13 SEO Writing Tips to Grow Website Traffic

Did you know over 70 million blog posts are published each month?

That number is astonishing. In fact, it’s a statistic that can make you wonder if it’s still possible to get website traffic with content writing.

So, can you?

The answer is yes. We’re going to show you how in this post.

The SEO writing tips in this post will help you grow website traffic in 2022.

You’ll learn:

Introduction to SEO Writing

Most content writers pour words onto the page, believing if they offer value, the world will find it. That’s honorable but won’t get people to your website.

There is a lot of bad content on websites with thousands of monthly visitors. Unfortunately, those websites don’t get traffic because of how much value they give. Instead, they get visitors because they leverage SEO writing.

And with the cost of search engine optimization rising every year, the skill of SEO writing is becoming even more valuable.

Search engine optimization (SEO) combines art and science and is the key to getting free website traffic. The purpose is to achieve ideal website performance and search engine rankings.

There are two aspects of SEO. The first is semantic SEO. This refers to the use of “keywords” in written text. A search engine uses these keywords to identify the content topic and match it with the right audience.

Semantic SEO plays a major role in written content. Keywords in text enable search engines to index each piece. Accurate and in-depth content will rank higher in search queries.

The second aspect of SEO is technical. This part relates to ” off-page ” work to improve a website’s performance. Load speed is an example of technical SEO.

Examples of SEO Writing

SEO writing is any form of online written content. A blog is the most popular type of online content. There are many others, such as:

• website copy

• white papers

• case studies

• social media posts

Written content is still the most effective way to position your website online. That’s because search engines can “crawl” and comprehend text-based content. Until technology catches up for voice and video, SEO writing is the best way to grow organic traffic.

Want more SEO writing tips or need help with your content marketing strategy?

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13 SEO Writing Tips to Build Website Traffic

Now, let’s explore 13 SEO writing tips to increase website traffic.

1. Write for People First, Search Engines Second

Many content marketers are so focused on search engine rankings they forget the audience. But if people don’t want to read what you write, rankings won’t matter. So, create the first draft for human beings. Then, you can insert keywords once you’re satisfied with what you’ve written.

2. Create Original Content

Because there is so much content available online, it’s a challenge to develop fresh ideas week after week. But there’s always room for another opinion. Search engines place more emphasis on original, branded content than ever before.

Original content isn’t necessarily new. For example, you could provide a new angle on an old topic. Don’t be afraid to offer your opinion or recommendations. Think about who you want to reach and create relevant content for them.

3. Use Keywords in Headings and Meta Descriptions

Blog and web page headings tell search engines what the content is about. These headings include titles, subtitles, and heading for each section.

The more accurate headings are, the easier it is for search engines to crawl and index your content.

Also, be sure to write a captivating meta description. The description is the first section people see in search engine results. Most users scan meta descriptions and click on those that appeal to them most.

A well-written meta description will drastically impact the number of visitors you get to your site.

4. Get Backlinks

Backlinks refer to links that bring users to your site from another source. For example, a link from this post to your website would be a backlink.

Backlinks have become a vital piece of the SEO puzzle. Some SEO professionals even claim websites won’t get ranked without them.

Having a lot of backlinks is a sign of authority and that your website is trustworthy. For that reason, backlinking has become one of the most popular SEO writing tips.

But it’s crucial to get backlinks from quality websites. Links from sites with low authority may hinder your website’s performance.

For example, a link from the New York Post would carry significant weight. But one from Kramerica Enterprises might look questionable to site visitors. (Yes, I made a Seinfeld reference, but you get the point.)

It’s important to note that search engines assess the value of each backlink. So, hiring an SEO agency to get hundreds of backlinks to your site is not always a good investment. When it comes to backlinks, quality is better than quantity.

5. Use Internal Links

Internal links are links that connect pages of your website to one another. For example, a link on your about page to your blog archives is an example of an internal link.

Internal link structure accomplishes a few things. First, it provides an opportunity to get visitors to other pages on your website. Second, internal links build site authority by creating content “clusters”. A content cluster is a series of niche posts around a broader topic or page.

For example, let’s say you wrote a blog post on the benefits of dieting. You could then write more posts on each type of diet and link them to each other and to the original post.

6. Build Expertise, Authority, and Trust

Most online customers want to do business with experts and trustworthy brands. So, your business needs to have a pristine online reputation. But there’s another reason you should focus on building brand authority.

Google issued the EAT algorithm in 2018. “EAT” is an acronym that stands for expertise, authority, and trust. The purpose of EAT is to rank the websites that contain the most accurate information. 

Websites with erroneous or misleading data will face a rankings penalty, even if the error was unintentional.

Search engines want users to get the most reliable information from trustworthy sources. For example, Google wants a doctor to write blogs on heart disease, not someone who read a book on heart health. In this case, credentials matter. So, if you’re an expert in your industry, make sure you can prove it.

Of all the SEO writing tips, this one will make the most impact on your brand’s online growth. It’s also the one that takes the longest.

7. Remove Spammy Backlinks

You learned how valuable backlinks are in tips number three. But sometimes, you’ll get some low-quality backlinks that are actually harmful. These come from a variety of sources and for different reasons. Regardless, it’s critical to get rid of them to protect your brand’s online reputation.

So, track the backlinks you receive and ensure they’re from quality websites.

Ubersuggest is a tool that can help you track your website’s backlinks.

Spammy backlinks reduce your site’s trustworthiness. As a result, search engines may penalize your site in search results rankings. You can cut spammy links and avoid search engine penalties with Google’s disavow feature.

8. Short URLs

Short and descriptive URLs are good for SEO because they’re easier to index. So, keep post URLs short. An effective URL should consist of:

• A keyword: be sure to include the target keyword, if possible.

• Concise: visitors generally prefer short URLs. A short URL is around 40-60 characters.

9. FAQs

A frequently-asked-questions section on your website can boost traffic. Giving answers to common questions is an effective way to build trust. It also lets you include more keywords relevant to your content’s topic.

FAQs give the reader quick answers to relevant questions about your content topic. As a result, they’re more likely to visit other website pages or read more posts.

10. Content Upgrades

If you have an existing blog or resource library, content can become outdated after a while. So, what can you do to make it fresh again?

Start by updating old posts. A revised post has the feel of a new article. The URL doesn’t change for an updated post, so revisions won’t affect the website’s structure.

According to some experts, upgrading content increases traffic up to 50%.

Some tips for upgrading content are:

• Replace old reports and case studies with new ones.

• Use analytical tools for SEO analysis. You can get them from SEMRush, Moz, and Ubersuggest.

• Improve the content by expanding on topics.

• Add videos and other media.

• Update statistics and data. Be sure to use recent references and not ones with outdated information.

11. Target Keywords

Keyword targeting is one of the most valuable SEO writing tips we could give you.

Broad topic keywords may not reach a qualified audience. And niche keywords may not get enough search inquiries to be valuable targets. So the goal is to find less competitive keywords with above-average search volume.

Use Google’s keyword planner to find potential target keywords.

Keep a few things in mind before selecting the relevant keywords or search phrases:

• Find high-volume, low-competition keywords, if possible

• Use the SEO tools listed above (tip #8) to find keywords

• Use the keywords in your content (about 1% of written text)

12. In-depth Content

Businesses looking for SEO writing tips want to know many words a post should have. The top-ranking posts consist of around 2,100-2,500 words. But higher word count doesn’t make content more valuable.

The required length of a post depends on the topic, industry, and competing content. For example, if the top three posts are around 1,000 words, then 1,200 words may be enough for yours. But if the average is 3,000, your post may need an extra 500-1,000 words.

There are no guidelines that state precisely how many words you’ll need. Instead, spend time researching your post before you write it. Also, cite relevant, trustworthy sources throughout to give the post credibility.

13. Use an SEO Website Plug-In

Adding an SEO plugin to your website can improve rankings on ranked on search engines. An SEO plugin enables you to enter critical data that helps search engines index content.

Titles, post descriptions, and content tags are examples of data that you input into a plug-in. Most SEO plug-ins feature schema as well. Schema provides search engines with enhanced content data. This data improves your content’s chances of getting in front of the right audience.

Read this post to learn more about schema.

Conclusion

An SEO-driven content marketing strategy can transform your business’s approach to marketing. The tips in this post will help you improve your results from content marketing.

If you need help developing a content marketing strategy, click this link.

Until next time,

Chris