Content creation is at its peak right now, as audiences continue to embrace content in different forms across various platforms. Right from reading a news article or watching a reel on Instagram, content is available in various forms including video, audio, and text. While the subject or the topic of the content you create is a top factor that draws traffic, content creators, especially content writers need to understand how search engine optimization (SEO) helps their content thrive. 

We have created a comprehensive SEO guide to help content writers, agencies, and businesses to maximize their ROI through content creation and SEO. Just as businesses and customer expectations continue to evolve, SEO is also a super dynamic process that requires deep knowledge and understanding of the latest SEO trends and developments. 

Read our in-depth search engine optimization guide to learn how you can maximize your content creation efforts in 2023. Without further ado, let’s begin. 

SEE ALSO: 10 SEO trends for B2B brands to thrive in 2023

Understanding search engine optimization (SEO)

Before we take a look at our SEO guide, let us take a closer look at what we mean by SEO. By now, you may have figured that SEO stands for search engine optimization. The end goal is to ensure that a company’s visibility improves in organic search results. SEO is very beneficial for businesses when it is executed effectively and backed by a solid strategy. 

Some of the significant benefits include an increase in website traffic, an improvement in overall conversions, and most importantly, a significant boost to the company’s revenue. That said, SEO is not as straightforward as it seems. It involves a plethora of vital elements that can either make or break your SEO efforts. 

So, are you wondering how you can increase conversions and your company’s online visibility with SEO? You are in luck as we have an ultimate SEO guide that will help your business scale and establish a solid footprint on the internet. 

Now, let us take a look at the different forms of content out there that require consistent SEO efforts to do well. 

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Different forms of content that benefit from SEO

As mentioned above, content appears in different forms. Here, we have listed down a few important types of content that can benefit from SEO. And by that, we also mean that our SEO guide will help you create all forms of  SEO-friendly content. 

  • Articles and blogs

Even blogs or articles come in different forms ranging from cluster pages to pillar pages to listicles, to how-to guides, and long-form content that is typically above 3,000 words. 

  • Website content

Typically, this is where your clients or customers learn more about your company’s product or service offerings. In addition, your potential clients generally skim through your website’s content before they transition from prospects to paying customers. 

  • Case studies

Case studies primarily illustrate how a company’s services have helped other businesses take off or do well across a particular timeframe. 

  • Whitepaper

Typically, whitepapers are useful informative documents that aim to address a range of topics including understanding a product or a service, staying abreast with the latest trends and developments, and more. 

  • Infographics

Infographics summarize all the useful and relevant data in an article in the form of an image. The text and the graphics in the infographic highlight the key points of an article or a case study. It is worth noting that the text on the infographic does not crawl across SERPs which is why, it becomes extremely important to optimize the Alt text of the image. 

  • Videos

Just like infographics, videos do not crawl across SERPs. Videos can complement an optimised article, blog, website, or other sorts of written content, but they must also be optimised for each channel using appropriate tags and headings.

How can you create SEO-friendly content?

We are now heading to the exciting part – creating SEO-friendly content that will help your website rank better on search engines. This SEO guide will take you through the different factors you need to consider while creating content in accordance with what the search engines like. 

1. Hire an SEO writer

Most companies hire a generic content or technical writer who has limited SEO knowledge. Do not make the same mistake as SEO writing is a different ball game altogether. Before you start creating content, hire an experienced writer who is well-versed in the ins and outs of SEO. 

SEO writers have the experience and the technical know-how to understand the intricate details of creating SEO-friendly content. Creating SEO-optimized pieces of content involves different people that come together to leverage their SEO expertise to achieve the common goal of ranking your website higher on search engines. 

2. Identify your target audience

Before you start creating content, you should know who you are creating it for. Who is more likely to click on your newsletter? What are their interests? You should start by finding answers to these questions to gain clarity about what type of content appeals to your target audience. 

Find answers to some of the questions mentioned below:

  • Which channels are they on?
  • What can I do to reach them?
  • What are they looking for?
  • How can I address their problems?

Find the answers by conducting competitive research, browsing online discussion boards like Reddit and Quora, knowing the popular hashtags on social media for that industry, contacting other agencies to conduct surveys, or simply going through Google search results just how your target audience would.

While researching, do not forget to note their main challenges and concerns.

3. Perform keyword research

If you browse online, you will see a plethora of blogs and videos that explain how to go about keyword research. If you are just starting, our SEO guide will help you hit the ground running. 

  • Create a persona and find keywords targeting that persona

Keyword research does not have to be boring – let us tell you why. For a moment, forget about SEO. Think of a fictional character and start researching for keywords around that persona. There are a host of free as well as paid keyword research tools to choose from including Ahrefs, SEM Rush, Google Keyword Planner, and more. 

  • Follow the 80:20 rule

What is the 80:20 rule when it comes to efficient keyword research?

It means that 80% of your keywords should be evergreen keywords, while the other 20% can be trending keywords. You should create content that aligns with this 80-20 rule. 

For this reason, keyword research should be done frequently throughout an ongoing content campaign, especially for the most popular keywords. Remember to use Google Trends to find more keyword suggestions.

  • Do not focus on volume so much

Do not chase high-volume keywords that are impossible to rank for unless you are the dominant player in your field with zillions of pages and links. Target low- to mid-tier keywords based on the costs of your services or product. Chasing keywords with a volume of 20 or even lower is reasonable if one lead earns you $1,000 worth of consultation service.

  • Track keyword performance regularly

Digital marketer tracking SEO performance of a website

You should proactively track the performance of your keywords. We understand that tracking the performance may seem challenging which is why tools such as Semrush are available. Such tools provide a comprehensive report covering all the key parameters and ultimately give you a fair idea about how your keywords are performing. 

To know more about our Enterprise SEO services, Schedule a demo

4. Write SEO-optimized meta descriptions and titles

If you talk to an experienced SEO specialist, they will highlight the importance of writing SEO-optimized meta descriptions and titles. An aspect of SEO that can be easily overlooked by someone new to the SEO world, creating SEO-optimized meta descriptions and titles is an important component of flourishing SEO and content creation strategy. 

What is a meta description? It is nothing but an HTML tag that highlights or provides a synopsis of the content on a certain webpage. Meta descriptions and titles are a key part of SEO. Although they do not impact rankings, they can influence whether a user visits a page. It is important to add your primary keyword in the meta description as it indicates to the user what they can expect when they click on your page. 

Here are a few important tips to remember while creating SEO-optimized meta descriptions and titles:

  • Character limit

While the character limit continues to change from time to time, it is a good practice to limit your meta description to 120 characters. Besides, mobile devices do not display characters that are beyond the 120-character threshold. You should also ensure that the writing is crisp and to the point. 

  • Active voice

Use an active voice to ensure your message is clear and you make your point without crossing the character limit. 

  • Call-to-action

Include a call-to-action phrase that could encourage a reader to click. Some of the examples include “download now” “request a demo”, “sign-up for free” etc. 

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That is all for the first part of our extensive SEO guide. Stay tuned to read the second part of the guide only on iTMunch!