Writing to be read, ranked and get results!

There’s been a lot of stuff written about writing for the web... how to get more visitors, the best way to climb up the rankings, how to get Google to notice you and what keywords to stuff your content with...

As the internet and how we use it continues to evolve, so too does the advice. Copy is a key element of SEO, as Google trawls it to see how it best matches search terms. And as content proliferates, Google algorithms change to ensure the best and most accurate content rises to the top – these days that means content that is frequently updated and where people dwell. The more time people spend on your site the better... creating a virtuous circle that propels your content onwards and upwards!

So it’s not enough to stuff your piece with keywords. In fact, you may be doing yourself a disservice.

Follow our Super Seven tips to keeping your content fresh and top of the rankings...

1. Keep it real

Always write for your audience first and the search engines second. Search engines have picked up on the SEO stuff and are catching on to what readers prefer. Plus, there’s no point in getting to the top of the rankings and then putting off your human readers. Write for your ideal customer first and foremost.

2. Keyword density doesn’t matter

Shoehorning more keywords into your copy is counterproductive. It’ll be horrible for humans to read and there’s nothing to suggest that Google uses keyword density to rank your website. Use your keywords naturally and as early as possible – try to include in headlines and first paragraphs as much as possible then make the rest interesting!

3. Go for variety

Search engines use Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) to match results to the intentions of the person performing the search. So you can make your copy more relevant by using synonyms, related keywords and grammatical variations - all will add towards driving your content up through the rankings.

4. Long copy works...

In our information age, knowledge is an asset. Sharing that knowledge can be powerful in positioning your business as an expert in the field. This is backed up by the fact that, on average, the web pages on Google’s first page of search results is around 2,000 words. It’s also been shown that insightful, meaningful longer articles get more shares - share the love!

5. Tell them what they want to know

Seems simple, no? Ask yourself the questions your customers are asking and then answer them in a blog or news piece, whether it’s about your product or service or your industry at large. Authentic, reliable content wins out every time.

6. Ask the questions they’re asking

Instead of going for the ‘big fat keywords’ that everyone’s chasing, think smarter: think about the actual questions your customers are typing into Google and use those – particularly as headlines. It might be a phrase – business type, location, opening hours – or a question – Where can I buy shoes with free P&P? The phrase or question will be more specific but should result in customers who are much more receptive to your product or service.

7. Be seen and be shared

Once you’ve written top quality content, push it out through all the relevant platforms – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ should be your starting points. Sharing like this will get you more links and more traffic – and Google likes those! The more people you can get to share your content, the more Google will also like your web pages – it’s a virtuous circle!

Ask us how you can make your content work better and smarter for you!