Content creation is an essential part of an effective SEO campaign. But it’s not merely any type of content that will do. Google demands unique and high-quality content that offers value to readers. That’s why balancing creativity and SEO is important for all content creators.
To make your content stand out, you will have to add a splash of creativity. The key here is to maintain a balance between your SEO efforts while bringing creativity to the table. It may sound challenging, but in reality, with the right guidelines, anyone can ace it.
Here are some tips and tricks of the trade.
1. Research Your Audience
You’ve probably heard this so many times that you’re now thinking how much more can I possibly learn about the target audience. But, people are whimsical. They can change their preferences, style, and interests at the spur of the moment.
To begin with, you need to have information about the latest trends. From surveys to polls to consumer feedback, you must continuously gather information from your target audience to understand what topics are relevant to them. Once you know that, you can create content based on their preferences.
2. Search For Important Keywords
Again, this is the advice that you’ve probably read before. Staying on top of trending and relevant keywords can keep your SEO efforts on track.
You can start searching for new and interesting keywords that are relevant to your industry. But if you want to broaden your target reach, consider looking into words that are also tangent to your business. The aim is to integrate long-tail keywords as naturally as possible.
For additional help, use tools like SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Ubersuggest.
3. Position Keywords Strategically Throughout The Content
While everyone knows that it is ideal to include the keyword in the title, not many are aware that it’s also crucial to place them at the beginning of the title. Similarly, incorporate keywords into H2 or H3 headings. And you can use keywords throughout the article as many times as you need to.
Another advanced technique is to use related terms known as Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) keywords. These not only can this help your articles rank well, but it also allows search engines like Google to determine the quality of a particular piece.
But no matter what content you create, don’t focus on writing a piece that Google will rank well. Compose blogs that your audience can read and enjoy.
4. Provide Up-To-Date Content
A sure way to improve SEO efforts is to create content that helps solve problems of your audience. More importantly, Google recognizes pieces that provide information relevant to current situations. So a blog that is published a week ago will stand out more than one that’s a couple of years old.
One of the tricks to improve your content is the “skyscraper approach,” in which you look into posts that are ranking in the top slots. You can then use those as a template to improve your content.
Here’s a little creative cheat to keep your readers in the loop while also looking good in Google’s eyes: Update your articles frequently. So even though it may be published a while ago, making a few changes and tweaks to the WordPress post helps keep your content fresh without too much effort.
5. Dive Deeper
You probably already know that Google rewards in-depth, useful content. But there is greater power in numbers than you know. It’s time to back up your hard work with statistics, facts, and quotes. Moreover, the tone of the content is a game-changer. So, seek help from professionals like Growth Proton to design well thought out content that boosts your ranking.
By using accurate and adequate supporting data, your blogs can quickly become more authoritative and credible. However, instead of throwing a bunch of numbers at your readers, present the information in an engaging format. Infographics, charts, and diagrams are creative ways to display the same information.
6. Don’t Forget To Make Yourself Pretty
Google rewards unique blogs that are easy to read. So all you need to do is break up your ideas into bullet points and subheadings so that important information can be found at a glance.
Similarly, split long blocks of text by using shorter sentences and concise paragraphs. And don’t forget, the font and color scheme of your page should not hinder readability.
To take your content to the next level, incorporate additional formats that consumers are opting for nowadays. Memes, images, and videos are topping the list. Consider creating suitable content that matches your brand’s image as well as the demands of the target audience. But don’t forget to place ALT tags on your images to make them search engine friendly.
7. Implement SEO Guidelines
You can write a very creative blog, replete with infographics and information. Still, if you don’t follow SEO guidelines, your articles won’t get discovered by people, and your valuable insights will come to nothing.
Tools like SEO Writing Assistant, Ginger, and Hemingway App can help you craft SEO optimized content. They allow writers to check whether their work is SEO compliant with features like word count, plagiarism checker, keyword recommendations, readability score, etc.
Additionally, you need to optimize content for voice search. Simply include a question and answer in the copy. Google picks up on this type of format.
8. Have You Got The Right Connections?
In the real world, having connections is a great way to get a job done. In the virtual world, we have backlinks. These links are directed towards your website. The more you have, the better off you are. And that’s because Google prefers sites that have several quality backlinks.
Creating great content is one way of generating backlinks. Remember, it’s not only compelling content that matters. Often, other writers may want to use your images or infographics. These count as backlinks too.
9. Analyze The Competition
When you want to create content better than the competition, you peek into what your competitors are doing.
Look at various aspects of your competitor’s blog posts, such as:
- Number of images used
- Word count
- Title
- Title tag and meta description
Follow up with better tactics in your blog by:
- Using more images and optimize those images by techniques such as changing the filename and including alt text.
- Higher word count, ideally 1000+, but no fluff, please.
- A more captivating title, 80% of people will read your article if the headline catches their attention.
- More focused title tag and meta description.
10. Create actionable content
Your content can be used as a communication tool. How? Begin by engaging the readers with interesting content, possibly through stories. Provide tips on how to apply the information you provide. It often leaves the door open for questions and feedback.
I’ll let you in on a secret. By creating content that sparks a flurry of comments, you get noticed on search engine radars. It signals that a blog is being updated regularly.
Final Thoughts
There’s no surefire strategy that can automatically rank your site first in SERPs. But a website that benefits your users and enhances UX is significantly rewarded. So if people love what you write, then Google will too.
Compelling topic ideas and creative writing styles can significantly improve your spot in SERPs. And by implementing SEO best practices, you can make it easier for Google to crawl, index, and understand your content.
Guest Post Author Bio:
Guest Post Author Bio:Mary Warner is an enthusiast blogger. Her compelling research and communication capabilities exchange offerings that have value for the reader. Her passion for writing has been an ever-evolving affair. She loves to share her views related to the latest trends in marketing, technology, eCommerce, and the like.
