Blog writers often tackle SEO projects in a straightforward manner: Create a structure, jam the keywords in, cover them up with more words, rinse and repeat. But the difference between good and bad SEO writing is vast, and even the most annoying SEO goals can lead to great articles with the proper attention. Here are a few ways to approach your latest SEO topics and walk away with a brilliant article.
1. As Fresh As Possible
If you have to make an article utterly evergreen, then talking about the latest news and current events may not be possible. However, try to make your piece as timely as you can. If you are able, offer a solution to a popular problem or reference a recent story that supports your article.
Including fresh information in an article makes it appear more legitimate and keeps your SEO wording from sticking out. Including fresh news topics can also help increase your readership. If you are working on several different pieces for the same site, consider rating them by the freshness of the content and using the articles accordingly. News matters to people. Make your piece timely, and people will read it for information without getting annoyed at your keyword use.
2. Make It Useful
Whenever you create an article with lots of SEO wording, ask at every point: Is this useful for readers? Does it have direct application in their lives? If you have to shoehorn useless points and topics into the article just to include your keywords, you need a new article strategy. If the focus of every paragraph is something that readers can take away and practice or remember for their own lives, then SEO flows much more smoothly. No reader likes to waste time reading about random topics or lengthy asides.
If your SEO words have essentially chosen the topic for you, find a useful way to write about. Compare the topic to the daily lives of your readers and find ways to discuss it that offer an immediate impact. This rule works well for marketing articles: An app is just an app, until you give readers a scenario and time of day when they can use it.
3. Review
Grammatically, SEO can force you to use awkward phrasing in your sentences. Do not accept this jumbled approach. Carefully re-read every line that you write. If it does not make sense or does not flow smoothly, change it. SEO cannot be effective if it sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of a paragraph. Mold your sentences so they read well, explain your points with clarity, and get the job done with minimal fuss. No awkward grammar is allowed for the sake of a keyword placement. Readers will not appreciate it.
4. Talk With, Not At
When it comes to tone, make a connection to your readers. If you get too caught up in meeting SEO requirements, your articles will grow didactic and preachy. That style can work well sometimes, but it is rarely entertaining and does not make a good foundation for SEO work. Instead, talk with your readers. Treat them as fellow explorers, finding out more about your topic as you move along. Stay professional, but do not condescend or move into bland journalism. Readers like a little emotional investment to spur them on.
5. Expand Your Focus
What is the takeaway of your article? If your SEO phrase is something like “low cost insurance” then your takeaway is probably several ways to find insurance policies without spending too much money. But do not let these obvious article topics keep you from expanding your focus to include information more pertinent to a wider audience. For example, if you create sections on investment through insurance policies, managing auto insurance deductibles, and switching to individual health plans, you cover a broader range of topics that hold interest to many demographic groups. Ko-marketing has excellent examples of using SEO marketing to give advice, offer support, and encourage new solutions to old problems.
Dan Ripoll is co-founder and CEO of Content BLVD, a crowd sourced content marketing platform enabling bloggers to publish more content and grow their audiences. This is achieved by connecting authoritative bloggers to a crowd of top notch contributors offering high quality, informative content.
