Now more than ever, searchers anticipate a lot more: even more appropriate results, precision, quality content, and specific solution to their questions.
It’s no surprise this is the case when you look at some statistics. According to Smart Insights, here’s what goes online in 60 seconds:
- 500 hours of videos uploaded to YouTube;
- 1,440 posts uploaded to WordPress;
- 448,800 tweets posted on Twitter;
amount of content that every content creator is trying to break through – And the checklist goes on!
With so much content and the surge of content chaos – an overwhelming means that competition for the user’s click has skyrocketed as end users are more careful about their choices.
Search queries have also become increasingly complex, and answering them with well-optimized, thoughtful content is the only method to attract users to your site.
But it’s not just human search behavior that has evolved – search engines are intelligent, too. Consider Google’s RankBrain and BERT updates; these updates permit the search engine to understand search queries instead of a simple phrase match semantically.
With the algorithm changes and the flood of content, it’s a good reminder that well-thought-out content optimized for the end individual has never been more critical.
The following SEO content writing tips will enable you to create relevant, meaningful content to improve visibility on SERPs while building a trustworthy relationship with searchers.
We’ve created this list primarily based on our content creation and optimization process at seoClarity. All the tips have been grouped into four categories: Research, Authority, Optimization, and Analysis.
Think of this list as the “Must Do’s” to provide value to your users and demonstrate your authority – it’s all about what you can do to make your content stand out from those already ranking in the SERPs.
Let’s start with the basics of content.
What is SEO content writing?
SEO content writing is a subset of copywriting that focuses on bringing an organic visitor’s experience to the forefront. To accomplish this, the copy must be relevant to the keywords or search terms a person has searched for and match their search intent.
Work on SEO content begins well before the copy is written. However, writing SEO content involves more than just adding a few keywords to the text. SEO writers need to consider who is searching for this information and why, and consider this when writing.
That is not even considering the latest updates to search algorithms because these factors will catch up with the quality of SEO texts, not the other way around. Quality SEO texts are designed for the long term and focus on the search experience.
In these tips, 19 ways SEO copywriting differs from that of a traditional copywriter are highlighted.
Research
#1 Focus on one keyword/topic
The first tip for creating SEO content is a thorough keyword study. It’s all right to brainstorm general vital words and suggestions but dedicate to a minimum of one particular keyword before writing your content.
As we have seen, the SERP and search engines are thoughtful and specific, so a slight variant in the search question can entirely alter the outcomes web page. It’s amazing how even an easy adjustment in the plural version of the word can change the intent of a search inquiry in the internet search engine ranking outcomes. Examination balloon vs. balloons to see what I mean. See idea # 6 below for more information on this.
Also, pay attention to the subject matter you’re writing for. Creating content that covers a topic from all angles (and links that content together) increases your topic authority. (See tip #7 for more on this: topic clusters).
#2. Know who your audience is
Before you create your content, make sure you know who your audience is. Your content should always relate to your audience, addressing and tapping into concerns, passions, interests, etc. If you can’t show that you understand what your target audience wants, they won’t read your content.
#3. Review the top-ranked content on the SERP
In this research technique known as “skyscraper,” you read other high-ranking content on the topic you want to cover. This way, you can find out what other people are saying and fill in the blanks for your content.
When you move on to the actual content writing, make your content better than the high-level content you already have. Maybe you can provide more recent information, or you have more relevant statistics to offer. That is no excuse to plagiarize content, but it ensures you cover the topic from all angles.
If you create content that covers everything the highest-ranking content does, you’ll be seen as an authority. That means you also have a better chance of getting backlinks to your content.
#4 Build credibility
Assist your web content by adding data, research, or reputable quotes. These functions back up your idea and also reveal that you’ve worked hard to provide the reader with a relevant, positive experience. They also show that the concept you’ve written about is based on facts and authority. Essentially, it’s about adding value and showing why someone should read this content.
#5. Build on the content you already have
Make sure you’re comfortable with your existing content – you don’t need to reinvent the wheel and create separate content for a topic you’ve currently covered. If you do, you can obtain caught up in “keyword cannibalization.”
Keywords cannibalization is where you have numerous items of web content optimized for the same keyword. Not only does this confuse Google and the end user, but it also hurts your ranking because you’re fighting against yourself for a position in the SERP.
Google now only considers two entries from a website for each search query. For this reason, we recommend building on your existing content to make it even stronger. Updating existing content means you don’t have to create new content from scratch, saving time and ensuring no unintended cannibalization of keywords.
Cover the topic with authority
#6. Target the right intent
As mentioned earlier, Google is getting better at deciphering a search query. That also means the search engine understands the user’s intent behind a search query and tailors the SERP to match that intent.
There are four types of intent that all searchers can be categorized Information, Transaction, Navigation, and Localization. The layout of the SERP can inform you of the type of intent behind a search.
That is important for SEO content creation because Google wants to present relevant information to end users (i.e., information that matches their intent). This content does not provide the user with the information they are looking for, and Google is only interested in satisfying the end user. For example, if a search query is underpinned with information, but you have created a transactional page for that search term, it will not rank you.
#7. Topic clusters
Topic clusters strengthen your current authority on a topic by ensuring that you cover a topic from all angles. It would be best if you covered a topic from different angles. That doesn’t mean that a single page can’t cover multiple topics, but the more diverse content you have on a topic, the more powerful your authority will be.
#8. Content type
Ensure you create the right content type for the correct message. Again, this is about search intent and creating the right content type for your specific messages. While a blog post is excellent for informational purposes, a product page is better for listing actual products that users can purchase. And while written text may seem best, you should also create video-based content to attract users.
#9. Focus on semantically related keywords
The days of keyword stuffing to get to the top of the SERP are long gone. This practice does not provide a positive user experience, as it hardly allows users to draw meaningful insights from the content.
Instead of this outdated practice, you should focus on including semantically related keywords in your text that relate to the idea of your target keyword. For instance, if you are writing content about engagement rings, you should talk about things like diamonds, heart cuts, carats, etc. All of these keywords relate to the central idea of engagement rings.
That also gives your content more authority from the user’s point of view, as you are likely to introduce new concepts or other ideas that have not been considered before.
#10. Consider what makes your content worth linking to
Unique content provides your readers with a good user experience and leads other websites to link to your website as a reference. Getting backlinks is an essential indicator of a website’s authority and a ranking factor for Google SERP.
Think about content ideas that naturally attract links. These can include original research, unique infographics, proprietary or proprietary concepts, or a unique approach your company has developed to address the problems or needs of your target audience.
#11. Write in an active, actionable voice
How you write can be equally as important as the content you create. You want to demonstrate your authority in the field, and having an active (not passive) voice strengthens your writing tenfold.
It may look like a trivial tip, but you want your audience to know that you understand the topic well, and you’ll achieve that with a solid copy!
Bonus: AI-driven content insights
We know that all the work that goes into this process to create a single well-optimized piece of content isn’t feasible. Time and resources are tight, and you also have many other projects on your plate.
Content Fusion not only permits you to create purposeful content yet likewise creates it at range. So you can add authority to your duplicate quicker than in the past.
Web content Combination applies a deep-learning formula to present users with a listing of subjects to utilize in copy to maximize a keyword phrase.
That is key to writing quality content at scale and in real-time.
Optimization efforts
After researching and creating your copy, you can take additional steps to improve your content presentation. These small but impactful steps will ensure that your content performs better than currently ranked content and provides readers with a seamless user experience. Think about these steps as the icing on the cake.
#12. Metadata
How your content is displayed on the SERP significantly impacts click-through rates. Make sure you create the correct meta descriptions (think of them as mini-ads) and title tags. This metadata can be crucial in determining what a user clicks on.
Note: Avoid clickbait when creating a title tag (or headline). Make sure your headlines match the content; after all, you don’t want to mislead your readers.
#13. Leave the reader with something additional
If you give the searcher the information they were looking for, you’ve done your job! However, to exceed expectations, you should offer the reader another thing. You can add multimedia components or quotes from your leaders to show your thought leadership.
The way you style your content can also be a plus. For example, summarize the page’s content in a TL;DR (too long; not read) section that users can quickly skim and understand. Another idea we at seoClarity have incorporated into our content is downloadable templates or quick-hit checklists. That is the reverse of publishing a shorter version and then asking the reader to download the complete guide or more extended version.
When you offer these additional elements, you entice the reader to return to your site in the future or visit another page.
#14. Structure your content appropriately
The way you structure your content affects the overall user experience. Ensure you properly include H1, H2, and H3 titles (and so on) to create a sense of flow and structure in your content.
The structure is also essential to enhance your material for the Response Box/Featured Fragment. Suppose the present Response Box/Featured Snippet is a phoned number checklist; after that, this is the ideal structure for your content. Add numbers to each entry so Google can easily understand and retrieve the information.
If the current Answer Box is a short definition, ensure your content includes a precise and concise definition of the concept in question so easily retrieve it.
#15. Include the keywords in the title, URL, and content
Make sure to use the keyword or its variation in the title. That will make it clear to the reader that your content can solve their problem. The same goes for the URL – many users will look at it to see the page’s topic.
And, of course, the keyword must be in the body of the content itself! That should happen naturally. And don’t forget semantically related topics! You’re writing about a topic, so any mention of that topic should happen organically anyway.
#16. Describe images in the IMG Alt tag
Be sure to end each alt tag with a period. That will help users with visual difficulties fully absorb your content, mainly if they use a screen reader to read the text aloud. This way, the reader pauses for a second after reading, which leads to a natural flow of reading.
#17. Prompt the reader to the next step
What do you desire your viewers to do after they read the content? Ideally, you want them to convert. That doesn’t mean they must make a purchase; a conversion could be signing up for an email newsletter, downloading an ebook, etc.
Ask your readers (with actionable, compelling copy) to convert somewhere on your site. If your content is matters, optimized, and follows the tips mentioned so far, the likelihood of a conversion is high.
Analyze, track and report
#18. What are your metrics?
Organizations have different metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) for their content. Maybe for you, it’s bounce rate, time spent on the page, or overall traffic. Either way, you need to track the metrics that are important and relevant to you.
If you’re unsure what your KPIs should be, ask yourself, “Why did I write this content?” Once you’ve figured out your KPIs, you can track the content to see if it’s meeting its goals and what needs to be changed if the numbers aren’t what you need them to be.
#19. Use Google Search Console
Google Search Console (GSC) is an excellent tool for marketers and SEOs. It includes average rank, impressions, clicks, and more. Not only is it free, but however it’s also easy to use to understand user demand. For example, if you notice a drop in views for a particular page, it may be a sign that the content is nearing decay and needs to be updated.
Conclusion
With today’s abundance of content and the amount of competition online, it’s not enough to write content and hopes it performs well to rank higher.
Writing SEO content is at the heart of any organic search strategy, and with these tips, you can push your writing to provide the most positive experience possible for the end user.
By keeping these 19 tips in mind when writing content, you’re sure to see an improvement in your search performance and higher visibility in search results.
If you want even more great blogs, check out our My Blog Poster UK. We have a lot of related blogs to help you.