in Google:

Google has recommended that you include the following markup to help the Google algorithm identify in-depth content:

• Make sure Google Authorship is setup correctly.
• Use schema.org’s “article” markup.
• Make sure the article has markup for the headline, alternative headline, description, article body, and date published.
• Any images included within the article should be properly indexed.
• Use the “rel=prev” and “rel=next” markup for paginated articles.

Finding the Right Topic

One of the first steps when considering writing content is to conduct keyword research. Using a tool like Google’s Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest can be great for initial keyword ideas. Google Trends can also be a quick and easy way to find topics that have popularity.

Most in-depth articles occur for broad topics. According to Moz.com, roughly 20% of the keyword phrases for in-depth articles have one word. Roughly 45% have two words and 24% have three words. Some examples of keywords that trigger in-depth articles in the search results that Moz.com included in their August 2013 research were:

• jobs
• wedding dresses
• ancestry
• smart phone
• pregnancy
• Medicare

There also appears to be a connection between in-depth articles and current news.

Can Anyone Create In-depth Articles?

According to Moz.com’s research, it appears that news sites have a distinct advantage over other types of sites for having content appear as “in-depth” articles. Some of the top sites appearing within the “in-depth articles” results include nytimes.com, wsj.com, newyorker.com, guardian.co.ok, and wired.com.

2. Evergreen: Content that Lasts

Evergreen content gets its name because of its longevity. Most marketers consider evergreen content to be relevant for at least two years after it’s been published. It has the benefit of being targeted and informative enough that it will attract readers for years to come, unlike newsy topics or time-sensitive topics. Like in-depth articles, evergreen content typically requires more in-depth research, but the benefits can make it worth it.

Great Title Suggestions for Evergreen Content:

• Top 10 lists (i.e. Top 10 Ways to Improve Productivity)
• “How-to” guides (i.e. How to Write Content That People Will Read)
• “101” guides (i.e. Internet Marketing 101: A Beginner’s Guide)

Whether you’re writing evergreen or in-depth articles, the content creation process is similar. Start by coming up with the perfect topic. For help with that, see “11 Places to Find Awesome Content Marketing Ideas.” Once you have a topic in mind, start by ensuring you understand your audience. Having the right voice and technical conversation level is very important; you never want to make your reader feel stupid or disinterested.

Once you have a good understanding of your audience, compile your research with a tool like Evernote, which will allow you to collect all your notes in one place. This will allow you to structure your content and know exactly what you want to include (and almost as importantly, not include).

Once you have all of your notes, create a first draft. Remember, your goal is to get words on the page (or screen). Once you have this content, set up your headers, links, and check for grammatical and spelling errors.

Expect at least three more editing sessions. Some writers like to include a break between each one and have another person edit their work. Not every article you write needs to be in-depth or evergreen content. However, try to make the majority of your content one or the other (or both!).

It’s Nice to Share

Social media channels can be a great way to get the word out with your followers. If done properly, it can also be a great way to generate traffic and boost organic search rankings via social signals.

Conclusion

As Google continues to improve its “in-depth articles” search, expect other areas and keyword phrases to get in-depth article sections and improved rankings. It appears that Google is moving in the right direction and rewarding content creators for creating high quality, long form content.

Here is what Pandu, a member of Google’s technical staff, had to say on Google’s Search blog about in-depth articles:

“I’m happy to see people continue to invest in thoughtful in-depth content that will remain relevant for months or even years after publication. This is exactly what you’ll find in the new feature. In addition to well-known publishers, you’ll also find some great articles from lesser-known publications and blogs. If you’re a publisher or webmaster, check out our help center article and post on the Webmaster Central blog to learn more.”

Pandu’s comment offers hope that evergreen content will be included in the future. While creating evergreen content of over 2,000 words may not currently get you a coveted in-depth article spot, it is still good for rankings; studies have correlated longer content with better search rankings. As Google Panda continues to squeeze out sites with low quality content, long-form evergreen content and in-depth articles should continue to improve in rankings.

Although both types of content require more time to research and write, they both take preference in search results and should both be elements included within your content marketing campaign.

About the author

Jayson graduated from the University of Washington in 2008 with a degree in Business Administration (Marketing), and immediately entered the professional online marketing world. Jayson founded AudienceBloom in April 2010, and has since become a columnist for Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Watch, and Huffington Post.

His personal blog is located at AudienceBloom.com/blog. Jayson currently resides in Seattle, WA where he is a guest lecturer for marketing classes at the University of Washington.

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