What is SEO content: Complete Guide

 

In plain words SEO content is content that improves your search engine rankings.

Now, it is not as simple as it seems because a lot goes into creating SEO content and improving your search engine rankings.

Different topics covered in this article:

• What is SEO content?
• 8 steps to creating SEO content
• Qualities to look for when you hire someone to write your SEO content
• Different types of SEO content
• How should you develop your SEO content strategy?
• Things to consider when writing SEO content
• What different sources can you use to write SEO content regularly?

SEO content primarily consists of the following efforts

• Creating high-quality and relevant content
• Using appropriate keywords and key phrases while creating content
• Publishing content on a regular basis
• Formatting content in such a manner that it makes it easier for search engine crawlers to quickly make out what you’re trying to convey and what are your primary keywords

Aside from these there might be other efforts too but they are not mutually exclusive as the ones mentioned above.

If you want to know what is SEO content, these characteristics may help you understand:

What is SEO content?

SEO content normally has the following features:

• Keywords: Uses specific words or phrases that people might search for in search engines.
• Relevance: Ensures that your content is directly related to the topic or subject you’re targeting.
• Quality: You write valuable, informative SEO content that satisfies users’ needs.
• Readability: It is easy to understand and avoids complex language.
• Headings: Your content has clear headings to improve user experience.
• Meta tags: It has compelling titles and descriptions for search engine result pages.
• Internal links: Links to other pages on your website to improve navigation and SEO.
• External links: Includes reputable sources by linking to relevant external websites.
• Image optimization: Has optimized images by using descriptive alt text and compressing file sizes.
• Mobile-friendliness: Ensure that it displays well on mobile devices.
• Page speed: Optimizes loading times to enhance user experience and SEO.
• User engagement: Encourages users to stay longer on your site.
• Social sharing: Includes social media buttons to make sharing your content easier.
• Freshness: SEO content is regularly updated to keep it current and relevant.
• Unique content: Avoids duplication to prevent search engine penalties.
• Voice search: SEO content is optimized for voice searches by using natural, conversational language.
• Secure website: It is published on SSL enabled websites to ensure a secure connection for users and search engines.
• Sitemaps: It has a constantly updated sitemap to help search engines crawl and index your content.
• Alt attributes: Search engine friendly content uses descriptive alt attributes for images to make them accessible.
• Content length: AimsI for comprehensive content that thoroughly covers the topic.

Not all the characteristics of SEO content listed above have got everything to do with content writing, but many features such as having an SSL-enabled website and using ALT tags, are an integral part of publishing search engine optimized content and benefiting from it.

8 Steps to creating SEO content

Researching your audience before creating SEO content

It is very important to thoroughly research your audience before you start creating SEO content for your own website or for your client’s website.

Unless you know your audience it will be difficult to make out what your visitors are looking for and what sort of language they use to find your product or service on search engines.

Compiling a comprehensive list of keywords and key phrases for your SEO content

Relevance is very important for your SEO content and equally important is the choice of your keywords.

You need to be extremely careful because a couple of wrong choices here and couple of wrong choices there, can have long-term negative SEO implications.

Know your words before creating your content.

Using keywords and key phrases in your title

Using the right keywords is one of the most important aspects of what is SEO content.

Whether it is a blog post title or a webpage title, it is very important that you use your primary keywords and key phrases in it.

The search engine ranking algorithms take your webpage title very seriously, in fact so seriously that your webpage title appears as a hyperlink on the search engine result pages.

Focusing on a single key phrase when writing your SEO content

Don’t try to accommodate 20 different keywords and key phrases into one page, that won’t work.

To save cost sometimes clients insist that I accommodate multiple keywords on a single page so that they don’t need to get multiple pages written to cover multiple keywords.

This doesn’t work.

It dilutes your search engine optimization advantage.

It is counterproductive.

Decide on a single phrase and focus on that.

This not only improves your search engine rankings for that particular phrase it also helps you keep your writing focused and well organized.

Organizing your SEO content using appropriate headings, subheadings and bullets

These are the places where the search engine crawlers look for your keywords and key phrases first of all.

The information contained within these tags should be able to convey a fair idea of exactly what you are trying to say.

Using as much interlinking as possible

Interlinking means hyperlinking to other useful resources on your website.

Within your hypertext (text between <a> and </a>) use the keywords; it increases their importance.

Why is interlinking important?

It makes crawling your website content easier.

When a search engine crawler visits your website, it may not go deeper and leave your website by crawling just a single page.

But, if that page also contains links to other pages, the crawler may visit those links.

Besides, it prevents you from having to explain the same concept repeatedly.

Suppose, on this page I want to explain to you why SEO content writing is important, I can simply link to my existing web page or blog post instead of repeating the same information, and run the risk of publishing duplicate content, which Google doesn’t like.

Avoiding excessive use of keywords and key phrases while creating SEO content

Excessive use of keywords can be counter-productive and it can also get your website or particular webpages penalized by various search engines.

In fact this is one of the biggest tests of a professional SEO content writer – knowing to what extent one can use keywords and key phrases.

This is why professional SEO copywriters and content writers are hired – they know exactly how to incorporate the keywords into your overall narrative without going overboard.

Keeping your SEO content as relevant as possible

Eventually it is the message that you convey and how you convey that matters. No matter how much traffic your SEO content can draw from the search engines, if it cannot convert visitors into customers and clients it is of no value.

Qualities to look for when you hire someone to write your SEO content

• Strong writing skills.
• Clear communication.
• Knowledge of SEO principles.
• Keyword research expertise.
• Understanding of target audience.
• Ability to write engaging content.
• Good grammar and punctuation.
• Adherence to deadlines.
• Experience in relevant industries.
• Familiarity with content management systems.
• Attention to detail.
• Creative thinking.
• Adaptability to various topics.
• Knowledge of on-page optimization.
• Awareness of current SEO trends.
• Ability to follow guidelines.
• Incorporating relevant links.
• Originality in content creation.
• Proofreading and editing capabilities.
• Willingness to learn and grow.

Different types of SEO content

• Blog posts: Create informative articles to engage and educate your audience.
• Infographics: Design visually appealing graphics to share data and information.
• How-to guides: Produce step-by-step instructions to help users accomplish tasks.
• Product reviews: Offer detailed assessments of products or services you recommend.
• Video content: Produce engaging videos to share information or showcase your products.
• Case studies: Present real-life examples that demonstrate your expertise and success.
• FAQs: Compile a list of frequently asked questions and provide clear answers.
• Podcasts: Create audio content to discuss relevant topics and entertain your audience.
• Whitepapers: Write in-depth reports to provide valuable insights and research findings.
• Slide presentations: Share information using visually compelling slide decks.
• Ebooks: Author longer-form content to delve into a subject thoroughly.
• Listicles: Craft content in the form of lists to make information easily digestible.
• Expert interviews: Conduct interviews with industry leaders and share valuable insights.
• Glossaries: Define key terms related to your niche or industry.
• Trend reports: Analyze industry trends and share your perspective on them.
• Comparison articles: Compare products, services, or approaches to help users make informed decisions.
• Success stories: Share stories of how your solutions have helped customers achieve their goals.
• Industry news updates: Provide timely updates on the latest developments in your field.
• User-generated content: Curate and share content created by your audience.
• Webinars: Host online seminars to educate and engage your target audience.
• Product demonstrations: Showcase how your products work and their benefits.
• Frequently updated content: Maintain regularly updated pages to provide fresh information.
• Location-based content: Create content tailored to specific geographical regions or local audiences.
• Resource libraries: Curate a collection of valuable resources for your audience.
• Question-and-answer content: Address common questions and concerns from your audience.
• Interactive quizzes: Engage users with fun and educational quizzes related to your niche.
• Industry statistics and data: Share relevant data and statistics to support your content.
• User testimonials: Highlight positive feedback and experiences from your customers.
• Behind-the-scenes content: Offer glimpses of your company culture and work processes.
• Social media posts: Share bite-sized content on social platforms to connect with your audience.

How should you develop your SEO content strategy?

Defining a full-fledged content strategy can seem overwhelming in the beginning.

But you will be saving lots of time later.

Having an SEO content strategy will make it possible for you to effectively reach your target audience, increase your search engine rankings, and improve your conversion rate.

A content strategy is a plan that outlines what SEO content you will write and publish, and what is the reason behind publishing that content.

Listed below is the breakdown of your entire SEO content writing strategy.

1. Set Clear Goals:

• Determine what you want to achieve with your content (e.g., increasing website traffic, generating leads, boosting brand awareness).
• Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

2. Know Your Audience:

• Identify who your target audience is (e.g., age, location, interests).
• Understand their needs, pain points, and preferences.
• Tailor your content to resonate with your audience.

3. Conduct Content Audit:

• Review existing content to see what’s working and what’s not.
• Analyze which topics, formats, and platforms perform best.
• Use tools like Google Analytics to gather data about your content’s performance.

4. Define Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

• Clearly communicate what sets your content apart from others in your niche.
• Highlight the value you provide to your audience through your content.

5. Choose Content Types:

• Select the types of content that align with your goals and resonate with your audience (e.g., blog posts, videos, infographics).
• Ensure your chosen formats match your resources and capabilities.

6. Plan Content Creation:

• Create a content calendar that outlines when and what content you’ll publish.
• Organize your content ideas and topics to ensure consistency.

7. Optimize for SEO:

• Research relevant keywords that your audience uses to search for content like yours.
• Incorporate these keywords naturally into your content to improve search engine visibility.

8. Craft Compelling Headlines:

• Write attention-grabbing headlines that entice users to click and read your content.
• Keep headlines clear, concise, and relevant to the content.

9. Focus on Value and Relevance:

• Provide valuable and relevant information to your audience in every piece of content.
• Address their pain points and offer solutions to keep them engaged.

10. Create Engaging Content:

• Use visuals, such as images and videos, to make your content more appealing.
• Incorporate storytelling elements to make your content relatable and memorable.

11. Establish Content Distribution Channels:

• Determine the platforms where you’ll share your content (e.g., website, social media, email newsletters).
• Tailor your content for each platform to maximize its impact.

12. Develop a Promotion Strategy:

• Plan how you’ll promote your content to reach a wider audience.
• Utilize social media, influencers, and email marketing to increase visibility.

13. Measure and Analyze Results:

• Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content.
• Analyze metrics such as website traffic, conversion rates, and engagement levels.

14. Make Data-Driven Decisions:

• Based on the data, identify what content performs well and what needs improvement.
• Adjust your content strategy accordingly to optimize results.

15. Stay Consistent:

• Stick to your content calendar and maintain a regular publishing schedule.
• Consistency helps build trust with your audience and keeps them coming back.

16. Stay Updated with Trends:

• Keep an eye on industry trends and changes in audience behavior.
• Adapt your content strategy to stay relevant and maintain audience interest.

17. Monitor Competitors:

• Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing in terms of content.
• Find opportunities to differentiate your content and provide unique value.

18. Listen to Your Audience:

• Pay attention to feedback from your audience, such as comments and messages.
• Use their input to improve your content and meet their needs.

19. Repurpose Content:

• Find ways to repurpose your existing content in different formats (e.g., turning a blog post into a video or infographic).
• This helps extend the life of your content and reaches new audiences.

20. Build a Community:

• Engage with your audience through social media and other platforms.
• Foster a sense of community around your content and brand.

Developing a content strategy requires thoughtful planning and a deep understanding of your audience and goals.

But once you have implemented your SEO content strategy, you can regularly create compelling content that resonates with your audience, drives results, and supports the growth of your business.

Remember to stay flexible and adapt your strategy as needed to stay relevant in an ever-changing digital landscape.

Things to consider when writing SEO content

As you have read above, leveraging SEO content requires strategy and consistent writing.

SEO-friendly content can drive traffic to your website and improve your online visibility.

What all should you consider when writing SEO content?

1. Identify Target Keywords: Conduct keyword research to find relevant and high-traffic keywords related to your content topic.
2. Use Keywords Naturally: Incorporate your target keywords naturally throughout your SEO content, avoiding keyword stuffing.
3. Write Compelling Headlines: Craft attention-grabbing headlines that accurately represent the content and include your main keyword.
4. Focus on User Intent: Understand what users are looking for when searching for your target keywords and provide valuable information that meets their needs.
5. Provide High-Quality Content: Write informative, well-researched, and valuable content that addresses the questions and concerns of your audience.
6. Optimize Meta Tags: Write compelling meta titles and meta descriptions that include relevant keywords to improve click-through rates from search results.
7. Use Subheadings (H2, H3, etc.): Organize your content with subheadings to make it more readable and enable search engines to understand the structure.
8. Include Multimedia: Use images, videos, and infographics to enhance your content and keep readers engaged.
9. Mobile-Friendly SEO Content: Ensure your content is accessible and displays properly on various mobile devices.
10. Improve Page Loading Speed: Optimize images and minimize unnecessary elements to improve page load times.
11. Link to Reliable Sources: Include outbound links to reputable sources that support the information in your content.
12. Use Internal Links: Link to other relevant pages on your website to enhance navigation and improve SEO.
13. Utilize Call-to-Action (CTA): Encourage readers to take action by including clear and relevant CTAs.
14. Write for Readability: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and concise sentences to make your content easy to read.
15. Diversify Anchor Text: Use a variety of anchor text when linking to other pages to avoid over-optimization.
16. Consider Voice Search: Optimize for voice search by using conversational language and answering common questions.
17. Monitor Keyword Rankings: Keep track of how your target keywords are performing in search results and adjust your content strategy accordingly.
18. Regularly Update Content: Keep your content fresh and up-to-date, especially for topics that evolve over time.
19. Encourage Social Sharing: Include social media buttons to make it easy for readers to share your content.
20. Analyze and Improve: Use analytics tools to measure the performance of your content and make data-driven improvements.

You can create SEO content that not only attracts search engine traffic but also engages and satisfies your audience, ultimately contributing to the success of your website and business.

Remember, providing value and relevance to your readers should always be at the forefront of your content creation efforts.

What different sources can you use to write SEO content regularly?

Generating SEO content regularly requires a diverse range of sources to keep your content fresh, relevant, and engaging for your target audience.

Let’s explore some different sources that can help you consistently create valuable SEO content:

1. Reddit:

• Reddit is a social platform with various niche-specific communities (subreddits) where people share information and discuss topics of interest.
• Explore relevant subreddits related to your industry or niche to understand the questions, concerns, and trending topics that your audience is discussing.
• Use these insights to create blog posts, FAQs, or how-to guides that address the needs and interests of the Reddit community.

2. LinkedIn:

• LinkedIn is a professional networking platform where industry experts, businesses, and professionals share knowledge and insights.
• Engage with LinkedIn groups related to your niche to discover popular discussions and emerging trends.
• Write articles on LinkedIn Publisher or create blog posts based on the topics that resonate with the LinkedIn audience.

3. News Publications:

• Keep an eye on reputable news publications in your industry or general news outlets to stay updated on the latest trends and developments.
• Create SEO content that provides insights, analysis, or commentary on breaking news or trending topics relevant to your target audience.

4. Google Trends:

• Google Trends is a powerful tool that shows the popularity of search terms over time.
• Monitor trending topics and search queries related to your industry to create timely SEO content that aligns with current interests.

5. Niche Blogs:

• Identify popular blogs and websites within your niche that have an active readership.
• Guest post on these blogs or collaborate with their authors to expand your reach and showcase your expertise.

6. Industry Forums:

• Participate in forums and discussion boards dedicated to your industry to understand the pain points and interests of your target audience.
• Use these insights to create search engine content that addresses common questions and provides solutions.

7. Social Media:

• Monitor conversations and trending topics on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
• Create content that reflects the interests and preferences of your social media followers.

8. Customer Feedback:

• Pay attention to feedback and reviews from your customers.
• Use their comments and suggestions to create content that directly addresses their needs and concerns.

9. Q&A Platforms:

• Platforms like Quora and Yahoo! Answers are goldmines for understanding what questions people have in your niche.
• Write blog posts, guides, or videos that answer these questions comprehensively.

10. YouTube:

• Explore YouTube to see what type of content is popular in your industry.
• Consider creating videos or incorporating video elements into your blog posts.

11. Industry Reports and Studies:

• Refer to industry reports, research papers, and studies conducted by authoritative organizations.
• Use data from these reports to support your content and provide valuable insights to your audience.

12. Customer Surveys and Polls:

• Conduct surveys or polls to gather feedback and opinions from your audience.
• Use the survey results to create content that addresses the specific needs and preferences of your customers.

13. Webinars and Conferences:

• Attend webinars, conferences, and industry events to stay updated on the latest trends and innovations.
• Summarize key takeaways and insights from these events in your content.

14. Keyword Research Tools:

• Use keyword research tools like Google’s Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or SEMrush to identify relevant keywords and topics.
• Create content around these keywords to optimize for search engines.

15. Customer Support Interactions:

• Review customer support interactions to understand the common problems and challenges your customers face.
• Develop content that provides solutions and offers proactive support.

16. Trending Hashtags:

• Keep an eye on trending hashtags on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
• Use popular hashtags in your content to increase its visibility and reach a broader audience.

17. Influencers and Thought Leaders:

• Follow influencers and thought leaders in your industry to see what topics they are discussing.
• Engage with their content and create your own content to contribute to the ongoing conversation.

18. Email Subscribers:

• Leverage your email subscriber list to gather feedback and suggestions from your most engaged audience.
• Use this feedback to create personalized and valuable content.

19. Customer Stories and Testimonials:

• Showcase success stories and testimonials from satisfied customers.
• Use these stories to create content that highlights the benefits and value of your products or services.

20. Competitor Analysis:

• Analyze the content strategies of your competitors to identify gaps and opportunities.
• Create unique and innovative content that sets you apart from your competitors.

You have read about what is SEO content, how to implement an SEO content writing strategy and how to come up with great SEO content writing ideas.

Creating SEO content is not as tough as it might sound in the beginning.

All you have to do is stick to your core topic and concentrate on quality.