Pre-Covid, there were well over 27,000,000 pieces of content published online. Now in our Covid climate more and more people and businesses are finding themselves online which means more and more businesses are competing for attention. Your challenge as a writer, blogger, marketer or entrepreneur is to write content that not only appeals to search engines but is also solving the needs of your readers.
While stuffing your latest piece with the most trendy keywords may seem like a smart tactic, you can’t fool Google. More importantly, why are you writing for a machine when you’re trying to connect with your audience?
Here are five tips to write for your audience while still catching the “eye’ of the search engines
Write for the Power Skimmers
There is so much content online, it’s important to keep it simple. I don’t mean you need to dumb-down the language. Instead, you need to share the key points as succinctly as possible.
Make it Visually Appealing
It’s a cliché for a reason, a picture is worth a thousand words. In this instance, a picture may be worth a thousand clicks. Use relevant images to help your readers to visualize the message, it will make your ideas “more sticky” in their minds.
Use Numbers and Quotes
Numbers are a great way to grab the attention of readers. For example, “Five Ways to Write for SEO”, or “Four Healthy Recipes to Try this Weekend”. These numbers also help to establish an expectation regarding the information they will receive.
Using quotes can not only grab attention, they help to further establish your credibility and the information you’ve provided.
Use Sub-Headings
Use sub-headings and new paragraphs to break up boring text. Lengthy paragraphs can be intimidating to readers. Just the appearance of a long read can seem exhausting to your audience.
If you are doubting the flow of your work, don’t be afraid to list it out! As humans, we crave order and a list meets that need.
Be Honest
“The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain and goes straight to the heart.” - Maya Angelou
The best thing you can do is communicate your core idea effectively and honestly.
Remember, you are sharing content to help your readers, not the search engines. The content should solve a problem that your consumers are facing. By providing your honest answers in a clear format using the tips we’ve provided, you message will be on point with SEO.