Writing Pages And Blog Posts With SEO In Mind

When creating a new page for a website or coming up with new content for a featured blog, it is important to keep SEO in mind. As with any type of writing, the trick is to keep the reader engaged. Engaging content should be easily understood. Content that is well received can be shared over and over again. 

Have Concrete Ideas

What is the subject? What is the end goal? What is the objective? What are you trying to tell your readers? 

Answering any of these questions will jump start a clear direction for new content. An unclear objective or idea can lead to confusion for readers. Answering specific questions about what content should be doing can narrow the goal and make it easier to achieve. 

Do a quick Google search for a chosen topic with key phrases. What do the readers want to know? What missing information are you able to provide?

Create Structure

Once there is a clear goal in mind, it’s best to provide structure in the piece; A step by step plan on how to get from point A to point B helps with the process. Think of an essay. Whenever an essay is written it consists of three parts: Intro, body, conclusion.

Introduce the topic. Let readers know what they can expect. The body consists of the main message. What points are being addressed specifically? The conclusion provides a simple summary of the main points of the topic. 

Take a moment to quickly write down the main points in each section. Doing this creates a road map for new content. 

Headings

Headings are one of the main tools for writing in SEO. Using headings provides an easy way for Google to read content which may help improve Google rankings. Headings provide an easy way for readers to understand the points that are being made. Keep it short and simple and use keywords when needed. 

Subheadings also help readers gain a better idea of what each section will cover. If readers are just skimming through, it’s easier for them to find a specific answer. 

Often when writing new content having an odd number of headings tends to read better for an audience. Try to make five, seven, or nine points for new content. Numbering headings also provides a better Google ranking as lists tend to do well for Google searches. Lists provide content information at a glance. 

Paragraphs

When writing new content with SEO in mind, it is important to keep in mind who the audience is. Content needs to be quick and easy for readers. Large paragraphs can feel overwhelming as they tend to appear as a wall of text. Readers are looking for fast answers. Large blocks of text often turn readers away. Not many people are willing to sift through paragraphs of information to get what they need. 

Keep paragraphs small and to the point. You are putting seasoning in your content to spice up the flavor, too much and it may strike the sour taste buds of readers and they may leave for easier to digest content.

Paragraphs each have their own point to make. While keeping everything uniform may look nice, not all points are going to require the same amount of space. Some points may even only need a single sentence, others may need a few lines of text to clearly convey what needs to be said. 

Easy to read content that fits the tone of your unique voice can help readers understand the points. This also allows Google to track who stays on the site, and who finds the information they need. 

Keywords

The art of keywords can be tricky. Google has a smart web crawler that is able to tell the difference between genuine content, and content filled with spam phrases. Keywords definitely help content reach its intended audience, but it is important not to overburden the content. 

Keywords should be used sparingly and when suited. Most of the content that is written should feel like a conversation between two friends or acquaintances. If the content is overloaded with keywords, it may start sounding like a scam call. 

Keep phrasing natural. If you’re not sure if a keyword/phrase works in its current placement, read it out loud. Reading content out loud can help pin down problem areas as well as keep dialogue fresh and open. 

Find The Right Length

Blog lengths vary depending on the topic. In-depth discussions help readers understand the topic whereas other times only simple conversations are needed. It all depends on what the target content is. 

A good idea is to go back and look at the most popular content for the past year. How long were the posts? How many words were written? How well did they do on the Google ranking? This helps determine how long new content may need to be. 

Keep in mind that different content requires different lengths. Pillar pages, often represented as ‘The Ultimate Guide to…’, can be well over 4,000 words. These types of pages contain the most information about any given topic. The intent of these pages is to provide a crash course on a specific topic. 

Smaller, similar topics to the pillar page certainly require a much smaller word count. Taking specific topics from the pillar page and breaking them down into easier to digest pages and emphasizing the chosen point increases reader understanding. These pages can be as little as 500 words. 

Internal Linking

When writing new content, link to similar topics. Oftentimes new content overlaps with other areas. Make sure to link to these if readers are looking for a more in-depth explanation. Internal linking is a staple of SEO. Linking to other posts can help increase Google rankings. 

Pillar pages are often full of links to other content that can help expand on a point that was made. These smaller pages link back to the pillar page to allow readers to gain more knowledge on the subject. Linking back and forth can greatly help improve website engagement and reduce bounce rate. 

The more connected a site is, the easier it is for the audience to navigate and find additional information that may not have originally had easy access. 

Peer Review

Don’t be afraid to let others see what you are writing. Peer reviews are the ultimate feedback. Authors often utilize beta readers to see which areas of their book are hitting the mark and which areas may need some additional work. Scientists put their published work through rigorous peer reviews to ensure that their findings are in fact, true. 

Having an editor or a fellow colleague review new work is an easy way to see if the topic is being clearly communicated. Content often needs revision and clarifying before posting. Don’t be afraid to change areas or use simpler wording. 

Online Presence

When a new piece is created, let the audience know about it. A big part of SEO is keeping audiences up to date and engaged in what current projects are in the works. Posting new work on shareable sites like Facebook, Instagram, and twitter helps improve engagement. If an audience finds the new content helpful, they may share it with a friend who also passes the word along. 

Leaving a comment section on content helps engagement with the audience and understand what questions they may need answered. Responding to these comments shows people how much you care and are listening. 

Word of mouth is a great way to increase engagement and boost sales. Remember to be active and let the audience know when new and exciting projects are coming. 

Conclusion

Whether writing a new webpage or blog post, it is helpful to keep in mind what readers are looking for. Readers tend to like quick and easy answers and may look to you for help. Using these tips can help optimize SEO and increase Google rankings. If you aren’t quite sure how to improve your SEO for your business, take a look at our SEO Tips for New Businesses article.

We Can Help

Not quite sure how to get started? Dual Pixel has an experienced understanding of SEO optimization and web development. We can get points across to your audience as well as increase your online engagement. Contact us to find out more or check out our business services. The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.