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There was a time in the world of search engine optimization where keywords were all that mattered. You simply crammed as many as possible into your existing site, then waited for search engines to notice. The science and art of SEO, however, has evolved. Today, it is about far more than selecting and stuffing keywords. In terms of the search engine ranking system, one factor consistently leads the pack - and enables your brand to lead the pack: content.

Why Content Matters

The idea that content rules all in terms of website marketing has a long history - and for good reason. Visitors care about what you have on site. Even more than your products, people care about your information. One study found that 91% of adults were using the web to find answers. Your content can be part of that information they're looking for, but only if it's well written and targeted to your audience’s needs.

6 Tips You Need when Writing Content for SEO

Writing content, though, isn't quite the same as writing content for SEO. Great content that supports your SEO efforts relies on a number of factors, and your performance within these areas help influence your position in the search engine ranking system.

1. Quality: If you're not producing high quality content people want or need to read, you're wasting your time. Make sure people have a reason to spend time on each page, and offer them real value in each piece. You’ve heard the old adage, “Content is king?” No. Quality content rules.

2. Keyword Research: Your content needs to be based around the actual words people are using to find information on a given topic. It should offer answers using the same vocabulary they might plug into a search engine. Do your homework at the outset to make sure that's happening for you. 

3. Use of Keywords: Aim to use each keyword a few times per page, but there's no set number. Instead, make sure it works for the content. The use of the keywords and phrases should look and feel natural.

Remember, you are not writing for search engines; you’re writing for people. The benefit is that when you do this, search engines (particularly Google) take notice and reward you in terms of ranking.

4. Fresh, Hot Topics: Search engines love new content. Fresh blogs, articles, white papers, infographics, videos, etc., on topics people are searching for always get a boost thanks to Google's QDF policy, or query deserved freshness. 

The idea behind this policy is that if there's a sudden surge in a keyword, the freshest content on that topic gets bumped up in line. Imagine, for a moment, your newest content is centered around mosquito borne illnesses. If a new Zika-like virus is discovered, your content may suddenly be at the top of the stream.

5. Relevant Verticals: There are two types of searches - vertical and horizontal. A typical Google search is horizontal in nature because it displays general query results from a number of different subjects. A specialized search in the images or news category, for example, is dubbed a vertical search because it looks only at one segment - videos, images, shopping, and the like. Content that does well in one of those vertical searches can put you at the top of the list.

6. Answers: Increasingly, search engines are looking to offer answers to the questions people type in their search bar or box. Some questions are even answered without the need to click on a web page, and they come directly from pages like yours. You even get a link back as credit. While this may not seem like success, the reality is that it can send traffic just like any other query, and it's important to provide this helpful, instant information to potential customers/clients.

Hoping to reach more people with your website? Writing content for SEO - which means for your audience as well as for search engines! - is the way to go. Let us help you develop the perfect content for your site and your audience.

In the meantime, check out these quick tips on checking your website's SEO health: