First, we identified gaps in existing content; drawing insights from keyword research and competitor audits to shape briefs for both refreshes and new articles. Armed with direction on key topics, questions, authors and structure, SkinCeuticals’ internal content team now knew what to create. Next, we forecast visibility through search volume and click-through-rate of ranking positions, before layering over search seasonality to create a roadmap. Prioritization done.

Before hitting go on production there was something more fundamental to address – site structure. No matter how robust our plans, if Google couldn’t attribute authority back to the homepage or recognize the breadth and depth of advice, content wasn’t going to compete.

We needed to create a web of connections as easily understood by machines as humans, so we offered two critical recommendations: To make content accessible through the global navigation – bringing it to the front of the site and therefore easier to find. And to focus on internal linking as a key lever of success; including wireframes and recommendations as must-have elements of content briefs.