5 Ways Small Business Owners Can Create SEO Friendly Content

When it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), one of the common challenges small business owners and marketers face is creating content. Content is a vital component of SEO, especially now that Google has tweaked its search algorithm to focus on quality web content so it can provide users with the most accurate and relevant results possible. As such, to rank well on Google, it helps business owners to overcome this specific challenge. 

How to Increase Your Search Rankings via Web Content

Creating quality SEO friendly content is easier said than done. You probably already have your hands full with running your business. Fortunately, there are simple strategies that you can use to create quality content so you can improve your search rankings. Here are some pointers to help you rank well on Google: 

1. More is not always the best

Although it is a generally accepted fact that longer content often ranks higher, you don’t have to churn out pages and pages of written content every time you want to post something new on your blog or website. What’s important is that you create a piece of content that best answers your target audience’s search query.

When writing web content, always keep your readers in mind. You must ensure that your content has enough information to answer their specific questions. For example, when creating product pages, you only need to provide a brief description of a product that you’re offering so prospects will know what they can expect when they purchase it. You don’t have to write hundreds of words unless your target customers require a very detailed description of your goods.

The length of your content can indeed help your site rank. However, considering how complex Google’s search algorithm is, other factors can affect your search rankings. As such, you shouldn’t let yourself be bogged down by how long or short your web pages or blog posts are. What’s important is that you can fulfil the needs of your target audience. 

2. Find out what your audience is looking for

To get better search rankings, you should strive to create content that your target audience wants. Find out what they need specifically by researching search trends and volumes. There are several tools that you can use for your research, such as Google’s Keyword Planner. Identifying what your audience is looking for allows you to determine the search terms they are using to find goods or services similar to yours. It also helps to determine how many people are using the keywords you’re targeting in their search queries. 

3. Look for keywords related to your search terms

Besides researching search trends and volumes, another way to identify popular search terms you can use in your content is by checking out the “People also ask” tab on Google. Type in one of the keywords or key phrases you want to rank for them and then scroll down the search result page until you come across the “People also ask” suggestions.

Once you click a tab, Google will provide more related searches, giving you a lot of ideas and inspirations for your content. Use these suggestions to understand better how your audience can find you online. 

4. Check out forums

If you’re running out of topic ideas for your content, why don’t you consider visiting online forums and communities so you’ll know what sort of things interest your target audience? For example, you can log on to Reddit and find a “subreddit” related to your niche or industry. It should give you some insights into the topics that pique their curiosity and questions they need to be answered. Then, create content that addresses them.

Always keep in mind that if your target audience is turning to Reddit and other online forums to ask a specific question, it’s very likely that the answer they need doesn’t exist on the Internet yet. This is your chance to get them to know you and establish yourself as an expert or authority in your industry. 

5. Write for humans, optimise for search engines

When writing SEO friendly content, always prioritise your audience. You should write for humans and certainly not for Google’s search bots. That being said, you should never stuff your webpages and blog posts with lots of keywords to the point that they are barely intelligible. Not only will this potentially turn your audience off, but it can also earn you a penalty from Google.

What you can do instead is to write content that will engage your target audience. At the same time, you should also pay attention to the keywords or key phrases you’re targeting. To prevent yourself from repeating the same keyword over and over again, you should find words that are related semantically to your target keywords. Then, use them throughout your content only when it is necessary. 

Creating Search Engine-Friendly Content is Key

If you want to get good search rankings, you should make an extra effort to create quality content. However, for a small business owner, creating good content is easier said than done. This is why it’s better to leave this task in the hands of experts. This way, not only can you get the results you’re expecting, but you can also focus more on running your business.

At Springhill Marketing, we specialise in creating optimised content for businesses of all types and sizes. If you neither have time nor energy to create content for your website, we’re more than happy to do this essential SEO task off your hands, so you don’t have to. Contact us today.