In the online world, creating great content is key to getting more people to visit your website or landing page. Whether you write a blog or make an infographic, your content needs to be relevant and interesting.
But in today's digital age, there's a lot of competition for your content to be noticed. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in.
Why is SEO important? It helps your content become more visible to the specific audience you want to reach. SEO makes your content relevant and easy to find by using keywords, meta tags, headers, internal links, and high-quality backlinks.
Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand to attract more visitors and engagement. The goal is to make sure your content appears in online searches, especially on Google, which has an 85 percent market share.
In this blog, we'll introduce you to SEO writing and share some simple tips to help you write SEO-optimized content that drives traffic and leads.
What is SEO Content Writing?
SEO content writing is about creating content that's optimized to rank high on search engines. It also shows that your content is relevant and of high quality.
Content can be anything online, like blog posts, landing pages, product pages, guides, infographics, videos, toolkits, or glossaries.
In addition to keyword research and optimization, it's crucial to organize your content logically on your site to make it easy for visitors to find. You can plan the flow of your content and include relevant links, like a sitemap, to help with SEO and content discoverability.
Also, it's not enough to create great content; you need to share it. Promote your content on social media, include links to relevant content in your emails, and encourage others to share it on their networks. The more you share your content, the more you can reach and gain backlinks.
If your content doesn't make it to the first page of search results, you might see your Clickthrough Rates (CTRs) drop to less than one percent. The difference between the CTR in the first position (#1) on Google and the second position (#2) is significant: 40 percent click for #1 compared to 18 percent for #2.
Now that you know what SEO writing is, let's look at some advice from DMI experts and some practical tips you can apply to your work.
Writing for SEO: Top Tips from Technical Writers
SEO is about making your content visible, but don't forget to tailor your content to your specific audience. Staying updated on content and SEO marketing trends is essential to stay ahead of the competition and find opportunities to get your content noticed. Here are nine key tips to help you write with SEO in mind:
1. Understand the KPI of Your Writing Good SEO writing goes beyond including keywords. Your content marketing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will help determine the goal of each piece of content. Your content mix should guide people from awareness to conversion.
2. Create a Structure Based on a Strategy Having an effective content marketing strategy is crucial. One approach that works well for SEO is the 'Hub and Spoke model.' It focuses on generating content around a central topic as a hub piece and then creating supporting content, or spokes, that delve deeper into the topic. This approach not only helps you build a lot of content but also boosts keyword rankings, drives traffic, and increases leads and sales.
3. Find SEO Keywords with Keyword Research Tools Keyword research is a vital part of SEO writing. Define, brainstorm, filter, inspect, and prioritize your keyword list. You can use free tools like AlsoAsked and AnswerThePublic or invest in paid tools like Semrush and AHREFS for more comprehensive keyword insights.
4. Make Sure Your Headers Are in Order Blog headers play a crucial role in attracting and retaining readers' attention. Users often skim longer content, so clear and well-structured headers are essential. Use H1s for the most important headings, followed by H2s and H3s to guide readers through your content.
5. Write Using the Right Tone for Your Industry The tone of your content should match your industry and resonate with your target audience. Consider your community and strive for inclusivity to make visitors feel welcome.
6. Include Relevant Internal and External Links Links guide visitors to other relevant content. Use internal links to direct visitors to related articles and pages on your site. High-quality backlinks from external sites are vital for SEO, so focus on quality rather than quantity.
7. Tailor Your Writing to the Platform and Output Each platform and content type requires a unique approach and style. Write differently for blogs, social media posts, or landing pages.
8. Craft Compelling CTAs (Call to Actions) If you've invested effort into creating content, ensure you provide opportunities for readers to take action. Various types of CTAs can guide visitors toward specific actions, such as signing up, learning more, downloading, donating, or trying a free trial.
9. Always Optimize Your job isn't finished once you hit 'publish.' Content can get outdated, and keywords can change in popularity. Regularly optimize your content, perform site audits, and track performance to keep your content relevant and engaging.
In conclusion, SEO writing is a valuable skill for content marketers. By following these tips and staying up-to-date with SEO trends, you can create content that not only engages your audience but also ranks well in search engine results.
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