In today’s era, where content is highly valued due to the proliferation of the internet, SEO writing has become indispensable for website owners.

By ensuring your company’s content appears at the top of search results, SEO consultants can expect increased traffic and conversions. Therefore, this article will delve into the tips, key points, and handy tools for SEO writing.

Overview of SEO Writing

SEO writing refers to the art of writing content with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. Specifically, it involves appropriately using specific keywords or phrases, setting up internal and external links, and optimizing web pages to achieve top rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs).

However, the essence of SEO writing is not merely about ranking high in search results.

The most important aspect is “addressing user needs through search.” Providing high-quality information, enhancing user experience, and organizing information are crucial. By providing value to users in this way, you naturally earn high ratings from search engines.

Reference Page: SEO Writing – BACKLINKO

When to Utilize SEO Writing

There are various scenarios where SEO writing comes into play, primarily on pages that appear in search engine search results. Specifically, this applies to website content, blog articles, product descriptions, and similar materials.

Conversely, it’s generally not used in press releases, email newsletters, web advertisements, and similar mediums.

People Who Need SEO Writing Skills

Who should acquire SEO writing skills? Individuals involved in the following roles are expected to master SEO writing.

Content Writers

Those responsible for writing blog articles or website content must acquire SEO writing skills. Understanding the basics of SEO and incorporating them into writing tasks can attract more users to the content.

Marketing Professionals

While SEO isn’t the sole responsibility of marketing professionals, it’s sometimes necessary as part of their duties. For instance, when writing product or service descriptions, leveraging SEO writing skills can attract visitors from search engines.

For marketing professionals keen on attracting as many users as possible, mastering SEO writing is a valuable skill.

Web Designers

Web designers require knowledge of SEO writing because their design choices directly impact user experience. The images and design elements they use can capture user interest and encourage user actions on the page.

Additionally, designers who understand SEO writing principles can incorporate elements preferred by search engine algorithms into their designs, thereby enhancing search engine rankings. This includes creating unique images, using readable fonts, and optimizing image metadata, among other aspects.

Foundational Knowledge for SEO Writers

To excel in SEO writing, individuals need the following foundational knowledge and skills.

• Writing Skills (ability to handle text)
• Basic HTML Knowledge (understanding page structure)
• Basic SEO Knowledge (understanding search engines)

Further enhancing writing skills involves grasping the following

• Basic CSS Knowledge (understanding web design)
• Knowledge of Website Directory Structure (understanding websites)

Reference Page: Explaining How to Build a Strong Directory Structure for SEO

Benefits of SEO Writing

What benefits can you expect from implementing SEO writing? Let’s organize and explain those points here.

Increase in Traffic

By selecting appropriate keywords and optimizing content, your website becomes more likely to appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). Consequently, more users can discover your content, leading to an increase in traffic.

Enhancement of Competitiveness

Utilizing SEO can enhance competitiveness when other companies are publishing content on the same topic. Through effective SEO writing, you can surpass your competitors.

Improvement in User Experience

SEO writing delivers valuable information to users in an understandable and organized manner, enhancing their experience. Improved user experience leads to longer page visits, increased sharing, and ultimately, higher conversion rates.

Key Points in SEO Writing

When writers engage in SEO writing, what should they prioritize? The following five points are crucial.

-Matches search intent

-Useful to users

-Easy for users to understand

-Original

-Easy for search engines to understand

I will explain each one.

Aligning with Search Intent

When conducting SEO writing, it’s essential to write content that aligns with user search intent, meaning the purpose behind a user’s search.

For example, a user searching for “Tokyo used cars” likely intends to purchase a used car in Tokyo. When engaging in SEO writing, ensure your content fulfills such search intents.

Reference Page: What is Search Intent? Explaining the Importance of Search Intent in SEO! Explanation from Research Methods to Usage

Providing Value to Users

While SEO writing involves writing content with search engines in mind, focusing solely on this aspect is counterproductive. More important is providing information that is valuable to users who visit your website.

By offering useful information to users, you can encourage them to revisit your website repeatedly, leading to increased evaluations from search engines. Rather than excessively focusing on search engine algorithms, prioritize content creation centered around users.

Making it Understandable to Users

Writing focused solely on search engines often results in cramming unnatural keywords, deviating from a user-centered approach. Such writing styles compromise the natural flow and readability of the text, ultimately diminishing the user experience.

The goal of SEO writing should not only be to improve search engine rankings but also to ultimately meet the needs of website visitors.

Uniqueness

Uniqueness refers to the originality of content. With numerous content available online, providing the same information as others serves no purpose for your content. Therefore, it’s crucial to offer differentiated content that is unique to your website.

For example, original expertise or personal experiences are often appreciated by search engines as unique content.

Easy for Search Engines to Understand

Search engine crawlers regularly visit websites to evaluate their content. Hence, when conducting SEO writing, it’s essential to structure the content in a way that is easy for crawlers to understand.

For instance, optimizing titles and heading tags (such as H1, H2, H3 tags) can help crawlers understand the main themes and structure of your content.

Related Article: Explaining Quality Guidelines [for Advanced SEO Strategies]

Basic Steps for SEO Writing

When engaging in SEO writing, you might wonder about the proper steps to follow. Here, we’ll guide you through the writing process step by step.

-Anticipate search intent from targeted keywords.

-Plan the structure.

-Write the content.

-Utilize image data and design.

-Check and improve search rankings.

Let’s delve into each of these five steps in detail.

Reference Page: SEO copywriting: the ultimate guide – yoast

Step 1: Anticipating Search Intent from Target Keywords

Start by selecting the keywords you want to target and figuring out what users are looking for from those keywords. Proceeding with writing without considering user search intent may result in providing information that users are not seeking.

When considering search intent, it’s essential to not only imagine it yourself but also search for the targeted keywords on search engines and check the content of competitor sites. By reviewing the content provided by other websites, you should be able to get a rough idea of what content should be written on your own website.

Step 2: Crafting the Structure

Starting to write without a plan can lead to content that is difficult for users to understand. Therefore, it’s crucial to plan the structure before actually starting the writing process. The structure refers to the framework of the content, including setting titles, headings, and subheadings. During this stage, plan what the article will cover and focus on what topics or points to emphasize.

An important aspect to note at this stage is that the content should have a logical and organized flow. If the logic is disjointed or essential information is missing, users may find it difficult to understand.

Step 3: Writing

Once the structure is decided, start writing based on the themes of the set headings. At this stage, prioritize clarity and conciseness in writing, ensuring that the content is easy for users to understand.

There are no set rules on how to write; instead, use language and tone that are suitable for your target audience. For example, if your target audience consists of industry experts, using technical terms would be appropriate.

On the other hand, if your target audience is beginners, writing using general terms would be more easily understandable.

Additionally, after completing the initial draft, make adjustments such as optimizing heading tags, keywords, and emphasized phrases to optimize the content for search engines.

Step 4: Utilizing Image Data and Design

Use images and design elements to enhance the visual appeal of your webpage. Increasing visual information can help facilitate understanding of the article content for site visitors.

Some common design elements include;

• Bullet points (lists)
• Tables
• Emphasis on text font
• Border frames

Among these, bullet points, tables, and emphasis on text font can be represented in HTML. However, if you need to change the color or design of these elements, you’ll use a markup language called CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). Typically, design engineers manage markup languages, so writers are not directly involved. However, if you have specific design preferences, communicate them to the design engineer.

Reference Page: What is CSS? Explanation of its Role, Basic Writing, and Notes

Step 5: Checking and Improving Search Rankings

Even after publishing content on the internet, there is still room for improvement. Content you’ve written may not immediately rank highly.

Therefore, track search results and rewrite as needed. For example, modifying titles and headings, and adding missing information are areas to focus on for rewriting.

Key Points in SEO Writing

Here are 15 key points to consider when working on SEO writing, explained in detail. When actually writing, try to consider these items as much as possible.

Reference Page: SEO Writing: 12 Tips on Writing Blog Posts That Rank on Google – HubSpot

Including Keywords in Titles

When creating page titles, it’s important to include essential keywords to ensure that the article ranks high in search engine results. This helps search engines better understand the main topic of the article.

Ideally, these keywords should be placed towards the beginning of the title, and shorter titles are preferable. Short titles are easier for both users and search engines to understand, maximizing the influence of keywords.

Titles Should be Around 30 Characters

Page titles should be around 30 characters. Google imposes certain limits on title length, and overly long titles may not be fully displayed.

Especially in mobile search results, there are differences in the number of characters displayed depending on the device and browser. Unclear titles make it difficult to encourage user clicks, particularly in mobile search results.

Be mindful of keyword frequency

Be careful not to overuse keywords. While it’s important to appropriately place keywords within your content for SEO writing, excessive use can make the text hard to read for users and may lower your ranking on Google.

Set keywords in headings

In SEO writing, headings are crucial elements following page titles. Therefore, include keywords moderately in your headings.

Moreover, including keywords in headings allows users to grasp the overall idea of the article just by looking at the headings.

However, be cautious not to stuff keywords unnaturally. By incorporating targeted keywords and related terms naturally, your content becomes easily understandable for both users and search engines.

Focus on one theme per heading

Provide information focused on a single theme per heading. Including multiple topics in one heading can make it difficult for users to understand.

Furthermore, it can lead to incorrect judgment of the content by search engines.

Limit the use of pronouns

Avoid excessive use of pronouns like ‘this’ or ‘that’. Using too many demonstratives can lead to user confusion. Unclear content increases the likelihood of users abandoning the page prematurely.

Moreover, content that users can’t understand is also challenging for search engines.

Utilize co-occurring words

Co-occurring words refer to words frequently used together with specific keywords in sentences. In SEO writing, the presence of co-occurring words is crucial after search keywords.

For instance, for the keyword ‘college student,’ co-occurring words may include ‘classes,’ ‘clubs,’ ‘schedule,’ ‘education,’ ‘part-time job,’ etc. Writing with co-occurring words helps Google’s search engine recognize that you’re providing the necessary information related to users’ search intent.”

Consider expression variations

Taking into account expression variations related to keywords that users search for can increase opportunities for higher visibility. Users may search using various keywords even if they have the same intent.

For example, someone considering overseas travel might search for “airline tickets” or “plane tickets,” and it wouldn’t make a big difference in the search results. Therefore, by explaining the same thing in multiple ways within headings and body text, you can address expression variations and aim for higher visibility even with other similar keywords.

Avoid redundant expressions

Generally, avoiding redundant expressions is essential in SEO writing. Please communicate straightforwardly rather than using roundabout expressions.

Furthermore, while providing users with ample information is important, incorporating unnecessary details can make your intended message ambiguous. Please describe only what matches the user’s search intent as much as possible.

Avoid consecutive identical word endings

Consecutive identical word endings should be avoided as much as possible. Continuously using the same word endings can make the entire text monotonous and disrupt the flow of the text. After writing, review your text and revise if there are consecutive word endings.

Typos and misspellings

Including typos and misspellings in your text may lead Google to deem your article as having poor usability, potentially lowering its search ranking. Reduce typos and misspellings by reviewing your text after finishing writing. Additionally, there are proofreading tools available that can efficiently help with this task.

Set alt tags for images

Incorporating visuals such as diagrams or images alongside your content is crucial, as it aids users’ understanding. 

Moreover, Google’s crawlers may not correctly recognize what an image represents. Therefore, when inserting images, ensure to include descriptive text in the alt attribute.

Reference page: What is an alt attribute? Description methods to maximize SEO effectiveness.

Set URLs including keywords

When posting an article, make sure to set URLs that include keywords. For example, if you’re writing about “SEO,” the URL should be structured like “https://sample.com/seo.”

By setting URLs related to search keywords, you can slightly improve your evaluation by search engines. Additionally, when receiving backlinks, setting keywords in URLs can result in more effective linking compared to when keywords aren’t included.

Meta description

A meta description refers to the descriptive text displayed below the title. It’s crucial in SEO writing since it appears on search result pages just like the page title. When writing a meta description, aim to summarize the article. Keep it within 120 characters.

Internal linking

Suppose you’re creating an article on “Instant Ramen” with the theme of “Adding a Twist.” Meanwhile, your website already has an article on “Packaged Ramen” with the same theme. In this case, it’s understood that the “Instant Ramen” article complements the “Packaged Ramen” article.

Visitors reading the “Instant Ramen” article might also be interested in the “Packaged Ramen” version. Therefore, placing internal links to the “Packaged Ramen” article near the lead of the “Instant Ramen” article encourages site navigation. Furthermore, it informs Google’s search engine that it’s a highly relevant article, potentially boosting SEO effectiveness.

Reference page: What is Internal Linking? Points for Strengthening SEO with Internal Links

Check for broken links

When writing content, there are often moments where you want users to refer to external websites. In such cases, it’s common to insert links into the article.

However, over time, linked pages may get deleted or become inaccessible. Leaving this unaddressed can diminish your site’s credibility. Therefore, it’s recommended to periodically check external links even after completing the article.

Differentiating through SEO writing

So far, we’ve explained the points and steps of SEO writing. However, with the internet flooded with content nowadays, it’s indeed challenging to rank high, depending on the industry or field. Here, we’ll discuss strategies for differentiating through SEO writing to stand out from competitors.

Keyword strategy

One of the most crucial aspects of SEO writing is selecting appropriate keywords. By choosing the right keywords, you can increase traffic from users your business targets.

There are various methods for selecting keywords, but it generally involves the following two steps.

Step 1: Keyword identification

First, identify as many potential keywords that users might search for as possible. For example, if your company sells used cars, one of the main keywords would be “used cars.” Then, combine this “used cars” keyword with sub-keywords. Here are some examples

• Used cars + location
• Used cars + car model
• Used cars + buyback

By combining main keywords with sub-keywords, you can expand the range of target keywords.

Moreover, keyword identification can be efficiently done using tools like “Ubersuggest” or “Rakko Keyword.

Step 2: Keyword Refinement

Once you’ve extracted the keywords users search for, the next step is to refine them. For instance, you may group similar expressions that are perceived to have the same search intent, or avoid keywords with intense competition.

Additionally, what you thought might be searched by users may not actually be searched much. To investigate such matters, tools like “Google Trends” or “Rakko Keyword” can be helpful.

Reference page: How to Choose SEO Keywords? Explaining Effective SEO Keyword Selection for Successful Web Traffic

Competitive Analysis

After determining the keywords to use in your article, check the articles of competing companies that rank high in keyword searches. The method involves inputting the target keywords into a search engine and reading through the displayed websites one by one. Generally, checking the top 10 results is sufficient.

Examine what information competitors’ websites provide and consider if your company can create content that differs from theirs or approach the topic from a different angle.

Useful Tools for SEO Writing

It’s not practical to perform all SEO writing manually. Therefore, here are some useful tools to assist in SEO writing. Utilize them to create high-quality articles and web pages.

Reference page: What Are SEO Writing Tools? Explaining the Types and Features of Useful Tools

Rakko Keyword

Reference Page : Rakko Keyword

Rakko Keyword is a handy tool that displays related keywords (suggestions) from Google or YouTube. You can use this tool to design a website focused on specific topics and write articles based on it.

It’s commonly used in the initial stage of article creation, namely the “Keyword Strategy.” Additionally, it can be helpful during the article writing process.

For example, when you feel like adding more information while writing, using Rakko Keyword helps you find multiple related keywords. By incorporating these keywords into the title or headings, you can create more comprehensive content.

Keyword Co-occurrence Search

Reference page: Co-occurrence Search

This tool is helpful when writing articles. It provides a list of words related to specific keywords in a list format.

For example, when you input the keyword “server,” words like “information,” “site,” and “network” are presented as co-occurring words. This indicates that when using the term “server,” words like “information,” “site,” and “network” are often used together. Therefore, when writing, try to be aware of these co-occurring words.

The operation is simple; just input the specified keyword to find related co-occurring words.

GRC

Reference page: Search Ranking Checker Tool GRC

This tool allows you to investigate the search rankings of each article for specific keywords. Furthermore, it enables you to visually track ranking fluctuations with line graphs. You can check if your articles are ranking high and decide whether to rewrite them accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions about SEO Writing

Here, we’ll explain some typical questions about SEO writing that we receive.

Q: What’s the difference between regular writing and SEO writing? 

A: The difference lies in incorporating knowledge of web technology. 

However, whether it’s for print media or web media, the basic approach to writing articles remains the same. Therefore, if you have experience writing articles for print media, you’ll likely grasp the concept of SEO writing intuitively.

Q: What should I do to become a web writer? 

A: Acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. At the very least, master the following three skills

-Improve writing skills

-Learn the basics of SEO

-Learn the basics of HTML

However, acquiring these skills doesn’t necessarily require attending special lectures. There are many media outlets, such as Tokyo SEO Maker, that provide information on SEO and writing. In practice, it’s more important to “get your hands dirty” and create content than simply “studying.”

Q: Can you recommend books to learn SEO writing? 

A: Tokyo SEO Maker has published two SEO books for your reference. 

-Tokyo SEO Maker’s Latest 2023 SEO Strategy Guide

-ChatGPT×SEO Writing Practical Techniques

The former consolidates the latest SEO information on the theme of SEO in 2023, suitable for beginners to learn the basics of SEO. 

The latter compiles AI-powered SEO writing techniques validated by our company, focusing on the prominent ChatGPT, and introduces practical techniques.

Reference page: Books on SEO – Tokyo SEO Maker’s Publications

Q: Is it better to increase the frequency of updating articles? 

A: Search engines, especially Google, prefer fresh content. Fresh content is more likely to provide users with accurate and valuable information. 

Generally, fresh content is more likely to rank higher in search results, leading to a higher click-through rate. Particularly for topics with timely relevance, such as seasonal events or new technologies, frequent updates are necessary.

Reference page: Is Fresh Content A Google Ranking Factor? – SearchEngineJournal

Q: How should I choose keywords? 

A: The first thing to consider is the relevance of keywords to the products or services your company provides. Not all keywords are worth ranking for. For example, if you run an automobile dealership and operate a related blog, keywords like “car maintenance,” “new car reviews,” and “driving techniques” are likely to be relevant.

Next, research how much search volume (search frequency) the selected keywords have. 

High search volume indicates that many people are searching for that keyword, but pursuing high search volume alone may lead to increased competition. 

While high search volume is attractive, too much competition can make it difficult to rank high. Therefore, it’s appropriate to focus on keywords with less competition when starting a blog.

Q: What’s the ideal length of content? 

A: The most important thing is the quality of content. If the information is accurate, valuable, and useful to users, relatively long articles tend to be highly rated by search engines. 

However, as mentioned in the “Points to Note in SEO Writing” section of this article, if the content becomes unnecessarily verbose, it may compromise the user experience, resulting in lower search engine rankings.

Furthermore, the ideal length varies depending on the genre. For example, news articles can be shorter, but explanatory guides or content based on academic research tend to be longer naturally. Therefore, it’s essential to write content that suits its purpose and provides all the necessary information. If you can ensure that, the content is likely to be highly rated by search engines.

Reference page: What’s The Ideal Blog Post Length For SEO? – SearchEngineJournal

Q: Is a meta description necessary? 

A: The meta description is a small text displayed on the search engine results page (SERP) that influences whether users click on it. Although it doesn’t directly affect search rankings, a compelling meta description can indirectly impact rankings by increasing click-through rates. Therefore, it’s essential to write an attractive meta description.

Q: Are header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) important? 

A: Header tags play a role in clarifying the flow and structure of content. They help organize the text hierarchically, making it easier to read. Additionally, header tags are beneficial not only to users but also to search engines. Search engines like Google use header tags to understand the structure of the content and identify key keywords.

Summary

The basic principle of content creation is to prioritize user needs. However, as discussed here, in SEO writing, it’s essential to create content that is understandable to both users and search engines. User-first content that focuses on the user perspective naturally tends to be rated higher by search engines, but incorporating internal SEO measures can further enhance its visibility and evaluation by search engines. By incorporating the tips and points of SEO writing introduced here, you can create high-quality content that is appreciated by both users and search engines.

Author Profile

International Web Consultant Paveena Suphawet

A trilingual professional in English, Thai, and Japanese, she has numerous achievements in international SEO. She studied the latest IT technologies at Assumption International University, Thailand, and majored in International Business at the University of Greenwich, UK. Following her tenure at ExxonMobil’s Thai branch, she became a key member of Admano from its establishment.

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