How to Write Website Content That Ranks

Writing website content that ranks requires a strategic approach, which takes into account both search engine optimization (SEO) and user experience (UX). As a brand, you need to focus on the key elements of writing while ensuring that your content is engaging, informative, and SEO-friendly so that your website climbs the search engine rankings.

Our digital marketing agency has put together a quick guide for you to clear the basics of writing content that makes Google happy.

What kind of content ranks on Google?

Google rewards any type of content that is informative, authoritative, and worth the audience’s time. While there are no particular favorites, here are some types of content that rank well on Google.

• Long-form content: Longer content tends to perform better than shorter content, as it provides more opportunities to incorporate keywords and answer user queries in detail.

• Content that provides value: Google favors content that provides value to users, such as informative articles, guides, tutorials, and reviews.

• Content that answers user queries: Google’s algorithms are designed to identify content that directly answers user queries. So, if your content incorporates long-tail keywords and provides direct answers to specific questions, it has a better chance of ranking higher.

• Content that is well-structured: Well-structured content, including the use of headings, subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists, can improve the readability and accessibility of your content, making it more likely to rank.

• Content that is optimized for keywords: While keyword stuffing is not recommended and can get you flagged by Google for poor SEO practices, incorporating relevant keywords organically into your content can help it to rank higher on Google.

• Content that is mobile-friendly: Google prioritizes mobile-friendly content because more than half of the traffic comes from mobile. So, it is important to ensure that your website and content are optimized for mobile devices.

• Content that is visually appealing: High-quality images, videos, and infographics can improve the user experience and make your content more engaging and shareable.

• Fresh and updated content: Google rewards websites that regularly publish fresh and updated content. Updating old content with new information and republishing it can improve its search engine rankings.

In essence, the key to creating content that ranks well on Google is to focus on providing value to users. If your audience finds it valuable, Google will definitely find it valuable, as well.

9 most crucial tips to write content that ranks

Whether you are a seasoned website owner or just starting out, here are the tools, best practices, and elements you need to create content that not only attracts visitors but also converts them into loyal customers while being relevant to Google’s algorithms.

Start with keyword research

People use keywords to find you. If your content does not include those words, Google will never know that you are producing content for a specific audience. So, before you begin writing, research the keywords that your target audience is searching for. This will help you to create content that is optimized for those keywords.

Write for your audience

Your website content should be written for your target audience, not for search engines. If it is good enough for people, it is most definitely great enough for Google’s algorithms. Focus on creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content that meets the needs of your audience.

Use a clear and compelling headline

Your headline is the first thing that people will see when they come to your website. Think of it as a piece of news. Would you read a title that does not intrigue you?

When writing your headlines, brainstorm a few titles before settling down on one. Also, make sure that it is clear, concise, and compelling, and includes your target keywords.

Use subheadings

Subheadings help to break up your content into smaller, more manageable chunks, making it easier for readers to consume. They also provide opportunities to use additional keywords. All the more reason to use them!

Optimize your meta descriptions

Your meta description is the short blurb that appears under your headline in search engine results. If you don’t write one yourself, Google will write it for you. And there is no way you can control it if that happens.

So, once you are done with your content, ensure that you write a compelling and informative meta description of no more than 150 characters, which also includes your primary keyword.

Use internal and external links

Google checks a website’s value using various parameters. One of them is session duration a.k.a. the amount of time a user spends on your website. The higher, the better.

Internal links to other pages on your website can help improve the user experience and keep visitors on your site longer, whereas external links to high-quality, authoritative websites help improve your website’s credibility and authority. Both are equally important in creating content that ranks!

Optimize your images

Use descriptive filenames and alt tags for your images. Since images slow down the page loading time, ensure that you also compress them to improve the user experience.

Make your content shareable

Shareable content = valuable website. Include social media sharing buttons on your website to make it easy for readers to share your content on their social media channels and community groups.

Keep your content fresh

Regularly updating your website with fresh, relevant, and high-quality content can help to improve your search engine rankings and keep visitors coming back. It also tells Google that you are not inactive and still publishing content for your audience.

Remember that the key to success is to focus on creating high-quality content that meets the needs of your audience, rather than simply trying to optimize for search engines. When creating your content, take the user-first approach and you will never go wrong!