SEO rules are constantly changing, and many are starting to wonder if they’re even playing the right game. However, various other factors may influence your Google ranking.
So how do you make a piece of content stand out from the sea of millions? While there are many factors at play, I’ll focus mainly on how to improve your rankings for specific keywords through the use of SEO writing techniques.
I’ll show you what really matters in terms of SEO content writing for Google!
Create a checklist of keywords
First things first. Start by creating a list of keywords related to your website. Try to narrow the list down to 10-20 highly relevant keywords that you think will generate lots of traffic for your site. The more targeted your keywords, the better odds you’ll have at ranking high in search results.
To create an effective keyword list, consider who you are trying to reach and what problem you are solving for them. Suppose you know your target audience well enough. In that case, it should be reasonably easy to come up with a list of relevant keywords used when doing research.
Write for readers, not Google
When writing SEO content, it’s essential to keep your readers in mind, not Google. Google’s algorithms to rank content are constantly changing, so trying to game the system is a waste of time. Instead, focus on creating high-quality content that provides value to your readers.
To rank well in Google, your content must be relevant to the keyword or topic that you’re targeting. You also need to include keywords throughout your article but don’t overdo it.
Keywords give hints to search engines of what your page is all about. Using keywords in your writing will help people who are looking for information on a topic find your article more easily.
If you use keywords and make sure they fit naturally into the text, your pages will enjoy greater success than pages using heavy-handed techniques.
A couple of strategically placed keywords will be enough to improve your ranking without sounding unnatural or spammy.
Use different sentence lengths
Using different sentence lengths and styles can help to keep your writing interesting and engaging for your readers. Varying the size and structure of your sentences can also make your writing more concise and easier to read.
Even though there’s no one-size-fits-all formula here, you can use the following sentence structures to create clear and engaging content:
There are mainly three types of sentences: short, medium, and long.
Short sentences — These are usually 4–8 words. Short sentences can be great for creating anticipation and drama in your writing. Still, they’re often hard for readers to follow. You should use short sentences sparingly as part of a broader mix of sentence structures.
Medium-length sentences — These are usually around 15–25 words. Medium-length sentences are more accessible to follow than short sentences because they contain more information. You can use them more frequently in your writing without overwhelming your readers.
Long sentences — These are usually 25–50 words long and may contain multiple clauses. Long sentences can help add detail and description to your writing, but they can also be difficult for people to follow. As with short sentences, you should only use long sentences in moderation.
Use the correct headings
When writing SEO content, it’s necessary to use the correct headings. This will help your content rank higher in Google.
Some of the most important headings to use are:
- Title
- H1 Headings
- H2 Headings
- H3 Headings
- H4 Headings
- H5 Headings
SEO content is often ranked higher in Google when the right headings are used. This is because it helps Google understand the structure of your content. Headings also help to make your content easier to read and can help to keep your readers engaged.
Optimize meta-titles
Meta-titles are the titles that you assign to your pages in order to help Google and other search engines understand what the page is about. They should be short, keyword-rich, and accurately reflect the content of the page.
Some best practices for creating meta-titles include:
- Keeping meta-titles short and succinct–no more than 60 characters.
- Including your target keywords.
- Reflecting the content of the page accurately.
- Avoid using clickbait titles or sensationalist language.
Include links throughout your article
Linking throughout your article can help improve your ranking. When you include links to other pages on your site, it helps Google index those pages more quickly and gives it more information on your website.
When you link to an external site, you are providing Google with even more information on your content and how it relates to the topic at hand. It’s important not to overdo it by including too many links or unnatural links throughout your content. Spending some time making sure they are informative links can be extremely valuable.
Add captions and images where appropriate (don't forget alt text!)
Adding captions and images to your content is vital for a few reasons. Mainly, captions and images help break up your content and make it easier to read. This is especially important for long pieces of content. Captions and images can also help you illustrate your points, making them easier to understand.
For example, a caption under a photo will tell the reader what it is about or why they should care. An image can help send a specific message effectively, which is much quicker than describing along with the text.
Alt-text is also important for SEO, as it helps Google understand what your image is about.
Link to your social media profiles in the byline
When creating content, it’s important to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to optimize it for Google. This includes linking to your social media profiles in the byline so that Google knows that you’re a credible source of information.
Having links to your social media profiles from your content will help you rank higher in Google and attract more traffic to your website.
Social media is an effective tool for increasing your traffic and ranking higher in Google, but if you don’t have the right content that’s easily readable and shareable, it will be pointless. It’s important to have engaging content that is helpful for your audience and written in a way that makes Google want to rank you higher.
The more successful your content is, the more traffic and exposure you’ll get. If you’re not linking to your social media profiles, you could be missing out on a lot of opportunities for potential clients.
Optimize for mobile devices
When it comes to creating content, optimizing it for mobile devices is crucial for ranking in SERP. Recent studies have shown that over 50% of all search traffic now comes from mobile devices. This means that if your content isn’t optimized for mobile, you’re likely missing out on a large chunk of traffic and potential customers.
You can do a few things to optimize your content for mobile devices. First, make sure your website is responsive and looks good on all devices. Then, make sure your text is easy to the eyes on small screens, and use short paragraphs and headings to break up the text. You should also use images and videos sparingly, as they can slow down the loading time of your pages.
Include a call to action (CTA) with every piece of content
When creating content, it’s important to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to optimize it for Google. This includes linking to your social media profiles in the byline so that Google knows that you’re a credible source of information.
Social media is an effective tool for increasing your traffic and ranking higher in Google, but if you don’t have the right content that’s easily readable and shareable, it will be pointless. It’s important to have engaging content that is helpful for your audience and written in a way that makes Google want to rank you higher.
The more successful your content is, the more traffic and exposure you’ll get. If you’re not linking to your social media profiles, you could be missing out on a lot of opportunities for potential clients.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to write SEO content that ranks in Google, it’s time to put these tips into practice. Use the tips above to optimize your site and improve your chances of ranking higher in SERP, getting more traffic to your website, and converting readers into leads and customers.
