Writing for search engines, to attract and retain their acknowledgement is understandably a key focus through content marketing. Yet in the midst of SEO techniques and KPIs, many brands forget about their other readers; their human audience.
Achieving a balance between SEO friendly and engaging content is very important. Helping to engage through tech and humanised touchpoints, content marketing should be a multi-angle activity.
For example, optimising content with high performing keywords is all good and well. Yet only if such keywords are regularly searched for by target audiences. Similarly, content should be engaging and purpose-driven yet should be filled with internal links and title tags for their influences in SEO.
On an initial basis, the balance can be difficult to sustain. Yet over time, content can engage with both touchpoints. Here’s how to create SEO friendly and engaging content with both readers in mind. At MaxWeb Solutions, we can help you structure, review and update your content to achieve a balance between user experience and online rankings.
Importance Of SEO Friendly And Engaging Content
Creating content for two separate yet simultaneous purposes can of course be tough. Purpose one is to be seen and ranked as credible by search engines. Purpose two is to also be visible and adopted by a target audience. Both purposes are pretty much alike, yet with different readers in mind.
To create SEO friendly and engaging content will merge both purposes, to deliver a multi-goal piece of copy or image. This is an important part of content marketing, to make sure that content can be correctly circulated and effectively adopted.
For example, imagine you create content that is perfectly optimised. Yet it reads out like an automated, complicated, or mundane message. Your content may be visible online yet will not be entertained by the human mind. Similarly, you may produce informative and highly interactive content. Yet you may fail to optimise your content and incorporate the latest SEO tools. Your content may be invaluable through the decision-making process. Yet may fail to reach the right target audience, failing to convert.
Content must be both SEO friendly and engaging in order to perform online. Digital marketing incorporates both technical and relatable assets. Here’s how to create SEO friendly and engaging content by following such a strategy.
Tips On How To Create Optimised And User-Friendly Content
Optimised content will interact with search engines, such as Google. User-friendly content will interact with your target audience. Here’s how to combine both throughout your content marketing activity.
1. Complete thorough keyword research
Keywords are a set of phrases that help to describe your offering or message. They engage with search engines, by clearly sharing your intentions. They are used by online users to search for appropriate information/content.
To achieve SEO friendly and engaging content, you must complete thorough keyword research. You should aim to use keywords with a high search volume by your target audience, yet terms that will help you cut through the online noise. Opting for the most popular terms will not always work, as your competitors will also be ploughing their efforts into such SEO activity.
2. User-friendly content structure
A useful tip, on how to create SEO friendly and engaging content focuses on structure. Content structure should be easy to digest. You’ll want to create the right user experience for your offering. Everything from your title, subheadings, and content length should be considered.
User-friendly content will be engaging, taking your readers on a journey. Your structure will also be considered by search engines, which must be arranged by following SEO guidelines, such as a H1 title tag, and so on.
3. Write with the reader in mind
Once you’re prepared with your optimising assets, it’s time to produce your content. You should always write with the reader in mind. Technical assets, such as keywords and backlinks can be embedded later down the line.
Your content should be readable, useful, relatable, and suitable for your target audience. It should reflect your brand personality. You’ll want to consider your language, its complexity, and its clarity. You’ll want to include important information, a clear call to action, and a key purpose, depending on the types of content that you’re sharing.
4. Aim for purpose-driven content
To be accepted by search engines and to be entertained by human readers, content will need to be purpose-driven. For example, web pages are usually informational, to promote services and products, or to educate readers. Blog posts on the other hand usually focus on emotive content, helping to place readers into certain situations or perspectives.
You will need to think about your purpose throughout your production stage. This will help with the structure of your content, to make sure that it’s engaging and SEO friendly.
5. Create optimised meta descriptions
Google search results will produce a list of results, all with individual meta descriptions. Meta descriptions fall under the title page, providing a brief overview of your content. Your overview should be optimised, including your target keyword and a readable summary of what’s to come.
Helping to elevate the user experience, readers can decide whether they hope to engage with your content, or not, through your meta description. A well-formed, optimised description will increase engagement and click-throughs.
6. Embed quality links
For greater credibility and relevance, you’ll want to embed internal and external links. Internal links will help to improve the relevancy of your content, by strengthening its purpose. External links will help to improve the credibility of your content, by boosting the resourcefulness and relatability of your copy.
Quality links should be embedded to create SEO friendly and engaging content.
7. Optimise images
Images are engaging and interactive, helping to grab and retain the attention of readers. For images to be seen by search engines, they must be optimised. By including ALT text, search engines will be able to understand and accept your images and their purpose throughout your content. Without optimising your images, your content may be ranked as unrelatable and irrelevant.
8. Optimise for mobile
Content is viewed across multiple devices. The majority of blog posts and web pages are now viewed on mobile devices, meaning that your content should be optimised and structured for full access.
Optimising your content for mobile will reduce your bounce rate, will increase your on-page timings, and will boost user experience. Maintaining high standards across mobile content can boost rankings and engagement levels.
9. Review with fresh eyes
Before uploading your content, you should review it with fresh eyes. By measuring it for both SEO and engagement, you’ll have greater confidence in your content.
Be critical, consider your content through a technical lens and approach it through the eyes of your target audience to make sure that it speaks to both readers.
10. Update and create content
Your content will become outdated, at some point. To create SEO friendly and engaging content you’ll want to update your existing content, including new relevant keywords, SEO techniques and information.
You should also create new content on a consistent basis to remain active, increase online recognition, and test and improve content marketing strategies.
Knowing how to create SEO friendly and engaging content is extremely important, to be visible and competitive online. Our above tips are a good starting point. Yet with ever-changing customer trends and SEO guidelines, we’re here to assist at MaxWeb Solutions.
Reach out for support with your content marketing and SEO strategies.
Posted on Friday, January 7th, 2022 in SEO.
