More tips for SEO-friendly content
Last time, I wrote about keywords and the often misunderstood world of SEO, or search engine optimisation. We find that while many clients know the term SEO, they aren’t aware of some of the simple things they can be doing with their content to boost their SEO.
Regardless of your SEO strategy, the way you write and structure content in blogs and other webpages can make your website a better experience for your audience, while also improving SEO. This is good news because effective content marketing is all about giving your audience the content they need.
Use strong headings and subheadings
Eye-tracking research shows that humans scan a webpage for a fraction of a second, before deciding whether to start reading the text on the page or click away. The stronger and more relevant your headings, the more likely your audience is to dive into your content. Headings signal to the reader “This is what you’re looking for!” before they even begin to read paragraphs.
Like humans, search engines also take notice of keywords in headings so you’ll get twice as much bang for your buck when you choose them wisely.
Keep paragraphs and sentences short
When you have an interesting subject, it’s natural to want to include every fascinating detail. Resist this temptation for two reasons:
reading text on screen is more challenging than on the printed page
your webpages will be often accessed on a smart device
For these reasons, you have to do everything in your power to keep the audience engaged all the way to the final word.
Keep sentences as brief as possible so each point is made clearly. Ensure paragraphs are short too, so the text is displayed in manageable chunks. When your content feels clear, the audience has a better experience. They are far more likely to read to the end and return to your website next time they need information. This will boost your SEO, even if that wasn’t your original intention.
Be more accessible
It’s good to remember that audiences experience webpages in different ways. Making our content accessible to those with different needs contributes to a more equitable world and makes good business sense. Why wouldn’t you want to reach as many relevant specifiers as possible?
There are simple steps you can take to make your content more accessible:
Include relevant headings – this is good for the reader, and for SEO
Use bullet points to break up lists of information
Keep sentences short so they are more readable, whether accessing the page by sight or using a screen reader to ‘speak’ the text
Making linked text descriptive so it’s clear what the link leads to. For example, avoid ‘Click here to access information on brand utility’ and write ‘Read why brand utility is important’
Insert alt text in images to ensure users of assistive technology can understand the information your images contain
Following these tips ensures you’re always presenting your content as clearly as possible, whether you’re aiming to be accessible or not. As search engines such as Google are putting increased emphasis on accessible websites, you’ll also boost your SEO. What’s not to like?
Next time, we’ll be discussing how to more easily manage your editorial content. Make sure you sign up at the bottom of the page to be one of the first to read it!