7 Tips for Writing SEO Content That Ranks High on Search Engines

According to 2022 data from firstpage.com, ranking #1 generates about a CTR of 39.6%, which is more than twice the CTR for the 2nd position, 18.4%, and about 4x the CTR for the 3rd position, 10.1%.

If your site doesn't appear on the first page of Google, there are low chances that searchers will find your website organically. Low traffic means fewer opportunities to generate leads and, ultimately, revenue.

Instead of spending money advertising your site, try these 7 SEO writing tips to help you write content that ranks highly on search engines and appeals to searchers.

1- Write Clear, SEO-Friendly Headlines

Clear and SEO-optimized headlines and subheadings help Google website crawlers comprehend your article and its sections.?

Google crawlers are like readers skimming your article.?

Every subheading should give the user some crucial information about the section. Thus, your H1 must help them understand what your article covers. H2s and H3s should break down the topics within a piece.

You should also include a high-intent keyword relevant to the main heading. Including relevant keywords in your headings increases your chances of ranking high on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Compelling headlines are concise. Don't be mysterious; the reader wants to know what they are getting from a section.

Moreover, make your headline conversational and about 50 to 60 characters.

2- Write for Your Audience, not for Search Engines.

Another way to help your article rank on the first page of Google is by writing high-quality content for your readers.

High-quality content answers readers' questions within the first sentence of the relevant header and has scannable sections and visual aids.

Before you write your article, understand your readers' personas, motivations, interests, and challenges. Such information will help you address their pain points clearly and give them valuable solutions.

Use a tool like AnswerThePublic to find frequently asked questions and phrases related to your keyword. AnswerthePublic searches the internet for reader questions about your topic.

Another tool you can use is Semrush. Semrush helps you find your readers' interests by offering a wide range of related topics, popular article titles, and questions people ask about your primary keyword and related topics.

3- Incorporate Relevant Keywords Naturally into Your Content

To have an edge over your competitors, you need to use specific keywords your potential readers are searching for.

Use SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner, Infinite Suggest, and Ahrefs to find what readers are looking for and how popular the keywords are.

Google Trends can also tell you all trending keywords. Avoid using keywords with declining searches,

While keywords help rank your content on Google, use them sparingly. Optimizing your page by discovering natural fits for keyword additions is the goal.?

Too many keywords will make Google think your page is spam. The rule of thumb is to use a keyword once every 200 words.

4- Aim for Long, Quality, and Scannable Content

Google prefers long content (at least 2,000 words) to short content, as it gives it more clues about your article.?

Furthermore, long articles are more likely to lead to more social shares, influencing ranking factors and leading to higher placement.

They are also more likely to generate quality backlinks, which affect ranking factors.

While short articles are considered thin content, long blog posts have more information and appear more relevant and valuable.

Long-quality articles also mean that readers will spend more time on your page. More dwell time tells Google that your page provides users with what they are looking for and is worth spending more time on.

While a lengthy article may overwhelm your readers, breaking it down into scannable bits is excellent. You can make your long content scannable by:

• Writing short sentences.
• Making your paragraph short. One paragraph, one idea.
• Using bullet points, tables, and images.
• Highlighting critical ideas with bold fonts.

5- Link to High-Quality Sites

Linking your content to high-quality sites helps:

• Search engines understand the origin of your content.
• Google understands that your content is authentic and that you have done deep research on valuable sites.
• You create a plausible and concrete argument to win your readers' trust.
• Your readers need additional sources to expand their knowledge.

Ensure you only link to sites with similar content to the topic you are writing about.

The actual piece of text you transform into a hyperlink is anchor text. Your anchor text should contextually match the content you are linking to.

Another successful SEO strategy is closing out with a call-to-action and a link to your client's contact page.

6- Craft an SEO-Friendly Meta Description

A meta description summarizes your article in 160 words (usually 2-3 sentences). It is found underneath the title of a Google result.

While meta descriptions don't directly influence rankings, they can influence whether a user clicks on your article.

Google may even bold the target keyword in the meta description, making your snippet stand out to internet users.

Including one or two keywords in your meta description signals to users that your page covers a topic they want to learn about.

Also, write your meta description in the active voice, which helps you save characters and clearly communicate your intended message.

Using call-to-action phrases in your meta description may also compel a user to click on your page. Call-to-action phrases include "try for free," "download now," etc.

7- Optimize Your Content for Featured Snippets

Featured snippets are the most straightforward answers to queries.

For instance, if you Google "how to write a meta description," Google will use a featured snippet to show you the most relevant answer.?

Featured snippets can be an unordered list, an ordered list, a table, or a video.

To earn a featured snippet on Google, you must answer the question thoroughly and succinctly.?

For example, if the search item is "how to take a screenshot on Windows," you can use the search item as an H1 or H2, followed by the steps in a numbered list. It would be great to start every step with an actionable verb like "click," "select," etc.

Also, ensure you include part of the search item in your answer. For example, here are the steps to take a screenshot on Windows.

Conclusion

Writing content that appeals to search engines and users is challenging. Try the above SEO writing tips to draw significant traffic to your site.