5 ways to write for SEO
By Rose Reynolds, Head of Digital Communications
SEO
If you want to be found by Google, pay attention to the way you write your web pages, says Rose Reynolds.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is vital for keeping your website visible and high up the search list. Google’s algorithms are constantly evolving so it’s always good to check the latest guidance. Recently there has been mention of the death of the keyword and the rise of intent driven content. However, keywords are still important; we just need to be cleverer when using them.
Here are five quick tips for writing for your website.
1. Be an expert
Know your subject and cut out the waffle. Your content needs to be packed with value for the reader. Get to the point quickly with useful information for your target audience. Identify your ideal client and keep checking to see if your content is for this person. Audience-focused content is what Google wants. Expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness are the new buzzwords and will get your website seen.
60% of clicks go to the top three results and Google has over 92 % of internet search traffic.
2. Do your keyword research
Despite talk of the end of keywords, they still make all the difference and need to be relevant and effective. Take the time to do keyword mapping as it’s best not to guess at what the right keywords are but use some of the tools available to do a keyword search for you.
Remember not to overuse the same keyword. This is called keyword stuffing which is against Google’s guidance. Keep in mind your content needs to be user-focused, with the right keywords appearing at the top of your page.
3. Be accessible
Sites need to function well for everybody and a well-organized site will help this. You don’t want anyone to be frustrated when trying to access information. Accessibility needs to be more than an afterthought. Ensure your content layout is easy to navigate with a sensible page structure.
Add alt text to all your images. This means everyone can understand what’s in the image – including search engines. Transcriptions for video and audio content should also be available. Bureau of Internet Accessibility details this really well.
4. Make your content shareable
People want to share interesting content and don’t want to spend a lot of time reading it. Make information bite-sized and use an easy to digest structure with headings and subheadings. You want it to be snappy and entertaining. Try to have a hook that will intrigue your reader to read on and share. Make the content mobile friendly, as 51% of content is read on a mobile phone.
5. Don’t forget the title
Your page title should be optimized too. Keep it short – around 55-60 characters long. Include your main keyword as early as possible in the title. Make sure it accurately matches the copy. You can include your brand name as this adds credibility when it appears in a list on a search engine.
If you need more help or information, we can help you at Pilao Labs with SEO copywriting.
Rose Reynolds, Head of Digital Communications