SEO will be dead. The bots are comin’, so SEO writing is gonna revolve around low-quality, spammy content creation. Or will it? If AI kills SEO, Google’s business is doomed.
What we know for sure is that SEO content writing is as relevant today as it was ten years ago. It may change forms and involve different toolsets, but as long as SEO works to help brands get visibility in Google, SEO writing will work.
In this article, I’ll share six simple steps to help you get started to write for SEO. But let’s start with the basics first.
What is SEO Writing?
SEO writing is a technique to write content that enhances the ranking of websites on search engines. It entails incorporating keywords, crafting compelling content, and adhering to search engine criteria. This content marketing approach can potentially increase the organic traffic to a business’s website.
Why is SEO Writing Important?
It’s crucial for enhancing a website’s online presence and increasing the chances of generating greater revenue and brand recognition. It involves creating engaging and pertinent content that satisfies the requirements of both users and search engines. In other words, understanding SEO writing is important if you want Google to actually show your content.
What Are SEO Writing Skills?
SEO writing skills include:
- Targeted keyword research
- Understanding user intent
- Research-backed, high-quality content creation
- Natural target keyword integration
- Meta tags optimization
- Descriptive heading writing
- Robust formatting and readability
Additionally, knowledge of SEO guidelines and staying updated on search engine algorithms are helpful for SEO. In fact, you can learn a lot about writing for SEO from search engine guidelines alone.
Beyond that, there isn’t a huge difference between SEO writing skills and freelance writing skills.
Is SEO Writing in Demand?
SEO writing continues to be highly sought after by businesses and websites looking to enhance their online presence and attract more organic traffic. High-quality content that is optimized for search engines plays a crucial role in digital marketing success, making writing for SEO an invaluable skill in today’s digital age.
What Are SEO Keywords?
SEO keywords are words or phrases that people use when searching on search engines such as Google. These keywords are strategically added to website content to improve its visibility in search results. Choosing the right keywords is essential to attract the right audience to a website.
How Many Keywords Should You Focus on Per Page?
On a page, you should ideally target only one primary keyword and maybe a couple of related keywords. All of them need to be focused on one topic. Trying to target more keywords than that can crowd your meta description, titles, subheadlines, etc. A focused approach helps search engines understand the page’s topic and purpose better.
Is AI Writing Good for SEO?
Google has recently changed its stance on using AI for SEO writing from being a strict “no” to being acceptable as long as it’s helpful for the reader.
it’s important to recognize that not all use of automation, including AI generation, is spam. Automation has long been used to generate helpful content, such as sports scores, weather forecasts, and transcripts. AI has the ability to power new levels of expression and creativity, and to serve as a critical tool to help people create great content for the web.
Google Search’s guidance about AI-generated content
However, it does expect the content to be high-quality, which often means doing more than having ChatGPT churn out content.
Additionally, Google recommends that creators of AI-generated content be transparent about the fact that it is AI-generated.
6 Simple Steps to Create Solid SEO Content
Now that we have some of the basics covered, let’s take a look at how to actually create content for SEO.
1. Spend Some Time Finding the Right Keyword or Phrase
Effective content creation begins with selecting the right keywords. If you fail to get the target keyword selection right, then all the following steps will be futile.
You can use tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find relevant keywords for your content. Focus on keywords that have a substantial search volume and take into account their level of competitiveness and relevance to your topic. Here’s what the keyword information on Ahrefs looked like for “SEO writing:”
Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific and can be an excellent way to target a niche audience effectively. However, they generally have less traffic. Not all long-tail keywords are worth dedicating an entire article to.
2. Analyze SERPs and Study the Search Intent
Before you start writing, it’s crucial to understand the user’s search intent. In other words, you need to know what the target audience is looking for when they type in a particular keyword. Your goal is to write content that answers the user’s query and not just irrelevant information.
Once you’ve selected your keyword, it’s essential to examine the search engine results pages (SERPs) for that keyword. This examination will help you understand the type of content that ranks at the top and the user’s intent behind their search. Are they looking for information, products, reviews, or something else?
The “People also ask” section can be very helpful, as it lets you know some common questions people are asking about your keyword. You can see how I incorporated the information provided in the SERPs into this article:
To cater to the user’s intent, you should tailor your content accordingly. Your content should match the user’s intent behind their search, whether it’s informative, product-related, or review-based. This approach will help you create content that is more relevant and useful to your target audience.
3. Research, Outline, Research Some More, AND Draft
Conducting research is a crucial aspect of writing for SEO. Your primary objective is not only to provide users with the information they’re looking for but also to ensure that it is accurate. For this, you should collect reliable sources and data to support your arguments and claims.
Once your research is complete, creating an outline for your article can help organize your thoughts and make sure you cover all the critical points discovered during research.
Here’s what the outline looked like for this article:
With your outline in place, you can proceed to write your first draft. Keep in mind that web users prefer content that delivers quick time-to-value. Aim to address their queries directly and succinctly. A brief and engaging introduction, coupled with concise content that gets straight to the point, can significantly improve user engagement.
While writing your draft, it’s possible that you may encounter gaps that require additional research to fill in the missing information.
4. Write for Humans (Reading on The Web) First
Yes, SEO content is designed for search engines. But it isn’t search engines that are reading your content – it’s people! Therefore, you need to write for people first.
Readers tend to fall into two categories: those who will read every word of your article and those who will only skim your article.
According to the Neilsen Normal Group, skimmers commonly read content in an F-shaped pattern. Readers start with a horizontal movement across the top of the page, followed by a vertical movement down the left side of the page. People then scan the rest of the page in a zigzag pattern.
Create content that is easy for users to consume and engage with. This includes using scannable text and incorporating bullet points, subheadings, and visual elements that break up the content and make it visually appealing. Google and people like multimedia, and original images are very welcome.
I’ve successfully improved an article’s ranking from 51st to 1st overnight (literally) just by adding in some more original images. In my experience, the more original images, the better. You should look at your competitors and aim to have more original images than them.
5. Weave Keywords and Ensure Stellar On-Page SEO
To improve your content, you can use tools like Surfer SEO or Clearscope to identify related subtopics and phrases that you should include naturally within your content. Although these services require additional costs, they can help you identify topics you may have missed.
Here’s a Surfer SEO content editor report for this specific article, targeting the subject “SEO writing.” You can see the keyword suggestions it makes on the right side:
If you missed a phrase, it’s possible that you missed a subtopic. You can check the context of how the keyword or phrase was utilized by visiting competing articles and doing something similar if it’s relevant to your article.
However, not all keywords will be relevant, so use your best judgment and remember that you’re smarter than any AI tool.
In addition, it’s good practice to include relevant internal links that connect to other pages on your website, which improves user navigation. Pay close attention to on-page SEO elements, such as optimizing the URL slug, crafting an effective meta description, and creating a compelling title tag that features the chosen keyword.
On WordPress, you can use a free plugin like RankMath to complete the on page elements of a page.
It’s easy to overlook these elements, but they are a key part of the SEO writing process, just like your target keywords. Spend just as much time crafting title tags as you put into any other part of the process.
You can also use alt image tags to accurately describe images for both accessibility and SEO purposes.
6. Stay Patient, Promote, and Iterate Content
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a continuous process that requires patience. It’s not something that happens overnight. Sometimes, even if you’re doing everything right, Google’s response to your efforts may fluctuate. This is particularly true when your website is new. You may feel like you’re making progress, only to suddenly find that you’re not.
Alongside SEO, proactive content promotion is essential. Share your content across various channels, including social media, email marketing, and other online platforms.
But the Achilles heel of most SEO campaigns is backlinks. Google considers links from other websites as votes. And you need to get more votes pointed to your website to
When fine-tuning your content, you should rely on analytical tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Ahrefs. These tools can help you track what’s working and what’s not, allowing you to adjust your strategy accordingly.
Integrating the keywords you’re already ranking for into your content can help solidify your position. You can also optimize for featured snippets to attract even more traffic as you rank higher.
Regularly updating your content is critical. Your content can quickly become outdated as new competition arises and user intent changes. By regularly refreshing your content, you can ensure it remains relevant and competitive in the constantly evolving SEO landscape.
5 SEO Tactics From 2010 You Can Avoid
While there are many tactics you should use, many SEO copywriting tactics are outdated and potentially harmful to site search engine rankings today. SEO copywriters should avoid the following:
1. Stuffing or Forcing Keywords
In the past, keyword stuffing was a common practice. However, this technique is no longer effective and may even harm your site’s ranking.
Therefore, instead of stuffing your content with irrelevant keywords, focus on natural and meaningful integration to provide a better user experience. This approach will help SEO copywriters avoid penalties from search engines and improve the quality of their content.
2. Always Using Exact Match Anchor Text in Internal Links
Internal linking is vital, but that doesn’t mean you should use exact match anchor text everywhere. In fact, this can potentially harm your SEO efforts. A Zyppy study of 23M internal links demonstrates that varied anchor text for internal links can be more effective.
Here’s a quick graph on how Google Clicks increased when the text for internal links was varied:
So go for diversification in the usage of anchor text while internally linking to an article. That’s, of course, after you’ve used it exactly a few times.
3. Using LSI Keywords (Hint: It’s All About Topical Coverage Now!)
Once upon a time, Google used LSI keywords to rank content. Today, it is all about comprehensive topic coverage. In 2024, search engines prioritize content that demonstrates topical authority across your website. Building content clusters around relevant topics and related keywords can help you rank higher and attract a broader audience.
As late Bill Slawski wrote:
Google is likely looking for synonyms and semantically related words on pages. That doesn’t mean that using some toolmakers tools that use the initialism LSI in their tools name will help pages rank higher in search results.
– Bill Slawski at SEO by the Sea
In other words, while Google looks for related keywords, that doesn’t mean LSI keywords help you rank.
4. Length for Length’s Sake
Simply creating long content for the sake of it being long is no longer helpful. AI-generated content has changed the game, and what matters more now is the quality of the content. Anyone can have AI sprew out a huge chunk of text, but not everyone can write well.
5. Publish MORE Content Without Quality Checks
In today’s saturated digital landscape, the old saying “more is better” does not hold true anymore. It is essential to focus on producing high-quality pieces — that meet documented quality guidelines — rather than churning out copious amounts of content.
In order to make your content stand out in an intensely competitive environment, it is important to conduct documented quality checks. This will ensure that your content is of high quality and will help it stand out from the crowd.
5 Advanced SEO Writing Tips to Make You a Pro
If you’re ready to move onto more advanced SEO copywriting tactics, try these:
1. What You Write on Is Much More Important Than How
In today’s SEO landscape, it’s not just about how you write but what you write about. Of course, your content needs to be readable, but you should spend far more time focusing on the sorts of keywords you’re writing about.
Keep in mind that Google’s evolving search experience, especially when out of beta, prioritizes providing users with direct answers to their queries. To excel in this environment, it’s crucial to research and understand what your ideal customers are asking and to provide clear and valuable answers.
While you’d imagine that Google’s generative search experience would be a killer for SEO, Eli Schwartz thinks differently. According to a recent newsletter, he writes: “Generative results in search mean that SEO moves from the top of the funnel to mid-funnel. Instead of targeting keywords with the most search volume to hopefully peel off the maximum amount of clicks, SEO efforts will need to be more deliberate to target the right users with the right keywords.”
In other words, users will get the very basic info content they need from Google. However, once they’re ready to convert, they’ll head to websites. This may actually increase conversion rates.
2. Forget 10x or Skyscraper Content — Just Focus on Being Different
Instead of overdone skyscraper content or other tactics, just focus on standing out. Infuse your content with your own personal touch so that people feel like you’re a real person. Share your own experiences, inject humor where appropriate, and create a unique voice for your website.
In the days of AI, this step is even more vital.
3. Nail The Right Structure (Google Often Rewards Boring Content…)
While it’s important to have a unique voice in your writing, it’s also crucial that you keep your structure simple and straightforward. Being too unconventional with your writing structure can hurt your chances of ranking well on search engines.
Google and other search engines tend to reward content that is well-organized, easy for beginners to understand, and provides useful information. Therefore, it’s important to embrace structured writing, maintain clarity, and always stay relevant in your content. This aligns with Google’s preference for content that helps its users, as demonstrated by the “helpful content update.”
4. Leverage AI Tools for Research, Proofing, and Even Some Writing…
In today’s age of technology, utilizing AI tools can be a smart way to enhance your writing process. These tools are capable of generating keyword ideas, crafting compelling headlines, and even finding unique research papers and evidence that can help you authenticate your content.
Personally, I use AI for research regularly, especially when I’m facing difficulty in finding relevant studies through regular means.
Consensus is a great AI app for finding relevant research papers on your subject that can share unique and insightful info on a topic — not available elsewhere.
Another great way to enhance the quality of your content is by using proofreading tools such as Grammarly (here’s our Grammarly review you can consider reading). Having used it for years, I can confidently recommend it. While it’s not always perfect, it’s still one of the best grammar tools to provide a life of defense against errors.
To make your writing more engaging and interesting, you can also add a touch of personality and flair using prompts from chatGPT. If you find your writing becoming monotonous, consider using AI to add a unique flavor to it.
5. Build Your Author Reputation
If there is one concept you need to know about, it’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). It last year got an upgrade from E-A-T to E-E-A-T — the extra E for experience. While any niche can benefit from optimizing for E-E-A-T, this is particularly important for Your Money or Your Life (YMYL) niches.
You should have an author page on your website like ours. If you’re having a freelance writer create content for you, you can still do the same.
Do mention the credentials of the author or the places where the author has been published or mentioned.
You should also actively seek mentions, interviews, and opportunities to become a published content writer in your niche. Building your reputation enhances your content’s credibility and trustworthiness. Google cares just as much about the author as it does the website.
Final Thoughts
SEO writing is one of my favorite types of web content. It’s a mixture between pure analytical tactics and creative writing. You have to shape your content to meet certain guidelines and maximize efficiency while also making your content readable and interesting.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s hard. But there is something very satisfying about crafting a piece of content that reads great and ranks well.
