As a small business owner, you have undoubtedly wondered how your website can ever compare with multinational corporations that can afford to spend large amounts of money on advertising. The good news is that this is indeed possible. If you follow the basic principles of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), you will start getting results from Google and other search engines.
To help you get started, here are a couple of essential SEO content writing tips:
1. Do keyword research
Before beginning to write SEO content, it’s crucial to find out more about the top keywords that people use when they research your product or service. Google AdWords is an ideal place to start because it can tell you how many searches there were in a given period for any particular keyword or keyword phrase.
If you stop there, however, you might find yourself competing with the rest of the world. Take the top keywords and zoom in on your field of speciality or location. For example, if you are a wedding photographer in Lexington, Kentucky, focusing on the keyword; ‘photographer’ will have you competing with all other photographers on earth. Instead, use a keyword phrase like ‘wedding photos in Kentucky’ or even ‘wedding photos in Lexington, Kentucky’. You will get fewer clicks, but they will have more search intent because they are from people who are more likely to use your services.
Also, use longtail and LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords in your text. If you have no idea what these phrases mean, you should either do more research or perhaps consider using the services of an SEO content writing service.
2. Write standout headlines
Research shows that in nearly 90% of cases, the headline determines whether the visitor will continue to read further. Meaning you have less than 10 seconds to attract their attention – which is why the headline must be compelling and relevant to their search.
3. Quality content remains king
If you consult an SEO specialist, they will undoubtedly tell you that good quality and relevant content remains of paramount importance. If you sell digital cameras, for example, it’s no use stuffing your content with all the different keywords you can find for this product. You run the risk of being penalized by Google and other search engines. Write content for humans, not search engines.
4. Structure is important
Research shows that web visitors tend to scan instead of reading everything. Breaking up your content into subsections with individual headings and using bullet points wherever relevant are both great ideas. Also, keeping the paragraphs relatively short will improve your page structure and help the main points to stand out clearly.
5. Don’t let things get boring
We get it: you have a lot to say about your product or service. But keep in mind that people have short attention spans. You’ve already added subheadings and bullet points, what else can you do to keep them reading?
One option is to add a couple of interesting, relevant photos. It breaks up the barrage of text and also has another, less obvious, benefit: the image caption and URL offer an excellent opportunity to sneak in another keyword or keyphrase.
Also, unless your target market is people who enjoy reading long content pieces, limit your article length to below 1,000 words.
6. Give solutions to problems
Take into account that most people are not SEO experts. When they use Google or other search engines, they don’t search for keywords. They search for solutions to a problem or a need, which is why they very often ask questions. Think of questions potential buyers of your products or services will typically be asking, and try to incorporate these questions into your subheadings.
7. Keep content fresh
Things in the digital world change quickly. Information that was relevant today might no longer be relevant next week; this is why Google and its colleagues love fresh content. Update your existing content regularly and upload new content as often as possible.
Once you’ve used all the above tips, you probably want an expert opinion on other key areas to improve. Start with 1-grid’s free website SEO audit tool where you’ll get actionable information and set measurable targets in improving your SEO. Check it out!
