Do you have to become a publisher to succeed with inbound marketing?

All the recent news about Google updates is virtually unanimous about the importance of online content.

So will every successful online presence have to become a de facto publisher to succeed online?

Everywhere you look, you read the same gospel: “Content is king!” Make remarkable, entertaining, and/or useful content – combined with a strong social media presence – and you will be well on your way to achieving your inbound marketing goals.

Waning are the days when optimizing your website architecture, posting up decent page content, and doing reasonable linkbuilding are enough to ensure search visibility and competitive rankings.

Google has implemented at least 12 major changes to its search algorithm in 2012. What this means for inbound marketers and their clients is a whole new set of challenges.

Everything we know and have been told by Google is that the mission of inbound marketing efforts must now be content.

The takeaway is that if you aim to maintain a dominant position in terms of online visibility, your web presence must be a source of content that attracts visitors.

If you run a business that makes world-class fishing rods or a revolutionary cell phone accessory, regularly publishing engaging, thoughtful content is not part of your core business model. Understandably, you’re focused on making great products and taking care of customers.

So you’ve invested in a long-term SEO strategy and so far achieved an excellent return on your investment. Your rankings look good, and traffic has been growing consistently. Why should you be concerned about Google’s latest moves?

Because you will not be able to maintain this position without a proactive strategy. Of course this applies not only to you but also to your competitors. The first company in your industry to embrace this new reality is certain to reap great rewards.

“So what do I need to do to take a proactive stance in response to Google’s reevaluation of online authority?”

Be an online authority.

But really what Google is saying is “Your mission is not to become an authority in our eyes but be an authority in the eyes of your community. Don’t worry, we’ll find you.”

And the way you establish online authority is to publish a regular stream of content that is useful for your customers and industry colleagues. This includes website pages, blog posts, social media presence, white papers, videos, and anything else you can dream up to attract your target audience.

So if you believe the gospel and you want to play by the rules (white hat), the answer to the question is yes. You must become a content publisher to maintain high visibility online.

Not to worry. In the right hands, this is going to be a lot more fun than old school SEO – which in many ways was far too nebulous and often required less than noble tactics.