It is very important for a content writing services provider to write effective, well-optimized content that engages, informs, and generates leads for your business. If the content of your website and blog is not search engine optimized, search engines such as Google will rank it low in search results, which means that your prospects will not be able to find you. If it does not generate confidence and trust, your audience will move to your competition.
Understanding SEO is one thing, putting into practice is another. You can hire the services of a content writing company or freelance content writers to produce search engine optimized content. In case, you wish to give it a try yourself, here are some tips to help you create SEO content that appeals to both humans and search engines.
- 1. Produce a cohesive copy
Keyword stuffed content reads more like a random jumble of terms rather than a meaningful, cohesive copy. And that’s exactly what you want to avoid! Remember search engines are also constantly upgrading their algorithm to deliver answers that fit the context of what a user is searching for on the internet.
- 2. Give structure to your web content
Web content readers scan an article before deciding it is worth reading. Keep it short and concise, with paragraphs, sub-headings and where possible, bullet points. Have a point, give an opinion and generate engagement and discussion with people who agree or disagree with you.
- 3. Use effective titles
The titles of your web copy should tell your readers at a glance what the entire article is about. The title is the summary of your entire piece. An ideal title should include a keyword and at the same time tell the readers what to expect from the content piece. Avoid gimmicky as this may attract some people in the beginning but put them off in the long run. If you want the title to be shared on social sites, a good practice is to restrict the length to 8 to 10 words. And finally, don’t promise something in the title of your web content that your post does not deliver.
- 4. Use lists
Lists are great because they make the content easy to read and scan and so they are the search engine’s best friends. Besides, lists also allow you to keep your content and thoughts neat and organized. Keep your ideas short and to the point to appeal to your readers and keep your content on point so you can focus on the topic and keywords. This does not mean that every post should be a list post but using the list format on a regular basis will work for your overall content strategy.
- 5. Place keywords strategically
Keywords are the words or phrases which people use in search engines when they search for your content. Use these keywords in your headline, first paragraph, meta tags, and meta description. But be careful not to overdo it! Today, more than ever, quality content is what will make or break your brand. Using too many keywords, or repeating the same ones over and over compromises the quality of your content and it can also land you in trouble with search engines.
- 6. Make your web content sharable
Distribution should also be part of your content marketing strategy. Make your content sharable by including social sharing buttons for all of the major social media channels.
As a closing note, no matter what topic you write about, the best copywriting practice involves telling a good story. Quality content is one that is well written and contains interesting and relevant information that’s both helpful and entertaining.
If you are challenged for time, you can hire an inhouse content writer or freelance content writing services to produce content for your business.