The number of active websites is currently around 200 million, and they are all trying to stand apart. One of the ways to do so is by utilizing content that will really be picked up by search engines, and it doesn’t have to be a difficult task. Here’s a guide on how to write SEO-friendly content.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization, also known as “SEO”, is a technique used by those who take on writing jobs to ensure web content will be seen by a wide audience. Google, Bing and other search engines use an algorithm to determine how high a particular page ranks in search results, and there’s hundreds of factors, also known as signals, that the automated systems use for this.
Do some research
Before you get started on your content, it can be a good idea to do some keyword research. This will help you to include words your target audience often use in their search queries. increasing the chance that it will be seen. One tool that may be helpful for this is Google’s Keyword Planner, or Google’s autocomplete feature, as this will show you what words people tend to use when looking up a particular topic.
Getting started
Now that you’ve got the information you need to prepare a SEO-friendly article and have decided which keywords you’re going to use, it’s time to get started. It’s important to take structure into consideration, and many choose to use their keyword in the title. Keep in mind that short, snappy paragraphs may work best, as many people read content on their phone or other mobile device. Divide your work into an introduction, body and conclusion, whether it’s a few sentences or an entire article.
Take care with titles
Although it may sound obvious, some forget the importance of rating a title. Keeping it accurate and under 60 characters will ensure it performs well. There are tools available online such as CoSchedule that review a submitted title and provide an analysis, including Google Search preview and readability details.
It’s a wise move to include your keyword in the title or at least in the first 100 words. Any tags for photos should also contain one of these words.
Break it down
Using headings and subheadings can result in a piece that’s easy to read, and keywords may be used in the heading titles. While it may sound tempting to use as many of these phrases as possible, it actually pays to be choosy, as their overuse can actually be harmful and appear spammy.
Keep your URLs short
Search engines are automated, and they don’t tend to react well to long strings of words. This is why it’s a good idea to keep the URLs you use short, and make sure your keyword is included.
Add some links
Ensuring your piece has both external and internal links to other pages and its overall length will be taken into account by search engines. Multimedia elements such as videos, audio players and diagrams encourage visitors to stay on site longer.
Keep track of the results
Now that you’ve finished your work and posted it online, your job isn’t done. Tracking the results of your SEO pieces will help you determine what works and what doesn’t so you can make any tweaks necessary.
At Words of Worth, we put our skills in crafting SEO-friendly content to work for our clients every day. Why not apply now to join the team?