7 Ways to Craft User-Friendly SEO Content
The following is a guest post by Gloria Kopp from Studydemic.
How can you choose between writing user-friendly and SEO content? You can’t–and you shouldn’t.
With 61% of consumers saying that they’re more likely to buy from a company that creates custom content, crafting the best of the best is key (Dragon Search). Yet, when it comes to actually creating the content, striking a balance between what your readers will enjoy and what the search engines want can be a difficult feat to master. Of course, you want to provide your audience with useful, informative content that they'll want to read–but, they have to be able to find it first. That’s where this list of seven ways to balance these two seemingly opposing forces comes in handy.
Believe it or not, it's quite possible to cater to the needs of a search engine, while also appealing to your audience. With a little help, you can find the balance you're looking for, with providing great content for your readers, and appeasing the search engines to boost that traffic.
1. With great SEO content comes a great headline
Although you may feel that the actual content of your article is more important, you should actually spend more time and brain power focusing on what you'll title your content. The headline of your SEO content gives the search engine a ton of information about how to sort and rank your articles. Using an optimization tool like the one from Internet Marketing Ninjas can help you make the most of the header on your page, as well as all of the other components of your page. It can give you tips on how to maximize the content you've got.
It's also been shown that most people–some say up to 80%–will only read the title of an article, and get the information they need from that alone. That means your headline better be spot-on–informative, interesting and factual. A better headline will also help the click through rate of readers who actually want to read more than just the headline, simply because the title drew them in.
The online writing professionals at Assignment Writer can help you put together a captivating and SEO-satisfying title.
2. Expand reach by expanding topics
Are there different ways of looking at or approaching your subject? You should be tackling the topic from any angle you can. Digging deeper into a topic means you'll be providing more specific content, geared more towards a certain reader. The more detailed and exact content you can provide, the more likely it'll get read, and the better rankings it's likely to receive on search engines. Generalized content is good, but readers always want to know the specifics.
With each targeted subject, you'll want to completely optimize your reach, using the right keywords and perfecting the content for prime search engine rankings. These SEO Content Tools can help you with optimizing your SEO content to further your audience reach.
3. Create completely original content
When search engines are sniffing out unique content, they aren't looking for brilliant new, never before thought of ideas. They're just looking for writing that isn't an exact copy of another website's content. Copying and pasting your content from another website won't get you the SEO rankings you're looking for, and it certainly won't gain you any new fans. They’ve likely already read exactly the same thing you're saying on a higher ranking website.
Creating original content simply means that it's not duplicated anywhere else online. You could be arguing the same point, reviewing the same products or providing instructions on how to do the same task, but if you've written it in your own, unique words, that's considered original content by the search engines. Plus, your readers will appreciate a fresh, different perspective on something they're interested in.
Online writing services, like Boomessays or UK Writings, can provide you with completely original content, guaranteed, no matter what subject or type of writing you're looking for.
4. Evenly distribute keywords in SEO content
Yes, you've got to have the right keywords included in your SEO content, but don't cluster them all together in the opening paragraph. Not only will it appear too keyword dense, but it won't read naturally, and it'll be quite repetitive for your readers. You'll also want to check that the levels of your keywords are balanced just right, which you can do with a handy Keyword Density Checker. Keeping your keyword usage to around 2-3% of your total content, with secondary, long tail keyword phrases around 1-2%, will keep the search engines happy. You’ll also avoid that boring repetition.
5. Take a stand in a different direction
Yes, you've got your thoughts and opinions on a certain topic, but what if you tried to–just for the sake of it–argue from the other side of the table? Playing devil's advocate can generate a whole new and different kind of interest and excitement around your content, and that's interesting for readers to take in. Perhaps they've been reading the same old, same old, and now they're getting this totally new take on things from you. Even people who disagree with what you're saying are likely to read through to see if there's anything in there that they'll agree with.
If you're stuck on where to start, check out this Content Generator that can accelerate your link building, and is the first multi-language content creator program.
6. List it
Reading through an entire article can be tedious, and not many people will actually do it unless they're completely invested, or have been directed to. But, when you list things, not only do you make your content super digestible, but you also appease the search engines, who love to see lists. They're easy for readers to scan through, with subtitles that can be skimmed quickly to get an idea of the content.
Whether you outsource writing or do it yourself, you can analyze the structure of your website with DeepCrawl to see how SEO content performance can be improved.
7. Show everyone you're a real person
Put a name–or a face if you're up to it–behind your content. Let your readers know that you're not just some anonymous being. Showing your audience that you're a real person can help create a connection with them, and keep them coming back. It establishes a level of trust with them, because they can see that there's an actual person behind the content.
Google authorship lets you add your image in search results, helping to boost your SEO. For other web optimization tips, Yoast can help train you in the art and science of SEO and SEO content.
Have any more tips for walking that fine line between user-friendly and SEO content? Let me know in the comments below!