10 Tips to Help You Learn SEO Content Writing (for the Non-Writer)
Feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of having to learn SEO content writing to improve your website’s content?
You are not alone! Writing content is actually one of the top “pains” we hear our clients talk about. In fact, one specific client recently shared that writing content for their new website design was the hardest part of launching the new website.
If you feel you need to learn SEO content writing but find yourself at a loss for words, these ten tips, compiled by our team of experienced content writers, will help. We encourage you to try these simple SEO writing tips to craft the best content for your company – even if you aren’t a writer at heart.
1. Write Anything – It Won’t Be Perfect the 1st Time Around
You’re staring at a blank screen, wondering what on earth you should write about your company?
How do you tell the world (or your neighbourhood) that your team is the best in the business, the one that people can count on?
How can the text ensure your website will appear on page one on the search engines – or even better – rank within the top 3 spots?
You want to learn SEO content writing but it feels daunting and the pressure builds.
Don’t let it.
Just start writing. Write the words that pop into your mind when you think of your business:
- Write why you got into this line of work in the first place.
- Write what you would like your customers to say about your company.
- Or write what your mom or others would say about your work!
Write in bullet points or use run-on sentences. Put down one word at a time. Or write really, long, rambling, covering-all-sorts-of-topics paragraphs that you’d never want anyone to read.
Gradually the words will come and you should start to settle into it, maybe even see a pattern develop. Relax and let the text flow. There’s plenty of time to edit and make it into great website content later.
2. Listen First, Write Your New SEO Content Second
Have a notebook handy or a file on your phone so you can jot down ideas whenever they pop into your head.
There’s a wealth of things you can write about. And it’s not just up to you to come up with the ideas. Try these ideas out on how to listen for new SEO content inspiration:
- Ask clients why they shop at your business. Was it easy for them to find what they needed on your website?
- Ask your team to review the company website to see if anything’s missing. Do they have any suggestions for what should be added, changed, revised, or reworked? What have they heard from customers that could go on your website?
- Ask someone who’s not familiar with your sector to have a look at your homepage. Do they easily understand what your business is all about? No? Great opportunity to rewrite some sections in plainer terms or create new sections altogether! Then ask them if it’s easier to follow.
- Ask a peer in your field if they could do a quick read-through. Do they feel it’s not detailed enough? Excellent feedback – time to beef up the secondary content on your website, particularly on the sub-pages (“child” pages), add more links to sites with quality content, or include some PDFs with sector specific info.
You don’t need to learn SEO content writing to get started. Simply ask questions and listen with an open mind to the feedback. Then start to fill in the gaps, revise or write the content to make it the best content you can.
BONUS TIP: Don’t forget the wealth of knowledge hidden within your client reviews!
Positive responses are great (feels darn good, eh?) but it’s often the negative comments that can give you the most inspiration of what to write – it’s a problem to solve and you have the answer (it’s just not on your website… yet)!
3. Write Even When You Have Writer’s Block
This is a really important tip when it comes to learning SEO content writing. You know your website content needs work. You know that your “Services” page is lacklustre, or that the “About Us” section puts you to sleep. But, if you feel you just don’t have it in you to rewrite them today…
Wrong.
Write anyway.
Write when you’re tired. When you don’t feel inspired or when you want to put it off for another day.
Just write.
Let it flow by starting to write what you know.
Write what the last client said about your team’s work and then a brief profile of the job you did for them. Write what you can do for other companies like them.
Write about what your CEO thinks are the most exciting challenges that your sector is tackling right now.
Still struggling?
Check out our article with 3 simple ways to improve your SEO content writing or simply look for inspiration online so you can learn SEO content writing from the experts – anything that will help to get the energy flowing.
Do a quick search on tips for writing great SEO content such as this inspiring article: SEO Writing: Top 42 Tips To Master A Combined Art by Search Engine Journal.
But most of all… just write.
It can be tough to start, but like any exercise that you do, it does get easier.
Promise.
4. Write When You’re Super Pumped
Just finished a dynamic webinar on the latest technology that your company will be implementing soon?
Write a short summary while you’re still feeling psyched about it.
Include all the excitement that you feel, optimism for its potential, how it’s going to make things easier for your team, or how it will improve your service for customers.
Just returned from a job site where you spent the day with a client who’s thrilled with your company’s work?
Take 15 minutes to write down everything they said, what a difference it’s made for their work, how much more effective they are.
This all makes great content for a blog post or customer profile page.
And the energy that flows through in your writing when you’re super pumped is felt by your clients and prospects when they visit your site.
5. Write Without Thinking About SEO
You may feel the need to learn SEO content writing but don’t overthink it. The ultimate goal is to write without thinking about SEO.
Yes, it’s true, Keywords are important, but they should really be where you start. The journey is about how you feel about what you are writing.
Look up the top keywords in your sector often as they can change frequently.
Then forget about them when you start writing.
Trying to write with the focus solely on keywords can make for some seriously dull content.
For example, a construction company intent on achieving a top ranking might do a search on “popular keywords for construction” and find the following as their “Top 10” to work with:
- building
- contractor
- builder
- construction companies
- remodeling
- construction management
- general contractor
- building construction
- construction worker
- construction materials
Determined to rank number one, their homepage content might read:
“Looking for a building contractor? We’re an experienced builder, one of the oldest construction companies in ABC town, experienced in remodeling and construction management. We are a general contractor with years of building construction experience, and have a dedicated team of construction workers working with the most advanced construction materials.”
It reads well, has the top keywords, and flows right along, thanks to a talented and experienced writer (yours truly). It’s technically a great SEO sandwich… all the ingredients are stacked on top of each other in an easy-to-digest format….but…
It can come across as bland. Boilerplate.
And there can be consequences, like banning for spamming or “Keyword stuffing.”
Keyword spamming is technically “stuffing a page with keywords that are out of context or have no relation to the body content” (SEOWorks.com)
It’s content that is written with the purpose of manipulating search engine results.
The solution?
Just write naturally, forget about your SEO keywords as you draft the content.
Try to keep them in the back of your mind as you write, drawing on them when and where they would genuinely fit in the content.
That’s the key.
6. Write Like You Would Talk to a Potential Client
Well, not exactly.
Ummms, you know, errr – that doesn’t work. Don’t write about the weather or what you did on the weekend. And skip updates on your local sports team.
But other than that, write like you’re speaking with a potential client about what you have to offer.
Keep it simple. We rarely use technical words in a casual conversation so why would you feel that you need to include them in your website content?
Write naturally, using words you would normally use, in a style and flow that is easy to read.
It’s ok to be an authoritative voice – after all, people are coming to you for your expertise and experience.
But be sure to be approachable. We all love to connect with someone who is easy to talk with and open to sharing their knowledge in a friendly, approachable way.
Strive to be that person when you’re writing online content.
It’ll work wonders.
7. Write Once. Edit Twice… or More
As mentioned above, you want your copy to be clear and easy to read. That takes time and effort to do – and it’s not just about writing clearly.
Learning SEO content writing is more about being a ruthless editor.
Not everything you write should be kept. For example:
- Eliminate extra words.
- Start with cutting down on the adjectives – do you really need two descriptors when one will do?
- Pare down long sentences. Then trim them again.
- Break up run-on paragraphs into succinct sections.
- Use plain language, words that you use every day.
- Add headings to make your content easier to skim.
- Use bullet points and lists, but sparingly.
And there’s one thing that you must always do, no matter if it’s your first time writing content or your 1000th time.
Check your spelling and grammar.
No excuses.
Misspellings detract from your credibility. And poor grammar makes your company look unprofessional. Both of these factors can negatively impact your SEO ranking.
So take the time to edit your text and ensure the copy is free of spelling errors and grammar mistakes before you publish.
8. Learn to Write SEO Content that is Wide and Deep
Writing great SEO content varies from one page of your website to another.
Homepage Content:
For your homepage you’ll want to keep it broad and light and briefly describe all the important products and services you offer. It needs to be appealing to a variety of viewers with the intent to engage them as long as possible and get them clicking on links, downloading PDFs, and checking out other pages.
Service Content Pages:
Writing content for the sub-pages can be a different craft. It’s your chance to be a little more industry-specific with your terminology, assuming that the user who gets to this stage is wanting to learn more in-depth information. Each page should have its own unique theme or topic.
Blog Articles:
Typically longer in length, writing blog content should cover a wide range of topics. These may not necessarily fit anywhere else on your website but it is required to build your authority with the Search Engines and help answer your potential customers’ questions. See point number 9 for more on blogs.
Should your writing style change from page to page? Yes. And no.
Yes, the vocabulary can slightly change as you move to sub-pages. The style might become a little more technical.
But no matter what the level of the page is, always, always, always make sure the content is written so that it is crisp, clear, and clean.
9. Write SEO Content that is Long & Short
Quality content is key for SEO ranking but often equally as important is the length of the text.
The more the better (in some cases).
Like the blog post that you’re reading right now. It’s roughly 2000 words (well-crafted and highly engaging words, we hope!).
Blogs are an excellent means of boosting the quality of your SEO content. If they’re written well and incorporate various SEO strategies, then they can give you more chances of moving up the ranks in search engines.
And blogs are a great place for sharing content that might not naturally fit in other sections of your website … a catchall of subjects that your users and customers are interested in learning more about.
Learning to write longer SEO blog content really is about playing the odds.
The more words that are well written, authentic, clear and authoritative in your blog post, for example, increases the chance that you are going to tap into the ideal combination of keywords and boost your ranking.
Fewer words can also serve the purpose if they’re in line with the latest algorithm.
But don’t be a gambler. Don’t crank out copy for the sake of filling the page in hopes of improving the odds of moving up the SEO ranks.
Always remember: Quality first. Length second.
10. Don’t Write – Hire Professional SEO Content Writers
With nine great tips on how to learn SEO content writing, this last one needs to be said.
If you truly hate the prospect of writing content or find that you simply don’t want to do it, don’t do it.
If it makes you break out into a cold sweat complete with clammy hands, it’s not worth it.
Hire a professional SEO content writer to do it for you.
It will save you time, money, stress, and stomach acid.
Your time can then be spent on doing the things that come naturally to you, that add value to your business.
However, it is imperative that you are involved in the content writing process. Come up with ideas for the writer, introduce them to experts in your company that they can speak with to get the latest info, and ensure they have the resources they need to write great SEO content.
Ideally, your company will have a set of writer’s guidelines so they know the way you want certain words spelled, capitalized, etc. in your sector.
Let them know what your goals are for the content. Rely on them to craft the best SEO content for your website.
Then all you have to do is review their work for accuracy and tone before it is approved and published.
Want an SEO Content Writer to Do the Hard Work? We Can Help
1st on the List offers professional SEO Services that include developing winning SEO content strategies for our clients.
Still overwhelmed at the idea of writing or do you just have more important things to focus your time on? Our team of experts can provide top notch SEO content services plus copywriting, content audits, keyword research, and content strategy development.
You can learn SEO content writing but if you need help, we will work with you to figure out a budget that will deliver the results and growth you need to thrive in this post-pandemic era.
Call our 1st on the List SEO experts at 1-888-262-6687 or connect with us online.
