8-Step Guide on How to Write SEO Content

How to write SEO content and why is it important? 90% of traffic from the search engines goes to the websites that rank on page 1. SEO is the best practice to rank on the first page as it will not cost a single penny. Therefore, site owners look for SEO writers to write blogs for them.

Writing SEO content is not difficult as people generally think it is when having great basics. This article will ease the difficulty people face in learning how to write SEO content. Let us dive in.

CONTENTS

What Is SEO Writing?

Why Is SEO Writing Important?

How to Write SEO Content:

Keyword Research:

Search Intent:

Headline:

Outline:

Writing & Structuring:

Linking:

Keyword Density:

Meta description:

Conclusion:

Here is a step by step guide on how to write SEO content

What Is SEO Writing?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It involves optimizing the website to help search engines rank it in its top results/first page as per the reader search. SEO writing means writing content with SEO techniques.

SEO writing involves various practices like using the right keywords that readers use to search, LSI keywords, headline tags, link building, length of the content, quality of the content, etc.

Why Is SEO Writing Important?

To give readers the best content to read, it has to show up before them. Since nobody goes beyond the first page, it is vital to rank on the first page. SEO writing helps as it boosts the organic visibility, SERP rankings and gains authority. With SEO strategies, websites save a lot of money spent on advertising.

How to write SEO content:

Keyword Research:

1. To begin with, make a list of relevant topics and generate a list of keywords using those topics on various platforms like Google, you-tube, Amazon, and so on.
2. Use SEO tools like Uber suggest, Ahrefs, and MOZ to extend the keyword list. Choose high-search-volume keywords and arrange them into the three groups listed below.
   1. The primary/main term that will appear in the headline of the article.
   2. Body keywords to use.
   3. Long-tail keywords are longer phrases and have to use in the title tags.

The ideal keyword for all categories is one with a high cost per click (CPC) (cost per click)

Search Intent:

Search intent means what the reader is looking up. It helps to know

1) Content-type – Blog post, product page, landing page. There are four types of content

1. Informational – comprehensive information regarding the topic.
2. Navigational – aware of the brand and want to go to that website.
3. Transactional – want to buy a product at the moment.
4. Commercial – want to check out various products available in the market to buy now or later.

2) Content format – Guide, tutorials, reviews, comparisons.

3) Content angle – the unique selling point of top-ranking posts and pages (like free, discounts, best, numbers, easy, and so on).

Headline:

The headline is vital since it determines whether the reader will read the article. When the headline fails to draw attention, it is pointless to write an excellent article piece. For a click-worthy headline

1. Include common, uncommon, emotional, and power words along with the main keyword.
2. Ask questions and use adjectives
3. Keep the word count between 7-8 words.
4. Use exact numbers and percentages instead of round figures.
5. Odd numbers rather than even numbers.
6. Use straightforward, easy-to-understand terms that convey the aim without giving away the solution in the title.

How to write SEO content continued…

Outline:

Outlining is creating a list of topics that has to cover in the article from beginning to end. It helps to get clarity on the topic to research as it reduces the time spent on irrelevant content.

Prepare your outline by writing down the topics that your competitor websites have covered together with the other information people are also seeking out.

Research with individual subheadings to get more valuable information and include all the links of the source of information, images, points under each section. It acts as a reference when writing the article.

Writing & Structuring:

Writing becomes very easy when having detailed research in hand. There are a few things to keep in mind to enhance writing.

1) Content under each subheading should be of similar word count and format.

2) Write the introduction and conclusion after writing the body of the article.

3) Give the right amount of knowledge. Do not over-explain nor under-explain things.

4) Use bullet points, white spaces in between the paragraphs.

5) Add a bit of experience and perspective with examples to the blog.

6) Use more visuals like photos, info graphics, and videos to make content more appealing.

Structuring is the way of organizing the topics that makes sense to the reader and maintain the flow of the article. Otherwise, the reader may bounce from the page.

Linking:

There are two types of linking done in an article

1. Internal Links:

An internal link is a link that navigates the reader from one page to other pages of the same website. It helps in driving traffic to other pages and letting the reader explore different sections of the website.

Internal link tells the search engines which pages of the website are vital and what they contain. Only link those pages that ranked average or above average with comprehensive anchor text.

1. External Links:

External links are the hyperlinks that navigate the reader from one website to another website. It tells the search engine that the content is relevant and is eligible to rank better.

Link to those websites that comparatively have high domain authority. The anchor text for an external link should be the content of the current article but not the headline of that page.

Unless they have special conditions, there is no need to take permission from the website for links.

Keyword Density:

Keyword density is the percentage value that tells how many times a particular keyword appears in the content. It is a ratio of the number of times a keyword occurred to the total number of words on the web page.

A keyword density of 1-2% is optimal. If it exceeds 2%, search engines will label the content as black hat SEO and prohibit or lower the SERP ranking.

Consider synonyms, antonyms, variations, and terms that express the target keyword instead of overloading content with keywords, which reduces readability and can cause readers to bounce.

The density of keywords in an article can be measured using SEO tools and plugins.

Meta description:

A Meta description is a couple of lines beneath the title of the article in the SERP. The intent is to provide a summary of the content to the reader. It is natural content promotion.

Grasp the attention and encourage them to read the blog, using the AIDA formula to construct the Meta description. In a few sentences, explain the issue and how the article can assist.

Meta descriptions are limited to 160 characters. Meta descriptions do not always have to match the content.

It helps search engines recognize the blog through CTR (click-through rate).

Conclusion:

Writing SEO content is a piece of cake. Right? It is not reading an article that gets results. Furthermore, putting it into practice gets results. To become a pro in SEO writing from the very beginning, create a checklist of the steps that need to follow.

Producing high-quality articles that solve the reader’s problems is equally important as using effective SEO tactics to rank on page 1. Even websites with high authority prioritize both SEO and content equally.

Remember, “If you’re going to post content on your site anyway, you might as well take the time to make sure search engines take notice of your effort.

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