10 SEO Content Writing Tips
Posted by Sandy in 
Content is a key factor in organic SEO, and sites that have interesting, well-written, optimized content will fare much better than those that do not. Here are some tips to keep in mind when compiling content for your web pages:
1. Write for people, not search engines
All content and articles should be unique and relevant, and written for people who will be visiting your site. Don’t create unnecessary articles/pages stuffed with keywords (see below) specifically for search engines, hoping to boost your ranking.
2. Don’t stuff keywords into paragraphs. Focus on no more than 3 – 5 keywords per page.
Keyword stuffing is considered to be an unethical search engine optimization (SEO) technique. Keyword stuffing occurs when a web page is saturated with keywords in the meta tags or in content, in hopes of boosting search engine ranking. This is considered spam by search engines, and the website may be penalized or banned.
Instead, focus on having 3 – 5 relevant, well-placed keywords per page. Your readers will thank you, because no one enjoys reading reduntant information (and they won’t – they’ll leave your site)!
3. Headlines and titles should be keyword-rich and to the point.
Web content headlines should be keyword-rich and to the point. Short and sweet, but packing a powerful punch!
4. Use keywords in the introduction and conclusion when possible.
After placing your main keyword in your heading, keywords should be again placed in the first and last paragraphs. By repeating your main keyword phrase in the first paragraph, it lets search bots know that the copy that follows the title is indeed relevant.
5. Practice the inverted pyramid style of writing.
People read quickly on the web, skimming for information or keywords. If a site’s writing is not quick and easy to grasp, it is usually not read in full. Start with a concise but descriptive headline, and continue with the most important points. Use less text than you would for print, in a simple writing style that uses bullets and numbered lists to call out information. Place embedded links in your text to help visitors find more information about a related topic.
6. Use shorter sentences and paragraphs, focusing on one idea per paragraph.
Visitors want to see simple, to-the-point content that answers their questions or supplies the information that they are looking for. Make that information easy to find and read!
7. Utilizing lists and bullet points when possible.
The majority of visitors tend to skim web content. For this reason, lists and bullet points should be used whenever possible, as they are easier and faster to read.
8. Aim for quality over quantity.
When writing content, be sure to focus on the quality of writing rather than the length. Huge paragraphs and long pages of content are a turn-off for many web skimmers, so keeping it short and interesting will make audiences more likely to read your content.
9. Write in simple layman’s terms.
It is important to keep your content writing relatively simple, omitting industry-specific terms and jargon. Remember, you are writing for a worldwide audience that may not understand these terms. Keep your information clear, concise, and easy to understand by all ages or educational backgrounds.
10. It’s not just about marketing.
Ensure that the content is not sales or marketing focused. While the ultimate goal is surely to enhance rankings and increase business, the aim for content writing is to keep the website fresh, informative, and a pleasant read.
Michael K. says:
Absolutely wonderful and well put together article! Point #1 “Write for people, not search engines” is absolutely the hardest point to get across to anyone creating content for a website or writing a blog. Honestly, I think this blog is a perfect example of every point you touched on. Thanks for the share!