How to Write for SEO Without Going Crazy

by · May 28, 2018

When you’re struggling to write your latest blogpost, you probably don’t want to have to worry about SEO, too.

There is one theory that says you shouldn’t. After all, if you start focusing on SEO, then you won’t be writing the best content possible for your audience.

But is it really and either/or type of situation? It would be nice to get free Google traffic from your articles and blogposts without going crazy about how to structure your writing, what to add and what to leave out.

With that in mind, here are a few tips from the pros on how to do exactly that:

1: Your Writing Needs to Be Excellent

The content should be unique, high quality and written to professional standards.

Do this, and Google will likely reward you.

If any part of you is interested in buying those spun articles that were prevalent years ago — don’t even think about it. Don’t even consider using them simply to pad out your website — Google will look for them, Google will find them, and Google will penalize you for them.

(This sounds like a Liam Neeson movie…)

2: Longer is Not Necessarily Better

One popular strategy is to write a longer, more in-depth piece than anyone else. But it’s never that simple.

If you look at the webpages that have you beat in the SERPs right now, you can see for yourself how good they are and how long they are. But are they well-written? Do they answer the questions that customers are having? And do they understand what searchers are looking for?

You might be able to beat them by being more succinct and to the point. If you can convey the information in fewer words without losing anything, then do it. Any searcher will tell you they’re after the info, not a super long article because they have nothing better to do with their day.

That said, don’t write short just for the sake of fitting onto a mobile screen. Shortchanging your reader isn’t going to cut it, so remember to tell the whole story.

3: Write for People, Not Bots

True, your grammar and style should be the best. If it’s not, get yourself an editor who knows what s/he’s doing — it will pay dividends in the long run.

When you’re writing, ask yourself who your audience is and what is their pain. If you can put yourself in their shoes, you can write a better piece that your audience loves.

4: Use Good Copywriting Principles

For example, write an attention-grabbing headline that is based on your best keyword phrase.

Use subheads to keep your reader involved.

Write in short paragraphs and short sentences.

Do your editing days after you do your writing — you’ll be surprised how much better you can make your writing if you wait awhile.

And get someone else to read your work — they’ll spot mistakes you missed.

5: Key Phrases 2018

Yes, these are still alive and well, thank you. But their use in digital marketing today has changed somewhat.

When you’re doing your keyword research, focus on your audience. How big is your audience, where are they, what do you know about their demographics and what should your content be about?

Get the answers right and you’ll know how to write your copy.

Don’t write according to something Yoast SEO tells you. Millions of people are already doing this.

Instead, write according to the rules and advice here. And write for PEOPLE, not SEO plugins. You should start seeing better results.