How to Write SEO Content

SEO content is content that is written with optimisation in mind. The copy needs to be noticeable online and it should be ranking high in the search engine results (SERPs) as a result. But without writing SEO content, the aforementioned isn’t always easy, or possible. 

However, that being said, writing SEO content isn’t that straightforward either, which is where we come in. In this article, we’ll be giving you a few tips for writing SEO content in a way that is effective and coherent for maximum and positive results online. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at SEO content and how to write it properly.

Know your audience

Knowing your audience and understanding who they are in society is paramount when it comes to writing SEO content. If it’s not targeting the right people, it’s not going to be found by those who are most likely to have come across it in the first place. To have at least a chance of appearing high enough in the SERPs, you need to know who it is you’re writing for. Consider things like: their age, their gender, their profession and even their potential interests and hobbies. For example, don’t write content in a way that is suitable for someone in their 50’s and expect it to be found by someone between the ages of 18-25, because it will go unnoticed.

Make titles & headlines as powerful as possible

Something that is designed to grab the attention of potential readers, and it has been this way since the introduction of the printed press, is the headlines you’re using. Your headline could also be your article title. Either way, it needs to have a catchy and interesting headline in order to attract as many visitors as possible. Use this to your advantage when it comes to writing SEO content. If you’re wanting to write the perfect headline, then follow a few of our basic tips:

• Consider your target audience
• Be as specific and as concise as possible
• User power words (words that evoke emotions)
• Deliver on the promise made in the headline
• Analyse your headline before publishing
• Consider using questions

Implement relevant keywords & terms

The basic rule when it comes to SEO content is to include keywords and phrases that are found through thorough research and analysation. You can find your keywords using tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner and Google Search Console. 

These will provide you with the information you need to determine which keywords and terms to use in your copy to ensure it is SEO-friendly. Choose keywords that are high in search volume, but that low-to-moderate in competition levels. 

Don’t try and compete for words that have a high search volume and a high competition level, because you’ll be competing with large, household names. Following those rules and implementing the right keywords and phrases is a great place to start when it comes to writing SEO content. 

Have an understanding of Google’s algorithm

You should know how Google’s algorithm operates if you’re looking to write SEO content. By knowing what it’s looking for and what it looks favourably on, you’ll be able to tailor your content to what it wants, therefore making it far more likely that you’ll appear higher up in the SERPs. 

For example, Google will like content that is long-form, has relevant keywords within it, contains quality external links and has fresh and updated copy (which is why it’s always recommended to make changes to your content every so often). However, Google’ algorithm and how it operates changes, so keep checking to make sure you’re writing content for the most recent algorithm changes.

Don’t underestimate metadata

The role of metadata is to tell the search engine what your website is about. This could be the difference between ranking higher than your competitors or not. Your content needs to contain meta tags and metadata if you want to have a chance of appearing on the SERPs. Meta descriptions are what appears underneath a title in the search engines when it displays your content. This is what you need to be including, and within your meta description, you need to add keywords – do not forget them.

Link to high-quality, external websites

While we touched on the fact that Google likes long-form content with clear, concise and grammatically-correct content, it’s also important to note that the algorithm also looks favourably on the inclusion of high-quality external links. If you’re a quality website linking to another quality website, then this only strengthens the content you have written. 

Not only does it ensure a website page or a blog post ranks highly, but it will also boost the website up higher in the SERPs, as a whole. With this in mind, it’s imperative to make sure that you’re adding quality external links to your copy if you want to write SEO content successfully.

Write long-form content

Google’s algorithm looks favourably on long-form content. This goes for any form of copy, from website pages to blog posts. A rule of thumb, if you’re wanting to make sure that you’re writing long form content, is to get down at least 1,000 words for good measure. Too many words and it could be looked at as being ‘spammy’, so your content won’t rank. Any less and it could be looked at as low quality content, and so it won’t appear as high up in the SERPs as you would want it to. Follow this basic rule and you won’t go too far wrong.

Kumo is an experienced digital marketing agency with over two decades of knowledge behind us. No matter where you’re based in the UK, we can provide excellent marketing services, regardless of the industry you’re working in. From content writing and website design to SEO and PPC, and everything in between, we can always be counted upon to propel your business into the spotlight. If you would like further information, get in touch with a member of our friendly, professional team – we’re always pleased to hear from you.