SEO Content Writing 101: Everything You Need to Know
Whether you’re a writer just starting or a business owner battling in a competitive space, one thing’s for sure: you need to know SEO copywriting.
Both SEO and copywriting are powerful marketing techniques that enhance organic visibility and turn casual readers into loyal, qualified leads.
When combined correctly, SEO and copywriting bridge the gap between ensuring search engines understand and value your content and forming lasting connections with your target audience.
In this guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about SEO content writing. Whether you’re a beginner or ready to hone your skills, you’ll find everything you need to know here.
What Is SEO Content Writing?
Think of how many times a day you type a query into Google. If you’re like the average person, it’s three to four times. Every search brings back pages upon pages of results, and Google’s complex algorithm chooses where each page ranks.
SEO ensures that your Google understands the purpose of your content and decides it’s valuable enough to show to readers. Content writing is the process of creating helpful content that solves a problem or answers a question.
So, SEO content writing involves strategically using targeted keywords in your content, ensuring it’s optimized for search engines, and making it engaging and valuable for readers.
Think of it like this: SEO is the first impression, but content is the lasting impact.
Why Is SEO Copywriting Important?
Visibility: When people enter a query into a search engine, you want your website to appear on the first page of search results. Writing high-quality SEO content increases your SERP rankings.
Traffic: The higher your content ranks, the more clicks and organic traffic you’ll secure.
Credibility: Google and other search engines have advanced algorithms that assess where your content should rank. Securing high positions automatically increases your credibility and builds trust with your audience.
Conversions: When your content is well organised, helpful to readers and provides genuine value, it increases the likelihood of them taking action.
Key Ingredients for SEO Content That Ranks
Think of SEO content creation as a recipe for success. You need key ingredients that each contribute to the final product. Miss one of them, and the final product fails to hit the mark. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the key ingredients for SEO content that ranks.
1: Keyword Research
Keyword research used to be easy. You’d use a free tool like Google Keyword Planner to find relevant phrases and distribute them throughout your content. The problem? The SERPs were full of content written solely for robots, not people.
Luckily, Google got wise to this and took a reader-first mentality, introducing its Helpful Content Guidelines. Sure, it means SEO content writing is now more complex, but taking the time to craft a great piece of content also means the potential rewards are higher.
Finding Keywords:
1: Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMRush and Google Keyword Planner.
2: Identify keywords with a high search volume and low competition. These are the easiest to rank for.
3: Type your query into Google and look at the People Also Ask section for inspiration.
Search Intent:
Understanding search intent is vital when performing keyword research. Your keywords should match what the user is looking for. Searches typically fall into four categories:
Informational: The user is seeking helpful information or a direct answer to a question, such as “What is the capital of Germany?” or “How to unblock a sink.”
Navigational searches focus on the user trying to find a specific website or destination, such as “Amazon USA” or “Costa Coffee near me.”
Transactional: The user plans to take a specific action, such as “Order groceries online” or “Buy Nike Trainers.”
Commercial: These searches often occur during the consideration stage when a searcher is weighing up their options. For example, “Google Pixel 9 reviews” or “The best restaurants in London”.
Remember, failing to match your keywords to search intent doesn’t just confuse Google; it also means your content won’t solve the searcher’s query.
2: Creating Headlines
Headlines can make or break your content. According to Moz, 80% of people never scroll past the headlines, and that means you’ll need to make every single word count (and keep it under 60 characters).
When crafting headlines, try to capture your audience’s attention without being clickbaity. Some people will tell you that there’s a place for clickbait headlines…but I disagree.
There’s nothing worse than clicking on something only to find out that the content doesn’t deliver. So, if your headline contains any of the following, it’s time to delete it and start again:
You won’t believe what he/she looks like now…
Find out what happened…
You need to see this…
This miracle cure…
Making this one mistake could ruin your…
The Components of A Great Headline:
It’s under 60 characters
It incorporates your primary keyword
It uses numbers and action words
It matches the content
We all get tempted to write a headline that promises clicks, but when users click on your content and off of it again, it impacts your website’s ranking position.
I like to follow a principle I call the Be Real rule here:
BE your reader and think about what they’ll expect to see after clicking on your headline.
REAL content that offers genuine value doesn’t need to be clickbaity. Just tell your readers what they’ll get and follow through on that offer.
3: Crafting Quality Content
There are so many types of content to explore. Whether it’s a how-to guide, listicle, product review, comparison piece or anything else, all content should offer genuine value for readers.
You can use Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines to assess your content and determine whether it offers:
Experience - Showing in-depth knowledge and real-world experience of the topic you’re writing about.
Expertise - Establishing credibility as a knowledgeable source on your subject.
Authoritativeness - Positioning yourself or your website as a go-to source for information.
Trustworthiness - Building trust with your audience.
Know Your Audience
Get to know your target audience before writing your content. Think about the language they use and their level of expertise. For example, if you’re creating a beginner’s guide, simplify any jargon and keep it simple.
Establishing tone of voice is also vital. An older audience will expect more formal language than a group of teenagers.
Structure Your Content
Massive streams of text are a huge turn-off for readers and a surefire way to increase your website’s bounce rates. Breaking your content up with clear headings and subheadings makes it easier for people to digest the information.
You should use the following structure for headings:
H1 - Use once for the headline of your content.
H2 - Major section headings.
H3 - For creating sub-headings in H2 sections
H4 to H6 - Used for further sub-sections
Use Visuals
Visuals are a fantastic way to break content up and make it more interactive. However, using generic images doesn’t do you any favors. Wherever possible, try to create your visuals using tools like Canva and taking screenshots.
4: On-Page Optimisation
Once you’ve created your content, it’s time to optimize it. Some people get too keyword-happy and do themselves no favours.
Remember, you need to find the right balance between optimising for the search engines.
Meta Titles and Descriptions
Include your main keyword in the title tag and incorporate keywords into the meta description, but make sure it’s still appealing to readers.
The meta title and description are some of the first things your audience will see and are vital components of pre-click optimisation.
Imagine you’re looking for the best pizza in New York City, and you type the keyword into Google. Which of the following meta descriptions are you more likely to click on?
Example 1: Discover the best pizza in New York City. We offer a range of the best pizza flavours. Try the best pizza in New York city today.
Example 2: Looking for the best pizza in New York City? We offer customised pizzas made with fresh ingredients, delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less.
Example 2 uses the target keyword but also focuses on information the searcher wants to see, resulting in more clicks and conversions.
Add Alt Text to Your Images
Alt text can be tricky for beginners, but it's actually quite simple. The primary purpose of adding alt text is to ensure visually impaired readers and search engines understand the context behind your images.
You should always describe the image instead of focusing on keyword stuffing, but it's also OK to use appropriate keywords IF they suit the image.
Images that are purely for decoration don't need alt text, but you can add ( alt="" ) to ensure the search engines understand the image's purpose.
Implement External and Internal Links
External links build authority and enhance user experience, but the websites you link to make a significant difference.
Try to link to authoritative publications, including industry associations, government publications, non-profit organisations, and recognised experts within your niche.
Internal links might not seem like a big deal, but they enhance user navigation and keep people on your website longer. When adding internal links, use relevant anchors and only link to pages that will enhance the user journey.
For example, if you’re writing about DIY tips, link to posts that compare the best tools or expand on a topic within your content.
5: Finesse Before Publishing
Checking your content for spelling and grammar errors is a no-brainer, and most people understand the importance of this step. Luckily, tools like Grammarly make it easy to spot and correct mistakes.
The final step is to take a step back and do nothing. Make yourself a drink, catch up on the latest episode of Snapped, or get your Instagram fix.
I like to wait at least half an hour (preferably longer) after creating content.
Then, I put myself in my target audience’s shoes and read through it. If anything doesn’t read right or could be improved, I can make changes and feel 100% happy before hitting the publish button.
6: Measure the Success of Your SEO Content
Measuring the success of content writing can be challenging, but it’s a vital step of the process. Organic rankings and traffic are indicators of its success, but you’ll also need to track keyword rankings using tools like Google Search Console and Ahrefs.
Most importantly, follow your audience's journey to assess whether the content has its desired impact.
The Bottom Line
SEO content writing is a delicate balance between creativity and the perfect marketing strategy, but nothing can hold you back once you have the basics locked down. Remember, your audience always comes first and writing FOR people is the best way to ensure your content meets its objectives.
So, what are you waiting for? Start implementing these strategies and watch your content climb up the SERPs.
