How SEO is Transforming the Creative Industries

The creative industries are changing all the time. The rise of social media and other digital tools has led to a phenomenon that some are describing as the “democratisation of culture”. These days, anyone can produce and find their big break with nothing more than a phone, which has opened up the doors for success, while also saturating the creative market.
With this in mind, it takes a more modern approach for both traditional industry and grassroots creatives to cut through the noise. That’s a primary driver of a relatively new development in the world of marketing – SEO for creatives. 

This article will take a closer look at how search engine optimisation is changing the way creative content is discovered, valued and monetised. 

The value of SEO for creative careers

SEO can work for creatives in the earlier stages of their career, much like it can for smaller businesses in general. Artists, musicians, filmmakers, writers and other creatives can utilise SEO content strategies to find their audience with a more targeted approach. 

This means presenting work in ways that might come across more literally than an artistic title might immediately imply. For example, a novel about a young man who comes to grips with his small town, named “The Forest for the Trees”, could be better marketed through its product description. Terminology like “coming of age novel” or “young adult fiction”, will make a better impact, rather than the work being qualified with flowery, descriptive words. 

Other general creative SEO strategies can be applied, such as: 

• Website performance
• Mobile friendliness
• Industry-related blogs
• Getting backlinks from relevant publications
• Creating localised content

It’s worth noting that established creatives and industry figureheads are likely to use many of the same strategies, even with their well-grounded reputations. It’s also worth noting that, unlike most social media posts, quality SEO content can become “evergreen”, offering a channel for free, organic traffic over many years. 

The creative tension of prioritising SEO

The issue with embracing creative SEO services and strategies is that it makes innovative people feel as if they’re creating at the will of the ominous algorithm. Hitting keyword quotas, structural guidelines and technical requirements can feel as if they stand directly in the way of artistic expression. Creativity is an emotional thing, which inspires poetic language, which can make artists and creators feel robotic when focusing on SEO. 

Also, it takes a lot of time, effort and, often, money to become exceptional in the creative industries. You can’t expect every prodigious painter to also become a digital marketing expert. 

Cutting through the noise with SEO in the creative industries

SEO isn’t really an option for creatives in the modern industrial landscape. Sure, a record executive might just stumble across your demo tape and take you to the top. Yeah, then you might wake up! 

It’s vital to use SEO to drive organic traffic to your website, so people can see all the work you’ve been putting in as a creative. For creatives, managers and agents interested in learning more about SEO, visit Digital Next today, and we can help guide you in the right creative marketing direction. Working with the right creative SEO agency could change the shape of your career.