SEO Copywriting: Creating content that Google loves

SEO copywriting in the modern era is all about creating engaging content, and the more content you can promote itself, the better. As search engines evolve, it’s important to stay up to date when writing SEO-friendly copy.

Writing techniques for search engines are in constant flux. One day, something that has worked for years suddenly stops working.

This is when Google moved search operations to SSL . This means Google Analytics can no longer track incoming keywords.

Without keywords, you won’t be able to understand which phrases are driving visitors to your posts. As a result, it becomes very difficult to write copy that includes specific keyword phrases. Thankfully, many brands are working on providing keyword research and suggestion tools.

However, SEO copywriting is about more than just keywords. It’s the content of your posts and articles that makes all the difference. With the introduction of RankBrain and the steady growth of voice search , we are seeing a slow but steady shift in the way search engines interpret written content.

And the only way to keep up is to adapt.

The user becomes the algorithm

Google has always strived to ensure that the content listed is user-specific. In the early days of SEO, and up until 3-4 years ago, you could make progress by taking advantage of the many search engine algorithms.

Google’s technology for understanding user behavior has improved significantly today. And there’s a big shift happening on your page that considers user behavior as a key ranking signal.

The RankBrain algorithm wants to know if you are visiting a page that provides the answers you need.

• Is the content on this site written in a formal or relaxed tone?
• Does this page answer a specific question in a concise format?
• How much time do users spend on a page before leaving?
• Are visitors interacting with elements outside of the content area?

Overall, Google’s RankBrain keeps looking for reasons to rank pages higher .

Return visitors, consistent engagement, social signals, long-tail answers, and site performance all contribute to improved rankings.

The question is, how does all this affect you as a copywriter? Is there anything you need to do differently to achieve better SEO results?

The answer is yes . You can optimize your copy to meet the criteria of RankBrain and other search engine algorithms.

#1: How-to: Featured snippets and answers

Featured Snippets and Answers have been around for quite some time. The idea is simple. Google scans the structure of your content and automatically creates featured snippets that outline all headings and subheadings. The image above is an example of a working featured snippet .

And instead of thinking you just have to be lucky to get featured, you’ll get much better results by putting in the necessary effort to make your posts relatable to snippets and answers.

What are featured answers?

Google’s featured answers are increasingly present on search engine results pages. When you search using a mobile device, it’s easy to forget that there’s a Google experience. The way it currently works is that when you view one answer, several more are added. And the list just keeps growing.

But the question is, how do you get featured in Google Answers snippets ?

And the solution is pretty simple. It should be written in a way that makes it sound like an answer, rather than using sales jargon.

Also, one of the ways Google checks your structure is by analyzing your page’s headings, subheadings, and highlighted snippets and paragraphs. This indicates to search engines that the content is highly important within a specific context.

You can use tools like SEMrush to monitor whether your content is featured in answer snippets.

#2: Explain long-tail keywords in detail

Ideally, every page on your website is built around a specific keyword idea. That said, most companies target dry head keywords , a collection of popular phrases that have high search volume but, in real life, low click-through rates.

Additionally, it’s difficult to rank for a large number of keywords, and the traffic you get is often thin and the potential for sales isn’t great.

So let’s enter the world of long tail SEO .

The goal of long-tail SEO is to provide answers to questions that go beyond basic keyword selection.

For example, if your business is about “yoga props,” how can you expand this keyword to include more details and information?

Do props have any effect other than increasing postural flexibility? Have you ever had someone report a specific use case where a prop helped improve their sense of well-being?

These are all real-life examples of how you can improve your copy using concise long-tail keywords. If you’re having trouble coming up with additional long-tail keywords, Google Autocomplete is always a great starting point.

Once you start to see the potential of long-tail keywords, start adding them to your posts. Weave in additional content or create an entirely new post based on your findings. Structure additional content pieces in a way that provides detailed answers and clarity.

For more details, move on to the next chapter on how to become a better SEO copywriter. At least not someone who writes just to please an algorithm.

#3: Being useful is not enough

You’ve seen it before. It’s all over the place. Basic copy-and-paste lists that feel forced are completely obtrusive to look at and rarely deliver on the promised value.

There’s nothing wrong with being beneficial in most cases. At least the content effort continues. If you wrote it yourself, there is no problem.

However, copywriting for SEO purposes is not necessarily beneficial.

In a sense, great copywriters are the true warriors of the SEO world. We write expanded posts and articles and always strive to include the latest and best research available. We always try to provide enough content so our readers don’t have to click through to another site.

Over the past four years, the average blog post length has gone from 800 words to 1,000 words to 1,200 words or more.

It’s clear that long-form content drives traffic and generates more leads. However, 10x content isn’t just about writing long articles. Don’t actively publish long articles on every subject you write about. Your goal is to provide your audience with a great experience and respond to their intent. —Chintan Zarani

This mainly has to do with the fact that readers want to find all the answers in one post. As the graph above shows, longer posts get significantly more organic sessions than posts under 600 words .

Key takeaway: Write long articles with better intentions. Dig deep into your subject matter and format your content accordingly.

#4: Keep your readers interested longer

Google insists on using time on page as a ranking factor. And honestly, it makes sense.

Wouldn’t you like your content to rank highly because it not only provides great value but is also very well organized?

SEO as a practice will continue to be around for decades to come, but SEO alone won’t keep users on your page .

Fortunately, there are several ways to help users stick around for the long haul.

• infographics. Infographics are a combination of visual research and incorporate presentations that are pleasing to the eye. Looking at infographics can increase the total time spent on a page per user by 10-30 seconds.
• Quote. Don’t be afraid to cite other people’s work. Combine your personal experience with that of others working in your field.
• list. Adding a list to your content makes it scannable. Lists also provide a much better visual presentation than individual pieces of writing.
• Speech bubble. Speech bubbles are typically added when you want to emphasize important information . These days, most modern content publishing platforms offer a way to create responsive callout boxes.

If you use WordPress, check out Thrive Leads to create impressive, high-converting content boxes.

• audio. There are many services that can convert articles to audio format. If your average post length is 5 minutes, imagine what that would do to your user engagement rate if your readers started hearing your posts more often.

Above all, honest, high-quality content alone promotes long-term engagement.

Conclusion: Do your part

Copywriting is trending in a positive direction in 2019. Google is getting smarter about rewarding great content, and readers are becoming more generous with sharing content that helps them solve problems.

As a copywriter, your goal is to maintain consistency and continue to analyze the results of the posts you create. So let me know what you think about SEO copywriting. We’d love to hear what methods you’re using to maximize both exposure and engagement for your content this year.

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