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12+ Beginner-Friendly SEO Writing Tips to Elevate Your Content

February 28, 2023 No Comments

By Liliana Benzel

Top-quality SEO writing is the lifeblood of the internet and the heartbeat of all successful websites.

Whether you’re a blogger, an e-shop owner, or you operate a brick-and-mortar business with an online component, quality SEO content is the key to search engine success.

But what’s SEO writing? Why is it essential for online performance? And how do you write well enough for SEO that Google will rank your content well?

For anyone new to the world of online content writing, these questions can be a significant obstacle, obscuring the path to clicks, conversions, and revenue for your website.

Thankfully, we’re here to help you break the barriers and learn the intricate art of SEO content creation.

Below, we’ll cover over a dozen top-tier SEO writing tips that every beginning SEO content writer should use for their online content.

Let’s jump in!

What is SEO Writing?

Before you can understand what SEO writing is, you need to understand SEO itself.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the specialized process of ensuring your website’s content meets the standards of a search engine’s algorithm.

For example, Google’s algorithm likes quality content that:

Is easy to understand
Displays a level of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness
Effectively addresses people’s search queries

So, SEO writing, or “writing for SEO,” is the creation and optimization of written content to please search engines enough that they’ll rank your work well in results pages.

But why does SEO matter so much for search engines?

Why is it Critical for Quality Content Creation?

Online success depends on how many readers you can attract to your content.

However, the number of people you can attract depends on which page of the search results you rank on and how high your ranking is on the page.

For example, did you know nearly 30% of all clicks go to the #1 ranking site on the first page of Google’s search results? That’s almost a third of all traffic for a search query!

Because high Google rankings are so critical to online success, millions of blogs and websites compete for the top spots on Google’s first page.

As an online creator, producing top-quality SEO writing is the only way you’ll have a chance at ranking.

Whether you’re a casual fan of SEO copywriting or a freelancer providing clients with an SEO content writing service, it’s essential to understand the basics of SEO writing if you want to conquer online.

SEO Writing Basics: Key Terms to Note

SEO writing a man's arm and notebook with SEO bulletpoints.

Before we delve into the tips that beginners should know, there are several important terms to note…

Keywords

Specific phrases and words people look for in search engines and what you build your SEO content around.

Long-tail Keywords

A phrase or string of keywords that are more specific than normal keywords.

Organic Keyword Difficulty

A (1–100) score of how hard it is to rank for a keyword.

Search Queries

Words or phrases people look up in search engines.

Search Volume

The total number of times people search for a specific term in a month.

Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)

The pages containing search results within search engines, like Google.

SERP Position

The ranking of a page within the SERPs.

Ranking Factors

Components search engines use to decide page rankings.

Backlinks

A hyperlink that directs web traffic to an external page.

Anchor Text

Phrases or words containing a hyperlink.

Organic Traffic

The number of visitors coming to a site from SERPs.

Conversion Rate

The percentage of people who complete an action (like clicking a link) divided by the number of people who visit a page.

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

The percentage of clicks on a page in the SERPs relative to the number of times searchers saw the page in the SERPs.

Meta Description

SEO writing a Smart Blogger meta discription on Google.

A short summary of a webpage displayed in SERPs.

Structured Data (Schema)

The formatting of elements like keywords, metadata, and HTML on a page to aid search engine crawling and indexing.

Page/Domain Authority

A (1–100) score indicating the authority of a page or site.

Pageviews

The number of times a specific page is viewed.

Dwell Time

The amount of time a person stays on a page.

Bounce Rate

The percentage of people who leave a site after viewing one page.

Click HERE to read more

By Liliana Benzel

Liliana Benzel is a Smart Blogger Certified content marketer, SEO strategist, and editor with a passion for writing blog posts that rank on Google. She’s helped several writing agencies develop engaging content and is always looking for the next big challenge. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or explore some of her work on her Freelance Writer Profile.

Sourced from SmartBlogger

In News

5 Effective Tips to Improve Your Written Communication

February 18, 2022 No Comments

By Chris Odogwu

Written communication is a process of exchanging information, messages, and ideas through text-based messages. Here’s how to improve it.

Do you read some messages from your colleagues that rub you the wrong way? The messages may not be insulting, but the tone is just off. You feel offended, and it reflects in how you relate to them. They probably meant no harm but used the wrong choice of words.

Written communication can go south in many ways. You have to be deliberate in improving how you communicate in writing, so your intentions aren’t misunderstood.

What Is Written Communication?

Written communication is the process of sending text-based messages and instructions through letters, reports, manuals, etc.

Used to pass information across in the workplace, written communication often takes a formal approach. It’s contained in official documents that serve as evidence and point of reference.

New developments are communicated to the team in writing. When team members exhibit unruly behavior, they are issued a query through written communication and respond in the same manner.

Unlike verbal communication that can be forgotten if not recorded, written communication lasts for long, especially if it isn’t tampered with.

The Challenges of Written Communication

As with other forms of communication, the goal of written communication is defeated if the recipients don’t understand the content of the message.

Written communication has several hitches that could alter the meaning of the message or the intention of the sender. Let’s take a look at some of them.

1. A Lack of Clarity

Communication loses its essence when it’s complex. The choice of words used by the sender in written communication can leave the receiver confused. And since the sender isn’t available to clarify things, the confusion lingers.

If employees feel compelled to take action upon receiving complex written messages, they may end up making mistakes due to a lack of understanding of the messages.

Mistakes made at work as a result of clarity issues are a setback for the organization as time and resources are wasted.

2. Time Constraint

The most efficient workflow is one that’s constantly moving. Team members should get whatever information they need instantly and apply it to their work. But that’s not always the case with written communication.

In written communication, the sender sends the message to the receiver. Instead of getting an instant response, they have to wait until the receiver receives the message and then replies. The time spent in between can be costly in urgent situations. The damage may have already been done before the information was gathered.

3. A Lack of Flexibility

The message you sent to a colleague at work might contain inaccurate information. You might want to update the message for more clarity. But once you have already sent it, you can’t do that.

You have to write another message from scratch addressing the misinformation or including the updates that you want to pass across. Doing all that is stressful, especially when you have a pile of work on your hands.

4. Delay in Decision-Making

Making decisions in the workplace requires some level of speed. Everyone involved in the decision-making process has to be updated with the latest developments and make their inputs in a timely manner.

When the decision-making process is coordinated with written communication, the time spent on receiving, reading, and responding to message delays the decision-making process. You can enhance your group decision-making process with the right tools.

5 Ways to Improve Your Written Communication

If you want to thrive in your job or career, you have to pay more attention to your written communication. And that’s because you communicate with people in writing almost every day.

Ensuring that they understand the messages you convey to them helps you to get the desired response. In light of this, let’s discuss some ways you can communicate better in writing.

1. Identify the Goal

What are you trying to achieve with the message? It’s important that you identify this at the beginning, so you can articulate your thoughts in that direction. You can get people to open and read your emails easily with effective writing.

A written message without a clear goal in mind is like a running commentary. You’ll have a full page of content without saying anything concrete. The content of your message may be misleading to the receiver if you don’t figure out your goal.

2. Step Into the Recipient’s Shoes

Written communication misses the mark if the recipient doesn’t have the necessary background information or context to understand the message they are reading. If you write to someone and mention things that they are oblivious of, they’ll be lost.

Put yourself in the reader’s shoes as you compose your message. How much do they know about the subject? Do they need background information or context?

Understanding the reader’s state of mind regarding the subject also helps you to choose the right words and tone to convey your message.

3. Jot Down Ideas

Having made a mental note to write a message, start preparing ahead for it by jotting down ideas that come to mind.

Since you can’t easily retrieve your message from the receiver to make edits or updates, jot down all your points beforehand, so you can include them in your message.

You don’t have to carry a notebook around for that purpose. A note-taking app like Simplenote makes it easier for you to jot down your ideas on your mobile devices on the go. You can access your notes remotely whenever you need them.

4. Be Clear and Simple

The most effective written communications are clear and simple. Now isn’t the time to impress your reader with big words and grammatical expressions.

There’s a tendency for you to want to come across as intelligent with the use of fancy words, but that’s counterproductive in written communication. Remember, you won’t be physically present when the reader reads the message. So, you can’t clarify things if they confuse the reader.

If you are working on a project, you can write a killer project purpose statement with effective written communication.

5. Edit Thoroughly

Reading messages with grammatical errors and typos is a turn-off. Save your recipient the trouble by editing your messages thoroughly before sending them.

Resists the urge to send written messages in a hurry. No matter how urgent it is, make time to edit it. There might be unnecessary words, expressions, and errors in the messages. Going through them one more time will help you spot them, but that won’t happen if you don’t make time for it. Apps like Grammarly are great for editing and fine-tuning your writing.

If you have a reputation for sending error-ridden messages, people will be reluctant to read your messages. They’ll allow your messages to linger until they have the mental strength to withstand the stress that reading your content causes them.

Passing Your Messages Across Effectively

The verbal interactions at work can be noisy. Written communication helps to create some quietness. Teammates can communicate in any situation without drawing attention to themselves.

Once your written communication is clear with the right tone, you can get people to do what you want without following up to clarify things. You also build a reputation for yourself as one who communicates effectively.

By Chris Odogwu

Sourced from MUO

In News

15 Smart Writing Tips For Crafting Copy That Sticks

January 10, 2020 No Comments

Sourced from Forbes.

In a fast-paced world consumed by digital media, it can feel impossible to grab someone’s attention. Companies often struggle to stand out among all the noise to busy consumers. Sometimes they only have a few brief words to gain someone’s attention.

To help you do this well, 15 members of Forbes Communications Council gave us their tips for writing short, quick copy that will stick with your audience long after they’ve read it. Follow their tips to improve your marketing copywriting.

1. Add An Element Of Intrigue

“Bad writing transfers the burden of understanding onto the reader.” While I agree clarity is king when it comes to copywriting, sometimes an element of confusion provides the necessary hook for readers to inquire further. When you only have a few words, write to engage before writing to inform. Practice this method with caution, though — there’s a fine line between great hooks and clickbait. – Lucy Mehrtens, Templafy

2. Refine Your Key Messaging Hierarchy

Short copy is tough because you’re working with fewer variables and it may be more difficult to determine what is and isn’t working. One thing you can test, however, is your key messaging hierarchy. Whether you want to improve clicks or conversions, you can always test benefit messaging versus a call to action. Depending on what you’re selling, these copy elements will vary in appeal. – Daniel Lalley, Brondell Inc.

3. Effective Emotion

Effective copy is just that — it has an effect on its intended audience. First, determine your end-game emotion and make it specific: Will your readers be surprised? Seasonally delighted? Nautically inspired? Next, write five versions, then shut your computer. Like a fine wine, good copy has to breathe. When you return with fresh eyes, you’ll be able to discern the headline that just works. – Melissa Kandel, little word studio

4. Humor Consumers

Use humor. Do something that makes the reader crack up. Humor is a way to make a quick emotional connection with the consumer. It breaks them out of the rut of endless cookie-cutter copy and will make them remember you and your brand. – Seema Kumar, servicechannel.com

5. Use Everyday Language

I have said it before and will say it again: Use small words and short sentences. Everyday language helps to avoid confusion. Formulating brief, catchy, memorable copy that speaks to customers will capture their attention nearly every time. That is why Nike’s slogan, for example, stands the test of time. – Marija Zivanovic-Smith, NCR Corporation

6. Be A Drama Queen

Humans have emotions and like drama — there’s no communication without storytelling and storytelling without drama. Create some drama and play with emotions. Too much copy out there is plain flat, has no substance and doesn’t trigger any emotion. Create some drama and intrigue in a way that itches in your audience’s brain. – Hugo Macedo, Unbabel

7. Speak To Their Pain

To get their attention, you must speak to the pain your customers are feeling. First, envision your customer. Who do they want to be, ideally? Second, identify their problem. What is it that’s keeping them from their ideal? Third, incorporate both of those things into a single line and then let them know how you can help. Be as clear as possible about their needs and cut out everything else. – Kate Barton, Clearview Advisory

8. Avoid Clutter

In our experience, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to copywriting. However, we see the most success with copy that’s concise and helpful to the customer. When guests are looking for answers, they don’t always want to dig through cluttered content. In this scenario, less is more. – G’Nai Blakemore, Mattress Firm

9. Crawl Public Social Media Data

Chances are your audience may already be talking about the topic on social media. Use topic-specific keywords to crawl public social media data, run word clouds and identify the most common words your audiences use while conversing about this topic. Draw some inspirations from sample social media posts driving these words. Now you get some inspiration to write the attention-grabbing copy. – Prashant Saxena, Isentia

10. Know What You Want Them To Leave With

Ask yourself and write down the answers: What is the audience thinking about my brand going into the conversation? What do I want them to think about us and/or what do I want them to do after seeing my message? And last but not least, what should I tell them to bridge the gap? Then read it out loud. This methodology forces you to write down the ideas and read them out loud to can check its effect. – Valentina Marastoni-Bieser, Cuebiq

11. Ride The Coattails Of A Trend

If your copy is intended for short-term (that is, part of a campaign and not your brand fundamentals like a tagline), try twisting a current pop culture trend or phrasing to your benefit. It will make an instant association in the reader’s mind which will help it stand out, strengthen their affinity and pique curiosity. Even better if you can twist it to be clever and tongue-in-cheek. – Ellen Sluder, RingBoost

12. Promise Solutions To Problems

The best way to attract and impact readers is by promising solutions to a challenge. Know your target audience and then write it in a way that solves their needs. It’s effective because people are hungry for answers to problems. They don’t want “fluff” but rather actionable ways to improve their experiences. If the headline follows best practices, people will not only read it but also tell others. – Stacy Sherman, Schindler Elevator Corporation

13. Show How You ‘Relieve The Pain’

The best copy means that it resonates with your audience and you are showing why their attention is valuable. If you write copy that highlights how you “alleviate the pain,” you are more likely to capture your target buyer’s interest. – Alyssa Kleinman, CipherHealth

14. Deliver On Your Value Proposition

Consumers are bombarded with messaging. One effective way to cut through the noise quickly is to deliver something helpful to your audience — a nugget of wisdom, a solution to a specific problem, an idea that will free up their time. Storytelling has become the buzzword of the day, but don’t forget the value proposition. – Eric Hadley, iHeartMedia

15. Get To The Point

Just like a brand elevator pitch, be short and to the point. Ask this question before you create your copy: What is the one thing I want to convey that is important to the person I am targeting? Then write your answer using direct and simple language. – Teri Llach, Krome Photos

Sourced from Forbes

In News

How to Use Facebook Advertising to Beat the Algorithm and Ensure Your Posts Are Seen

July 5, 2018 No Comments

By Kate Peers

Facebook has been experiencing a lot of bad press. Some even say that users are gravitating away from Facebook and towards other platforms.

The current statistics disagree with this assessment, however. There are still one billion active users on Facebook, which means that Facebook is still a strong place to find potential customers for your business. If you use Facebook ads efficiently, you can precisely target your audience and effectively spend for a strong return.

In this article, we examine how and when to use Facebook ads for your business.

Can I reach people without ads?

Facebook are using an algorithm which makes it more and more difficult to reach people organically through posting direct to your page. On average your posts will reach 1–3% of your audience without any ad spend. So, while can you interact with customers without ads, spending money on ads will help you reach more people, as well as more relevant people.

Should I boost a post?

Facebook is very clever. If you have ever posted anything on a business page, you’ll be familiar with the constant suggestions to “boost” your post. You may see a message that says something along the lines of, “This post is performing well, boost it now for more people to view it.”

While boosting a post can increase your customer reach, the most efficient way to interact with customers is by creating an ad from scratch.

How do I create an ad?

Before you make a start with Facebook ads, think hard about your objective. What would you like to achieve with your ad? Do you want to drive traffic to your blog? Would you like people to purchase an e-book? Are you hoping to get more page likes on Facebook and increase your followers?

All of these objectives can be achieved with Facebook ads, but make sure you have them clear before you begin, otherwise your spend will be directed towards the wrong outcome.

Target your audience

Take time to consider your dream client. Who is he or she? Do you want to target women in New York, aged between 30–45 with a high disposable income? You can do this.

Facebook has different targeting options divided into general demographics, interests, behaviors and connections. The real power of Facebook ads lies in interest and behavioral targeting. As we now know all too well, Facebook has tons of data on everyone’s interests, page likes and groups joined. If you know your audience, then you can reach them by creating an audience on Facebook.

Create a strong visual

A strong visual image is key to grab your customer’s attention. You only have one shot to make a first impression — you want to be sure that your images are clear, bright, and convey your message appropriately.

You should also be mindful about the fact that Facebook has very strict guidelines for ad creation, which tend to change a lot. You can only have text covering 20% of your image for instance, or your ad won’t deliver. Ensure your image meets these guidelines before you spend unnecessary time and money on an ad that doesn’t work.

Test, trial and respond to each ad

Facebook insights allow you to track how well an ad has performed. Price per click, number of times the ad was seen and adding URL tags to your ads mean that with a combination of Google analytics and Facebook insights you can play around with a small budget.

It is important to test to see what your audience responds to and ensure you are spending your money to achieve good results. If you notice that no one’s clicking on an ad, you may want to pause it. But, if you notice that hundreds of people are responding, you may want to add more spend and reach more people.

Once you get it right, the results will be mind blowing.

Final thoughts

There are few ways to reach your audience that are as direct and effective as Facebook advertising. If you’ve been hesitant to try out Facebook ads, now’s the time to give it a go.

Have you tried ProWritingAid’s editing tool yet? It will help you edit faster, strengthen your writing, and get your ideas across.

Try it for free now!

Originally published at prowritingaid.com.

Feature Image Source: Shutterstock

By Kate Peers

Kate Peers is the writer of the Mad About The Boys blog. A social media and marketing manager, she secretly wants to write a book one day. She is the a contributing author of Walking In The Rain and Washing Up Is Good For You, curated books by Department Store For The Mind. Her work can also be found on Metro online.

Sourced from The Writing Cooperative

In News

How to Write Stunning Blog Posts That’ll Drive Massive Traffic to Your Website

May 25, 2018 No Comments

By Moss Clement

With over 160 million blogs on the internet today, the need for stunning blog posts has never been more demanding. WHY?

Because every blogger want to stand out as the best, and in order for you to achieve that, you need to create stunning blog content frequently.

Many bloggers have been able to achieve that by creating epic blog posts that stands out from the crowd on a consistent basis, there-by walking tall as experts and influencers in their respective fields.

The blog posts they create has helped them establish a consistent brand message across all channels.

Question is;

How can I create remarkable blog content that will drive tons of traffic to your website?

In this post, you’re going to discover the best strategies that’ll help you to consistently create fascinating blog posts that will drive more traffic to your blog or website.

#• Write useful & informative content

The idea of writing useful blog post is to ensure you that you’re teaching and educating your audience, that’s the primary reason you setup a blog in the first place.

Your audience are always searching for answers or information to help solve their problems. Give them the information they’re seeking – provide them with useful content that will add value to their lives, thereby solve their problems.

That’s why I will always love this quote:

“People don’t care about your business, they care about their problems. Be the solution that they’re looking for.” – Melonie Dodaro

Here’s what Darren Rowse of Problogger also said about writing useful blog post:

“Unless a blog post is useful on some level I don’t think it’s worth publishing.” -Darren Rowse

With that said, try to figure out how useful your content will be to your readership. Thus, before creating content, take time to ponder over such questions as:

Will my post be useful to my readers?
Are my readers going to find this article valuable?
Will my post educate my readers?

These and many other questions are important in helping you write blog posts that are useful and drives tons of traffic.

#• Write in your unique voice

On WordPress alone, more than 79.2 million posts are published each month, which makes it a lot easier for your content to disappear in the noise.

So, it is important that you write in a unique voice, as it will help you stand out from the crowd.

Many Bloggers have successfully maintain consistency across all channels with their respective unique voice or style of writing.

People like Virginia Bautista, Lisa Sicard, Ryan Biddulph, Ravi Chahar, Lorraine Reguly, Cori Ramos, Arfa Nazeer, Janice Wald, Jane Sheeba, Susan Valez, to mention a few.

These experts have successfully set themselves apart from the crowd by their unique way of writing – their unique voice.

How can you write in a unique voice?

To write in your unique voice, simply learn from the examples of pro-bloggers in your niche and write what comes naturally to you.

Choose a niche topic you’re so fun of and have a passion for. This will help you bring out the juices in you.

But please, when choosing a topic you’re passionate about, try as well to keep a balance with choosing a niche you have a passion for and a profitable niche, because you’re going to pay the bills.

#• Be practical

The concept of creating contents that are practical is to help your readers take action, or help them put to practice the information they’re getting from your blog.

Your blog post should be written in ways that your readers and prospective customers can easily apply it to themselves and get positive results.

In this way, your readers will identify you as an expert in your field. So, be sure to create quality and actionable content by being practical in your writing.

Here is a tip to help you; study your readers and find out the issues they’re trying to solve, then offer a solution(s) by creating content around the issues they have.

For example, I read a post on Janice Wald’s blog about “4 Reasons You Are in Danger of Losing Organic Search Traffic.”

I also read the comments. One commenter asked Janice if she could write an article on how to regain your lost traffic. See screenshot.

This is a pain problem that must be addressed. Many lose traffic and wouldn’t know why and how to regain their traffic. So, writing in this way will get you more traction and social shares.

#• Create powerful headlines

I’ve written well enough articles about writing catchy headlines for your blog posts.

This is essential because an irresistible headline is a surefire way to attract clicks to your post. It urges your readers and moves them to click and read your content.

A statistics by Copyblogger shows that on average, “80% of blog visitors will read your headline, but only 20% of those will read the rest of your post.”

In other words, it means that while everybody might see your headline, not all of them will actually click to read your post.

Further studies revealed that an irresistible headline can generate as much as 500℅ more pageview.

With that said, spend reasonable time crafting the best headline that will attract readers to your blog.

Find here the best strategies to craft irresistible headlines every time.

You can as well use CoSchedule Headline Analyzer tool to help you craft catchy headlines.

#• Craft compelling intro

Just as a remarkable headline is a surefire way to get readers for your blog content, a compelling intro is equally important because it gives your readers heads-up to continue reading.

That is why I love this quote below:

The first sentence of your book is to convince readers that they have to read the second. – Simonoff Xuan

In other words, let the intro of your blog post convince readers that they have to read the whole content.

I am drawn to any story that makes me want to read from one sentence to the next. I have no other criterion. – Jhumpa Lahiri

This involves clear thinking on your part.

For example, if your headline is a promise-driven or benefit-driven headline, let your intro follow in like manner.

In this way, your readers will want to digest the whole article to get the benefits, which will result in more engagement and massive traffic.

#• Write to a Particular audience

A remarkable blog content can get the highest traction when tailored to the needs of a particular audience.

For example, let’s assume you already know your target audience – their wants and needs, and as you create your blog post, you channel your content to the needs of this particular audience.

What will happen when you use the right keywords in your content?

You will be driving endless traffic to your website, because your content is tailored to a particular reader and addresses his needs.

So, before creating content, try to find out who your readers are, and pinpoint their needs and problems as well.

Wrapping Up

It is sometimes difficult to write a unique blog post that will stand out from the crowd.

But with practice and consistency, you can work your way up as an expert and create remarkable content on a regular basis.

However, how you will achieve this kind of success over time may be slightly different because every blogger has his own unique style of writing.

But if you correctly apply these basic blogging principles, you will be able to consistently create compelling blog posts that will drive massive traffic to your website.

This article originally appeared on https://www.mossmedia.biz

Feature Image credit: Pexels

About The author

Moss Clement is a blogger and freelance writer. He delivers high-quality, evergreen content to clients and businesses via blog post writing, article writing, ghostwriting and other writing services, etc.

Connect with him on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, and Facebook.