Searching online is one of the best ways audiences discover content. This has provided companies with both the opportunity and the challenge of positioning themselves at the top. SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of creating content tailored to rank higher in search engines like Google.
One thing that can help you get to the top of search results is good writing. Often, people are looking for simple solutions or answers to their questions instead of a specific product or service. This is why well-written content is essential to growing your business organically. Get in front of the right audience, gain new clients and customers, and expand your reach by improving your content writing for SEO.
Here are five ways to do it:
1. Know Your Audience, What They Need, And How You Can Help Them.
Begin with your audience before you try to figure out what you want to say. First, you need to figure out who wants to know. Look at your product or service and think about who needs or wants this. When you know what you’re writing for, it becomes easier to talk to them and answer their questions. This helps you stay focused and keep from straying from the point.
2. Do Your Research.
To yield the best results, you need to dig deeper. Stock knowledge and instinct are essential, but research provides different perspectives and angles to address the audience’s needs and concerns and provide additional value and information.
3. Determine Your SEO Keywords.
You can use three types of keywords: short-tail, which usually consists of one word, medium-tail which often consists of two to three words; and long-tail, consisting of three to five words. Each of these types can range in competitiveness. Mixing it up and experimenting with these keywords will benefit your strategy in getting to the top.
Your search rankings will depend on the keywords used in your content. These are based on how much your content matches with the terms being searched, exact matches, and similar or related keywords.
A few more tips when using keywords: Keep it relevant and organized, and prioritize readability over keywords repetition. Try to use keywords in your title and emphasize its placement near the top of the post. Lastly, always remember to modify the terms within your post.
4. Develop an Outline and Craft Your Posts.
Writing a compelling post is difficult without a plan. So always start with building a structured plan to guide you in your process. Begin by outlining your goal, then figure out the points you need to make to communicate your message.
Remember to include your keywords throughout the content. You also need to be mindful of the length of your post. Anything below 500 words won’t get your post high enough. Aim for at least 500-700 words—more, if you can. When you’ve got it written down, don’t forget to edit. Invite your peers to review it and give their feedback to ensure clarity of content.
5. Create a Content Calendar.
A content calendar will help keep you on task and prevent you from scrambling to find content. It will also provide a quick resource to reference to determine which topics you can build off of and serve as a reminder of what topics have already been covered. Periodically review the calendar, identify content gaps, and then write to fill those gaps.
Stay organized and on top of your tasks with the help of a content calendar. The calendar will serve as a reminder and a resource and checklist of topics you have covered and can continue to build upon. Make it a habit to check on your calendar for any content gaps you might have missed.
The Bottom Line
SEO Content writing is only one aspect of SEO. To fully optimize your results, you will need to combine your writing skills with thorough research and technical knowledge to create content that is truly engaging and consistent. There are also plenty of things you can do to optimize your website both on and off your pages.
Learn more about how we can help your company use search engine optimization effectively! Akby is a full-service marketing agency in Kansas that can help clients rank higher on search engines and improve their marketing efforts.