SEO Tips for Great Content

It’s not all about rankings and traffic. Writing search engine optimized content is also about engaging readers, building authority, and selling products. After all, what is the point of getting prospects to pages that do not serve a purpose?
To help you please both your readers and the search engines, we’ve compiled a list of the best SEO tips for rocking content, all of which are based on actual experience.

1. Know Your Audience
Knowing whom you are writing for is one of the best and most important copywriting tips anyone can give you. Your content can never really rank or sell if it doesn’t appeal to a particular audience/consumer.

2. Attractive Headlines
An irresistible, well-thought-out headline gets your article-post read and sets the tone for your content. It’s also what makes an outstanding first impression.

3. Use Subheads
A catchy headline reels readers in, but how do you get them to continue reading? Use subheads. Subheadings (header tags – h2, h3, etc.) make your articles ‘skimmable’ and guide readers through the text. They also describe your content to search engines.

4. Choose a Good Font
The right font (and font size) can make your copy easier to read and visually more interesting, increasing engagement. This is why copywriters and blog writers pay so much attention to copy cosmetics. Some fonts are also more ‘web-safe’ than others.

5. Shorten Paragraphs
While longer blog posts and articles generally outperform shorter ones, longer paragraphs do not. Chunky blocks of text just bore and intimidate readers – not what you want. For best results, it is best to keep paragraphs short (2-4 sentences).

6. Get Voice Active
Most content writers agree that using passive voice is one of several deadly copywriting sins; it makes your copy wordy and dilutes your message. Active voice, on the other hand, is direct, crisp, and energetic, which makes for persuasive writing.

7. Forget Keyword Density
Keyword density is a tireless SEO myth. While it is important to include strong keywords in your content and not “over-optimized,” there is nothing indicating that search engines favor a particular density. Who wants to read keyword-stuffed mumbo jumbo, anyway?

8. Talk Your Reader’s Language
Do you talk like your readers? With blog writing, for example, it is best to adopt a conversational tone, using words and phrases that resonate with the target audience. As your readership grows, search engines will pick up on it, too.

9. Keep It Fresh
Updating your content regularly is important, for search engines and readers. Search engines favor posts that are more recent and relevant because that is what their users want. Your readers and prospects want the same thing – accurate, up-to-date info.

10. Monitor Metrics
Tracking things like page views, bounce rate, and SEO, as well as likes and shares, can give you a sense of how well people and search engines receive your content. This can give you the insights needed to refine and replicate it.
Have a look at our other SEO articles here