SCAMPER your way to better SEO and content marketing ideas

There may be loads of content material on the market. And guess what? 99% of it’s horrible. 

Then, there may be that 1% of content material – the actually good to utterly phenomenal stuff. 

Generally, that’s scorching information, just like the latest Google Search leak, however there are additionally items of content material which can be so highly effective, helpful and memorable that only a single piece can propel a enterprise ahead.

Your job as an SEO and content material marketer is to attempt to catch lightning in a bottle. Simpler stated than performed. 

The answer to this downside is to generate distinctive concepts. Once more, simpler stated than performed. 

One device that may assistance is the Value Proposition Framework (VPF). The VPF may also help you perceive your buyer segments’ minds and generate concepts which can be targeted on serving to them make their lives simpler, resolve their issues and obtain their targets. 

Nevertheless, even with this value-orientated method, it may well really feel like the whole lot has already been performed and is usually performed to customary. 

This leads to reams of printed content material that deliver nothing new. This can be OK should you drive visitors by different means, however it is going to by no means get you to the highest of Mount Google. 

That is the place SCAMPER is available in 

SCAMPER helps you study your content material ecosystem from numerous views to develop radically new concepts. 

SCAMPER is one other fashionable advertising acronym for:

• Substitute
• Mix
• Adapt
• Modify
• Put-to-another-use
• Get rid of
• Rearrange/Reverse

Every facet challenges your present method and encourages you to assume otherwise. That is highly effective as a lone-gun content material author however much more so when used to stimulate dialogue with a group of conspirators. 

SCAMPER was initially designed to encourage creativity and problem-solving, however it can be a robust device for aiding in SEO planning and creating a truly unique SEO strategy. 

Why SCAMPER, and why now? 

As of this writing, Google has simply supplied some steerage for struggling websites, as summarized in this piece by Danny Goodwin. 

The important thing takeaways are:

• Proceed creating high-quality content material – do what you assume is greatest to your readers.
• Diversify your visitors sources and promote your content material throughout a number of channels.
• Construct an engaged viewers that involves you instantly or through e mail and social media.

We will summarize that additional: 

Create high-quality content material and put it up for sale to your viewers by means of social media and e mail (duh).

Whereas a lot Website positioning chatter is at present targeted on the large Google Website positioning leak, the large win in Website positioning or any advertising is to ship worth to your prospects that join along with your product providing. Content material, in its many incarnations, continues to be the easiest way to try this. 

The one wrinkle right here, seemingly additional confirmed by the leak, is that you just simply should take advantage of that content material by selling it in every single place. It must be promoted so folks (together with Google) know and have interaction with it.

Any critical Website positioning skilled will inform you that regardless of what Google could have stated traditionally, you may’t simply construct it and anticipate it to return. You’ve gotten all the time needed to create and promote one thing nice, so nothing new right here. Nevertheless, it does assist us validate some facets of the method. 

The true objective behind these efforts must be to create one thing that blows your viewers’s socks off – one thing so good that it virtually promotes itself. Construct it, put it up for sale, then it is going to rank and they’ll come (simply be sure you have a well-optimized website so the foundations are ticked off). 

SCAMPER is a device that will help you assume outdoors the (sand)field and create one thing really distinctive and completely different that can stand out from the group – and that’s half the battle! 

The SCAMPER methodology defined

The SCAMPER method was put collectively by Bob Eberle from a collection of questions devised by Alex Osborn (the creator of brainstorming).

SCAMPER was initially designed to assist create new merchandise, however it may well equally be utilized to content material advertising and even your total advertising technique. 

The seven components of the SCAMPER mnemonic break down as follows:

• Substitute: Exchange part of the product, course of or idea with one thing else. This might contain substituting supplies, components, folks or approaches.
• Mix: Merge two or extra components to create one thing new. This might contain combining capabilities, options or ideas to type a brand new product or concept (much like Blue Ocean Strategy).
• Adapt: Regulate or modify to serve a brand new objective or to enhance. This entails present options and discovering methods to adapt them to the present downside.
• Modify (or amplify/minify): Change the dimensions, form or different attributes. This might imply enlarging, lowering, exaggerating or altering sure options to create a special final result. (I notably like making issues smaller on this time and attention-challenged world!)
• Put to a different use: Discover new makes use of for an present product or course of. This entails enthusiastic about how the present resolution will be utilized to a special downside or context.
• Get rid of: Take away pointless or cumbersome elements of the product or course of. This simplifies and streamlines by eliminating parts, steps or options.
• Rearrange (or reverse): Change the order or structure of parts in a product or course of. This might imply reordering steps, reversing roles or approaching the issue otherwise.

That’s the common concept of SCAMPER and the way it’s utilized to inventive problem-solving. In the remainder of this text, we’ll have a look at the way to use SCAMPER to create helpful, people-first content that your prospects and Google love.  

Utilizing SCAMPER for Website positioning and content material advertising

To make use of SCAMPER to combine substitution, mixture and adaptation to your content material advertising, merely obtain the template beneath and work by means of the questions. 

Keep in mind, these questions are only a guideline. I strongly advise doing this in a bunch and brainstorming to develop as many extraordinary concepts as doable. Then, talk about and critique these concepts; those which can be nonetheless standing on the finish would be the alternatives to pursue. 

To assist make this simpler, I’ve created a easy SCAMPER Website positioning Template you should utilize right here:  

Step 1: Matters 

You can begin with an inventory of articles, key phrases or concepts. To generate concepts, you should utilize an ideation device just like the Value Proposition Canvas or just conduct key phrase analysis. 

Step 2: Panorama evaluation 

Then, when you might have your key phrases or subjects, it would be best to search these key phrases and subjects and overview what’s on the market. There could also be clear patterns, or it’s possible you’ll discover it useful to do an SEO SWOT analysis that will help you perceive the strengths and weaknesses of what’s at present rating. 

I’d sometimes suggest trying on the first 10 components on Web page 1, as it might have been referred to as, however the SERPs are much more dynamic now, so simply overview the primary 10 hyperlinks and/or options and go from there. 

Step 3: SCAMPER 

We will now run by means of SCAMPER and use the questions to assist us develop new concepts for making our content material completely different, so it stands out and provides additional worth. 

Substitute

• Many facets will be substituted to create one thing new. It could possibly be the language or angle lined or extra sensible components like video, pictures, gifs, downloads, instruments, and many others. 

Instance: Substitute a collection of written directions with animated GIFs. 

Information questions:

• What key phrases or subjects can we substitute to draw a special viewers?
• Can we substitute the format (e.g., weblog publish, video, podcast) to interact our viewers higher?
• What instruments or assets can we change to enhance content material high quality or effectivity?
• Can we substitute case research from one trade with examples from one other?

Mix

• You’ll be able to typically create one thing completely new by merging present components – the intersection of those two creates uniqueness and worth. 

Instance: Mix an infographic with an in depth weblog publish. 

Information questions:

• Can we mix two or extra widespread weblog subjects right into a complete information?
• How can we merge multimedia components (e.g., video, infographics) with written content material to reinforce engagement?
• What if we mix user-generated content material with our skilled insights?
• Can we combine trade studies and professional interviews right into a single content material piece?

Adapt 

• Adaptation in content material creation means repurposing content material for various contexts, mediums or audiences.
• For instance, turning a well-liked weblog publish right into a podcast episode or creating an infographic from a case examine. This method maximizes the worth of your content material and broadens your viewers.

Instance: Create a YouTube video protecting the identical matter as your hottest blogs (bear in mind, good concepts are the arduous half, so make them work in all codecs). 

Information questions:

• How can we adapt trending subjects to suit our model’s voice and message?
• Can we repurpose a profitable content material format from one other trade for our viewers?
• What content material concepts from rivals can we adapt to raised swimsuit our viewers’s wants?
• How can we alter our content material to be extra culturally related or well timed?

Modify

• Modifying your content material means updating it with new stats, traits or use circumstances to enhance its high quality and relevance. 
• This retains your content material present and beneficial and boosts your fame as a dependable, top-quality supply.

Instance: Modify a listicle right into a complete information or add detailed statistics for example your case higher. 

Information questions: 

• How can we modify the construction of our content material to enhance readability and Website positioning?
• What small modifications can we make to our content material to raised match person intent?
• Can we modify the tone or model to be extra participating or authoritative?
• How can we improve our content material with further information, analysis or case research?

Put to a different use

• Repurpose present content material in new methods to achieve completely different audiences.

Instance: Flip a webinar right into a collection of weblog posts. Flip a weblog publish right into a collection of Instagram posts. 

Information questions:

• How can we repurpose previous weblog posts into new codecs (e.g., ebooks, webinars)?
• Can we flip our steadily requested questions right into a collection of weblog posts?
• How can we use our inside information to create compelling case research or studies?
• Can we use buyer testimonials and opinions in our content material?

Get rid of

• Take away pointless components to streamline your content material and make it simpler.

Instance: Get rid of jargon and overly advanced explanations. Deal with distilling the important thing factors to present essentially the most worth within the least time! 

Information questions:

• What pointless jargon or advanced language can we take away to simplify our content material?
• Can any sections of our content material be minimize with out dropping worth?
• How can we streamline our content material to concentrate on key messages?
• What multimedia components are slowing down our web page load instances and will be eliminated?

Rearrange/reverse

• Change the order of your content material or reverse the same old method to achieve new insights.

Instance: Begin with the conclusion after which clarify the way you arrived there.

Information questions:

• Can we current our conclusions or key factors first to seize instant curiosity?
• How would our content material look if we reversed the same old order (e.g., begin with the tip)?
• Can we rearrange our content material to observe a special narrative construction?
• What if we method our content material from a newbie’s perspective somewhat than an professional?

Some ideas earlier than you SCAMPER off 

SEO is not getting any easier or cheaper to execute successfully. 

Whereas Google can’t really inform the distinction between good and nice content material, your customers can, and people person alerts assist Google decide what ought to rank extremely.

The SCAMPER methodology provides a structured but versatile method to brainstorming and creating new content material concepts which can be each inventive and efficient for Website positioning. 

By systematically making use of Substitute, Mix, Adapt, Modify, Put to One other Use, Get rid of and Rearrange/Reverse to your content material technique, you may persistently generate recent, participating and Website positioning-friendly content material. 

Keep in mind to combine key phrase analysis and Website positioning greatest practices at every stage to maximise the affect of your content material in search.

SCAMPER content material advertising template

You made it this far, so it’s possible you’ll as effectively obtain the template: