SEO Writing 101 — How to Create Content That Ranks

Shockingly, 96.55% of all pages get zero organic traffic from Google. And, without a solid SEO strategy, your content can easily get lost in the sea of unvisited Google pages and suffer the same fate. Luckily, there’s a way to solve all that.

By mastering the basics of SEO writing and ensuring you create quality content, you can make search engines send more traffic your way. So, let’s explore why SEO content is so important and touch upon the best SEO tips to improve your writing and boost your rankings.

Related: 6 SEO Tips to Help You Rank in the New Era of Quality Content

What is SEO content?

SEO content is created specifically to rank highly on Google and other search engines. Unlike conventional blog content, which you write based on your interests or what you think your audience wants, SEO content is planned and crafted to align with search engine algorithms and user search behavior.

You pick a keyword that your target audience is searching for. Then, you write content to rank well for that keyword. To achieve that, you must ensure it aligns with search intent and follows SEO best practices.

That means providing valuable, relevant information that answers the user’s query, using clear and engaging language, incorporating keywords naturally, structuring your content with headings and subheadings, and including internal and external links to improve credibility and user experience.

Writing SEO content has several benefits:

• Improves your rankings and visibility of your website

• Attracts organic visitors who actively search for your topics

• Keeps readers engaged on your website longer with relevant content

• Increases your brand awareness and authority

• Improves conversion rates

How to write SEO content that ranks

Writing good content is all about using the right SEO strategies, starting with the following:

1. Pick the right keyword

You should aim for keywords that are not too competitive but still have solid search volume.

For example, if you’re a small ecommerce business trying to rank for "running shoes," you have to compete with giants like Nike and Adidas, which is almost impossible.

Instead, target keywords that are easier to rank for but still relevant to your business, like "breathable running shoes for hot weather." These keywords can drive targeted leads to your website without investing so much time and effort to rank for them.

Here’s how to find these keywords:

• Use SEO tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to identify keywords with good search volume and lower competition

• Look at the keywords your competitors are ranking for and find opportunities they might have missed

• Focus on long-tail keywords that often bring more qualified traffic

2. Create a content outline (make sure to satisfy search intent)

Once you’ve chosen your keyword, make sure the content you create matches the search intent behind it. Search intent is the reason behind the search query or what the user wants to find through their search.

For example, if your keyword is "Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 vs. Adidas Ultraboost Light," the search intent is to compare the two running shoes. Your content should provide a thorough comparison, covering aspects like comfort, durability, price and user reviews, rather than something unrelated, like the history of each brand.

Related: 3 Powerful SEO Techniques That Will Boost Your Website’s Search Engine Ranking

Creating a content outline helps you structure your content to meet this intent. You can do that by:

1. Googling your keyword and going through top-ranking content

2. Analyzing the structure and noting down common themes

3. Creating an outline that follows a logical progression

4. Breaking down your content into sections with clear headings

5. Adding images, charts and videos to improve your content

3. Follow on-page SEO best practices

Nailing on-page SEO ensures that search engines and readers can easily understand and navigate your content. The best way to do that is to follow these SEO techniques:

• Include your keyword in the title, URL, introduction, subheadings and conclusion

• Place your keyword naturally throughout the content without keyword stuffing

• Use plenty of internal links to related content on your website

• Maintain a clear and logical structure with headings and subheadings to improve readability

• Write compelling meta descriptions that include your keyword to increase click-through rates

• Ensure your content is mobile-friendly, as 59.4% of web traffic comes from mobile devices.

4. Create easy-to-read content

People rarely read whole articles from start to finish. Instead, they skim through them, searching for the information they need. That’s why you need to follow a simple structure and use everyday language to ensure your content is easy to read and understand.

To improve the readability of your blog posts, you should:

• Use clear and descriptive headers to guide readers through your content

• Use bullet points wherever possible to break down information into digestible chunks

• Bold the most important phrases in each section to highlight key takeaways

• Incorporate screenshots to visually demonstrate key points and processes

• Keep paragraphs short to make your content easy to skim

5. Include superior value

Most writers make the SEO mistake of not doing enough research before creating content. Instead, they paraphrase what their top-ranking competitors say or rely on AI to create generic blog posts.

However, you need to go the extra mile to create content that gets the best SEO results.

Start by digging deeper into forums like Reddit to discover your potential customers’ most common pain points and questions. This step will help you understand their needs and concerns better.

Stay up to date with the latest news and developments in your industry to ensure your content is fresh and relevant. Read articles and listen to podcasts to get fresh insights and come up with unique angles for your articles.

You can also make your content more valuable by including the latest statistics or expert insights to add credibility and depth to your content. This is the best way to stand out from your competitors.

Related: Here’s the SEO Combination You Need to Win Google’s Algorithm

Mastering the basics of SEO writing is crucial for ensuring your content ranks well on Google.

You can do that by choosing the right keywords, creating structured content, following on-page SEO best practices, making your content easy to read and providing superior value. Follow these simple SEO tips to improve your rankings and attract more organic traffic.