When you type a search phrase into Google, do you look beyond the first page of results for the information you’re after? If you don’t, you’re in very good company. More than 75% of people never scroll past the first Google results page, and over 25% click on the very first result. No wonder the top of the search results is such a coveted position.
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising will get you there for a fee, but search engine optimisation (SEO) is the organic approach that leads to long-term success. SEO is the reason Google’s first few results usually include exactly what you’re looking for. If you’re a brand, SEO writing is part of that, with blogs, webpages and articles essential to your strategy.
SEO involves keyword research, optimising the content of a website and earning inbound links to increase that content's rankings. Writing web content for SEO helps Google to discover your content and gives people who need your services more likelihood of finding them. It’s quality content written with user search intent in mind, and it works. Companies that blog get 97% more backlinks than companies that don’t, so it’s no surprise that more than 90% of businesses have their own blog these days.
As a full-service creative marketing agency offering copywriting services, Anchor can start you off strong when writing web content for SEO. Here are some of our best tips for SEO writing.
How Does Web Content Affect SEO?
Google’s bots are commonly known as crawlers because they continually crawl the internet, looking for new sites to discover and scan. When a user types a phrase into Google, the search engine draws on its stored results to display the one that best fits the user’s needs.
Google favours sites with fresh content. That includes updates to existing pages and completely new information in whatever form it takes: new articles, new blog posts, fresh products, and landing pages. New pages mean new keywords so that your pages rank higher. By putting out new information regularly, you build your credibility and become an even bigger authority in your industry. Fresh content turns a one-off audience into a returning one. You just need the writing approach to SEO writing.
Changes You Can Make In Your Writing For Optimisation
Does your own content strategy need a shake-up? If you’re not getting the results you want, here are our tips for impactful SEO writing.
Choose the right primary keyword
Every piece of content you write should be optimised for the main keyword or phrase you want to rank for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush and Moz Keyword Explorer will show you a list of primary keywords for your content. To choose the best one, look into search volume, ranking capabilities and how relevant it is to your content.
Learn from your competitors
Looking into the kind of content your competitors are posting can help you fill in the gaps in your own strategy. Topic research tools let you mine competitor’s content for fruitful ideas.
Write for humans, not search engines
When a user types a search phrase into Google, they’re looking for a solution to their problems. While it’s important to keep on top of Google’s algorithm changes, high-quality content remains Google’s number one ranking factor. Google prioritises showing users the highest quality, most relevant and most helpful content.
Research your target audience and answer their questions
From choosing the right keywords to crafting the right content, every element of SEO writing starts with knowing exactly what your target audience is looking for. Social media and web analytics tools can help you understand who your target audience is based on factors like age, location, and occupation and the kind of queries they’re likely to be putting into search engines.
Choose copywriters with expertise
Google’s Helpful Content Update of 2024 prioritised well-written “people-first” content focusing on E-E-A-T principles (experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness). A copywriter with firsthand experience, or at least a proven track record of writing about a particular topic, can give your web copy that ring of authenticity.
Use AI as a tool, not a substitute writer
While artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT are ideal for quickly gathering research materials, they aren’t yet up to the standard of creating people-first content. AI tends to write in a generic tone of voice that doesn’t consider the nuance of a company’s brand voice. It lacks humour, warmth, creativity and empathy and can sometimes give incorrect information.
Structure with subheadings
Subheadings break your piece up into different sections and make it easier for readers to quickly find the information they need. Reading an unbroken wall of text feels like hard work while breaking a page into smaller sections gives it a logical structure and makes it easier on the eye, helping both user experience and Google algorithms.
Why Web Content Must Be Optimised
Content optimisation is the key to reaching the top of the search results, but why?
Content optimisation is the art of fine-tuning your web content so that it shows up for all kinds of different search terms. Keywords are just one part of the picture: on-page copy, code, images and links are also key ingredients to enhance. When you optimise content, you tweak the key elements that lead it to rank higher in search engine results. Well-optimised content increases organic traffic, improves user experience (UX), and makes your site more mobile-friendly, which is crucial for maintaining a lead over your competitors.
Let Anchor Digital Marketing Write Your Web Content
With your own business to run, you probably have limited time during the average day to worry about content marketing for SEO. Luckily, Anchor can take care of your search engine optimisation needs with our comprehensive, up-to-date approach. With knowledge of both Google’s latest developments and timeless principles that have always worked, we offer content that’s optimised for human eyes, complete with testing and transparent reports.
Copywriting is everywhere you look, but there’s still an art to crafting the perfect blog post, article, brochure or other piece of content. Anchor’s copywriting services craft copy that authentically represents your brand voice while entertaining, engaging, informing and selling. Our services include copywriting, social media content marketing, paid advertising and content strategy.
Our writers are well-acquainted with writing web content for SEO, and our team can optimise your content strategy with metrics, KPIs, and planning. Whether you need in-depth research into your keywords and demographics or regular blog posts that speak in your authentic brand voice, we can work alongside you on a content strategy that helps your business grow.
To find out more about how our SEO writing can enhance your business and improve your conversions, contact the Anchor team.
