- SEO Content - How is it Different from Regular Content?
- SEO vs Regular Content - The Most Important Difference
- How to Write Good SEO Content? 11 Tips to Start with
- How to Write Content for SEO? The Takeaway
SEO Content - How is it Different from Regular Content?
SEO-Optimized Content - What is it?
SEO content is actually any content that has been optimized for the requirements of search engines (most often Google). So such content pieces don’t cover the same topics - they can be texts about anything, published on any website, however, they have a similar form.
We'll talk about optimization in a moment, now let's consider what texts are good examples of SEO content.
- Website content. The list includes both service, marketing (so also aimed at selling a product), and informational pages (for example, describing a specific service, its range, price, or effects).
- a description of the home page (preferably including information about your business and links to specific service or product categories);
- a description of the page/category page (i.e., a description of a group of products, services, or articles with a similar theme or purpose, e.g., "sofas for the living room," "beauty treatments for summer" or "fantasy books");
- product/service descriptions (i.e., descriptions of specific products - physical or otherwise - that you sell.
- blog articles. Does every SEO-optimized text have to be oversaturated with keywords? The content found online can sometimes be overwhelming, but you can definitely create good articles that are still valuable SEO-wise. How? Read on, we'll spill the beans .
- sponsored articles and content such as guest content published on an industry blog or paid posts on a subject-related page. These can range from how-to articles to interviews or reviews.
- social media content. Are you wondering if social media platforms are actually valuable for SEO? At Delante, we always answer "yes”. Even though our arguments are less obvious than you'd expect, few people appreciate the true SEO potential that social media brings. If you want to know how to use news stories, interesting posts, and shareable Twitter articles for SEO purposes, check out this article:
- What is SMO? The ultimate social media optimization guide
SEO vs Regular Content - The Most Important Difference
SEO texts are optimized for search engines. Not all web content has been created according to the rules that govern the world of search results. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that optimization isn’t everything. Your content still has to bring value to users, not only from a UX standpoint but also because Google simply pays attention to audience engagement. Therefore, when creating texts for Google robots, you should also create for users. What makes SEO-optimized content special? It takes into account the requirements of the Google search engine, including also technical aspects that we’ll discuss later on (these elements are the use of key phrases, H2 headings, or alternative texts in the graphics separating the text). By learning how to write SEO-optimized content, you can create texts that robots will like and rank accordingly. This will quickly translate into an increasing number of readers and potential customers. Sounds legit, doesn’t it? Keep in mind that SEO texts aren’t equal. Take a look at the examples below. Both texts are descriptions of online store pages. The one on the left is very minimalistic, and even a little bit not transparent. On the other hand, the second one is an over-optimized text where every other word is a key phrase (not even tailored to that page, by the way). You are able to notice the difference even though the texts are in a foreign language. As you can see, not all content that you can identify as SEO-friendly is quality and valuable. And that brings us to the most important point of this post, namely how to write content for SEO?How to Write Good SEO Content? 11 Tips to Start with
1. Be Moderate
Let’s start with moderation. Once you learn all the components of a good SEO text, you may be tempted to overuse them, but we strongly advise you to take a few deep breaths and restore some common sense. First of all, don't over-optimize your text with keywords, because it won't do any good - users will get tired of it, and Google will consider you unreliable. Benefit from the gained knowledge but use it consciously.2. Trust Data
How to write content for SEO? Use data from tools such as Google Analytics or other applications that collect data about your audience. It’ll help you identify the needs of your target audience and act more effectively. In data we trust!3. Update Your Content on a Regular Basis
Make sure that the SEO content on your website is always up to date. Don't let category descriptions show products that are no longer available, and update articles from 2019 quickly so they don't scare your audience away . Content updates aren't only permissible but actually recommended. Don't be afraid to complement the texts with new information and adjust them to the current requirements of Google (once you learn something new after a Google algorithm update). Google likes unique and fresh content, so it's time for a general cleanup on your blog.4. Conduct Thorough Keyword Analysis
As you know, keywords can increase your visibility in the search results and help you reach the target audience. Think about what queries users should enter into Google to find your website. Below you can see some popular tools that come in handy during the keyword analysis:- Ahrefs
- Answer The Public
- Keyword Planner od Google
- Surfer SEO
- Ubersuggest
- volume (that's the monthly number of searches - it should match your capabilities. Don't choose keywords that have too high or too low volume);
- competitiveness;
- specificity (we always advise going for long-tail phrases).
5. Take Care of Transparency
In all the pursuit of perfect SEO, don't forget about your most important goal - creating good, readable texts. Remember that UX-friendly content will help you improve your search engine positions. So what do you need to keep in mind? How to write SEO content and what should it include?- clear headings - necessarily bigger than the rest of the text.
- short paragraphs - a few lines definitely look better than a long block of text! Remember that modern users have a very short focus time. Don't challenge them and forget about writing long paragraphs.
- bolded important parts of the text - emphasize what is most relevant to the user. Interesting insights, key conclusions, and good tips.
- highlights in the form of tables, quotes, etc. - if possible, make the text as interesting as possible. Punctuate paragraphs with tables with comparisons, add expert quotes and be creative.
- bullet points - users and Google like bullet points, checklists, and listings. Add them to your texts to engage readers and boost SEO.
Want to learn more about UX writing? Check out our blog!
6. Remember About Headings (H2 and H3)
Google likes everything to be in order. This way, the robots can easily find their way around the page and evaluate the content. You can help them do this by using proper heading structure, including H2 and H3 tags (leave H1 for the product name or article title). Use keywords in H2 headings, and implement H3 ones to improve text readability.7. Go for Appropriate Text Length
Our most universal rule of thumb tested on dozens if not hundreds of cases, is that the text length depends on numerous external factors. Therefore, we try not to set one rigid standard for the length of a category, product or page description. Instead, we have noticed that the longer the text is, the better the page ranks thanks to it. So if you're able, create quality and extensive pieces of content for each page. By the way - if you have doubts about whether you really need to write so much, we recommend you the article: Do you really need a unique description for each product in your store?8. Use Natural Keywords
We’ve previously written about keyword analysis, and now it's time to talk about keyword stuffing, a common, and very unfavorable SEO phenomenon. Keyword stuffing is the exaggerated saturation of text with key phrases, which makes texts unreadable and can result in Google marking a page as spammy. Remember to use common sense and the guidance of tools that will tell you how many times phrases can appear in an SEO text of a particular length. The most important thing is to keep the text looking natural and make sure it serves the right function such as informational, advertising, or transactional.9. Focus on Internal Linking
One of the most important features of a good SEO text is the right internal linking. Depending on the content we're talking about, links can appear in different forms. In category descriptions, we frequently see anchors on keywords related to the products/services/categories in question. On the other hand, on product pages in online stores, it's common to link on images or in the form of CTA phrases like "check out" or "others have also bought".10. Uniqueness is the Key
Remember not to copy content from other sites (even if they're product descriptions written by the manufacturer). We also don't recommend duplicating descriptions within your own site - this means that each category, service, and, finally, even each product should have a separate SEO description. This way, your content will be in line with Google, including the Panda algorithm. So let's summarize: a book description copied from the publisher's website isn't SEO-friendly. Instead, you should create your own piece or at least paraphrase the original one. It's crucial to follow all good SEO practices, such as internal linking, optimization for keyword phrases, or proper selection of headings.11. Keep the Texts Linguistically Correct
How to write SEO-optimized content? While forgetting about commas will be forgiven by Google and the reader, more serious linguistic errors (especially spelling and stylistic errors) can deter readers, meaning potential customers. No one wants to read poorly written, incorrect SEO texts that are filled with errors and inaccuracies. Be above that and make sure your content has a great, brisk, enjoyable style.How to Write Content for SEO? The Takeaway
Let's gather in one place what should characterize a good SEO text. To make it easier for you, we'll do it in the form of a list - exactly, as we recommended in the article! What should an SEO-friendly piece of content include?- H2, H3 headings with keywords;
- SEO elements also in the text body (highlights);
- clear structure:
- short paragraphs,
- interludes (e.g., quotes, tables, infographics),
- listing elements and bullet points;
- internal linking;
- naturally used keywords (preceded by a proper keyword analysis);
- up-to-date, unique content.