The Ultimate Guide to Creating SEO-Friendly Content
When it comes to writing content for your website, search engine optimisation (SEO) should be a top priority. By following best practices for SEO-friendly content, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search engines and drive more relevant traffic to your site.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to write content that search engines will love. We’ll expand on the basic tips from our previous post with more details, examples, and actionable recommendations. By the end, you’ll have a complete framework for publishing optimised content on a regular basis.
Let’s get started!
Choose the Right Keywords
The first step is deciding what topic or keyword phrase you want your content to rank for. Take time to research keywords that:
- Align with your business goals
- Have adequate search volume
- You can reasonably compete for
- Users are actually searching for
Some good tools for keyword research include the following:
- Google Keyword Planner: Find keyword ideas and monthly search volumes from Google’s search data.
- Ahrefs Keywords Tool Analyse hundreds of related keywords to find new opportunities.
- SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool: Get keyword difficulty scores to see how competitive they are.
Be sure to choose a primary keyword or phrase and incorporate related long-tail keywords throughout your content as well.
Optimise Your Title, URL, and H Tags
Now that you have your keywords selected, it’s time to optimise the key on-page elements:
Title Tag: Include your primary keyword at the beginning and keep titles under 60 characters with good punctuation. Make each title unique.
URL: Use clean, descriptive URLs, including your keywords, like www.example.com/keyword-phrase.html.
H1 Tag: Mirror your title or use a variation of your keywords. Only include one H1 per page.
H2-H6 Tags: Further segment your content with subheaders and work-related keywords. Stick to one hierarchy.
For example, on a page about “Dog Training Tips”, your optimised structure may look like:
Title: 10 Dog Training Tips for Any Dog Owner
URL: www.dogtrainingblog.com/dog-training-tips
H1: 10 Dog Training Tips for Any Dog Owner
H2: House Training Your Puppy
H3: Crate Training Basics
Write Catchy Introductions
The beginning of your content is crucial to engaging readers and search engines alike. Include your primary keyword in the first 100 words and write an attention-grabbing introduction like:
- A stat or fact about your topic
- A question for the reader
- A short story example
- The benefit of reading the content
For instance:
“Did you know over 5 million dogs are trained each year in the U.S.? As a new dog owner, you may be wondering where to start with training your furry friend. In this guide, we’ll give you 10 essential dog training tips to help you and your pup get off on the right paw.”
Optimise The Body Copy
Weave your targeted keywords naturally throughout the main content but avoid unnecessary repetition. Write in an easy-to-read style using:
- Descriptive subheaders
- Well-formatted lists and paragraphs
- relevant images and videos
- Related internal links
- Related external links to authoritative sources
- Real examples, case studies and stories
- Bulleted lists, when possible
For example:
House Training Basics
There are a few key things to focus on when house training a new pup:
- Take them outside frequently. Puppies need to go out every 1-2 hours when they’re awake and after meals, play, and naps.
- Use a command. Say “Go potty” each time you take them out so they learn to associate the command with relieving themselves.
- Praise and rewards: Lavish them with treats and praise whenever they go potty outside.[1] This positive reinforcement will train them much faster.
- Watch for signs. Learn your pup’s habits so you can take them out when they need to go; sniffing, circling or whining are all signs.
Crate Training Fundamentals
Crate training is a highly effective way to house train dogs.
You get the idea! Simply optimise each section with your targeted keywords and related content.
Include Internal and External Links
Links improve both readability and SEO by connecting related topics together. Be strategic about including:
- Internal links to other relevant pages on your site
- Links to external, high-authority sources for citations
Links should always:
- Use anchor text related to the link’s topic
- Open in a new tab to avoid bounced traffic
- Only link to trustworthy, reputable sources
For example:
“For more tips on crate training, check out our in-depth guide on How To Crate Train Any Dog.”
“According to the American Kennel Club, positive reinforcement is key to house training success.[2] Let’s break this down further.”
Optimise Images and Videos
Increase engagement by including:
- Relevant images with optimised
alttext describing the visual - Videos from your YouTube or other authorised channels
- Transcripts or captions for videos to improve accessibility
For example, embed a video while optimising its metadata.
{{< youtube XkW87QTmj1M >}}
Watch this video on crate training fundamentals for some demonstrations.
Include an FAQ Section
Anticipate common questions from readers by adding an engaging FAQs section. Use a numbered or bulleted list format and targeted keywords to optimise for relevant search intent.
For example:
FAQs
- What’s the best age to start house training a puppy?
House training should start as soon as the puppy comes home, around 6–8 weeks old. - How long should I keep my dog caged?
Most experts recommend… - What’s the best way to Potty train a dog?
Here are the key steps to successfully potty train your dog:.
And so on for 5–10 relevant questions.
Add a Conclusion and Key Takeaways
To wrap up, include a conclusion paragraph summarising the main points covered. Then add a prioritised “Key Takeaways” section for easy referencing of the most critical tips:
Conclusion
With consistency and positive reinforcement, you can have your dog house trained in no time. Be patient during the learning process and your bond will only grow stronger. Keep practicing these essential techniques and your pup will be well on their way to dog training success.
Key Takeaways
- Choose a targeted keyword to focus your content
- Optimise on-page SEO elements like titles, headers and URLs
- Introduce your topic in an engaging way
- Liberally use relevant keywords in your content
- Connect sections together through internal linking
- Improve readability with images, videos and citations
- Anticipate questions with a thorough FAQs section
How’s that for an expanded, SEO-optimized guide? Let me know if you need any other sections or content added.