When it comes to content writing, quality takes over quantity. It doesn’t matter how many blogs you post each day, but how impactful those blogs are. In fact, 83% of marketers prioritise quality content and are fine with posting them less often.
Now, when the term “quality” is used, we usually associate it with adding relevant keywords multiple times throughout the blog. But the question is, “is that enough?”
Well, certainly not!
To write content that is top-notch and assists your website rank better on Google, you must focus on other aspects, too.
In this blog, we aim to do the same. We will make you familiar with tips and tricks for successful SEO content writing. But first, let’s understand –
1- How does Google identify if your content is relevant?
Top guns like Google use various ways to determine the relevance of content. Listed below are a few ways –
1.1- Is the search query addressed on your page?
Google primarily assesses the relevance of your content based on whether it includes the same keywords as the search query.
As you might know, the search engine crawls and indexes every website and its content. If your content features the keyword used by the users, your content’s chances of being presented in front of the users increase, too.
1.2- Does the page cover related topics?
Remember, relevance is not just limited to matching keywords. Google also checks whether or not the content features other related keywords.
For instance, if a webpage is about dogs, it will naturally discuss related topics such as breeds, training, nutrition, grooming, and behaviour.
1.3- Is the page perceived as useful by searchers?
For years, Google has prioritised its users. It typically shows content that stands up to the expectations of the searchers.
This is why the highest-ranking results for “dogs” often focus on breeds, training techniques, and care tips rather than generic information about canines. Google’s insights from user interactions indicate that most searchers are interested in specific aspects of dog ownership.
Similarly, freshness matters for topics where up-to-date information is crucial, such as sports transfers or election outcomes. Searchers prefer the latest news, and Google prioritizes such results accordingly.
2- Top ways to create content that ranks on search engine
In the previous section, we learnt that relevance is key to producing content that ranks on search engines. Now, let’s focus on “how to write SEO-friendly website content” using proven tips that also prioritise relevance.
2.1- Select a keyword to write the content
If your question is, “How to improve organic traffic to my website through content?” then focus on identifying niche-specific keywords.
No matter what type of content you wish to produce, it must feature at least one main keyword. This keyword will work as a backbone for SEO-friendly content writing. In an ideal scenario, your content must feature a minimum of three to five keywords, each similar to another one. However, you don’t get to experience such luxury with all the topics you choose.
Thankfully, today, the market is filled with multiple tools that cost less yet allow for finding good target keywords. These include –
- Google Keyword Planner
- Keysearch
- Keyword Chef
- KWFinder
- Longtail Pro
Insider Tip: An easy way to rank for keywords is to focus on keywords that have low competition yet higher search volume.
2.2- Determine the search intent
As mentioned earlier, a crucial factor in determining relevance is whether searchers find the search results helpful. This means that Google continuously analyses the reasons behind a search query, known as search intent, and delivers results it believes meet that intent.
To rank well on Google, you must understand the search intent behind your target keyword. You can determine the three Cs (listed below) of search intent because Google prioritizes the most relevant results by analysing the top-ranking pages.
- Content type – Do SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) favour a specific type of content, including landing pages, videos, blog posts or product pages?
- Content format – Do SERPs favour a dominant content format, such as guides, new articles, listicles, reviews, etc.?
- Content angle – Do SERPs favour a specific angle, like content focused towards beginners or freshly updated ones?
2.3- Write on things that searchers wish to know
Do you want your content to appear on the first page of SERPs? Cover everything your searchers wish to know and expect from you.
Are you wondering how to write such content? Use these tips –
2.3.1- Use common subheadings
Subheadings instantly provide insights into searchers’ interests, especially when consistent patterns emerge across top-ranking pages.
For instance, when examining the leading pages for “digital marketing strategies,” it’s probable that we’ll need to address subtopics such as:
- Defining digital marketing strategies
- Advantages of implementing digital marketing strategies
- Steps to create effective digital marketing strategies
And so on.
2.3.2- Search for related topics within keyword rankings
A single page can rank for several keywords. Many of these keywords may essentially represent different ways of searching for the same topic, while others might highlight important subtopics that you should address.
You can easily come across tools that allow you to find topics that are similar to your keywords and can be used as subheadings within your comprehensive guide.
2.3.3- Check the "People Also Ask" sections
Have you noticed the “People Also Ask” section on SERPs?
These questions might help you gain insights into other things that your searchers might want to know. Tools like AlsoAsked can come in handy in pulling all the PAA questions that are similar to the topic you wish to target.
2.3.4- Manually review the top-ranking pages
Lastly, you can choose to go through each page one by one to determine what you have missed.
On completion of your research, you can get started with your content creation.
2.4- Write page titles that stand out
The page title, also referred to as the meta title, is a crucial HTML element. It informs both Google and users about the topic of a particular webpage.
And since page title gets displayed on the SERPs, it is crucial to write them uniquely. Anything enticing will attract more attention and clicks.
Here are some tricks to keep in mind to write content for website that ranks on Google –
- Every page on your website must have a unique page title. Don’t ever duplicate anything.
- Ensure to describe the page content accurately.
- Ensure the page title features the main keyword at the beginning.
- Add a secondary keyword. Ensure it is used naturally and not repeated too many times.
- If possible, maintain the page title under 60 characters. Anything longer poses the chances of being truncated in the result pages.
- Use emotions or numbers to make the title click-worthy. The idea is to invoke curiosity.
2.5- Craft impactful meta descriptions
The meta description tag, found in HTML, serves as a precise summary of your webpage’s content. Google may use this summary as a snippet in the SERPs. Meta descriptions provide users with a quick overview of what the content covers. They help the users decide whether the page is relevant to their needs.
However, you must note that Google doesn’t use meta descriptions almost every time. It may, sometimes, use a specific section of your content as the visible text in the search engine. This is especially true if the chosen snippet is capable of matching the user’s query.
Irrespective, it is best to write good meta descriptions. Also, ensure to optimise them properly to enhance the click-through rates and SEO, thereby enhancing the rankings of your content.
Want to know how to write good meta descriptions, just like the experts at a content writing agency? Here are some tips –
- Summarise the page accurately.
- Write a unique description for each page.
- Start with your main keyword in the meta description.
- Incorporate secondary keywords naturally.
- Keep the meta description below 160 characters to avoid truncation in SERPs.
2.6- Use headings tags wherever necessary
If your goal is to rank higher on search engines, pay special attention to the heading tags (H1, H2 and so on)
Headings create a hierarchical structure to content that makes it uncomplicated for search engine crawlers to evaluate and users to easily scan through the content.
Many inexperienced writers often skip adding proper heading tags, which ultimately leads to impacted rankings on search engines.
Here are some tips for effective heading tags –
- Only add one h1 tag on the content.
- Use the same meta page title for your H1 tag. This reduces the likelihood of Google rewriting your page titles in the SERPs. Also, this ensures your main keywords are present in both HTML locations for SEO purposes.
- Divide the main sections of your content using H2 tags.
- Ensure to use the target keywords in H2, wherever possible.
- Use H3 to further divide the sub-sections under H2.
- Avoid using too many heading tags. Use only where it makes sense. The notion is to prevent users from getting confused about where one topic starts and ends.
2.7- Use available keyword variations
While searching for keywords, you are bound to come across multiple variations of the targeted keywords. It is time to use them and get ranked appropriately.
Ensure to include multiple variations of every keyword in your content. This way, you can completely capture the SEO impact of these iterations. And don’t worry about keyword density; just focus on writing naturally, and you will be fine.
Here is an excellent example –
Suppose there is this webpage on a fitness site: “Cardio vs. Strength Training: Which is Better?” Rather than solely targeting a single keyword phrase like “cardio vs. strength training,” you can enhance the content for improved ranking across search engines. Just incorporate various keyword variations such as:
- Cardio and strength training
- Cardio and strength workouts
- Cardio vs. strength training
- Difference between cardio and strength training
During keyword research, take note of different ways in which you can use particular phrases. Accordingly, put them within your content. You can work with SEO consulting experts for assistance with keyword research and variations.
2.8- Generate trust with your writing
Many website owners and bloggers often overlook this step in creating content that ranks on Google. However, generating trust can significantly enhance the overall rankings of the site.
As search engines evolve, the importance of writing content that conveys trust is increasing. Websites perceived as trustworthy offer a better user experience, an element that search engines consider when ranking content in the SERPs or (search engine results pages).
Building trust depends on the nature of your content, but here are some general tips you can follow:
Here are some general tips for building trust through your content:
- Craft a well-written and comprehensive About Us page.
- Provide information about the individuals or teams behind the content on your website.
- Incorporate a Contact Us page along with an email address; if applicable, add a name, address, and phone number, particularly for local businesses.
- Clearly outline the key takeaways and objectives for each piece of content in the introduction to set expectations for users.
- If your website involves shopping carts or financial transactions, ensure you offer clear and helpful customer service information to assist users with any issues.
- Secure your website with HTTPS to establish a safe connection.
- Avoid using intrusive pop-ups or interstitial ads that block users’ view of the content for promotional purposes.
2.9- Always provide comprehensive information
Two factors in writing content for SEO can undermine your chances of ranking well in Google:
- Insufficient content that fails to satisfy the search intent.
- Excessive content that strays beyond the main search intent and covers too many unrelated topics.
When aiming to rank articles on the SERPs, it’s crucial to strike a balance between being concise and overly wordy. A basic piece of content on a complex topic typically doesn’t rank well, while adding unnecessary words solely to increase content length is also detrimental to SEO efforts.
Three aspects of what is SEO friendly content are –
- Time – Analyse the SERPs to see what your competitors are writing. This helps you understand what you should include and identify content gaps.
- Effort – Ensure your content contains all the necessary information to meet the search intent. This might involve including supplementary elements such as tables, charts, graphs, images, or videos.
- Expertise – Deliver precise information on the subject matter without being overly broad or complex for the user’s requirements.
A helpful guideline is to be concise yet thorough when writing your content. Let the topic itself determine the appropriate word count rather than strictly following the length of top-ranking pages in the SERPs.
2.10- Link internally and externally
Internal links enhance user experience. They can improve your content’s performance by increasing visitor retention on your website and potentially boosting the page’s ranking in the SERPs.
External links are beneficial for Kelowna SEO because they assist search engines in assessing the usefulness, expertise, and quality of your web pages. For instance, linking to other websites as references and sources that support the data and claims in your content demonstrates credibility and authority.
Linking to other sites shows that your content is trustworthy because it demonstrates that other websites on the internet support the information you’re presenting.
3- Bottom line
It is a common belief among writers that crafting articles and blogs is enough to rank higher on Google. Well crafting content is just one part of creating SEO-friendly content writing. In order to make your content visible and liked by the target audience, you must focus on the aspects listed above. Also, remember to remain consistent with your efforts, given search engine algorithms change continuously.
Note that SEO efforts, no matter how simple, take time to show results. Hence, maintain patience. And in case you feel you need extra assistance, work with experts or hire SEO consultant from well-known agencies like SEO Resellers Canada. Using their expertise and proven techniques, SEO experts can skyrocket your rankings and boost the volume of traffic that is directed to your site.
