Tom shared some inspirational content ideas recently, as well as a post on CopyBlogger all discussing ideas to generate content. But the trouble with creativity and tizzed-up text is it can distract from the main point of SEO; the business and your profit.

Distilled's best piece of their old homepage said this "It boils down to building your business". It's so true, and it stuck. (Sadly, its given way to prettier stuff on the new Distilled website). Rich, high-quality content is a winning, long-term strategy in the search space. Mint.com, OKcupid and SEOmoz are all getting traction in competitive markets by just pushing out cracking content.

The challenge is to turn these content-rich SEO strategies into something consistently profitable. Sadly, sales copy isn't always the most linkable content; the straight sales pitch will be a compromise between effective link-worthy content and persuasive copywriting. But maybe the one-hit sale isn't the best idea anyways?

Where We Can't Make A Sale, Build Permission.

Seth Godin introduced 'Permission Marketing' back in 1999when he was trying to promote his company back then - Yoyodyne - and their different approach to email marketing, how it shouldn't be treated as an interruption channel (like TV) but rather an intangible asset - building a relationship with a prospect and nurturing it over time.

1) Intravenous Permission - like a magazine-subscription or a doctor injecting you with this, that and the other in intensive care, intravenous permission is you [the consumer] explicitly approving (even paying for) someone else to make decisions for you. The highest level of permission.

2) Points-based Permission - like a frequent flier program, you pay attention and loyalty in exchange for incentives to fly with them.

3) Personal Relationships - difficult to scale, and just as difficult to replicate. That's the beauty of personal relationships. Its an incredibly intimate form of permission.

4) Brand Trust - built with frequency, consistency and relevance. People gravitate towards the consistent levels of service; the same Starbucks coffee all over the world.

5) Situation Level Permission - The bookshop owner kindly asks "can I help you with anything?". Annoyingly, so does the second-hand car salesman...

One of the CRO tips from PRO SEO London 2010 was using email signups (i.e. permission marketing) to capture a lead when they're researching a big purchase; it puts your company at an advantage over other competing sites.

I've picked a few of the types of content Tom mentioned...

Q&A Content

Question and answer content is brilliant for long-tail traffic, but the quality of content isn't always the best, most "directive" content. It is however the perfect example of situation level permission, especially in the case of the original poster.

An email notification when someone answers my question is perfectly acceptable; and how about the follow-up email - "Did we answer your question? Give us a call?"

Still, you haven't permission to sell yet. Don't be douchebag. Focus on upselling from the problem; there's always the potential to collate popular questions or topics, and package "the perfect answer" as an e-book (a paid e-book?) or email newsletter and offer an opt-in for that clearly in a Q&A section.

This is intravenous permission in action; they trust you to solve their problem, even though you haven't explained the "how" yet. This also engages one of the fascination techniques - "mystique" - but only really works if you're information is scarce, unique and your user reckons giving permission (their email address) is less effort than clicking back to their SERP.

You've also got the potential for points-based permission amongst contributors, like here with MozPoints, a device to incentivize user engagement. It needs some substance behind the incentives however (free t-shirts!) - ego bait on its own won't cut it.

Presentations

Remember a presentation is made up of more than just a slidedeck (even if it is awesome); a good presenter has got to deliver. What frustrates me is the 'calls-to-action' at the end of presentations - a list of contact details and a job title ain't gonna make me move.

Why not a big "download the beta tool I mentioned here..." (with email signup) or "More presentations like this? Follow our vlog!". Capitalize on the impact of a live presentation, and encourage blog and email subscriptions. Use consistent, relevant messages frequently to build permission.

Presenters are best placed to seed personal relationships, even if it isn't a scalable method of building permission and profit. Embrace that constraint; be generous with your time. Indulge in conversation with few people; they'll know the value of your time.

Curated Content

Curated content is tricky to direct traffic from since you've got to respect your contributors efforts (especially if they're unrewarded monetarily) and what you asked them originally for. You've got to respect the cause.

That's why curated content really is best for the generic, more educational, discovery-based keyword phrases... the type that doesn't really directly boost your bottom line.

So fuel the cause. Engage with situation level permission. Ask for people to contribute, add their thoughts via an expanding form on page and capture their email to tell them if their contribution made it, with your latest posts or offers in it?

Within the content however, link liberally to other content within your site nearer your conversion goals. Relevant text-links help the user; that's perfectly acceptable in curated content. And build brand trust also - invite readers to follow your blog, twitter profile or YouTube channel. Better still, offer an email opt-in for regular contributors.

Video

SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday is genius; you get a short, often actionable video from an expert SEO and SEOmoz gets your attention every week. "See you for next weeks Whiteboard Friday!" sounds so innocent doesn't it? I first heard those words on Friday, January 2nd 2009...

Its a form of permission, and there's a great deal of respect either side. Whiteboard Friday is pure educational content of the highest-standard; the occasional relevant plug for MozCon or new offers on SEOmoz PRO works, doesn't it? Often a paragraph, maybe with a banner going through to a sales page. Still, its ignorable if you like.

Permission Builds Profit

Embrace permission marketing when planning out your content strategies. Links and rankings don't pay the bills! Mastering the art of building permission makes it so much easier to sell.

If you haven't already - I strongly suggest picking up a copy of Seth Godin's 'Permission Marketing' and reading it cover to cover. "A Marketing Classic for the Internet Age" couldn't sum it up more accurately. Here's Amazon (USA) and (UK). This weeks "Internet Marketing for Smart People Radio" on CopyBlogger covers creating undeleteable email too. Check it out.