It now almost sounds like a cliche, but content still is king. It is necessary for SEO blog writing.
When ranking websites on the search engine results page, you have to get ahead of the competition by publishing high-quality content.
This article explains how to rank a website on Google and other search engines in a step-by-step method that is valuable for both beginners and experienced SEOs.
Understanding SERP ranking
Ranking a post on search engines means having your website appear in the search results each time someone types a word, a phrase, or a question. It is a common desire for most website owners, and it allows you to attract a lot of visitors to your site.
However, there is a catch. Often, websites make it only up to page 10, or page 15. The problem is that 28.5% of users click on the first organic search engine result.
If your blog is not in the top ten, just a small percentage of people will notice it in the search results, and even fewer will go on to your webpage. So, as a content marketer, your focus should be on how to rank higher on Google and other search engines.
Tips on how to rank high in search engines
Most writers, no matter how good they are, find it difficult to get their blog to rank higher on Google.
If that’s you, then you came to the right place. Read on.
1. Identify a market niche
Which one has the more interesting title?
How to sell
Or
How do you use email marketing to increase your sales by 100%?
A lot of people neglect to find a niche for fear of missing out on other markets. Yet, choosing a niche and sticking to it helps you capture a specific market rather than trying to reach out to all types of audiences with hopes of capturing their attention.
2. Make use of keywords and phrases
While it is true that the most important part of creating content is providing value to the audience, communicating properly with search engines like Google is a necessary step for your website to become visible to readers.
Your blog needs to have the appropriate keywords and key phrases, and you need to show the search engine that those words are crucial to what you are writing about.
You can place keywords in your headers, page content, meta descriptions, image files, alt text, and URL.
3. Research and reading
Even if you feel like you are already an expert on the topic, you may want to look for other people to collaborate with who may want to provide you with a contributor quote. Getting fresh insights and ideas may also help you produce better content.
Moreover, look for related phrases and questions to better get a firm grasp on the topic. There are SERP tools on the internet you can use, like Google Keyword Planner, Keyword Tool, or Moz.
4. Create some sample headlines.
Next, you can begin formulating the draft headlines. The main keyphrase must appear in the article’s title and header; thus, choosing the phrase and crafting the headline should be done simultaneously.
The majority of the potential target key phrases usually become the draft headlines, only longer. Headlines that you end up not using can be saved as possible subheaders and social media postings in the template.
5. Choose a final title, a header, and a URL.
Headlines must be around 100 characters and should include the main and secondary key phrases, plus plenty of related keywords.
You may also include a question, a number, and what your readers can get from reading your blog.
Your URL must be simple and not too long. Do not include a number.
6. Writing and images
Now that you are done with your title, header, and URL, it is time to write your article. Do not just focus on the words; images are just as important.
Charts with unique insights are the most remarkable visuals. An article with a chart or graph is simple to reference in comments on other websites’ articles. It is always advisable to collaborate with your design team for the best images.
Equally as important is formatting. Always try to find places to add subheaders, links, contributor quotes, bullets, and bolding.
Here is what a simple touch from a design team can do.
7. Check semantic SEO
If you want to rank high, you will have to cover all related subtopics. Make sure that you have included all your related words and phrases.
Press control+F on your keyboard to find out if you have used those words. Look for places you can add them if you still haven’t. That could mean you may have to expand the article, though, as you will have to add more details about those phrases.
8. Check the article length
The ideal blog length for SEO in 2021 depends on the type of business you are in, the topics you are writing about, topical and domain authority, and the quality of the post.
Writing longer material provides search engines more substance to index. Writing more extensive content is one weapon you have at your disposal, especially if you are up against the most authoritative websites.
9. Conduct a final on-page SEO check
To ensure that you have covered the subject and included any relevant phrases, you can use SEMrush SEO Writing Assistant. It is a Google Doc add-on that compares your post to the top-ranking articles for your chosen keyword.
It examines similar URLs that rank for your phrases and produces a list of phrases that frequently appear in those articles. It is green if the phrase has already been used in your article. Otherwise, it is white.
In conclusion
Your SEO journey does not end with the creation of high-quality content. The next step is finding people who can help you promote your content and gain backlinks.
If you have referenced an article from another company, give them a shout-out. Ask them to share your content with their readers.
Also, try to track your online mentions. These mentions can vastly improve your SEO rankings. If you find that some of these mentions do not link back to your site, reach out to them and politely ask them to link to you.
Ranking high on search engines is really all about consistency in doing the right thing. There is no magic pill. Follow these simple steps, then give the readers what they want. Sooner or later, you will find yourself on top of the search engine world!
