How to Write Website Content for SEO and Humans

How to Write Website Content for SEO and Humans .elementor-19992 .elementor-element.elementor-element-19992{text-align:center}Last Updated on March 9, 2020If you want to learn how to write website content like a pro then you’ve come to the right place!I’m a huge fan of Google. Disclosure As an independent review site, we get compensated if you purchase through the referral links or coupon codes on this page â€" at no additional cost to you. Dismiss alert That means every single word I write has the “thing” which appeals to search engines. In other words, each article that I write has some sort of keyword research and analysis to it.For instance, this post itself is based around keywords, such as “how to write content for SEO” and “content writing.”But, that’s not everything. Its also important that the same content is acceptable reading for humans.Why?Well, if you think about it, even if you get ranked higher, Google doesn’t pay you, and nor does it subscribe to updates from your website. But, guess what?Huma ns do! Join the FREE TrainingDo You Want To Learn How To Build 6 Figures Authority Sites?Join This Free Training To...Finally have a proven method to finding profitable nichesGet access to a foolproof keyword research methodLearn how to outsource quality contentLearn how to build white hat links to your site without headaches In this post, I will go in-depth into explaining the makings of a website that ranks well, and humans love. In essence,   how to write content for your website that both search engines and humans can get along with. Let’s begin! Here are a few practices to keep in mind while writing a meta description:Add a CTA at the end of your meta description in order to entice clicks.The main keyword should appear in your meta description as it gets bolded and is eye-catching.Limit your description to 160 characters (snippets have a maximum length of 920px on desktop and a maximum length of 680px on mobile).2. Title TagWhat you write in the title tag is a key signal to search engines of what a page is about. It can also appear right in the SERPs.Here are a few best practices to remember while writing your title tag:The keyword needs to show up as close to the beginning of the tag as possible.Limit the title tag to 60 characters.Use a Title Tag Preview Tool to check your title tag easily.3. HeadersThe H1 is the headline that appears on your webpageâ€"as opposed to your title tag that shows up on the SERPs. The title of your post takes care of this, but be aware that you should only have one H1 on your page in the vast majority of cases.Things to consider when optimizing your header tags:They should be used hierarchically (i.e., a subhead needs to be formatted as an H2. A sub-subhead will be an H3, and so on. DO NOT reverse the order or skip H2s altogether and then jump from an H1 to an H3).Again, there should always be only one H1 on a page.Avoid using headers as an aesthetic choice. Never bold, italicize or underline something that should be a header. If you’ve found an appropriate area to use a header, then use itâ€"using headers in conjunction with short one-paragraph answers (50 words/300 characters) is an effective way to boost your chances of getting a featured snippet.4. KeywordInsert your keyword into theâ€"TitleRemember, your focus keyword will likely show up organically in your text. And if that’s the case, it’s easy to include a suitable keyword in your title.For instance, if you’re writing about Keyword Research, then it’s difficult to leave “keyword research” out of the title. A title like “Best Keyword Research Tool: Free and Paid 2019 List’ is suitable, and as you can see the keyword “best keyword research tool” has found its way into the title naturally.First ParagraphYour focus keyword should appear in the first paragraph of the copy. But you can also place it in the second or third paragraph.If you still have a problem placing the keyword within the first paragraph, consider repeati ng the title of your article on the very last line of your introâ€"with a little tweak such as formulating a statement or question about the title. Take a look at the start of this article, for example, we could have also used a question such as are you trying to learn how to write website content for SEO and humans at the same time? which obviously includes our main keyword (shown in italics).Alt TextDescribing your content’s image(s) is incredibly important.Search engines cannot see the image like humans. Therefore, it’s recommended to get your focus keyword in here, but don’t force it.For example, if your focus keyword is “dieting food” and the image is of leafy greens, your alt text can be: A great dieting food: leafy greens.As well as telling search engines what the image about, this alt tags primary purpose is in fact so that the visually impaired can mouse over images and have them read to them so they can also enjoy your content, so bear this in mind!URLShorter is better, so make sure you set this up correctly before you first launch your website.Make sure to insert your focus keyword in here, and probably nothing else. URLs are visible in search results and can impact whether people click through.5. Inbound and Outbound LinksLinks are the heart of the internet.Links help search engines understand your site better, and they also help humans to better access information. In other words, each time you create a blog post, try to create some links to it.There are three types of links:Internal: These links point internally within your site. In short, they point out to the other pages in your blog.Inbound: These are links that point to the content of your website from other websites.Outbound: Also known as external links, these are links that point out from your site. In short, they direct visitors from your blog to other websites.6. Content LengthHere’s the most common question: How long should the content be?Well, the answer is pretty straightf orward: It entirely depends on your focus keyword.You first need to find out the word count of what’s already ranking for a specific keyword phrase. Then, you can use it as an idea for how long your content targeting that particular keyword should be.Now that you know how to write website content for SEO, what about humans?Since this article is about SEO and human readers, I’m going to discuss various factors that will give you an understanding of how to write persuasively for your audience.Let’s go through the next section, shall we?How to Write Great Web Content that Humans LoveWriting valuable and relevant content for people MUST be a key part of any content strategy.Below are a few ideas that can help you create the best content you can provide your readers.1. Evergreen ContentAvoid referencing years, months, and days in your content unless you want to come back and update regularly.You can refer to the current year, which is helpful, but make sure to update your content w ith each following year. Also, don’t write things that will date evergreen content like:“Winter’s finally here!”“It’s beach season!”“It’s pumpkin spice time!”“Summer’s right around the corner!”Keep in mind that people will read your blog posts throughout the year.2. Style GuideProfessional content is great if uniform and streamlined across the board. A style guide can be a valuable resource for writers and editors joining your team.A visual style is important as it ensures brand consistency throughout any collateral you may produceâ€"no matter who created it.3. Content FormattingFormat your content to keep the reader focused. Remember, you have little time to grab your visitors’ attention. Therefore, make sure to:Use short paragraphs.Use pull quotes.Use bulleted and number lists.Use headers.Use transition words/phrases.Write sentences no more than 20 words long most of the time.Embed videos.Incorporate images.Also, there should always be something other t han plain text on the screen. As one “feature” scrolls out of the top of the screen, something new should be coming in at the bottom.4. Creating a Content StrategyThe goal of creating a content strategy is to drive awareness and visibility through traffic. While it may not necessarily be about conversions, it is a part of the overall conversion funnel.When developing a content strategy, you first need to consider both humans and search engines. Because, as mentioned above, one cannot exist without the other.You can have the best content on the internet that’s highly useful to users. If it doesn’t show up on search engines, however, no one is likely ever to read it.On the other hand, you can have content that’s optimized for SEO and is ranking at the top of the first page on Google. But, if it’s not useful to your readers, they’re likely to bounce immediately.When doing your content strategy, you need:An Editorial CalendarWhile only indirectly related to your content, h aving an editorial calendar for your blog is a crucial part of your content strategy. It will help you set your publishing goals and frequency.To Know Your AudienceResearch your website audience. Look at your demographic data and analytics to see who is visiting your blog. What are they interested in? What do they do?To Know Your ContentPerform a content audit to determine what content you have. You must figure out the following and approach content strategically:What’s ranking and what’s not?What’s driving traffic?What’s almost ranking on Page 1?Where are the gaps?To Know Your OptionsIn any event, the idea must come first, then the format.You need to determine what type of style is the best way to deliver your particular content. A few common formats are:Blog posts (i.e., review, comparisons, listicles, commentary, news, etc.).Whitepapers.Ebooks.Case studies.Non-written content (i.e., webinars, podcasts).5. Consider PromotionsDon’t ever forget to use your channels to prom ote your content. Consider sharing your piece via social media posts and email.Also, if you have the budget, you can run paid ads on Facebook and Twitter.Key Takeaways If you made it this far, I guess it’s safe to say that you’ve picked up quite a few tips on how to write content for your website that helps search engines know what your page is about AND helps humans at the same time, but let’s check out three of the major takeaways from this guide again:Always think about SEO and the end-user.Always keep an eye out for new keyword opportunities, utilizing your content and your competitors’ as inspiration.No matter the size of your blog, treat all your website content with the same attention to detail as a professional publication.At the end of the day, it’s easy to see how possible it is to create content that’s both SEO and human-friendly.Yes, it takes a little effort, but the payoff is worth it!Did you find this post helpful? What other methods of writing content did I miss out on?You can leave a comment below and let me know! How to Write Website Content for SEO and Humans .elementor-19992 .elementor-element.elementor-element-19992{text-align:center}Last Updated on March 9, 2020If you want to learn how to write website content like a pro then you’ve come to the right place!I’m a huge fan of Google. Disclosure As an independent review site, we get compensated if you purchase through the referral links or coupon codes on this page â€" at no additional cost to you. Dismiss alert That means every single word I write has the “thing” which appeals to search engines. In other words, each article that I write has some sort of keyword research and analysis to it.For instance, this post itself is based around keywords, such as “how to write content for SEO” and “content writing.”But, that’s not everything. Its also important that the same content is acceptable reading for humans.Why?Well, if you think about it, even if you get ranked higher, Google doesn’t pay you, and nor does it subscribe to updates from your website. But, guess what?Huma ns do! Join the FREE TrainingDo You Want To Learn How To Build 6 Figures Authority Sites?Join This Free Training To...Finally have a proven method to finding profitable nichesGet access to a foolproof keyword research methodLearn how to outsource quality contentLearn how to build white hat links to your site without headaches In this post, I will go in-depth into explaining the makings of a website that ranks well, and humans love. In essence,   how to write content for your website that both search engines and humans can get along with. Let’s begin! Here are a few practices to keep in mind while writing a meta description:Add a CTA at the end of your meta description in order to entice clicks.The main keyword should appear in your meta description as it gets bolded and is eye-catching.Limit your description to 160 characters (snippets have a maximum length of 920px on desktop and a maximum length of 680px on mobile).2. Title TagWhat you write in the title tag is a key signal to search engines of what a page is about. It can also appear right in the SERPs.Here are a few best practices to remember while writing your title tag:The keyword needs to show up as close to the beginning of the tag as possible.Limit the title tag to 60 characters.Use a Title Tag Preview Tool to check your title tag easily.3. HeadersThe H1 is the headline that appears on your webpageâ€"as opposed to your title tag that shows up on the SERPs. The title of your post takes care of this, but be aware that you should only have one H1 on your page in the vast majority of cases.Things to consider when optimizing your header tags:They should be used hierarchically (i.e., a subhead needs to be formatted as an H2. A sub-subhead will be an H3, and so on. DO NOT reverse the order or skip H2s altogether and then jump from an H1 to an H3).Again, there should always be only one H1 on a page.Avoid using headers as an aesthetic choice. Never bold, italicize or underline something that should be a header. If you’ve found an appropriate area to use a header, then use itâ€"using headers in conjunction with short one-paragraph answers (50 words/300 characters) is an effective way to boost your chances of getting a featured snippet.4. KeywordInsert your keyword into theâ€"TitleRemember, your focus keyword will likely show up organically in your text. And if that’s the case, it’s easy to include a suitable keyword in your title.For instance, if you’re writing about Keyword Research, then it’s difficult to leave “keyword research” out of the title. A title like “Best Keyword Research Tool: Free and Paid 2019 List’ is suitable, and as you can see the keyword “best keyword research tool” has found its way into the title naturally.First ParagraphYour focus keyword should appear in the first paragraph of the copy. But you can also place it in the second or third paragraph.If you still have a problem placing the keyword within the first paragraph, consider repeati ng the title of your article on the very last line of your introâ€"with a little tweak such as formulating a statement or question about the title. Take a look at the start of this article, for example, we could have also used a question such as are you trying to learn how to write website content for SEO and humans at the same time? which obviously includes our main keyword (shown in italics).Alt TextDescribing your content’s image(s) is incredibly important.Search engines cannot see the image like humans. Therefore, it’s recommended to get your focus keyword in here, but don’t force it.For example, if your focus keyword is “dieting food” and the image is of leafy greens, your alt text can be: A great dieting food: leafy greens.As well as telling search engines what the image about, this alt tags primary purpose is in fact so that the visually impaired can mouse over images and have them read to them so they can also enjoy your content, so bear this in mind!URLShorter is better, so make sure you set this up correctly before you first launch your website.Make sure to insert your focus keyword in here, and probably nothing else. URLs are visible in search results and can impact whether people click through.5. Inbound and Outbound LinksLinks are the heart of the internet.Links help search engines understand your site better, and they also help humans to better access information. In other words, each time you create a blog post, try to create some links to it.There are three types of links:Internal: These links point internally within your site. In short, they point out to the other pages in your blog.Inbound: These are links that point to the content of your website from other websites.Outbound: Also known as external links, these are links that point out from your site. In short, they direct visitors from your blog to other websites.6. Content LengthHere’s the most common question: How long should the content be?Well, the answer is pretty straightf orward: It entirely depends on your focus keyword.You first need to find out the word count of what’s already ranking for a specific keyword phrase. Then, you can use it as an idea for how long your content targeting that particular keyword should be.Now that you know how to write website content for SEO, what about humans?Since this article is about SEO and human readers, I’m going to discuss various factors that will give you an understanding of how to write persuasively for your audience.Let’s go through the next section, shall we?How to Write Great Web Content that Humans LoveWriting valuable and relevant content for people MUST be a key part of any content strategy.Below are a few ideas that can help you create the best content you can provide your readers.1. Evergreen ContentAvoid referencing years, months, and days in your content unless you want to come back and update regularly.You can refer to the current year, which is helpful, but make sure to update your content w ith each following year. Also, don’t write things that will date evergreen content like:“Winter’s finally here!”“It’s beach season!”“It’s pumpkin spice time!”“Summer’s right around the corner!”Keep in mind that people will read your blog posts throughout the year.2. Style GuideProfessional content is great if uniform and streamlined across the board. A style guide can be a valuable resource for writers and editors joining your team.A visual style is important as it ensures brand consistency throughout any collateral you may produceâ€"no matter who created it.3. Content FormattingFormat your content to keep the reader focused. Remember, you have little time to grab your visitors’ attention. Therefore, make sure to:Use short paragraphs.Use pull quotes.Use bulleted and number lists.Use headers.Use transition words/phrases.Write sentences no more than 20 words long most of the time.Embed videos.Incorporate images.Also, there should always be something other t han plain text on the screen. As one “feature” scrolls out of the top of the screen, something new should be coming in at the bottom.4. Creating a Content StrategyThe goal of creating a content strategy is to drive awareness and visibility through traffic. While it may not necessarily be about conversions, it is a part of the overall conversion funnel.When developing a content strategy, you first need to consider both humans and search engines. Because, as mentioned above, one cannot exist without the other.You can have the best content on the internet that’s highly useful to users. If it doesn’t show up on search engines, however, no one is likely ever to read it.On the other hand, you can have content that’s optimized for SEO and is ranking at the top of the first page on Google. But, if it’s not useful to your readers, they’re likely to bounce immediately.When doing your content strategy, you need:An Editorial CalendarWhile only indirectly related to your content, h aving an editorial calendar for your blog is a crucial part of your content strategy. It will help you set your publishing goals and frequency.To Know Your AudienceResearch your website audience. Look at your demographic data and analytics to see who is visiting your blog. What are they interested in? What do they do?To Know Your ContentPerform a content audit to determine what content you have. You must figure out the following and approach content strategically:What’s ranking and what’s not?What’s driving traffic?What’s almost ranking on Page 1?Where are the gaps?To Know Your OptionsIn any event, the idea must come first, then the format.You need to determine what type of style is the best way to deliver your particular content. A few common formats are:Blog posts (i.e., review, comparisons, listicles, commentary, news, etc.).Whitepapers.Ebooks.Case studies.Non-written content (i.e., webinars, podcasts).5. Consider PromotionsDon’t ever forget to use your channels to prom ote your content. Consider sharing your piece via social media posts and email.Also, if you have the budget, you can run paid ads on Facebook and Twitter.Key Takeaways If you made it this far, I guess it’s safe to say that you’ve picked up quite a few tips on how to write content for your website that helps search engines know what your page is about AND helps humans at the same time, but let’s check out three of the major takeaways from this guide again:Always think about SEO and the end-user.Always keep an eye out for new keyword opportunities, utilizing your content and your competitors’ as inspiration.No matter the size of your blog, treat all your website content with the same attention to detail as a professional publication.At the end of the day, it’s easy to see how possible it is to create content that’s both SEO and human-friendly.Yes, it takes a little effort, but the payoff is worth it!Did you find this post helpful? What other methods of writing content did I miss out on?You can leave a comment below and let me know!