How to write effective SEO-optimised web content

“Nobody reads on a website, so why should I write content?” When you have a search query, you want to find answers quickly. If you really take that on board, you’ll start to see the need for good web content. By structuring your content correctly, you’ll ensure that visitors read it more carefully (and are more likely to convert).

Setting a clear goal

Keep in mind who you are writing the article for and what you hope to achieve with it. When it comes to SEO, you write articles based on a key keyword and a search intent. You identify the various search term combinations based on a keyword analysis. This gives you a solid foundation for the article you are going to write. 

The article contains at least 500 words, so that Google recognises the value of the content and identifies the key keywords. To ensure that visitors still get the most important information, stick to the following guidelines.

Provocative headline

The title is what makes people click on your article. You know your customers better than anyone else, so you also know what matters to them and what gets them fired up. Make the most of that knowledge and give it the attention it deserves. 

The first paragraph is the summary 

Visitors are impatient and don’t give themselves much time. If your business can offer them the solution they’re looking for, make that clear straight away. If visitors are drawn in by the title, they’ll read the first paragraph. Only if that meets their information needs will they move on to the next step.

Scanning subheadings

A long block of text doesn’t encourage people to read it. Break the text down into paragraphs and give each paragraph a subheading. Those subheadings are also very important. When someone sees an interesting subheading, they’ll start reading that paragraph straight away. 

Writing style

Write in the active voice. Avoid words such as ‘can’, ‘are’ and ‘will’. This makes for much easier reading. Also, be consistent in your choice of form of address (‘je’ or ‘u’) and avoid spelling mistakes. OK, you’ll come across mistakes everywhere, but do proofread your texts regularly. Feel free to write in a somewhat flowery style, but don’t overdo it. Vary the length of your sentences. If you alternate a long sentence with a short one, you’ll create a good flow.

Creating internal links

Your article will get a boost if you add internal links after publication. Look through your existing articles and web pages to find ideal places to link to the new article. Make sure you create the link using a good combination of search terms. By creating hyperlinks, you can keep interested visitors on your site for longer. You also signal to search engines that certain articles are more important than others. With internal link building, rankings go through the roof, so this applies to every article you post.

Don’t write for Google

We like to emphasise regularly that you shouldn’t write primarily to rank higher on Google. What’s the point if people find you on Google but can’t find the answers they’re looking for there? A search engine is a tool that helps you reach the right target audiences. Organic traffic is of a higher quality than traffic from online adverts and social media. Keep your main target audience in mind. Strike the right tone and break up your web content with relevant images.

These tips will not only ensure that your articles rank well in a few months’ time, but will ultimately lead to conversions. You learn to write good web content by practising a lot. It takes time, but this strategy will pay off handsomely if you keep working on it consistently. You’ll only start to see the results after a few months, so it requires patience. If you’d like some help and support with this, why not invite us round for a coffee.