What is SEO content writing?
According to Google,
75% of internet users do not click past the first page of search results.
It is said that from the second page, it is the best secret hiding place that
no one will go looking for. So what does SEO
content writing refer to? SEO web writing improves the positioning of a
website in Google results, increases long-term visibility and attracts
qualified traffic. But not only! In this article, I will help you see it more
clearly. 💡
Contents show
SEO content writing: definition and steps
Write
SEO content primarily for Internet users
Whether
you are a young entrepreneur or the head of a large company, there is little
chance that you will escape content marketing, which has become an essential
activity for all businesses.
Writing SEO content means creating quality
texts optimized for search engine robots, but above all for users (understand:
Internet users)!
Every day,
billions of robots (Google bots)
visit the pages of websites around the world.
Their mission?
Explore the web, identify and index the most relevant information to put before
the eyes of readers.
Among the SEO content analyzed on the web by Google Spiders, we list:
Blog posts;
Product sheets;
Infographics; video;
The different web pages of a site;
and any other SEO-friendly content.
A site with
quality SEO editorial content has
every chance of being well positioned in search results. In the long term, the
site sees its traffic increase and attract qualified prospects.
However,
finding the right words is not enough. The main steps for writing SEO content
Writing SEO content cannot be improvised! Several steps are necessary to write
an effective SEO text:
✦ Define a customer avatar (a fictional character that
represents your ideal customer);
Create a relevant content strategy and
its editorial calendar upstream;
✦ Choose the main key phrase sought by your target
customers, but not too competitive;
✦ Analyse what the competition is already doing (to do
better);
✦ Determine the secondary queries and the semantic
field;
✦ Write your article by responding to the search intent
of the Internet user;
✦ Write a title that makes you want to know more;
✦ Structure your text with title tags;
✦ Fill in the ALT attribute of your images;
✦ Insert internal, incoming and outgoing links;
✦ Evaluate SEO
impact.
But then,
what does SEO refer to and what are the specificities of web writing?
SEO to appear in the first search
results
Definition of SEO
SEO, also called natural referencing,
means in English “Search Engine
Organization”. The goal of this web practice is to place a site on the
first page of Google through a number of SEO
techniques.
❗ be careful, do not confuse unpaid
natural search results with sponsored links (paid advertising). Indeed, these
are displayed in the upper part of the page with the mention “Ad”.
In reality,
SEO activates 3 inseparable levers:
Technique: HTML code, site speed, responsive design, web design, etc.
Textual content (SEO content writing): generic
keywords, long-tail keywords, a rich and varied semantic field, Hen titles and
subtitles, the ALT attribute of images, internal linking, link anchors, Meta
description, etc.
External
marketing links: backlinks for the popularity of the site.
The
importance of choosing the right keywords
Editorial content is a very important ingredient in
SEO. Keep in mind that choosing the best keywords attracts the right people to
your website. Yes, because what is the point of publishing content if it cannot
be found on the web? But do not expect to gain visibility on the web and
satisfy users by inserting random keywords, a bit like throwing a bottle into
the sea!
Before writing SEO content, it is essential to discover the key
phrases typed, and therefore searched for, by your target customers in the Google search bar. Free or paid online
tools can help you with this. In addition, your SEO text must respond precisely
to the search intent of the user.
Three types
of search intentions are to be known in SEO content writing in order to offer
the best experience to users:
☆ Informational
research: the user searches for information on a subject.
☆ Browsing
search: the user searches for a particular product, site or brand.
☆ Commercial
research: the user is very interested in a product/service. He inquires.
☆ Transactional
research: the user decides to buy the product or service.
For example,
the transactional key query: “Buy a bouquet of eco-responsible dried flowers
from Angers centre” is said to be long-tail. The long tail contains several
specific words less searched by Internet users, often less competitive, but
which convert better. You will notice that a local keyword is inserted into the
example due to an ever-increasing number of internet users who prefer a local
business. Obviously, the accumulation of keywords is to be avoided in SEO
content writing (1 page = 1 keyword). Be subtle in your dosage and Google will
reward you!
Powerful
enough, Google bots establish a
direct relationship between keywords and the consistency of the content they
deem useful or not. It's no secret that the search engine selects the best web
pages to highlight.
How to understand web writing?
By being a
communication lever in its own right, web writing makes it possible to present
and publicize your activity, your products or your services to a well-defined
target. But it also aims to educate, entertain or question through a blog, for
example.
Writing for
the web means immersing yourself in the entire universe of your company, your
activity. This justifies that you define a target audience as well as a logical
and singular editorial line.
In terms of
writing blog articles, for example, ask yourself what are the most sought-after
topics by the target, the least discussed themes, and above all how to breathe
a breath of originality? What is the preferred angle of attack? Only then does
the creation phase come into play: producing unique texts with high added value
based on reliable sources. Studying the competition will allow you to situate
yourself and bring a touch of differentiation.
If there was
only one golden rule to remember when writing
SEO content, what would it be? Knowing how to put yourself in the shoes of
your readership. In other words, show empathy. Take the reader where he wants.
Responding to the search intention of the Internet user means keeping the promise
to provide solutions adapted to his request (and to increase the conversion
rates on your site).
Because they
are intended to be read on screen, your content must be structured, easily
accessible and clear. The titles are attractive, the sentences are short and
straight to the point. Indeed, web writing has nothing to do with literature!
Of course, this does not detract from the fact that web writing takes into
account the rules of the French language: impeccable spelling, respected
typography, correct syntax, dense vocabulary, numerous synonyms, etc.
The use of
writing techniques
Web writing
quite often uses writing techniques such as:
1 Copywriting or “the art of selling with words”, is a subtle technique of persuasion that uses human
psychology. Today, more and more companies are turning to ethical and authentic
copywriting that respects the values of its clients.
2 Storytelling is a real or fictional
story that appeals to emotion and the imagination. Ideal for developing a
strong bond with your audience.
However, the
codes and the objectives are different! These are certainly writing methods
that are annexed to that of web writing, but which require practice
before acquiring a solid foundation.
If you have
followed closely, you should realize that web
writing and natural referencing form
a very interesting combo: SEO writing.
Besides, I invite you to read the sequel without further delay.
