If one of the organic search results that comes back is actually a page on your website and the page title displayed contains the keyword (usually Google displays the matched keyword in bold text) then copy the URL of that page and put it beside the keyword in your list. This keyword is already properly represented in your online content.

You are republishing everything you create and promote in social media and other channels on your website right? If not, start doing this.

Repeat this process for each of your top keywords. When you’re done every keyword will either have a URL beside it, or it won’t.

Crush the Big Opportunities

Now for the easy part. Pull out keywords without matching pages and be careful to maintain their relative order based on opportunity.

You’re now looking at your optimized content schedule. It’s that simple. These keywords represent the biggest opportunities that you’re not currently pursuing.

You need to produce new content on these topics because they are already proven to resonate with your target audience, they drive conversions, they’re what people are already looking for and they’re known to be neglected by your competition. These are real, big content opportunities.

So, were you smarter than the data all along?

If your list of unmatched keywords is either nonexistent or super small then you’re smarter than the data. If it’s got enough keywords to keep your content team busy for the next few months, maybe data is your new best friend!

Your Optimized Content Marketing Strategy

So where do you go from here? Continue using data in your content planning process. Repeat the steps I’ve presented here every few months to make sure you’re not missing new trends or specific changes among your audience and your industry.

For instance for a US retailer during the holiday retail season you might see search volume increase for certain topics like gifts where conversion rates might fall for others like swim-trunks.

Always sort by opportunity so your data will tell you which changes actually matter.

The great news for you is that there are thousands of content marketers out there – probably a few of them among your direct competitors – who are using their gut feelings to guide their content strategy.

Each week they sit down and brainstorm topics for upcoming content. They base their decisions on things like previous blog post popularity and personal expertise. That’s just not good enough anymore.

Congratulations. Your new data-driven content marketing strategy is going to crush your competition. Go get ’em!