How many times have you created an SEO strategy and a content plan, making sure to tick all of Google’s many boxes and finite needs, only to find that a few weeks or months down the line the algorithm changes and everything becomes outdated again?
A content strategy is a way of ensuring that the copy and content on your website is up to date, accurate, and portraying the value of both your business and your product or service – but how do you make sure that the content you share, in all its formats, ranks well on Google?
In this blog, we share some of our top tips for creating content that ranks.
The importance of staying ahead
Before we get into the tips themselves, it’s important to understand and recognise the importance of staying ahead of the curve and future-proofing their content strategy in light of Google’s algorithms and demands. The simple fact is Google will always undergo changes, and if you are only working to put out fires then you will soon find your own updates usurped by upgrades and changes.
All of the following tips are designed to help you ensure that your content ranks well today, tomorrow, and next year as well.
How to write content that ranks well
- What is the reader looking for?
One of the quickest and easiest ways of ensuring that your content ranks well in Google is by phrasing both your copy and your keywords to match the things that readers are searching for.
Think about the way a user types into Google. More often than not they will pose a question to the search engine – meaning that one of the best ways to write content that ranks is to directly answer that question.
In addition to this, think about the means through which users activate Google. Some type while others use voice search – something which often changes the framing of the question and therefore the approach of the answer. By broadening the ways that you speak to the user through your content, you will prove to Google time and time again that your website can answer the questions that users have.
- Enhance content with useful media
A great example of this would be a guide or a how-to piece of content, which can be enhanced and complimented by images and even tutorial videos where necessary. As part of this, consider how long the content needs to be and minimise waffling by focussing on exactly what the user needs in order to solve their problem.
Remember, Google will always be focussed on streamlining the experience for the user at the very core of every algorithm and update, so the more you can do to support this, the better.
- Spend more time than you think you need on your headline
More often than not we see businesses who create a headline first, spent about a minute doing it, and then spend the rest of their time shaping the content. But let’s be honest – if the headline isn’t enough to draw attention and entice the user to keep reading, everything else is pointless.
Our advice is to create the content then shape an effective and enticing headline last – using it to hook and create FOMO in the reader. They need to feel like, until they read the full content, they are missing out on something huge!
- Research the right keywords
This means choosing keywords which are linked to the topic you are writing about, that are relevant to your industry, and that are used by your competitors as well as searched by your target audience. Remember the old adage ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it?’ – well, the same applies to keyword research. Use your competitors for inspiration and if they have a focus point that is working for them, replicate it for your own business.
From there, once you have a main keyword, anchor all of your smaller keywords, headings, and content focuses to that main keyword.
- Share advice that helps your target reader
If your content is there to solve a problem or provide an answer, then make sure it does so! If you can hook the reader and leave them feeling like what they read provided genuine value, then the chances are high that they will seek you out again next time they need advice or a solution.
This is also where your content will receive more shares, which add to its reputation in the eyes of Google. All of which can help you to rank better in 2022.
- Linking!
There is no better way to ensure that all of your content is viewed as relevant and reputable, than by valuable internal linking throughout your various content pieces. When you can genuinely and authentically create links between blogs and other content pieces on your website, adding in clickable links to other resources which the reader may benefit from while reading a specific piece, Google will see that your whole website is geared towards helping the reader and giving them the information that they need – when they need it.
Still unsure on how to rank well with your content?
If content isn’t your strong point, or you and your team are looking for some support and advice on building a comprehensive and effective content strategy for 2022 and beyond, then Slate is here to help. Our team work with a range of industries and businesses, building websites from scratch as well as enhancing existing online sites to give them a boost and ensure that they are performing well.
For more information, get in touch with us today.
Posted: June 2022
Author: Jon
