Content and copywriting have been the cornerstones of marketing for ages. But with recent advancements in technology, the growing use of AI tools, and rising competition, there’s a new player in the game: SEO content writing. It’s the art and science of producing content that not only attracts readers but also helps your brand climb to the top of search engine results.
Thanks to tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and more, writing blogs and articles has become fairly easy. Anyone can do it with the click of a button. However, this ease of creation has made it harder for businesses to stand out in search engine results pages (SERPs). That’s where SEO content writing comes into play.
Eager to learn more? Let’s dive deeper into the world of SEO content and discover how to create content that truly reigns supreme.
Understanding What is SEO Content Writing
SEO content writing is all about creating content that people and search engines both adore. Imagine writing something that’s not just a chunk of words but a masterpiece that’s basically a magnet for search engines. It attracts readers to your website, lets them know about your brand and also helps rank your site. That’s the magic of SEO content writing. It’s about understanding your audience, knowing what they’re searching for, and then delivering content that checks all the boxes.
By carefully choosing the right words (keywords) and organizing your content in a clear and logical way, you can create content that not only attracts visitors but also keeps them coming back for more. Essentially, SEO content writing is about building a strong foundation for your online presence by making sure your website is easy to find and enjoyable to explore. This happens with the use of keywords.
How to Write SEO Content
Vanilla content and SEO content are two different things. While the former entails writing for the reader, the latter is more about structure, keywords and writing for search and readers. In addition, SEO content works better for blogs, articles and web-page content. On the other hand, creative content is for ad copy, ebook and guest posts.
The primary difference between SEO content and creative content is that one is targeted to boost website ranking, while the other is to entertain readers. SEO content is based on three dimension,
- Keywords
- H-tags
- Meta Data
While keywords are pretty self-explanatory if you’ve been following our blogs, H-tags and metas fall under SEO guidelines.
H-tags are headings tags, we’ve explained them in detail below and meta’s are short snippet descriptions of your web page, blog or article. Here’s what meta descriptions look like,
Now that you know the basics of SEO writing, let’s get into the details of how to write content that ranks.
Step 1: Research
The first step to writing SEO content is to do your research. By that, we mean you should evaluate the total word count of blogs that rank against your target keywords and the content value of these blogs. Ask yourself, what did you learn from reading the 1st position blog on your target keyword and note this down.
Step 2: Content Diversity
No blog or article is perfect and has all the information you need. And not all information can be conveyed via words only.
Such room for improvements can be found within blog images and infographics. For instance, if you think a particular section in the blog could have been better explained through motion or static graphics, you can use them in your video. Always remember, if you don’t improve what’s already on search engines, no amount of keyword integration can help. And with that let’s move to our next point.
Step 3: Value-Added Writing
Value added content is one of the most important but overlooked concepts in SEO writing, reason being – too difficult to manage.
Value added content means your blog adds value for the reader and explains everything surrounding your topic. In addition, value-added content is the opposite of fluff. For instance, if this blog kept talking in metaphor and didn’t explain in detail about how to write SEO content, you probably would haven’t read this far.
Value-added content is best written by subject experts. So if you don’t have expertise over a particular subject, it’s best to hire an SEO writer for the job.
Step 4: Keyword Integration
As we said before, SEO content is about writing for search engines and readers. And to do that, you need to install keywords in the right place.
Keyword integration is an art and subtle keyword integration takes a lot of practice. If you add keywords in places where they don’t belong or feel awkward to read, it’ll be counted as keyword stuffing. You can check keyword density and content quality through YOAST content analysis.
A Step by Step Guide on How to Write SEO Articles that Rank!
Creating a blog post that not only captures readers but also climbs the search engine ranks requires a strategic approach. It’s about blending smart planning, in-depth research, and compelling SEO writing. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the process of how to write SEO articles, from initial concept to final publication, and explore how tools like AI can assist you.
Step 1: Choose a Relevant and Engaging Topic
Identify and understand your audience to know who your readers are and what they care about. This will help you choose topics that resonate with them.
- Use Audience Insights: Tools like Google Analytics and social media insights can provide valuable information about your audience’s interests and behaviors.
- Google Trends: Use Google Trends to find out what topics are currently popular.
- Industry Blogs and News Sites: Check out what your competitors are writing about and see what’s trending in your industry.
- Utilize AI Tools: Use tools like Gemini or GPT-4 to generate topic ideas. Simply input your niche or a few keywords, and GPT-4 can suggest a range of potential topics.
Step 2: Conduct Keyword Research
Use Keyword Research Tools to find keywords that have the potential to optimize and boost your content on SERPs.
- Google Keyword Planner: This tool helps you find keywords related to your topic, showing their search volume and competition level.
- Ahrefs: This tool provides in-depth keyword analysis, including keyword difficulty and potential traffic.
- Ubersuggest: This one offers keyword suggestions and data on keyword competition.
- Competitor Analysis: Use tools like SEMrush to see which keywords your competitors are ranking for and identify gaps in your content strategy.
Step 3: Plan Your Content Structure
Outline Your Blog Post
- Introduction: Grab the reader’s attention and introduce the main topic. Talk about any problem the readers might be facing and suggest reading the blog ahead to find the solution.
- Body: Break down the main points into sections with clear headings. Provide value added information rather than surface level knowledge, and help your reader find the answers to their questions and solutions to their concerns.
- Conclusion: Summarize the key points and include a call to action (CTA).
Use SEO-Friendly Headings
- H1 for Title: Your main title should be an H1 tag.
- H2 for Subheadings: Use H2 tags for main sections.
- H3 and H4 for Subsections: Use H3 and H4 tags for further breakdowns.
Include Visual Elements
- Images and Infographics: Visuals make your content more engaging. Use relevant images and infographics to illustrate your points. Infographics are a clever way of summarizing your content into one concise image.
- Videos: Embedding videos with your blog can increase time spent on your page. This keeps your bounce rate low. (Bounce rate is the number of people who visit a page and then immediately bounce away).
Step 4: Write the Content
Use AI Tools for Drafting
- GPT-4 for Drafts: Generate content drafts with GPT-4. Provide clear instructions and keywords to ensure relevance.
- Editing and Personalization: Always edit AI-generated content to add your unique voice and insights. Once you have the draft or skeleton of the blog, begin writing to make it more personal and authentic.
Follow SEO Best Practices
- Keyword Placement: Naturally incorporate your primary and secondary keywords throughout the content.
- Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions that include your primary keyword.
- Internal and External Links: Link to other relevant pages on your site and to authoritative external sources. For example when writing a blog on “5 Best Shoe Brands”, link a keyword such as USA’s number one shoe brand to your website’s landing page.
Write Engaging Content
- Clarity and Conciseness: Write clearly and concisely to keep readers engaged.
- Active Voice: Use an active voice to make your SEO content writing more dynamic.
- Readability: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and simple language to improve readability.
Step 5: Optimize On-Page SEO
SEO plugins are invaluable tools for optimizing your WordPress website. Two of the most popular options are Yoast SEO and All in One SEO Pack.
- Yoast SEO
- On-page optimization: Guides you in optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword usage.
- Readability checks: Evaluates your text’s readability and suggests improvements.
- Social media integration: Lets you customize how your content appears on social platforms.
- XML sitemap generation: Helps search engines understand your website’s structure.
- Internal linking suggestions: Recommends linking to relevant content within your site.
- All in One SEO Pack
- Title and meta description optimization: Similar to Yoast, it helps you craft effective titles and descriptions.
- XML sitemap generation: Creates an XML sitemap for better search engine indexing.
- Social media integration: Allows you to customize social sharing meta data.
- Basic SEO analysis: Provides insights into your content’s SEO performance.
Optimize Images
- Alt Text: Include descriptive alt text for all images, incorporating keywords where relevant.
- File Names: Use keyword-rich file names for your images.
Ensure Mobile-Friendliness
- Responsive Design: Make sure your blog post looks good and functions well on mobile devices.
- Page Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check and improve your page loading times.
Step 6: Publish and Promote
Determining the best times to publish your content is crucial for maximizing visibility and engagement. While the general trends are given below, it’s essential to consider your target audience and platform-specific behaviors.
- Weekdays: Typically see higher engagement than weekends.
- Morning: Many people check social media as part of their morning routine.
- Lunchtime: A break from work often leads to increased social media consumption.
- Evenings: People tend to relax and engage with content after work.
Once your content is polished and optimized, it’s time to share it with the world. Here are a few ways to do so:
- Website: Publish your content on your website in a relevant section or category.
- Social Media: Share your content across different platforms to reach a wider audience. Tailor your posts to each platform’s format and style.
- Email Marketing: Send out a newsletter or email campaign to your subscribers highlighting your new content.
Advertyzed: Your Story Our Words
Got no time for content writing? We’ve got you covered. Advertyzed is your go-to content marketing agency specializing in creating high-quality, SEO-optimized content. Our team of skilled writers crafts compelling narratives that resonate with your target audience while driving organic traffic to your website.
