how to write content for SEO

How to Write Kick-Ass SEO Content For Your Online Business

Are you a growing lady solopreneur, blogger or a e-commerce biz lady who is looking to start writing to SEO?

Writing for SEO is essentially understanding your audience and for search engines; in a way that makes sense for both.

I will explain how to write for SEO so you can get more organic traffic to your website.

After all, organic traffic means more leads which means more potential customers. Potential customers lead to more chances of sales!

successful woman entrepreneur with money

Many people think SEO is just about keywords, and while they do play a large part in it, they are not the only thing to consider.

We will discuss each one in more depth. Ready to be a kick-ass SEO writer?

Tips, Tricks & Content Writing Tools for SEO

Before you start writing, you need to know the types of topics that matter to your audience. There are free content writing tools that you can use to get an idea.

– Use Google Search – start to type in some phrases to discover the problems your target audience is facing

Answer the Public – This is a free tool that will provide you with some phrases and questions to consider when writing your content.

You want to write content that aligns and makes sense with someone who is searching in Google.

Search intent means understanding the thought process of the keywords. Is this a transactional keyword where people are looking to shop? Or is it educational? Think of the last search term you used personally.

To explain, I will search in Google for trending outfits for fall.

See the screenshot below.

Google search for trendy fall outfits

Key points to keep in mind:

– There are other keywords you can use within the content to appear. As you can see, trendy fall outfits 2021, stylish fall outfits, and others appear in the search area.

These are known as LSI, latent semantic indexing, or related phrases.

You want to consider the types of phrases your ideal customer may be typing to create the best content.

Notice how cute fall outfits show in the title of the article.

They also show within the sentence below, known as the meta description. We will go deeper into meta descriptions below.

Also, notice the content after the keywords:

These search queries go deeper into the thought process of the target audience. Women are looking for new ideas for their outfits and something they can wear that is also comfortable.

Learn about your audience and their values. This information will help in writing SEO content.

woman in trending fall outfit

I suggest researching your target audience on social media. Give surveys to understand your reader’s pain points.

Outline Your SEO Content

After brainstorming, determine what keywords to focus on within your content. Create an outline to help organize your thoughts. Rushing when creating content only promotes bad work. Trust me, I know, I have done it before. Content that is planned and organized is always better. Whether it’s on your Google Drive or a Trello board, make sure you have a process when creating your content. I lost my laptop during a trip to San Diego, earlier this year. I learned lots of lessons that have only helped me better organize my work.

Here is what I usually do once I have my ideas and keywords. I create sections within a Word document with the following headings:

  • Headline – the tentative headline for the article (this usually changes a bit during the editing process)
  • Keyword focus – 1-2 keywords to focus on within the article
  • Meta description – this is the summary of your article
  • Title tag – the unique name of this page, which also includes keywords
  • Intro – this is the hook where you will grab the writer with a sentence or two
  • Conclusion – wrapping the content up and summarizing topics
  • CTA – This (call to action) is when you ask the reader to do something. It can be to sign up, download, email, etc.

Now you are ready to write the first draft of your article.

Ready to Publish with SEO Content Structure

Once you finish your outline, you are ready to publish the article on the site.

When writing SEO content, make sure you follow a hierarchy.

There are three areas where you want to place your focused keywords, along with the meta description.

– URL (web address)

– Title Tag

– Meta description

graphic illustration of web page

For example, the headline is what we started with above in the outline structure, so your headline will be the top tier of your article. This headline is known as the H1.

Make sure your focused keyword is in this H1.

Remember your intro paragraph from above? Add in your keyword within the first 100 words. When writing, remember the data and insights from your audience. Remember to always be on brand and yourself as well. People can sense insincerity.

Keep your intro catchy, short, and straight to the point. Remember, people have short attention spans these days. Humans have an attention span of 8 seconds!

Using great images, videos, and a linking strategy will help keep your users engaged with your content and on your site!

young woman on laptop making purchase from e-commerce store

Use Structure with your SEO Content

Make sure you break up the content of your article. No one likes reading a long block of text. Use descending subheaders that make sense with the content. Here are subheaders are listed in order:

– H1 (heading 1)

– H2 (heading 2)

– H3 (heading 3)

– H4 (heading 4)

– H5 (heading 5)

Remember that writing can take time. Remember to take breaks and edit your content. Write your first version and step away from it.

Once you finish writing, think about the other ways you can enhance it for your audience.

Internal Linking & SEO

You have your content published on your platform. Remember to have a linking strategy. Whether you are an e-commerce owner or a blogger, do not forget to link to other areas of your site!

According to Moz, linking to external resources can improve your article’s rank in Google.

Link to a reputable website, partner, or collaborator.

Remember, SEO writing is all about providing value to your readers. If linking to other websites can enhance your reader’s experience, add them in. Link to other articles, product pages, or areas of your site!

Think of your content as a spider web, and all the links are threads connecting to other ideas.

spider web symbolizing the connections and links that help with seo content writing

For example, if your article talks about supporting someone with cancer and you have a partner that offers a cancer support group, link to them.

Also, if you are an e-commerce site, make sure to send a link to your product detail pages whenever you can. You can also embed a banner within the article to send to catalog pages. Adding these links and clickable blocks keeps users engaged and encourages conversions!

Adding Media to Your SEO Content

Text can only go far these days in the online world. Consumers are used to video content more than ever. Their expectations are higher than before.

Embedding videos, infographics, charts, and high-quality images of your products can enhance your article.

Remember that white space is your friend. This visual break is helpful, especially for longer-form content.

Also, consider your fonts and margins. Keep your font sizes large enough to see, making it easier for your readers to ingest your content. Have a nice layout for your article, and make sure your margins are in tip-top shape.

Last Step: Distribute Your Kick-Ass Content

Publishing the content is just the obvious step, but you still need to do some work to get this article out in the world!

Here are five ways to get more eyeballs on your article:

– Add it into an email newsletter or series

– Create a post on your social media channels

– Repurpose it into a video

– Ask your network to share it

– Request backlinks from individuals or businesses you mentioned in the article

The activities above all help to grow the reach of your article.

Wrapping it All Up!

I hope this article helped you better understand how to write for SEO.

Remember to start with your research and brainstorming. Then you can create your outline so you can get your ideas and content organized.

Remember to spell check and edit. People appreciate professional writing. Add relevant links, imagery, and other media to elevate your article.

Once you have all of these covered, your article is bound to get quality traffic from people who need your services!

If you need help with your content writing, or need a coach to help guide you, feel free to reach out. I want you to get the most visibility and succeed!

Leave a Comment