There are thousands of how-to guides out there describing the best strategies and focuses for content creation. Much of this advice applies regardless of niche or interest, but some specific methods of proper content creation also depend on the audience. It should come as no surprise that there is plenty of disagreement over many of the finer points of content creation: what works well, what barely works, and what doesn’t work at all. While the more nuanced elements of content creation must be tested and learned, the broader dynamics are actually quite easy to decipher: Google tells us. Today, we’ll review what makes a successful content creator according to Google’s advice and algorithms.

Be an Expert

Everybody has an area of expertise. The real question is: are you creating content in this area? If not, then you may not have what it takes to become a successful content creator in Google’s eyes. Google analyzes dozens of different metrics when assessing the overall quality, trustworthiness and authenticity of content. One of those important metrics revolves around the nature of your website, how well known it is within the niche, how often you focus on this particular subject and even what specific qualifications you as a content creator have to write on this subject. Before you decide to begin writing about topics that do not relate to your areas of expertise, consider this very carefully.

Spread Your Content Far and Wide

In order to truly make a name for yourself and be viewed with authority by Google, you need to be pinging your website with content…and also other websites. Inevitably, the most successful content creators find ways to be featured on other websites and blogs. Whether it is through guest posts, recurring gigs or some other arrangement, finding a way to ensure your content is being covered and published elsewhere is a huge part of successful content creation. Many professional journalists enjoy the privilege of having their articles and reports published on multiple sites due to the contacts and agreements that they have with these institutions; they in effect create content for multiple brands.

Utilize Google Plus

Even though the social media network itself a complete flop in comparison to Facebook, Google does have a natural bias for content that is shared and published to its own network. This is also another location through which Google attempts to determine your level of expertise and the overall authenticity of your authority. Too many people forget about this key aspect of Google’s content ranking algorithms and are missing valuable potential in the fight to improve content marketing and visibility. By sharing this content on here and on other social media sites of your own, you’ll not only build authority, but you’ll also help steer more traffic toward you.

It’s not enough to merely be pinging your website with fresh content regularly. You need to ensure that your content is being featured elsewhere, you need to utilize social media networks to improve saturation and recognition, and you need to write about subjects on which you’re an expert. If you follow these guidelines, you’ll drastically improve your chances of becoming a successful content creator in the long run.