SEO guidelines for content writers
Siri, what time is sunset today? Alexa, how do I get red wine out of the carpet? OK, Google, where’s the nearest gas station?
Some 50% of searches are voice search these days, according to comScore. So optimize for voice search:
1. Choose long-tail search terms.
These days, web visitors don’t search for simple terms like “LAX flight delays.” Instead, they’re more likely to ask a longer, more conversational, more precise question: “Will Flight 457 on XYZ Airlines be delayed out of LAX?”
Indeed, most searchers use three or more keywords in their searches, according to a study of 10 million U.S. internet users by Experian Hitwise. Long-tail search terms also help you choose more precise — and often less competitive — searches.
2. Ask questions.
People tend to pose voice searches as questions: Siri, which bakeries are open now?
Find out what your audience is asking. (At Wylie Communications, we just click the question button on SEMRush’s Keyword Magic Tool. We’re not affiliated with SEMRush; we just love it.) Then create pages, posts and other pieces with a popular question as the headline and its answer as the content.
3. Explain how to.
The number of how-to searches has increased by 70%. Search for “How to [your topic]” and choose the subjects your audience seeks help with.
Use “How to [your topic]” for the headline, page title and page description.
4. Use conversational keywords.
People write more formally, but they speak more conversationally.
Has your SEO approach kept up with the way people are really searching today?
Optimize for Google and Humans
You’re not still keyword stuffing, are you? Are you optimizing your content for mobile search? When was the last time you updated your SEO techniques?
Google changes its algorithm three times a day! If you’re still using the techniques you learned last year, Google may be penalizing — not rewarding — your SEO efforts.
The good news is, SEO is easy if you have the right tools and techniques. The bad news is, few communicators know what those tools and techniques are.
But at Reach Readers Online, our mobile-web-writing workshop starting Oct. 5, you’ll learn a simple, up-to-date system for helping people find your web content.
Learn to avoid Google’s wrath, write web content that doesn’t get dinged by Google — even optimize for voice search.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.
