When it comes to SEO writing, you might think the main goal is to write for the search engine. It’s right in the name after all: Search Engine Optimization. However, keep in mind who your actual audience is: humans. Writing for SEO is writing for people, and if you don’t connect with them, your content strategy isn’t going to work out. So, how do you write for humans while still producing effective content for SEO? We’ve got five tips to get you started.
Identify Your Key Takeaway
Your audience is going to be looking for something when they come to your content, whether that’s a helpful tip that relates to your field somehow or a complete answer to their problems. Try to identify what, exactly, your audience is going to be searching for. Then, craft your content around that specific piece of information.
If you’re putting SEO keywords into your content but aren’t actually providing value, your potential audience members are going to click away. You won’t be gaining those conversions and will wind up with a higher bounce rate, which can actually make you rank lower on Google. A good SEO writer will be able to get to the soul of the issue and address it accordingly.
Integrate Keywords Naturally
Speaking of SEO keywords, these words and phrases are definitely an important part of your overall strategy. But with that being said, you shouldn’t just be throwing them into your content wherever you see fit. If you’re not paying much attention to how you integrate your keywords and if they don’t flow naturally within your pieces, your audience will be able to tell. A poorly written article simply won’t get as much traffic as one that sounds more natural and more appealing.
After you’ve done your SEO keyword research, work to integrate those keywords in a way that sounds natural. Be careful about how often you use your keywords, though, or you could get into the trap of “keyword stuffing.” While you’re at it, make sure you’re using your main keyword in your meta description, which can help boost SEO and bring more readers to your site.
Nail the Introduction
When your readers first click on your content, what are they going to see? The introduction to your piece. If you don’t hook them from the very beginning, then they’re unlikely to keep scrolling. There are quite a few ways to grab someone’s attention, and you might pick a different approach for each piece of content you create.
You might start out by offering some mind-boggling statistic that has to do with your industry or the question you’re trying to answer. Maybe you’ll tell a story that keeps your audience on the edge of their seats. You could try something funny or something shocking; either one is sure to be a good attention-grabber.
Keep Things Concise
You may have heard that longer content performs better from an SEO standpoint. While this can be true in some cases, writing a long piece just for the sake of length won’t get you anywhere. If you’re not adding value with each and every word, your audience will see right through it, and they’ll quickly get bored.
Keep in mind that you can still produce a long piece without being boring. The key is in the quality. If you’ve got a long piece that’s full of value, then you’re providing something your audience can benefit from. However, if you’re just filling your article with fluff in order to hit a word count, that’s where you can start to get off the rails.
Get Emotional
One of the main things that make us human is our emotions. While emotional appeal might not work on a search engine, it definitely will work on a human audience. Your readers want to feel like they’re gaining something from your content. They want to feel seen, and they want to find an answer to their problems. That’s where you and your content come in.
Whether you tell a story from your own experiences or try to relate to how the audience is feeling, getting emotional can pay off when it comes to keeping your readers’ attention. Remember, when you’re writing for humans, you need to be able to show that you’re human, too.
When it comes to SEO writing, remember who’s really behind the screen. Your audience will thank you for the special care and attention you put into creating content just for them and not just for Google. If you need help creating content or want to buy SEO articles, consider working with WriterArmy. WriterArmy is a leading content and inbound marketing agency based in Seattle, WA. Contact them today to learn more about their services and to get a free quote.