Steps to make your SEO content work for you

Great content is a magnet. A magnet that draws search engine traffic to your web properties – be it a website, a blog or an e-commerce store.

However, to attract search engine attention the content must be rich in a lot more than just keywords. Creating content that works isn’t just an art it is a science. The developed content should not just inform and engage but convert as well. Here are a few simple rules that will add muscle to your SEO content development:

Keep it focused: A search engine user who arrives at your website is there for a purpose. They are looking for something specific. We know this because they typed in a specific set of keywords to land on your page. Does your webpage live up to your users’ intent? Does it answer their questions upfront? Is the content focused?

At one glance, visitors should understand exactly what a page is all about. This means short, clear sentences and words that are far from technical jargons. Usually, sites that rank high have simple, straightforward language.

Give a good headline: The headline is one of the most important pieces of search engine real estate that draws users in. Make it count. If you can build a relationship between a great hook and keywords, you are on the highway to be relevant. The headline must provide a user clarity of how the page will answer their intent. In addition to the headline, pepper your text with good sub-heads that incorporate important keywords. Sub-heads increase the readability of your text.

Keep content fresh: It’s essential that you add new content periodically to improve search engine rankings. It could be helpful to have a blog that tackles trending topics and news about your industry. This will help you rank for topical keywords and attract long-tail traffic. Besides, if users believe that they will find something new, they are likely to revisit your website even when they are not actively seeking a product from you. 

Don’t ignore grammar: Grammar, unfortunately, is something that many SEO writers tend to ignore while incorporating keywords. SEO writers tend to include commonly used terms on search engines that are often inaccurate. Blending faulty sentences and terms in your content not only is incorrect but reduces relevancy. Also, grammar ensures uniformity and a certain standard in your writing so that your meaning is clear and ambiguous. While bad grammar may not directly affect your ranking, it can hurt your reputation. 

Experiment with length and format: The jury is still out on whether the length of the content is directly proportional to your ranking. Rather than the length, you should lay focus on the subject matter. Be true to the subject and ensure you cover all aspects of the story. Find out what the length of the content in top-ranking sites for those keywords are. Experiment with articles of different lengths and learn from your analytics. In addition to length, experiment with formats – listicles, QNAs, interviews, etc.

Cross-link your content: Internal linking between your content is almost as important as getting backlinks. Find keywords in your content that you can use to link to other pieces of content (for example create a glossary and link industry jargon to respective terms in the glossary). Internal linking will not only help you on search engines but also improve contextual browsing.