Category Archives: Content Writing

Google “Helpful Content”: what about SEO content writing?

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SEO content writing after Google helpful content update

SEO content writing after Google helpful content update

Once Google’s new “Helpful Content” algorithm update kicks in, will you be focusing on SEO content writing?

Sure, you want your content to be helpful to your audience.

You want to keep your visitors engaged.

You want to inform them so that they can decide in favor of your product or service.

But many businesses work with content writers for SEO purposes.

There are many writers who provide SEO content writing services, including yours truly.

Many businesses and entrepreneurs hire me because they want me to write SEO content.

Google says merely writing for SEO is bad.

You should write human-first content.

Precisely this is the reason Google has named its latest algorithm as “Helpful Content” because it will be penalising websites that publish low quality content simply to improve search engine rankings.

On the other hand, it will be rewarding websites that publish quality content that really helps the readers.

What type of SEO content writing services do I provide?

Update or no update, my focus is always the reader.

I do write my content in such a manner that its easier for search engine crawlers to crawl it, analyze it, and then index it appropriately.

For example, I use the main keyword in the title because I know that for search engines titles are important.

I use the keywords in the first 100 words because again, keywords don’t just represent an SEO opportunity, they also represent the query people are using to find your content.

It means, using the language that people use when they talk about your product, service, or business.

Using your keywords is still important but use them as words that truly represent your central idea.

For example, for this blog post, I’m using the expression “SEO content writing”, but it doesn’t mean if I want to optimize my blog post for this expression, I use it repeatedly.

I make it appear naturally.

It appears where it should, otherwise it doesn’t.

Is SEO content writing still relevant after the “Helpful Content” update?

Don’t be afraid of writing SEO content after Google’s new update rolls out.

Writing content to improve your SEO doesn’t mean you cannot focus on your human readers.

Keep them your priority.

Write content for people.

Make it easier to scan.

Let your meta title, main headline, and subheadings, truly represent the central points of your web page, article, or the blog post.

Don’t try to cram everything in a single piece of content.

Write on focused topics.

For example, if you want to write a blog post on search intent, you should also write smaller blog posts for different types of search intents.

It is important to write compelling headlines to write effective content.

You can write a blog post just on how to write compelling headlines.

This way you will be able to increase the subject depth of your website or blog.

On Google people search for precise topics.

They ask specific questions.

Provide answers to those specific questions and don’t dillydally just to write bigger blog posts or web pages.

Even if you have been using some SEO tools to make your content search engine friendly, don’t worry, as long as it provides the information people are looking for.

 

Using customer location data for effective content writing

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Customer location data for effective content writing

Customer location data for effective content writing

Location data is normally used for location-based marketing.

But it can also be used for effective content writing.

Location data is the geospatial information of your average customer or client.

It may not give you the precise location of the customer because that would be a violation of her privacy, but it gives you enough information to know where the person lives, and sometimes, where the person goes for shopping.

Although content writing based on location data may be a new concept, business places and marketers have been using such information for centuries.

Take for example a conventional shop.

The shop owner often becomes chatty with the customers.

She becomes familiar with their likes and dislikes.

Based on this information, she suggests merchandise the customer would prefer.

In the age of the Internet, the same data has become “big data” and organizations use it to draw unparalleled insights for targeted marketing.

Customising and aligning content writing with customer location data

Most of the businesses want to target their customers at a personal level, preferably based on their physical location.

Customized content can be broadcast to customers based on the region, the major events taking place in the region, their proximity to a landmark and even their buying decisions based on where they live.

Content can be written across the entire customer life cycle right from discovery, till the purchase, and even beyond that.

This helps in long-term engagement and retention.

Listed below are a few ways you can use targeted content writing using location data.

Targeted email campaigns

People may subscribe to your mailing list from all over the world.

As you regularly use a mailing service like MailChimp, you begin to gather data about their demography.

Suppose, you have subscribers from different countries like India, America, Canada, and Australia.

The Independence Day (15th of August) celebrated in India is different from the Independence Day (4th of July) celebrated in America.

There is no use sending an email for Independence Day greetings to all the countries.

Through segmentation, you can write content exclusively for people in India, or people in America.

Similarly, Black Friday sales happen in America and in a country like Australia, people may not even know the concept of a Friday being black.

Therefore, you can write an email campaign on Black Friday sales exclusively for your American subscribers.

Content on local events

Writing content on local events can generate immediate traffic.

For example, people in Gujarat celebrate the festival called “Garba” where, usually, young couples dance with each other.

A lot of interest is generated during this festival and people are looking for Garba-related content.

If you write content on such a local event, it generates immediate traffic for your website or blog.

Not just website or blog, even if you have a shop or a restaurant, your content writing can generate buzz and get you search engine traffic, that in turn, can drive foot traffic to your shop or restaurant.

Location-based content writing helps you target customers at a granular, personal level.

The content is written based on their physical location.

The focus points can be their proximity to a business center, or a major event (like a World Cup) happening in the region.

Content can be written targeting their entire journey including discovery and purchase, to engagement and retention.

What is the biggest example of location-based marketing that you encounter in your day-to-day life?

Google search.

When you search for “coffee shop near me” and you live in New Delhi, it is not going to show you a coffee shop in Manhattan.

It is going to show you different coffee shops, not just in New Delhi, but near you.

If you live in Lajpat Nagar, most of the coffee shops displayed in the search results are going to be from Lajpat Nagar.

Where does location data come from?

There are special apps that draw location data from mobile phones.

Different mobile apps ask their users to consent to share their location data.

This location data then is used in campaigns and notifications.

There are many third-party services that can provide you location-based data.

Most of the location-based data right now comes from mobile phones.

How to use location-based data in different forms of content writing?

You can write dedicated landing pages based on geo-targeting.

Targeted advertisements can be written.

You can write targeted content on social media websites, blogs and forums.

You can do mobile targeting by sending notifications that are relevant to some ongoing local event.

How deeply you use location-based data as a content writer depends on your access to the data.

If you are doing content writing for a client, then your client will be providing you the location data that you can then incorporate into your writing.

If you are writing for your own website, you will use different services such as Google Analytics or MailChimp to find information on where most of your visitors come from.

It isn’t necessary that you first get location data and then you write content based on that.

You can also target locations through content writing.

I have been writing content for an accounting client who is trying to target different countries for accounting outsourcing services.

We have written dedicated pages for different locations.

Location data is also used with within malls and shopping complexes.

Precise location of a person can be picked from the mobile phone and highly targeted SMS notification content can be beamed to the prospects.

As humans we care more about what’s happening around us, in our own neighbourhood, in our own locality.

Also, we like to read and hear about places we often visit.

We like local food.

We like local trends.

We want to read about what’s fashionable in our neighbourhood.

We want to update ourselves on what major events are happening in our locality.

In most of the cases we are proud of our hometown and hence, we want to read more stuff about it.

This need can be satisfied with location-based content writing.

How does Google define “Helpful Content”?

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How does Google define helpful content

How does Google define helpful content

The news of Google rolling out the new “helpful content” algorithm update is all over the Internet.

I too covered the news a few days ago.

Although content has been at the center stage of every algorithm that Google has rolled out, it is for the first time that the term “helpful content” has been specifically highlighted.

According to Google, in a nutshell, “helpful content” means the content

  • Is created for a specific, targeted audience.
  • Delivers what the searcher is looking for.
  • Shows expertise.
  • Portrays trustworthiness and credibility.

In its blog post on the “helpful content” algorithm update Google has shared some information on what it considers helpful content.

Google suggests that you write and publish people-first content.

Don’t obsess over your search engine rankings.

Don’t write content to make search engine algorithms happy.

There are certain indicators that can tell the Google algorithm that you are writing content for the search engine and not for people.

Google asks you to make the following observations when writing and publishing content on your website or blog:

  • Do people who directly come to your website (not from Google) find your content helpful and useful?
  • Does your website content have a central theme around which you have published detailed content?
  • Do you write articles and blog posts with first-hand experience, and do you share in-depth knowledge of your field?
  • Do people find enough information such that they no longer have to search for the topic somewhere else?
  • Do people feel satisfied after reading what you have published?

What does Google want you to stop doing when publishing content?

  • Stop publishing different versions of the same topic hoping that one of the versions will rank well on Google.
  • Don’t scrape content from other websites just to fill your website or blog with content.
  • Don’t use topics just so that they rank well on Google.
  • Don’t use automated tools to write and publish content on your website and blog.
  • When creating content from other websites, don’t just merely summarise – add more value.
  • Don’t extend your article or blog post to a certain word count just so that it ranks well.
  • Don’t write about a niche topic unless you are an expert in it or you have in-depth knowledge about the topic.
  • Don’t answer questions for which you don’t have a definite answer such as a health-related question or the release of a movie.

Other “helpful content” recommendations by Google

  • Write blog posts and articles from different perspectives, such as, both pros and cons of using a product or a service.
  • When reviewing a product, go beyond what the provider or the manufacturer says, and share your own first-hand experience.
  • Describe in detail how a product performs in different areas – for example, how a mixer grinds different categories of vegetables.
  • Put yourself in the shoes of your readers – would you trust the information you are sharing on your website or blog?
  • Are you sourcing facts and statistics from authoritative websites and blogs?
  • Doublecheck your content for easily verified factual errors.
  • As much as possible, provide information that is original, research-based, and well analysed.
  • Cover exhaustive information about a topic.
  • Deliver in the body content what you have promised in the headline or the meta title.
  • Create content people would like to bookmark, or share, or recommend.
  • Link to useful information on your own website or other authoritative websites.

Google recommends focusing on search intent

People search with different needs.

In this document Google shares some major motivations with which people use the search engine.

  • I want to know: People are looking for information, knowledge, and news.
  • I want to go: People are mostly looking for local businesses where they can go and entertain themselves or have food.
  • I want to do: This is primarily how-to content when people want to solve a problem and are looking for a solution.
  • I want to buy: They are ready to buy, and you just need to keep them focused.

You may also like to read: Why search intent is most important when writing content for your website

I just used an AI-powered automated content creation platform and these are my observations

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Automated content generation tool

Automated content generation tool

A few hours ago I came across a Forbes article about Scalenut raising $3.1 million in funding.

It is an automated content creation platform powered by artificial intelligence.

As I have mentioned in one of my blog posts, I am a slacker when it comes to using new technologies, just at a whim I decided to take Scalenut on a spin.

It isn’t that I’m oblivious to multiple AI-powered content writing tools that are cropping up every week.

It’s just that, whenever I tried using them, they wouldn’t allow me to use the dashboard without going through a complicated registration process.

Using Scalenut for the first time is quite straightforward and even during the trial period, as of now, it seems all the features are available.

In the dashboard it gives you different choices – you can create a blog post, a content brief and topic clusters.

As you can see in the screenshot, the automated writing interface can also write for you product descriptions, answers to questions, headings to paragraphs, social media posts, and some more choices.

To test it, I chose to write a blog post.

Providing the information to the Scalenut interface

It is a step-by-step interface.

In the beginning it asks for the main headline.

After entering the main headline, it asks you to enter the main keywords or the phrases that you would like to use in the blog post.

The main headline comes with the H1 tag.

You can also write an introduction – around 500 characters – of what you want to convey through the blog post.

In the next screen you write the different subheadings using H2 tags and sub-subheadings using H3 tags.

For the time being, there doesn’t seem to be a limit on how many H2 and H3 subheadings you can create.

Upon checking again, I found out that in the free account, you can generate content of just 2000 words.

But it is more than enough to give you an idea of what the automated content generator can achieve for you.

The text generated by Scalenut is quite satisfying

To tell you the truth, I’m quite impressed.

No grammar and spelling mistakes.

Human-like narrative.

Although I formatted after downloading the document, I didn’t change any sentence on my own.

Here is the blog post that I generated using the Scalenut interface.

I made some small changes but 99.9% text comes from Scalenut.

I didn’t publish it under my name because it is not my style.

But it certainly writes like a content writer who can write well though, doesn’t have years of experience and confidence.

The content also lacks a personality so I wouldn’t say it is out-and-out professional content.

It can definitely save you a ton of time.

For the time being I won’t use it to write my own blog posts, but it can certainly be used to quickly publish content on the blog on general topics.

It has written the blog post better than many of the content writers I’m working with these days.

This brings to my mind: unless you develop your individual style and voice as a professional content writer, such automated content writing tools can easily replace you.

Do tools like Scalenut worry me as a content writer?

As such I don’t write bulk content.

Such tools are good for bulk content.

Most of my clients hire me because they want my personal touch.

I’m going to subscribe to the tool for a month and play around more.

I think its best use would be to quickly generate initial text and then give your own touch.

10 advantages of hiring a professional content writer for your business

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10 benefits of hiring a professional content writer for your business

10 benefits of hiring a professional content writer for your business

If you’re looking for a way to improve your marketing strategy, then hiring a professional content writer is the perfect solution.

This blog post covers the following 10 advantages of hiring a professional content writer:

  1. You get quality content to publish on regular basis
  2. You engage your visitors on an ongoing basis
  3. Your search engine rankings improve
  4. Your social media engagement increases
  5. You enjoy greater accountability
  6. You save money and time
  7. You don’t have to worry about new content ideas
  8. You can easily scale your content writing requirements
  9. You can establish your thought leadership
  10. You enjoy higher conversion rate

Content writers are experienced writers who understand the needs of a customer base and know how to write copy that resonates with readers.

Their skillset includes writing for both digital and print media, so they can provide your business with a wide range of content options.

Not to mention, they are familiar with SEO best practices, so your articles will be easy to rank in search engines.

This means that your business can reach a wider audience, and generate more leads and sales.

What are the benefits of hiring a professional content writer?

You may also like to read: 20 benefits of hiring professional content writing services

There’s no doubt that content is one of the most important elements of a website or blog.

And if you want to take your business to the next level, hiring a professional content writer is the way to go.

Not only do they have skills in writing, design, and SEO, but they also understand how to craft content that is both compelling and engaging.

This is essential for driving leads through your funnel, generating better traffic volumes, and increasing your site’s visibility on the internet.

10 advantages of hiring a professional content writer

Hiring a content writer for your business can be a great investment.

Not only are they skilled at writing, editing and formatting writing for web use, but they’re also experienced in SEO copywriting and social media marketing.

This means that your business will look more authoritative and trustworthy, with well-written, on-brand content that drives traffic.

Additionally, you can rest assured that the content writing process will be handled by a professional, freeing up your time to focus on other aspects of your business.

1. You get quality content to publish on regular basis

Content writing is an important part of any website’s marketing strategy.

By publishing quality content on a regular basis, you can attract more visitors and build trust with your target audience.

You can be assured that the writer will take care in ensuring all information is accurate and up-to-date.

This way, you won’t have to waste time correcting mistakes or dealing with outdated information that isn’t relevant to your business anymore.

Furthermore, the content will be high quality as it has been written by a professional who understands what businesses want and need.

There are no deadlines – the writer takes his time to produce high-quality articles that will help promote your website effectively.

2. You engage your visitors on an ongoing basis

Adding professional content writing to your marketing mix can be tremendously beneficial for your business.

Not only will you save time and resources, but the quality of content produced by a skilled writer is reliably high-quality and engaging.

This means that visitors are kept engaged on an ongoing basis, providing them with valuable information while also making you look good in the eyes of your target audience.

Aside from writing great content, writers also have years of experience working with businesses across all industries – this makes them well-equipped to cater to your specific needs perfectly.

3. Your search engine rankings improve

Having great content is essential for SEO – it helps your website rank higher in search engine results pages.

This, in turn, leads to more visibility for your business and increased traffic.

In fact, good quality content can even improve the ranking of competing websites that have similar topics or keywords as yours.

Moreover, if you’re looking to attract new customers or increase loyalty among current ones, creating engaging and informative pieces of writing is a great way to go.

Not only will this help boost brand awareness but also result in happier consumers who are more likely to return frequently than those who aren’t satisfied with their experience.

4. Your social media engagement increases

As social media becomes more and more saturated, it’s vital for businesses to make use of professional content writers.

Not only can they inject life into your posts, but also help you stay ahead of the competition.

They can write on a range of topics that is relevant to your brand and audience.

Additionally, content writers are skilled in using different platforms (email marketing, social media, etc.) effectively to reach out to potential customers.

What’s more?

Content writing professionals know how to create engaging copy that will keep people coming back for more – no matter what their interests may be!

5. You enjoy greater accountability

As an editor, it is important that you enjoy great accountability and freedom to produce quality content.

With a professional content writer, all you need is a good idea for a post and he or she will take care of the rest.

This way, you make sure that every post reflects your brand image accurately and is updated regularly so that readers never lose interest.

6. You save money and time

There are many benefits to hiring a professional content writer.

Not only will they produce quality and high-volume content, but you won’t have to worry about any mistakes in the writing process.

In addition, their skills with grammar and spelling ensure that your message is delivered accurately and effectively.

You can save time by delegating this task to a Content Writer – instead of having to write everything yourself.

This saves you time and money.

With so much else going on in your business, it’s important not to spend too much time on things that can be handled more efficiently by someone else.

This way you can put your focus into other aspects of running your company which will see bigger dividends down the road

7. You don’t have to worry about new content ideas

You don’t have to worry about coming up with new content ideas – a professional content writer will take care of that for you.

They are experienced and know how to write engaging and informative content that can help your business grow.

In addition, they understand the importance of SEO so your content is found by the right people at the right time – increasing its chances of success.

8. You can easily scale your content writing requirements

Content writing can be a daunting task for any business, but it doesn’t have to be.

Professional content writing services can take care of all the necessary requirements for you – from creating engaging and informative content to ensuring that it is well-optimized for search engines.

This can be achieved through strategic scaling.

You can scale your content writing requirement on need basis.

You will soon see positive results as your website starts getting more traffic and conversions due to great looking and well-written content.

9. You can establish your thought leadership

Content is one of the most important elements of any online presence, and a professional writer can help you achieve this goal.

They are experts in the field, have years of experience writing content that engages readers, and are familiar with various marketing channels.

By hiring a content writer, you can focus on other areas of your business while they take care of producing quality copy that speaks to your target audience.

This will result in better visibility for your brand and increased traffic to your website or blog

10. You enjoy higher conversion rate

If you want to enjoy a higher conversion rate, it’s important to have good content that is well-branded and positioned correctly.

You can do this by improving customer retention and satisfaction rates with quality content, as well as increasing traffic and leads through effective marketing efforts.

By writing your own high-quality content, you can save time and money while still providing excellent quality for your readers!

Conclusion

Hiring a professional content writer is an important step for any business.

Not only does this person have experience writing content for businesses of all sizes, but they also possess the skills and knowledge to produce high-quality content that meets your specific needs.

In addition to these main benefits, here are more reasons why you should hire a professional content writer for your business: –

  • Increased website traffic
  • Improved brand awareness
  • Increased search engine rankings
  • Increased social media followers
  • Increased conversion rates
  • Improved customer retention rates
  • Increased brand loyalty