October 2019

If you write it, they will come. That is, as long as you’re writing for SEO. 

For many online businesses, having a content marketing strategy in place is a major factor to their success. However, you can’t write just anything and expect people to come running to your website. After all, the most successful content is carefully crafted using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques. 

The good news is, the basics of writing for SEO may be easier than you think. With proper keyword implementation, an effective linking strategy, and a few simple tricks, the next content you write is sure to find your customers. 

Writing for SEO: What Is Search Engine Optimization?

Too often, with a buzzword like SEO, people will talk about it without really knowing what it means. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your content to rank highly in search results. 

In other words, the techniques we are going to discuss may help your content and your website to be searched for and found more easily. The higher the ranking of your content, the more it will appear as a top link in popular search engines, such as Google. When it does this, your customers are far more likely to find it, click on it, and engage with your website. 

Also important to note, you can use SEO techniques in all forms of copy, in both long-form blog posts and in short-form webpage writing. For example, with blog content, you’ll want to carefully craft valuable information or expertise you have to share around a keyword targeted at your particular audience. On the other hand, for short-form page copy, you’ll want to implement keywords in much the same way, providing a clear description of what each page is for, both for search engine crawlers and for website visitors. This is particularly important for Call to Action (CTA) pages. 

How to Write for SEO (4 Crucial Strategies)

Writing for SEO starts with a keyword or phrase to build your content around. From there, implementing the following strategies will help to give your content an SEO boost. Let’s take a look…

1. Research Your Keywords

Using effective keywords can make all the difference when it comes to the success of your content. Finding popular keywords in your industry in which you can rank highly is the key to driving organic traffic to your website. 

To identify keywords that will work best for your content, it helps to do a little research. One of the most effective ways to go about this process is to use Google Keyword Planner. This tool can help you to identify strong keywords, as well as assist in coming up with new ones. For example, when we do a search for “writing for seo,” this is what we get:

As you can see, Google Keyword Planner offers a number of alternative keyword phrases and shows us the average monthly searches for each one. Also useful to know is the level of ‘Competition’ that you can expect to face when using that particular keyword. This information can be used to brainstorm effective keywords, as well as to tell you if the one you’ve come up with is unlikely to attract much traffic. 

Once you’ve chosen a keyword, it’s time to weave it into your content. Use your keyword whenever it naturally comes up in your text. This is important, as including it too frequently is called keyword stuffing and can negatively impact SEO. 

You’ll also want to include your keyword in your title, headlines, and meta description, but we’ll get to that in a moment. 

2. Implement a Linking Strategy

Links are another important factor for SEO. Content with both external and internal links can increase the value of your page. 

When creating your content, it helps to always look for linking opportunities. For instance, when you introduce a new term or idea. This is an excellent chance to link to another outside resource that provides additional information to your readers. However, be careful to check the sources you use, as higher quality links can boost SEO, while false information may actually harm it. 

For internal links, reference your other content whenever relevant. Search engines favor pages that include several links to additional information. Think about how you can offer added value to your readers. It may be that you can answer a question some of your readers may have by linking to more content on your website. 

Of course, a linking strategy would not be complete without a call to action (CTA) or a link to your landing page, products, or services. However, when you do link to a sales page, be sure to make your offer organically. Consider how your product or service adds value for readers of your content. Don’t be pushy. 

3. Optimize Your Title, Headings, and Meta Description 

Next, you’ll want to optimize your title, headlines, and meta description. But don’t worry, this is easier than it sounds. 

SEO optimized titles will have your keyword in them, preferably at the beginning. For this reason, it’s important to choose a keyword that directly aligns with your content and describes as closely as possible what visitors are about to read. 

In addition, you can improve SEO by including your keyword in your headings and subheadings. Nonetheless, some search engines, like Google, will look for and penalize articles that use the keyword in every heading, so be sure not to overdo it. 

Lastly, your keyword should be in your meta description. The meta description is a brief summary of your article’s content. Typically, search engines favor articles that include the keyword in the first sentence of this summary. Many content management systems (CMSs) provide a way for you to write and edit your own meta description. If, however, you do not have access, Google will usually use the first or second paragraph of your content, so be sure to carefully craft your introduction. 

4. Write Quality Content

Putting all of the technical SEO elements aside for a minute, it’s important not to forget about your readers. After all, your writing is truly for them and not for search engine robots. 

Actually, this one can’t be stressed enough. In the end, what will determine the lasting success of any piece of content is its readers. The reason for this is that the more visitors a post has, the greater the SEO boost it will receive. On top of that, the more it is shared on social media platforms and linked to from other websites, the more it is considered valuable to search engines. 

When writing for SEO, don’t be afraid to share your expertise and knowledge. Sometimes, people are afraid to share their “trade secrets.” Don’t be. If you truly are a master of something, no one can take that away from you. What’s more, it could establish you as an authority on the subject on the internet, which is huge for SEO, not to mention the overall success of your business. 

Writing for SEO

Overall, carefully writing for SEO will help your customers to find your website. From there, it’s up to the quality of your content to convert page visitors into sales and paying customers. To help, remember these four crucial strategies:

1. Research your keywords.
2. Implement a linking strategy.
3. Optimize your title, headings, and meta description.
4. Write quality content. 

Have a question about writing for SEO? Please don’t hesitate to leave it in the comments section below!

For many, it’s hard to imagine trying to measure a website’s traffic without Google Analytics. However, once you set it up and the information starts flowing in, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by page after page of statistics and data. 

The good news is, a lot of the most important data is simple to track and provides a wealth of valuable information you can use to help improve your website. With it, you’ll be able to find out how visitors discover your site, identify your most successful content, and fine tune your pages and posts.

In this article, we’ll discuss five simple and easy-to-use ways Google Analytics can be useful, even for beginners. Let’s get started!

What Google Analytics Can Do for You

Google Analytics is for anyone who has a website, from blogs to static sites to complex web applications. Quite honestly, it’s for everyone. On top of that, it’s free and it has a lot to offer. 

However, the problem most beginners come up against is trying to figure out what they should actually be doing with all of this newfound analytics data. In other words, what’s it really for?

For starters, Google Analytics enables you to analyze the behavior of visitors to your website. It can provide the answers to many different questions you may have had, such as:

• How many people visit your website?
• Where do your visitors come from?
• Which pages on your site are the most popular?
• What websites send traffic to your website?
• What marketing tactics drive the most traffic to your website?
• How many visitors have you converted into leads or customers?

With data like this, you can, for example, leverage your most popular content to increase conversions, or assess which marketing platforms work for you and your audience (and which don’t). Without it, every change you make to your site is done in the dark. 

Google Analytics for Beginners: Best Uses

The key to running a successful website is to understand how visitors interact with it, which is exactly the kind of information Google Analytics provides. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five simple ways you can make it work for you. 

1. Analyze Your Pageviews

One of the first metrics to look at is pageviews. A pageview is logged when a visitor lands on a page on your website. In addition, you can see which pages on your site are being visited the most and an average time of how long they are spending on them. This data gives you an idea of how visitors use your site. 

To see your pageviews, go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages:

For instance, if visitors are spending all of their time on your blog, that’s great, as this is an indication that you have some quality content that is engaging users. On the other hand, this may also mean that your posts are not converting or moving visitors to other parts of your site. 

In this case, you may need to look at the navigation on your site and make it cleaner. Also, consider adding a few Call to Actions (CTAs) throughout your content, inviting users to explore other content or introducing them to your products or services. 

2. Monitor Your Bounce Rate

Another simple metric to look out for that can tell you a lot about your website is your bounce rate. Your bounce rate is how often visitors land on your site and then leave without taking any further action. In other words, they “bounce” off of your website.

You can view your bounce rate on the same page as your pageviews. Go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages:

The average bounce rate for most websites is 45%. If your site is below this rate, your content is likely very engaging and effective at drawing visitors into your website. However, if your bounce rate is higher than 45%, then there’s room for improvement. 

Fortunately, many of the same tactics that apply to pageviews also work for improving your bounce rate. Start by examining your navigation and CTA placement. You can also entice potential customers with a promotion or special offer, use popups, and make sure your site is fast and responsive. 

3. Look for New Users

Monitoring the number of visitors who came to your site for the first time in a given day is another effective way to measure the growth and success of your website. 

To see how many new users you have, go to Audience > Audiences:

If you are seeing an increase in the number of new users, this is an indication that your marketing tactics are working. It may also mean that your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques are paying off. 

To see an improvement in this metric, your content is key. The more high-quality content you have, the more new users you are likely to see. Make your content engaging for your audience and you’re likely to see growth. 

4. Consider Your Sources of Incoming Traffic

In addition to the above metrics, that tell you about the amount of traffic your website is receiving, it’s also helpful to consider where that traffic is coming from. Fortunately, Google Analytics provides this data as well.

For information on where your traffic is coming from, go to Acquisitions > All Traffic > Source/Medium:

On this page, you’ll be able to examine how people are finding your site. You’ll be able to tell if they have come from social media, a search engine, a link from another site, or other sources.

This information can be very helpful for putting together a marketing strategy. For instance, if you see a lot of people coming from social media, that may mean your Facebook posts or ads are performing well. Alternatively, if you are not getting much traffic from search engines, it may be time to try some new SEO techniques. 

5. Take Note of Keywords People Are Using to Find Your Site

Lastly, Google Analytics has a feature that shows you the keywords people are typing into Google to find your website. This information can be extremely valuable when it comes to tailoring your content for your target audience or optimizing your marketing efforts. 

For a list of keywords people are using to find your site, go to Acquisition > Campaigns > Organic Keywords:

These keywords are what people have actually typed into Google to find your website. They then clicked and engaged with your content. 

With this information, you have a ready-made list of effective keywords you can create content around. When blogging, this can greatly improve the SEO process, in order to increase traffic and boost engagement. 

Making Google Analytics Work for You

Even if you’re just starting out, don’t be intimidated by the overwhelming amount of charts and data Google Analytics has to offer. After all, keeping your focus on a few of the most important metrics is all you need to begin improving your SEO, online marketing, and your website. 

For beginners, utilize Google Analytics by focusing on the following metrics for the best results:

1. Analyze your pageviews.
2. Monitor your bounce rate. 
3. Look for new users.
4. Consider your sources of incoming traffic.
5. Take note of keywords people are using to find your site.
   
   

Questions? Comments? Please feel free to ask away in the comments section below!