10 Content Marketing Hacks to Power Up Traffic and Sales

Are you looking for ways to drive more users and potential leads to your business? Try any of these powerful content marketing hacks.

By Mick Essex

Feb 5, 2024

10 Content Marketing Hacks to Power Up Traffic and Sales

Are you looking for ways to drive more users and potential leads to your business? You're not alone.

With so many businesses competing for attention online, standing out can be challenging. However, with the right strategies in place, you can power up your traffic and sales tenfold.

So how do you do it? Try any of these powerful content marketing hacks.

In this article:

Steal Your Competitor's Keywords
Leverage Seasonal and Trending Topics
Optimize for Voice Search
Guest Blog Like a PRO
Increase Organic CTR
Include Call-to-Actions
Write Digestible Lists
Craft Question Headlines
Interview Industry Experts
Build Eye-Catching Media

1. Steal Your Competitor's Keywords

One of the most effective content marketing hacks is stealing your competitor's keywords.

Using research tools, you can identify the top-performing terms used by your competitors and incorporate them into your content.

This will not only help increase your search engine ranking but also attract potential leads who are searching for those specific keywords related to your niche.

But what are the exact steps to achieve this?

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First, identify your top competitors in the market.

You should be well aware of who they are. If not, enter topics relevant to your business in Google and see who appears on the first page.

Once you have your list of websites, use keyword research tools such as SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze their top-performing keywords.

For example, with Ahrefs, use the Site Explorer feature and enter your competitor's URL to see their top-ranking terms.

Then filter by position (from 1 to 5), and sort by keyword difficulty (start with the easiest to rank).

Source: Ahrefs

Here, you can find a list of keywords that your competitors are ranking high for but you aren’t. All you have to do is create better content targeting these keywords and outrank them in search results.

This is where AI SEO services come in. A LLMO agency can analyze keyword intent, competitor strategies, and content performance at scale, helping you craft data-driven, high-performing content much faster than traditional methods.

Another way to boost your traffic and sales is by leveraging seasonal and trending topics in your content marketing strategy.

These are subjects currently popular or relevant—holidays, events, or viral trends. By creating content around them, you can reach larger audiences and increase your chances of going viral.

Incorporating omnichannel personalization ensures your messaging aligns with expectations across platforms.

For example, a beauty brand might create content around holiday makeup trends. A bakery might share unique Valentine's Day dessert ideas.

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Google Trends is a great tool for this purpose.

If you enter something like “Valentine’s Day chocolate recipe,” you’ll see how search interest has changed over time.

Source: Trends

You can also explore related topics and queries to find additional seasonal or trending keywords.

3. Optimize for Voice Search

Smart speakers and voice assistants are part of daily life. If you’re not optimizing for voice search, you’re falling behind.

According to ThinkWithGoogle, 27% of the global online population uses voice search on mobile.

Source: ThinkWithGoogle

To optimize for voice search:

Focus on long-tail, conversational keywords
Answer questions clearly and directly
Create content similar to how people speak

This increases your chances of appearing in featured snippets—prime real estate for voice search.

4. Guest Blog Like a PRO

Guest blogging is a great way to reach new audiences and earn backlinks.

First, identify high-quality websites in your niche that accept guest posts. Search for terms like:

“write for us”
“submit a guest post”
“contribute to our blog”

Then pitch unique and relevant topics that align with their content. Showcase your expertise and provide examples of your work.

A useful outreach template looks like this:

Source: Erik Emanuelli

You can also improve your email’s professionalism with a signature generator.

The more you guest post—on high-quality sites that provide genuine value—the more authority and backlinks you'll build, driving more traffic and sales.

5. Increase Organic CTR

Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of clicks your link receives out of total impressions.

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Increasing your organic CTR means your content attracts more users from search engine results.

Ways to improve CTR:

Craft compelling meta titles and descriptions
Use emotional trigger words (“amazing,” “unbelievable,” “ultimate guide”)
Keep URLs short and keyword-rich
Utilize rich snippets (ratings, images, etc.)

Source: Google

Higher CTR signals relevance to search engines, which improves rankings over time.

6. Include Call-to-Actions

A call-to-action (CTA) nudges users to take a specific step, such as:

“Get This Deal Now”
“Don’t Miss This”
“Learn More”

Including CTAs increases conversions.

Boost engagement by strategically placing CTAs throughout your content, including the end of blog posts or product pages.

Use eye-catching buttons, compelling copy, and incentives like:

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“Sign up now and get 10% off your first purchase.”

This review is a good example of a strong CTA strategy:

Source: Modest Money

CTAs can also be added to social posts or emails. Effective email campaign management ensures optimal CTA placement.

7. Write Digestible Lists

Lists help break up text and make content easier to read.

Use:

Headings
Bullet points
Visual elements (icons, images)

Lists also increase the chance of appearing as featured snippets in search results.

Source: Google search

Include relevant keywords in your list items, and use descriptive headings.

Numbered lists create structure and clarity.

8. Craft Question Headlines

Question headlines spark curiosity and encourage clicks. They also help with voice search because many queries are phrased as questions.

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When crafting question headlines, use keywords that reflect the content accurately.

Add emotional triggers, numbers, or stats for a stronger impact.

Use tools like:

Google’s “People Also Ask”
AnswerThePublic

Source: Google

Avoid clickbait—misleading users harms trust and increases bounce rate.

9. Interview Industry Experts

Interviewing experts boosts credibility and adds unique value. Reach out to specialists in your field and request insights or opinions.

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Prepare thoughtful questions and allow enough time for detailed responses.

You can also request data, statistics, or quotes. Include snippets in social posts or email campaigns to promote the interview.

Incorporating exit interviews with industry experts can elevate your content authority significantly.

10. Build Eye-Catching Media

Visual content is essential in today’s digital environment.

Use:

Images
Videos
Infographics
Presentations

Visuals help simplify complex ideas, improve engagement, and boost shareability.

When creating media:

Use high-quality assets
Ensure relevance to the topic
Add branding elements or CTAs
Optimize for fast loading

Takeaways

As the internet evolves, your content strategy should evolve too.

Using these ten hacks, you can boost traffic and sales by creating content that is:

Valuable
Engaging
Optimized
Audience-focused

Provide high-quality, relevant insights that genuinely help users.

Author Bio

Erik Emanuelli has been a passionate blogger in online marketing since 2010. Visit his website to learn more about SEO and get more leads for your business.