Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial aspect of online content creation. A well-optimized website or content can help you reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to your website.
To help content writers create high-quality, SEO-friendly content, we have created this guide that outlines the best practices for SEO content writing.
I. Research and Analysis
Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of identifying the most relevant and profitable keywords to target in your SEO strategy. This process helps you understand what your potential customers are searching for online and allows you to optimize your website accordingly.
Step 1: Define Your SEO Goals
Before starting keyword research, it is essential to define your SEO goals. Knowing your objectives will help you identify the right keywords to target.
For example, if your primary goal is to drive traffic to your website, you might want to focus on keywords with high search volume. On the other hand, if your goal is to increase conversions, you might want to target keywords with high commercial intent.
Whenever we work with a new SEO client, we this process by conducting and analyzing an SEO Questionnaire with our clients to identify key goals and metrics to apply to the campaign, and identified key metrics.
Step 2: Brainstorm Keywords
Start by making a list of the products or services you offer. Think about what your customers would search for when looking for your products or services. You can also ask your customers, friends, or colleagues for ideas.
When we’re working with clients, we combine client-requested keywords in our SEO Questionnaire with the goals identified during the SEO goals portion.
Step 3: Use Keyword Research Tools
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to use keyword research tools to gather more information about these keywords.
Keyword research tools help you find out how many people are searching for a particular keyword, how competitive the keyword is, and what other related keywords people are searching for.
There are several keyword research tools available, both free and paid. Some of the most popular keyword research tools include:
1. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that allows you to see the search volume, competition, and suggested bid for keywords.
(NOTE: you need an Google Ads account to access this tool)
2. Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
Ahrefs Keyword Explorer is a paid tool that provides you with a detailed analysis of a keyword’s search volume, difficulty, and potential traffic.
3. SEMrush
SEMrush is a paid tool that helps you find the most profitable keywords for your website by analyzing your competitors’ keywords.
- NOTE: Although SEMrush is the most expensive search tool on the market, Chainlink finds it’s worth the price, and we use SEMrush.
4. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a free tool that provides you with keyword suggestions, search volume, and CPC data.
Step 4: Identify Long-tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are specific and often longer phrases or queries that users enter into search engines when looking for information, products, or services. These keywords typically consist of three or more words and are more precise and descriptive than shorter, more generic keywords.
Long-tail keywords are an important concept in SEO because they can help websites target a more niche audience and improve their chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Here are some key characteristics and benefits of long-tail keywords in SEO:
1. Specificity
Long-tail keywords are highly specific to a particular topic, product, or service. They help users find exactly what they are looking for, which can lead to higher conversion rates for businesses.
2. Lower competition
Long-tail keywords often have less competition compared to broader, shorter keywords. This means that websites have a better chance of ranking well for these keywords.
3. Higher conversion rates
Users who search for long-tail keywords are often further along in the buying process and have a clearer intent. This can result in higher conversion rates when they visit a website.
4. Enhanced user experience
By targeting long-tail keywords, websites can create content that directly addresses the needs and questions of their target audience, leading to a better user experience.
5. Improved search engine rankings
Although long-tail keywords may have lower search volumes individually, collectively, they can generate significant traffic. Websites that optimize for a variety of long-tail keywords can improve their overall search engine rankings.
6. Voice search optimization
Long-tail keywords are particularly relevant for voice search, as people tend to use more natural and conversational language when using voice-activated devices.
7. Niche targeting
Long-tail keywords allow websites to target specific niches within their industry, catering to the unique needs and interests of these audiences.
For example, instead of targeting the broad keyword “smartphones,” a website selling budget smartphones might optimize for long-tail keywords like “best budget Android smartphones under $200.” This specific long-tail keyword is likely to attract users who are looking for affordable Android smartphones and are more likely to make a purchase.
In summary, long-tail keywords are a valuable SEO strategy for businesses and websites looking to attract a more targeted audience, reduce competition, and improve their chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages.
Step 5: Analyze Keyword Metrics
After gathering keyword data from the keyword research tools, you need to analyze it to determine the best keywords to target. Here are some essential keyword metrics to consider:
1. Search Volume
Search volume in SEO refers to the number of times a specific keyword or keyword phrase is entered into a search engine over a given period, typically within a month. It is a quantitative metric that helps SEO professionals and marketers understand the popularity and demand for particular search terms.
Search volume is an important factor to consider when conducting keyword research and optimizing a website’s content because it provides insights into the potential traffic and audience size that can be attracted by targeting specific keywords. You want to focus on keywords with high search volume.
2. Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty is a metric that assesses how challenging it is to rank a webpage or website for a specific keyword in search engine results pages (SERPs). It helps to determine the level of competition when targeting a particular keyword.
Keyword difficulty is a crucial factor in keyword research and SEO strategy development because it influences the choice of keywords to target and the resources required to compete effectively. For newer websites or blogs, you want to key in on keywords with low competition as it will be easier to rank for terms with a lower Keyword Difficulty.
3. Commercial Intent for SEO
Commercial intent refers to the likelihood or intent of a user to make a purchase or take a transactional action when conducting an online search. It indicates that the user is actively looking for products, services, or information related to making a purchase decision.
Understanding and targeting keywords with commercial intent is crucial for businesses and e-commerce websites, as it can help drive potential customers to their websites and increase conversion rates. Look for keywords with high commercial intent.
Step 6: Prioritize Your Keywords
After analyzing keyword metrics, you should prioritize your keywords. Prioritizing your keywords involves determining which keywords are most important for your business and which ones will drive the most traffic and conversions.
Rank your keywords based on their importance to your business and the potential traffic and conversions they can bring.
Step 7: Create Keyword-Focused Content
Once you have a list of prioritized keywords, it’s time to create content that targets these keywords. You should create high-quality content that provides value to your audience while incorporating your target keywords.
Your content should be well-written, engaging, and informative, ideally with blog posts of a minimum of 1,500 words each.
When posting on the subjects, incorporate your target keywords in the meta data, including the title tag, meta descriptions, and image alt tags. These tools are available to Remotal via the SEO Yoast plugin that is installed on the website.
Competitor Analysis for SEO
Competitor analysis is a critical component of any successful SEO strategy. Analyzing your competitors’ websites can provide you with valuable insights into their SEO tactics and help you identify opportunities to improve your own website’s SEO. Here are some essential steps for conducting a competitor analysis:
Step 1: Identify Your Competitors
The first step in competitor analysis is to identify your competitors. Look for businesses that offer similar products or services as you and have a similar target audience.
Use search engines to find businesses that rank for the same keywords as you. You can also use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to identify your competitors.
Step 2: Analyze Competitor Keywords
Look for the keywords your competitors are targeting and the ones they are ranking for. Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze their keywords and identify the ones that are driving the most traffic to their website.
Step 3: Analyze Competitor Content
Analyzing your competitors’ content can provide you with valuable insights into what type of content performs well in your industry. Look for the topics your competitors are covering and the type of content they are creating. You can use tools like Buzzsumo to analyze the content that is getting the most social shares in your industry.
Step 4: Analyze Competitor Backlinks
Backlinks are an essential factor in SEO, and analyzing your competitors’ backlinks can help you identify opportunities to build your own backlinks.
Look for the websites that are linking to your competitors and the type of content that is getting the most links. Use tools like Ahrefs or Majestic to analyze your competitors’ backlinks.
Step 5: Analyze Competitor On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization is an important factor in SEO, and analyzing your competitors’ on-page optimization can help you identify areas for improvement on your own website.
Look for how your competitors are using keywords in their title tags, meta descriptions, and content. Analyze their website structure and the internal links they are using.
II. Content Creation for SEO
Headlines and Subheadings for SEO
Creating effective headlines and subheadings is an essential part of SEO content creation. Headlines and subheadings are the first things people see when they come across your content, and they play a significant role in attracting and retaining their attention.
1. Use Target Keywords
Including your target keywords in your headlines and subheadings is essential for SEO. It helps search engines understand the topic of your content and can improve your rankings.
However, it’s important to use keywords naturally and not force them into your headlines and subheadings.
2. Keep It Concise
Headlines and subheadings should be concise and to the point. Make sure to write clear and simple language that is easy to understand. Avoid using complex words or slang that can confuse your audience.
3. Make It Descriptive
Your headlines and subheadings should accurately describe the content that follows. Avoid using clickbait headlines or subheadings that mislead your audience.
Make sure your headlines and subheadings provide value to your audience and accurately reflect the content of your page.
4. Use Active Voice
Using active voice in your headlines and subheadings can make them more engaging and impactful. Active voice creates a sense of urgency and action, which can encourage people to click through to your content.
5. Optimize for Readability
Finally, it’s important to optimize your headlines and subheadings for readability. Use a font size and style that is easy to read, and make sure your headlines and subheadings are visually appealing.
Use bold or italicized text to emphasize important points, but don’t overdo it.
Whenever we’re working with clients on sites we’ve designed and programmed, we set up our clients’ blog posts structure to ensure that these font size optimizations are in place when you write your content to allow for easy readability.
If you’re a developer or designer working with a client on this, you should make sure you’re sticking to your general “brand guidelines” laid out during the initial phases of you project.
Content Length and Formatting for SEO
Content length and formatting are essential components of SEO content creation. Creating high-quality, informative content that is optimized for search engines can help you rank higher and drive more traffic to your website.
1. Length Matters
The length of your content can impact its SEO performance. Generally speaking, longer content outperforms in search engine rankings. This is because longer content is often more comprehensive and provides more value to readers.
However, the length of your content should always be driven by the needs of your audience and the topic you are covering. Aim for a length that provides sufficient information while keeping your audience engaged.
Chainlink suggests a minimum of 1,500 words per blog post.
2. Use Subheadings
Using subheadings can make your content more organized and easier to read. Subheadings break up your content into smaller, more digestible sections and help guide your audience through your content. They also help search engines understand the structure of your content and can improve your rankings.
One of the easiest ways to employ subheadings is by using H2, H3, H4 tags in your content. These tags mean “Header 2,” “Header 3,” etc, and if serve two purposes:
- From a readability perspective, they make the font size and styles more pronounced to allow the reader to quickly understand they are subheadings.
- From an SEO perspective, they indicate to search engines that these are key topics within a page or post.
3. Use Bullet Points and Numbered Lists
Using bullet points and numbered lists can make your content more scannable and easier to read. Lists help break up your content into smaller, more digestible chunks and can highlight important information. They also make it easier for readers to quickly find the information they are looking for.
4. Use Images and Visuals
Using images and visuals in your content can make it more engaging and memorable. Visuals can help illustrate complex concepts and provide a break from dense blocks of text. They can also help your content stand out in search engine results pages (SERPs).
5. Use Internal and External Links
Using internal and external links in your content can improve its SEO performance.
Internal links (links that point to other content on your website) help search engines understand the structure of your website and can improve your website’s crawlability.
External links (links that point to other high quality websites) can help establish your website as a credible source of information and can improve your website’s authority.
6. Use Keywords Naturally
Use keywords naturally throughout your content. Avoid “keyword stuffing” or overusing keywords in an attempt to rank higher.
Instead, focus on creating high-quality, informative content that provides value to your audience. Use keywords naturally in your headlines, subheadings, and content, and aim to provide the best possible answer to the search query.
III. On-page Optimization
Meta Titles and Descriptions
Meta titles and descriptions are essential elements of SEO that help search engines understand the content of a web page and help potential visitors decide whether or not to click through to that page.
A well-crafted meta title and description can help improve a website’s search engine rankings and increase the click-through rate (CTR) from search engine results pages (SERPs).
Meta Title Tags
A meta title tag is an HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. This is the text that appears at the top of a browser window and in search engine results.
The meta title should accurately describe the content of the page and include the target keyword. It should be no longer than 60 characters to ensure that it is fully displayed in search engine results.
The Yoast SEO tool for WordPress sites will help in writing these properly for length and formatting.
Whenever we’re developing a client site, we set up the pages to use the variables from the site (Article Title, Site Title) to fill out the Meta Title, but these can be altered as needed.
Meta Description Tags
A meta description tag is an HTML element that provides a brief description of the content of a web page. This is the text that appears below the meta title in search engine results.
The meta description should accurately describe the content of the page, include the target keyword, and be no longer than 160 characters. It should also be compelling and encourage the user to click through to the page.
The Yoast SEO tool will help in writing these properly for length and formatting.
Optimizing Meta Titles and Descriptions for SEO
To optimize meta titles and descriptions for SEO, there are a few best practices to follow:
- Use the target keyword in both the meta title and description, as appropriate.
- Keep the meta title no longer than 60 characters and the meta description no longer than 160 characters.
- Make the meta title and description compelling and engaging to encourage clicks.
- Use active voice and emotional language to create a sense of urgency.
- Include the brand name in the meta title or description to improve brand recognition.
- Use numbers and statistics to make the meta title and description more compelling.
- Ensure that the meta title and description accurately describe the content of the page.
URL Structure for SEO
The URL structure of blog posts is an important factor in SEO, as it helps search engines understand the content of the page and can influence the page’s ranking.
A well-structured URL can also make it easier for users to navigate a website and share links with others.
1. Use a clear and concise URL structure
Keep the URL short, simple, and descriptive. Separate words with a hyphen and avoid using numbers or special characters.
2. Include the target keyword in the URL
Including the target keyword in the URL can help search engines understand the content of the page and improve its ranking, as appropriate.
3. Use lowercase letters
Using lowercase letters in the URL can help avoid confusion and ensure consistency across different pages.
WordPress and the Yoast SEO tool will help ensure the URLs are all lowercase by default.
Image Optimization
SEO image optimization is the process of optimizing images on a website to improve search engine rankings and increase traffic to the website.
1. Use Relevant File Names
The file name of an image should accurately describe the content of the image. Use relevant keywords in the file name to improve search engine rankings.
Use hyphens to separate words instead of spaces or underscores.
2. Use Alt Text
Technically, Image Alt text was created to provide an image description to the blind. However, in SEO context, Alt text is scraped by search engines to understand the image’s content.
Use descriptive and concise alt text that accurately describes the content of the image and includes the target keyword.
3. Compress Images
Large images can slow down a website and negatively impact search engine rankings.
If an image is larger that 1MB, it should be compressed for your website and can be compressed using tools like Photoshop or online image compression tools.
4. Use Relevant Image Formats
Use relevant image formats that are optimized for the web, such as JPEG, PNG, or GIF. JPEG is best for photographs, PNG is best for graphics, and GIF is best for animations.
5. Optimize Image Size and Resolution
Optimize the size and resolution of images to ensure they are the correct size for the web.
Large images can slow down a website, while small images may appear blurry or pixelated.
6. Use Images in Context
Use images in context to improve user engagement and provide additional information about the content of a page. Use images that are relevant to the content of the page and provide value to the user.
Internal Linking for SEO
Internal linking is the process of linking to other pages on your website. It is an essential part of SEO as it helps search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your website.
Internal linking also helps users navigate your website and find relevant information.
1. Use Relevant Anchor Text
Anchor text is the text the user sees as a hyperlink, for example chainlink, “chainlink” is the Anchor text, and the link points to https://chainlink.nyc. Use relevant anchor text that accurately describes the content of the page you are linking to.
Don’t use anchor text like “click here” or “read more,” as on one hand, it’s not very helpful for the reader, but you also lose the “link juice” of linking to something with extra SEO benefits.
2. Link to Relevant Pages
Link to pages that are relevant to the content of the page you are linking from.
On the one hand, you’re actually helping your readers by providing easy access to relevant content and information, but from an SEO perspective, this is a signal to search engines to help understand the context of your content and can drive incremental SEO gains..
3. Link to Older Content
Link to older content on your website to keep it fresh and relevant. This can also help improve the rankings of older content.
4. Don’t Overdo It
Avoid overusing internal links, as this can appear spammy to search engines and can negatively impact your search engine rankings.
This is a bit of a judgment call, and more of a feel, that you will recognize if you have too many internal links in the blog posts vs a formulaic number.
IV. Analytics and Monitoring for SEO
Google Analytics for SEO
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that can be used to track and measure the progress of SEO efforts.
By setting up and tracking specific metrics in Google Analytics, businesses can gain insights into how their website is performing in search engine rankings and make data-driven decisions to improve their SEO strategy.
1. Set Up SEO Goals
Setting up goals in Google Analytics can help track specific actions that users take on your website. For example, you can set up a goal for when a user completes a purchase or signs up for a newsletter.
This can help track the effectiveness of specific SEO strategies in driving conversions.
2. Monitor Traffic Sources
Google Analytics can show businesses which sources are driving traffic to their website. This can help determine which SEO strategies are working and which ones need improvement.
Businesses can monitor organic search traffic to track the effectiveness of SEO efforts.
3. Track Keywords
Google Analytics can also be used to track which keywords are driving traffic to a website. This can help businesses identify which keywords they should focus on in their SEO strategy and monitor their progress.
4. Monitor Bounce Rates
Bounce rate is measured as the percentage of users who leave a website without any other clicks or other pages viewed, and have only viewed one page.
High bounce rates can indicate that users are not finding what they are looking for on a website. By monitoring bounce rates, businesses can identify areas of their website that need improvement and adjust their SEO strategy accordingly.
5. Analyze Page Performance
Google Analytics can also be used to analyze the performance of individual pages on a website.
Businesses can monitor which pages are driving the most traffic and engagement, and use this information to optimize their SEO strategy.
6. Track User Behavior
Google Analytics can track user behavior on a website, including which pages they visit, how long they stay on each page, and which links they click on.
This information can help businesses understand how users are interacting with their website and identify areas for improvement.
7. Monitor Site Speed
Site speed is a very important ranking factor for SEO, as search engines tend to favor fast-loading websites. Google Analytics can be used to monitor site speed and identify areas for improvement.
Tracking Metrics
Tracking SEO metrics is an essential part of measuring the success of an SEO campaign. By monitoring specific metrics, businesses can gain insights into how their website is performing in search engine rankings and make data-driven decisions to improve their SEO strategy.
1. Organic Traffic
Organic traffic is the number of visitors to a website that came from search engine results pages (SERPs). Tracking organic traffic can help businesses understand how their website is performing in search engine rankings and identify opportunities for improvement.
2. Keyword Rankings
Keyword rankings refer to how well a website is ranking for specific keywords in search engine results. Tracking keyword rankings can help businesses identify which keywords they should focus on in their SEO strategy and monitor their progress over time.
3. Backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that point to pages and posts on a business’s website. Backlinks are an important factor in SEO, as they can improve a website’s authority and search engine rankings.
Tracking backlinks can help businesses identify opportunities to improve their backlink profile and monitor their progress over time.
4. Bounce Rate
High bounce rates can indicate that users are not finding what they are looking for on a website.
Tracking bounce rate can help businesses identify areas of their website that need improvement and adjust their SEO strategy accordingly.
5. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of users who click on a specific link or ad.
Tracking CTR can help businesses identify which keywords, titles, and descriptions are driving the most clicks in search engine results pages (SERPs).
6. Conversion Rate
Conversion rate is the percentage of users who complete a goal-driven action on a website, such as filling out a form, viewing a specific page, or clicking a specific link.
Tracking conversion rate can help businesses understand the effectiveness of their SEO strategy in driving conversions and identify areas for improvement.
Continuous Improvement
While monitoring all of the above, over time powered with more data, we work with all of our SEO & Content Marketing clients to make data-driven decisions to adjust content, SEO, PPC, and Social efforts to optimize performance and we recommend you do the same for your site, or your clients.