If you’ve ever tried to find something online, you are already familiar with the so-called search engine optimization (SEO). You might not realize it, but you use it every day when browsing for a new pair of shoes, the best restaurant in your neighborhood, or some Christmas presents. Virtually every business that sells products or services uses SEO in one way or another.
SEO is everywhere! That’s why if you want to attract new readers to your website, you have to use it to your advantage. This step-by-step guide makes it easy to plan and create posts and videos that perform well in search and engages your target audience.
Writing for the Web: Best Practices
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a base of a successful online presence. It’s crucial in boosting your website’s visibility and driving high-quality traffic. In very simple words, using SEO helps your website show up higher in search results on different browsers. The basic element of SEO-optimized blog posts and social media posts is a strategic use of keywords, as well as engaging and original writing.
Today, we’ll answer all the questions you might have when it comes to SEO. So, if you’re wondering how to write content for a website that is SEO optimized, or what is good content for SEO, fear not! Help is coming.
1. Conduct Thorough Keyword Research
To create SEO-friendly content, use keyword tools to find popular and relevant keywords for your topic. There are several great keyword research tools out there to help you. (This one, for instance, shows you what the most searched thing on Google is.) Essentially, you want to know what the most search thing on google is in your field and include that in the text. Focus both on very specific terms, and related words, LSI keywords, to give your content more depth.
You have to understand what users are truly looking for when they search for your keywords. Put your research skills to good use and dive deep into the products and services you want to sell. This will help you to tailor content writing for SEO and provide clear, helpful answers that meet people’s true needs.
2. Create High-Quality, Valuable Content
You can find virtually everything on the Internet. That’s why it’s so important to stand out in the sea of information. You can do that by creating high-quality content. Always edit your work before publishing to avoid typos and repetitive sentences.
Incorporating images and videos or infographics may be an easy way to make your content more interesting, engaging, and easy to understand.
3. Strategically Place Keywords
It’s very important to place target keywords in important areas like the title, meta description, headings, and body text. Remember that even though you want to use specific words in the text, it still has to read naturally. Don’t overload your content with keywords. Instead, focus on adding them naturally within the flow of your writing.
4. Craft Engaging Titles and Headings
Create compelling headlines that grab the attention of your potential customers. If something seems interesting, people are more likely to click on it. Break your content into sections using headings and subheadings to make it easy to read. A simple, logical structure not only improves user experience but also helps search engines like Google understand your content better.
5. Enhance Readability and Formatting
Instead of using short paragraphs, you can also structure your text with bullet points or numbered lists. Everything depends on you and the type of content you want to produce. You might use a different style on your landing page and different on the subpages.
Ensure your content is mobile-friendly. Nowadays, we often prefer browsing the internet on our phones so your website must be easy to read and navigate on any device.
6. Optimize Images and Multimedia
Boost your content’s readability by using alt text for images. Alt text is a brief description of a visual. It helps search engines understand your graphics. It also improves accessibility for people with visual imperilments.
Additionally, use a content delivery network (CDN). CDN is a network of servers that speeds up page load times, ensuring a smoother experience for users on any device.
7. Add Internal and External Links
It’s important to stay connected. Therefore, strategically connecting your text with other relevant pages on your site is essential. For example, if you’re writing about SEO writing tools, link to an article on keyword research to provide additional context.
You might also consider adding links to other sources – it helps to back up your claims and add credibility. Referencing a piece of content created by experts in the field adds trustworthiness and signals to search engines that your piece of content is well-researched.
8. Ensure Mobile-Friendly Content
We’ve mentioned the importance of mobile-friendly content already, but it really bears repeating. With the majority of search queries coming from mobile devices, creating mobile-friendly posts and visual elements is crucial.
Make sure that your website has a responsive design that adapts seamlessly to all screen sizes. Optimize your content’s performance by compressing images and using lazy loading for media. Faster-loading pages lead to lower bounce rates and better user experience, both of which impact your SEO.
9. Maintain Consistent Content Updates
The world we live in is changing fast. Keeping your content fresh and up-to-date helps maintain its relevance. Regularly update existing blog posts with new data, insights, or trends to ensure accuracy. Pay attention to changing trends.
Consider creating a content calendar to schedule regular updates and plan new posts. It’ll help you keep your site active and fresh.
10. Utilize Meta Descriptions
Use meta description. It’s easier than you think and less scary than it sounds. Meta descriptions are just words and phrases that users search for. In case of texts on SEO, good examples would be: “How do I become a SEO content writer”, “How do you write content for SEO”, or “content writing vs copywriting”. Adding such descriptions into your text will make it easier to find.
Your goal should be to engage your reader. To do so, add a call-to-action phrases like “read now”, or “learn more”.
11. Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms are everywhere. That’s why they are powerful tools for increasing your content’s visibility and driving traffic. Make it easy for readers to share your content by including visible social sharing buttons for platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. Share your blog posts on your own social media channels to engage your audience and encourage them to share.
Beyond just posting links, consider adding compelling captions, visuals, and relevant hashtags to increase engagement. Tailor your text and videos to the preferences of each platform—for instance, using more visuals on Instagram or LinkedIn for professional audiences—and create a strong call-to-action that encourages your followers to share or comment. By leveraging social media to its fullest potential, you can significantly boost your content’s reach and drive more targeted traffic to your site.
12. Focus on Content Length
We keep hearing that our attention span keeps getting shorter. So, you might naturally think that shorter texts perform better online. Right? Wrong!
Long-form content tends to rank higher in search engines because it provides comprehensive value to readers.
We all know that human writers create the best content. It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use any SEO writing tools, though! There’re multiple websites and apps on the market that can help you balance your text and keep it readable. Don’t be afraid to use them to your advantage.
13. Track and Analyze Performance
It’s a good idea to know what works for you and what doesn’t. Measuring the success of your content is essential for identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
Use analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track traffic, engagement and conversion rate. Focus on your best-performing content to replicate its success. Pay attention to patterns and trends in the data—what type of content drives the most traffic? Which pages keep readers engaged the longest?
Search engine positioning, a part of SEO, focuses on optimizing specific pages. Experiment with different pages, track the performance, tweak your strategy, rinse and repeat.
Once you identify your best-performing content, focus on replicating its success. Use it as a model to create similar pieces that resonate with your audience. Analyze underperforming content to determine what can be improved or updated.
14. Prioritize User Experience (UX)
The nicer your website is, the better. A seamless user experience (UX) ensures that your clients stay engaged and are more likely to interact with your content.
To achieve this, structure your website with intuitive menus, straightforward navigation, and easy-to-use forms. Logical organization allows users to find what they need without confusion, reducing frustration and encouraging them to explore further.
Optimizing for natural reading patterns like the F-pattern and Z-pattern can significantly improve readability. The F-pattern reflects how users scan text-heavy pages: they read the top line first, scan down the left side looking for key points, and occasionally move across for standout elements. To accommodate this, use bold headlines, subheadings, and bulleted lists to highlight important details.
The Z-pattern is more common on pages with fewer words and more visuals, such as landing pages. When reading, people often follow a Z-pattern, moving their eyes across the top of the page (usually the menu or headline), then diagonally through the middle (where a key image or message may be placed), and finally across the bottom (usually the call-to-action area). For these pages, focus on strategic placement of visuals and text to guide the user’s attention to critical points.
15. Write for Your Target Audience
Knowing your audience is at the heart of creating effective content. You always need to know who your target is.
Know their interests and needs. Talk to your customers and ask them about their business. Transform all this information into text ideas worth expanding into engaging content.
Craft content that addresses their needs and offers actionable solutions. This establishes trust and encourages repeat visits. By tailoring your writing to your audience, you ensure it resonates and delivers the value they seek.
16. Use Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are a powerful tool in your SEO strategy because they help you target more specific search queries, which attracts more qualified traffic. Unlike broad, generic keywords, long-tail keywords consist of multiple words that reflect a user’s specific intent. For example, instead of targeting a broad keyword like “SEO tools,” a more specific long-tail keyword like “best SEO tools for beginners” can help you connect with a niche audience actively looking for solutions tailored to their needs.
By focusing on long-tail keywords, you narrow down the competition, making it easier to rank for less saturated, highly specific search queries. These keywords tend to attract users who are closer to making a decision, which increases the likelihood of conversions. Additionally, long-tail keywords often have lower search volume, but the traffic they generate is more targeted and relevant, leading to a higher engagement rate.
17. Create Evergreen Content
Staying relevant is key! Evergreen content is valuable because it remains relevant over time, providing long-term benefits for both your audience and your SEO efforts. Unlike trending topics that may lose their appeal after a short period, evergreen content focuses on timeless subjects that continuously resonate with readers.
Investing in evergreen content ensures that your website remains a trusted resource for users, regardless of shifting trends. Though this type of content does not require constant updates, it is still important to review and refresh it periodically. This ensures that your information stays accurate and aligned with any new developments in the field.
Writing SEO-friendly content involves a careful balance between search optimization and user experience. You want algorithms to position your website correctly, but at the same time you have to remember that you’re writing for humans and not computers.
Play around with the strategies that we’ve presented today. By incorporating them in your texts, you can create content that ranks well and provides real value to your audience. Remember that you can pick-and-choose: you don’t have to use all the strategies at the same time. Work out what works for your business.
Ready to create better content? Download our free blog post templates to kickstart your writing process. Share this guide with your network or reach out for more tips on mastering SEO content creation!
Do you need help with content? Our experienced team of SEO experts and content marketers is ready to help you. Contact us and schedule a call today!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Content Should Be On a Website?
How Do You Write Content for SEO?
Start by conducting detailed keyword research to gain an overview of what your target audience wants. What does your potential customer want and how would they find your products or services?
Next, create texts and videos that resonate with your target audience. Place your keywords strategically in titles, headings and body text while still keeping the text naturally readable. Make sure that your content is engaging, hooks your potential customers and don’t forget to include a call to action.
Not only should your content be engaging and visually appealing, it should also be accessible and optimized for mobile devices.
Include links to your website as well as to external resources.
Keep your content fresh and up to date and regularly check how it ranks in search engine results. Refine your strategy and start over.
