My various discussions with clients have led me to write about the topic of writing editorial content for the web . Often, my clients wonder if writing for their website can be done by a simple copywriter, and if it’s really important for their business.
What is SEO writing?
SEO copywriting is a specialized form of online writing that helps online content rank as high as possible in search results (such as Google).
SEO writing contains keywords, semantic concepts that your target can type into an engine’s search bar to find the information they need.
SEO writing generates quality traffic.
Be careful, SEO optimizations should not make the content difficult to read, repetitive or lose its meaning and interest.
Why is SEO writing different from traditional writing?
Typing keywords into Google is something we do every day. We type words into Google’s search box to get answers to our questions.
The content contains keywords that are searched by Internet users, an SEO and content marketing strategy is often developed to define the types of content as well as the keywords targeted according to each type of query. The objective of SEO content writing is to produce a text that will be seen AND read .
Writing for the web is much more than just stuffing keywords into content: Google also wants to see authoritative content that fully answers your readers’ questions and intentions .
Some writers still believe that it is possible to insert a bunch of keywords into the content to achieve high rankings (a technique also called “keyword stuffing”).
Since the arrival of the Google Colibri and Rankbrain updates, this is no longer the case.
SEO writing has a dual purpose
Google has gotten smarter, and things have changed. Now, your content needs to be high-quality for Google to rank it high.
In reality, your content needs to satisfy two targets: your readers and Google.
On the one hand, your readers need to like it and share it. Your content needs to be relevant and a resource in your industry for your readers to enjoy it—something that informs, entertains, or enlightens them.
On the other hand, Google needs to see content written and structured in a certain way to understand how the page fulfills an intent. Understanding these mechanisms allows your content to “compete” with other pages for the best rankings.
This is where SEO web writing best practices come into play.
What are the tips for good SEO writing?
Many factors influence search engine ranking (a page’s position in Google search results).
Below you will find a list of 42 tips for writing for the web , these tips are classified by theme:
- Writing (20)
- Natural referencing (15)
- Engagement & promotion (7)
Writing tips
1. Know your audience
Knowing who you’re writing for is one of the most important copywriting tips there is. Your content can never truly rank or sell well if it’s not aimed at a specific audience.
2. Use emotion
Good copywriters know the importance of using “power words” when creating content—they evoke emotion. Once you strike an emotional chord, you connect with and influence the reader.
3. Use the active voice
Most content writers agree that using the passive voice is one of the many deadly sins of copywriting; it makes your content wordy and dilutes your message. On the other hand, the active voice is direct, crisp, and forceful, making for persuasive writing.
4. Shorten paragraphs
While longer blog posts and articles generally outperform shorter ones in terms of SEO, longer paragraphs drive away your readers. For best results, it’s best to keep paragraphs short (2 to 4 sentences maximum).
5. Make your titles sexy
An irresistible, well-thought-out headline will make people want to read your content. It’s also what makes a great first impression. Optimize it with effective SEO, and BOOM… The magic happens.