Writing an SEO-friendly article can be a tricky task.
Optimizing for search engines and for your readers means balancing the two to ensure that you're getting the best of both worlds.
Your content needs to provide value to your reader, but also has to comply with the latest SEO best practices.
If you think you need help writing articles for SEO and for people...keep reading.
In this article, we'll share some tips on how to write an SEO-friendly article.
How to Write Articles for SEO and Humans
1. Start With Keyword Research
When it comes to writing an SEO-friendly article, keyword research is one of the most important steps. By understanding what keywords people are using to find information on a topic, you can write content that better meets their needs.
The first step to finding what your target audience is searching for is to come up with a list of "seed" keywords. These are broad terms related to your niche. For example: if your blog is about building PCs:
The next step is to use Google Autocomplete to generate keyword ideas people have typed into the Google search bar.
Just start typing in your seed keyword and Google will offer a list of terms that real people have actually searched for. This can help you come up with ideas for articles that you may not have considered before.
The most powerful way to use Google Autocomplete is by doing the alphabet soup technique. It's where you go through the alphabet using the autocomplete feature. Example: "graphics card a" (without the quotes).
Another great way to find keywords on Google is to browse the People Also Ask section. This is a goldmine for article topics you can write about.
You can also check out the Related Searches section for even more keyword and article ideas.
If you need a keyword research tool to help you find keywords, I'd recommend Ahrefs and SEMrush.
Once you have a list of keywords, it's important to use them throughout your article. You can include them in the title, in the body, and the keywords section of your website. But be careful not to overload your content with keywords, or you may end up with a penalty from Google.
2. Understand the Search Intent
When it comes to SEO, one of the most important and most overlooked ranking factors is your content's search intent.
To create effective content, you need to understand what people are looking for when they enter specific keywords into a search engine.
There are 4 main types of keyword search intent:
Informational search intent is when the user is looking for information on a topic. This is the most relevant type of search intent for bloggers like us. It's how we drive most of our traffic. Examples include:
Commercial investigation search intent is when the user is looking for information on a product or type of product. They're not quite ready to buy yet, but they're well on their way. This type of search intent is extremely important to blogs because it's how we'll earn affiliate marketing income. Examples include:
Transactional search intent is when the user has their credit card out and ready to go. They are in buying mode. For bloggers, transactional intent is something we don't really focus on. This type of search intent is typically for online stores. Examples include:
Navigational search intent is when the user knows where they want to go. They believe that searching for it on Google and clicking on the search result is easier than typing the URL. These are keywords that aren't worth targeting. Examples include:
Knowing which type of keyword search intent your content should target is essential for creating effective SEO-friendly content. When you know what your audience is looking for, you can focus your content on providing the information they're looking for.
If the search intent for your target keyword isn't obvious, one way to determine which type of search intent your content must target is to look at the top-ranking results.
Here's an example:
Let's say you have a site about WordPress and you want to target the keyword "social media plugin". You're wondering whether to even target the keyword because it could fall into the transactional category.
Google, however, will tell you what type of search intent the keyword falls into.
Most of the results are "best of" list posts. These types of posts are product roundups/comparisons. In other words, they fall into the commercial investigation search intent.
3. Write a Click-Worthy Headline
When it comes to writing killer headlines, there are a few things to keep in mind.
First and foremost, your headline should be catchy and interesting enough to make people want to read the rest of your article. To achieve this, you need to think about what your audience is looking for.
You also need to make sure that your headline is relevant to the content of your article. If your headline doesn't match the content, people will be disappointed when they click through and find that they're not getting the information they were expecting.
Finally, you need to make sure that your headline is SEO-friendly. This means using keywords that people are likely to enter into a search engine when looking for information on a particular topic.
When you're thinking about your headline, make sure to keep these things in mind. If you can nail all three, you'll be well on your way to writing headlines that people will want to read.
4. Build A Good Article Structure
When you’re writing an SEO-friendly article, it’s important to remember that a good structure is key. You want to make sure that you include H2, H3, lists, and tables where necessary, to add information and keep the reader engaged.
You also want to make sure that you ask questions throughout the article, to keep the reader thinking. This will help to ensure that your article is both informative and interesting.
A good structure with all information presented in an easily readable format can help to increase the chances that your article will be picked up by a search engine.
Additionally, when you’re formatting your article for SEO purposes, you want to make sure that you use keywords and phrases throughout. This will help to ensure that your article is seen by people who are looking for information on that topic.
When formatting your article, there are a few things to keep in mind:
When you’re finished writing your article, take the time to make sure that it is properly formatted. This will help to ensure that it looks good and is easy to read.
5. Include Keywords in Your Content
To rank well in search engine results pages, it's important to include keywords in your content. This means including the keywords that you're targeting in your headline, as well as throughout the body of your article.
When it comes to including keywords in your content, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, you need to make sure that the keywords are relevant to the topic of your article. Secondly, you need to make sure that the keywords are included in a way that makes sense for the flow of your article.
Lastly, you need to make sure that you're not overusing keywords. If you include too many keywords, your content will sound forced and unnatural. Instead, try to use them in a way that feels natural and helps to convey the message of your article.
When it comes to SEO, using keywords in your content is essential. By following these tips, you can make sure that your content is targeting the right keywords and rank well on search engine results pages.
6. Use Images to Make Your Articles Pop
When writing SEO-friendly content, it's important to use images to help improve the overall quality of your article. Blog post images can help break up large chunks of text, and they can also help to illustrate the point that you're trying to make.
To make sure that your images are helping rather than hindering your SEO efforts, you need to make sure that they're properly optimized. This means including keywords in the file name and adding a description of the image that includes keywords.
You should also consider using an image optimization tool to help you get the most out of your images. These tools can help you reduce the size of your images, making them load faster on web pages. Faster loading times mean happier readers and better SEO scores.
Images can be a great way to improve the overall quality of your SEO-friendly content. By using images that are properly optimized, you can make sure that your content is both attractive and effective.
7. Interlinks Are Absolutely Key
Another great way to improve the quality of your SEO-friendly content is to use interlinks. Interlinks are links from one page on a website to another page on the same website. They're a great way to help people navigate your website, and they're also a great way to improve your SEO score.
When it comes to using interlinks, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, you need to make sure that the links are relevant to the topic of your article. Secondly, you need to make sure that the links are included in a way that makes sense for the flow of your article.
Lastly, you need to make sure that you're not overusing interlinks. If you include too many, your article will look like a link farm and people will be turned off. Instead, try to use them in a way that feels natural and helps to convey the message of your article.
Interlinks can be a great way to improve the overall quality of your SEO-friendly content. By using them in a way that is relevant and helpful, you can improve the reader experience and boost your SEO score.
Conclusion
If you want to rank well in search engine results pages, it's important to write SEO-friendly content.
This means including keywords in your headlines and throughout your article, using images to break up large chunks of text, and using interlinks to help people navigate your website.
By following these tips, you can make sure that your content is effective and appealing to both readers and search engines.
