Here’s an important question for every content marketer looking to get found by their audience in Google:
How do you know your SEO writing techniques will, well, work?
This question is more vital than it’s ever been.
There are 6 billion searches a day that now happen on Google.
(That’s up from 3.5 billion in January of 2020! 😲)
Today, more than 90% of the world’s online traffic now originates from search. (Sparktoro)
What this means is you have the opportunity to reach a MASSIVE number of people if you have quality, SEO-optimized content.
In this blog, I’ll show you three foundational SEO writing techniques that win.
Ready to dive in?
3 SEO Writing Techniques That Will Work to Get Your Written Content to Rank in Google (Video)
The 3 Techniques I Use to Rank in the Top of Google in No Time
In the nine years of running my content agency Express Writers, we’ve been able to rank for 20,000 keywords on Google. 400 of these keywords are indexed in the top results. And what’s amazing is that it takes only 30-60 days for my content to start ranking in Google’s top 10.
So how do I do it?
Here’s my 3-step SEO writing technique-based strategy.
1. Find the Right Keyword
The first step is to find a high search volume, low competition keyword to write your content around.
Remember, it’s a great idea to go for a long-tail keyword. Long-tail keywords have a lower difficulty score, plus people searching for them have higher buying intent. For example, someone searching for “little black dress for prom” is closer to buying than someone simply searching for “black dress.”
Here’s how I map out keywords on one of my favorite keyword research tools KWFinder.
As you can see, the keyword “press release sample” has a keyword difficulty score of 42. Go for a score below 40 if your site is new. For more established sites, you can go for a score below 60.
Another great tool you can use is SEMrush. SEMrush not only allows you to do keyword research, but also helps you keep track of which keywords you’re ranking for and how well you match up against your competitors.
2. Write and Optimize for Both Google and Readers
Once I have my keyword ready, I work towards writing a long-form, comprehensive piece that will show up on Google’s top SERPs AND answer readers’ questions.
Here are seven things to keep in mind.
Step 1. Go In-Depth
Don’t merely scratch the surface of your topic. Flimsy, worthless content will turn your readers off. And Google will notice.
Instead, go comprehensive. Write 2,000-word pieces. Add in power stats, graphs, and stories.
Here’s an example of one of my Write Blogs that ranks #1 for the keyword “press release samples.” If you go over and look at it, you’ll see it’s LONG and DEEP with 3,500 words, multiple subheadings, images, examples, and stats.
Need to learn every step in SEO writing, stat? Enroll in my SEO writing course.
Step 2. Plug in Great Graphics and Social Sharing Options
Graphics give readers a break from the monotony of text. As a rule of thumb, I try to add in an image for every 400 words of text. For example, I had 15-16 images created for the post above.
Bonus: add some ‘tweetable’ snippets that make it easy for your audience to share your content. Here’s how it looks in the blog using the Click to Tweet Plugin for WordPress:
Step 3. Optimize your Headline and URL
Add your keyword into your content’s headline, but make sure it’s not forced. In the example above, I worked the keyword “press release samples” into a natural, enticing headline.
Also, keep your URL neat with your keyword placed nicely into it.
Step 4. Optimize with Great H2s and H3s
Treat your subheadings like mini headlines. They should have a variation of your keyword and be crafted to encourage readers to continue reading.
Step 5. Make Sure Links Open up in a New Tab
You don’t want your readers to leave your page early on. To lessen your bounce rate, make sure links open in separate tabs.
Step 6. Add a Call to Action
You want your readers to act and buy your product or service, but you don’t want to be spammy. To achieve balance, go for natural CTAs that are related to what you’re talking about.
For example, in my press release piece, I link to our Express Writers press release services.
Step 7. Add in a Meta Title and Description
If you’re using the Yoast SEO plugin, all you need to do is write an enticing description of your post. Make sure to add your keyword in both meta title and description.
3. SEO Writing Technique #3: Remember, Consistency is Key
If you want your SEO efforts to pay off, you need to be diligent and consistent. Publishing content whenever the mood strikes you will never translate into results.
As a rule of thumb, stick to publishing 2-3 posts per week. However, never push out a post you’re not sure of. Quality trumps quantity every single time.
SEO Writing Techniques to Get You Winning in the SERPs
If you’re new to content writing, the term “SEO techniques” can be intimidating.
But the truth is, it’s not.
All SEO stands for is to give users the best experience when they search online.
And when you follow the three steps I use to optimize my content, you will fulfill this goal right off the bat.
If you want to learn the full arsenal of SEO writing skills, check out my comprehensive course The Expert SEO Content Writer Course.
