Before we get started, start thinking about all things you understand about writing content for SEO…
So, you’ve built a website and it’s looking slick. You’ve got great graphics and original images in place. The layout is on-point. The Home, About, and Services pages are all well-crafted.
Maybe you’re already attracting a few visitors by this stage.
If you want your page to rank highly on the search engines, though, there’s lots of work still to do.
Higher rankings require plenty of well-researched content for targeted SEO.
SEO, or search engine optimization, means getting the maximum amount of visitors from search engines by attracting them with relevant, targeted keywords.
Today, I’m going to explain how to get more traffic to your site so it ranks higher in the SERPs by using a combined content creation for an SEO strategy.
A quick note: SERPs stands for search engine results pages. When you perform a search in Google, the search engine returns a page based on that query. This page of results is a SERP.
That said, search engines don’t just return a page based on the keywords you enter. Results are also based on your location, your browsing history, and your demographic and social status. All this information is gathered when you visit a site via your web browser.
OK…
With those bare basics in place, how do content and SEO tie in together?
How Does SEO & Content Integrate?
Firstly, how are you going to incorporate more keywords into your site to get those visitors coming?
If you settle for lightweight content shoehorning in a bunch of keywords pasted from a list, people won’t stay on your site for long. They’ll leave rapidly reflected in what’s known as the bounce rate of your site. Google frowns on high bounce rates so it’s vital to include content that people can’t get enough of.
Today’s guide on how content creation affects SEO, for example. While this piece is optimized, I have only one goal: showing you what you searched for by providing you with the answer. So, keep your readers in mind at all times.
Instead of doing the bare minimum, research keywords relevant to your site then incorporate them into genuinely interesting articles that people want to read and share.
Google’s algorithms favor websites with a sound content marketing strategy. To attract more visitors and rank favorably with search engines, your site must have content that people find useful and engaging. When a visitor spends more on your site, search engines reward this on the SERPs.
Why SEOs Create Content
SEOs (search engine optimizers) create content for a number of reasons:
- Higher placement on the SERPs: If your article attracts a lot of interest and generates high volumes of clicks, this is called a high click-through rate (CTR). Google recognizes high click-through rates and rewards them by ranking them higher
- Moving visitors through the sales funnel: If your content is persuasive, useful, and relevant, you have the opportunity to get someone to buy a product by adding a subtle call-to-action (CTA) at the end. For example, you might have a site about coffee. A helpful blog post might be about “How to make a perfect cup of coffee.” You could outline various coffee brewing techniques, types of coffee beans, and roast profiles. To conclude, you could drop in a CTA with a link to a specialty coffee bean or coffee machine
- Targeted traffic: By incorporating the most relevant keywords for your audience, you not only target the right visitors, but you also get them to stay on your site for longer with the possibility of making a sale.
What is Content Creation?
Content is any written or visual media posted on a website to attract potential customers.
Successful content is based on topics relevant and useful to a visitor. Your authoritative and informative article helps to create an open-to-buy attitude in your visitor.
Content can come in the form of:
- Written blog post
- Video
- Image
- Infographic
8 Top Tips for Creating Content
For truly compelling content that leaves users gagging for more, there are some basic elements you need to dial in.
Focus on these 8 aspects – all easy to nail – and you’ve got a winning recipe to roll out across your site:
- Tailor it to your audience
- Include long-tail keywords
- Do your keyword research at the beginning
- Choose an original angle
- Make it easy to read
- Keep it short
- Be helpful: solve a problem
- Use unbiased, authoritative sources
1) Tailor it to your audience
Your targeted audience will determine your style of writing and what topics you write about.
For example, if you’re aiming your content at teenagers, you’re more likely to utilize easy-to-read language slanted on topics like gaming, makeup, and Instagram.
If, on the other hand, your site is targeted at seniors, explore relevant topics such as staying healthy and active in old age.
2) Include long-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords are what people input when they’re searching on Google.
Zoom in on the questions and phrases people enter into a search engine to find the information they’re looking for.
Example: some might search for “How can I make money online” rather than “making money online.” Others still might just search for “MMO”.
Long-tail keywords are great as you can incorporate them into your content while sounding natural at the same time. People can soon determine when you’re keyword stuffing and it can put them off and send them bouncing from your site. The reason for this is simple: keyword-stuffed content tends to be unengaging, and typically reads poorly.
3) Do your keyword research at the beginning
If you know the most important keywords before writing, you can align your article with those keywords from the get-go.
When you perform keyword research, use multiple tools so you can understand your audience better. You could also discover keywords you might not have considered.
Start from a solid foundation based on well-considered keywords. All else will fall in place around this.
4) Choose an original angle
Try to write your article using a fresh perspective. Search engines favor content presented from a unique angle.
While we’re taking about originality, always run your article through a plagiarism checker like Copyscape to ensure there’s no duplication.
5) Make it easy to read
Your content should be accessible to the reader and written in a way that doesn’t tax them too much.
Get wordy and you’ll send readers running for the hills.
6) Keep it short
Write short sentences as much as possible.
Also, keep your paragraphs to a maximum of three sentences. Long paragraphs can easily scare off a reader. This is not a formal academic essay. It’s cool to split single ideas into multiple paragraphs for the purposes of web content.
Use short paragraphs and split things up with plenty of hierarchical headers and sub-headers. That way, people can easily scan for the information they need. Make things easy on your readers and they’ll return.
7) Be helpful: solve a problem
Both search engines and readers love it when you genuinely want to help.
Give them what they are looking for and then some. If you can add information your readers can’t find elsewhere, you’ll sound more authoritative and they’ll come back for more.
Also, the more useful you make your articles, the longer readers will stay on your site.
8) Use unbiased, authoritative sources
If you make a claim in your content or drop data, you must link to the source.
Link to independent sources like journals, academic research organs, and professional organizations. It will make your content appear knowledgeable and trustworthy.
How to Identify Crappy Content
Knowing what not to do is just as important as being aware of best practice.
Crappy content will cost you rankings as people won’t stay long on your site and you’ll end up with a high bounce rate.
How, then, do you distinguish between good content and bad content?
Here are 3 simple indicators that content needs reworking:
- It’s visibly keyword-stuffed
- The content is dull and boring
- Relevance is questionable
1) It’s visibly keyword-stuffed
Keyword-stuffed content just doesn’t read well.
When a short article is studded with keywords and doesn’t read naturally, you’ll repel readers near-instantly. Try to slip in your long-tail keywords in a natural fashion.
Any content that jars or pulls you up as you’re reading should be tweaked.
2) The content is dull and boring
Great content needs to flow.
Vary the length of your sentences so that your readers don’t get bored. I know just above I’ve told you to keep sentences short. You should do most of the time. But, throw in some longer sentences to keep things flowing.
Try not to sound bland or contrived either. To keep your content lively and engaging, choose interesting hooks and gain inspiration from good writing in all formats.
Bear in mind that your content should inform, help, and entertain.
3) Relevance is questionable
Pointless irrelevant information doesn’t add value or entertain your reader.
They came to your site for a reason. Maybe something piqued their interest because it was relevant to what they’re looking for.
Respect their time. If you start deviating from the topic at hand with some irrelevant facts or figures, your potential customer is gone.
What Is Thin Content?
Have you ever searched for something on Google then clicked on a link only to find a page with a list of spammy links?
That’s a doorway or gateway page and it’s thin content.
Beyond this, pages with duplicate content are also considered thin content.
Always write with originality and be as generous with your information as you can.
Thin Word Count
If you don’t write about the topic you’re covering in depth, people will have clicked away in less than a minute. This is not what you’re looking for.
Google’s algorithms monitor how long visitors spend on your site. If they read an article then move immediately away from your site, search engines could treat this as a bounce. You’ll be penalized in the rankings accordingly for failing to deliver.
Why You Should Write More Than 500 Words Per Page
Longer content will keep readers on your site for longer and there is also more to index on the search engines.
You’ll have increased opportunities to insert adverts with longer content, too.
You still shouldn’t skimp on quality, though. Avoid fluff at all costs.
Finally, inserting those all-important keywords is much easier if you’re writing longer-form articles. You can fit them in more naturally. The result will be relevant, targeted content.
Build a process
See if you hire an SEO consultant they will build a process for you. When we go into a website for the first time the first task at hand is a content audit. It’s taking a look at the quality of the content ; identifying and removing the shitty content.
Fill in keyword gaps and opportunities. Scrape competitor sites see what they are doing, and rely on the execution of your own expertise.
Build a content calendar and stick with it. One of the hardest tasks is to stick with content. It ensures you come up with topics in a timely, consistent manner. A content calendar also ensures the growth of your website.
Conclusion
Hopefully, by now you have a better idea of how SEO and content creation can combine to increase traffic to your site and ensure it ranks higher.
In summary, keyword-driven SEO helps attract visitors to your site. The content they arrive at and read keeps them on your site. The content helps you to rank higher in the SERPs and gives you a chance to make a sale with a call-to-action.
With all this put into practice, you’ll only get positive results from your content if it’s well-written, properly researched, and contains the right keywords and keyword phrases.
You should always address your audience adopting an appropriate style and tone of voice.
Ultimately, great content is generous content. Be a giver and make sure you produce lengthy articles without ever resorting to fluff.
