Understanding the Importance of Content Writing in SEO

Let me guess. You're a business owner or an agency that wants to find out if adding content to the SEO toolbox is worthwhile.

So far, you've done everything right.

Optimizing your content, E.A.T., site speed, technical SEO, local, and even link building. The SEO guy you know or hired suggested updating your content to be more helpful and recommended focusing more on blogging.

So, here you are, wondering "Is content writing important in Search Engine Optimization?" Isn't 'quality content' enough to gain visibility on a search engine? Should you toss SEO-friendly content writing into an already busy mix of tasks?

Over the past few years, I've written hundreds of SEO articles that rank high on Google and drive money-making traffic to my clients' websites. Yes, by solely employing SEO content writing.

Here I plan on sharing my insights and experience from this journey. If you're considering having content as a part of your SEO strategy, here's my two cents.

Content isn't just important to SEO - it's crucial.

So, yes, writing can help you improve your search engine rankings. Here's how to make sure your content ticks all the boxes.

What is SEO content writing?

Writing blog posts is easy. Writing high-quality content is a lot harder. Writing high-quality, SEO-friendly pieces of content - the toughest nut to crack.

Great SEO content writing means giving your content a voice that readers and search engines understand. Good SEO writing is not just about writing skills.

Article writing for SEO is about: (1) Answering the users' search queries better than other search engine competitors. (2) Using the right keywords in the right places. (3) Crossing off a complete SEO content publishing checklist.

Despite the trendy, non-expert opinions that you should just use content to 'answer user intent'; the key lies in making your content speak the language that search engines and people both appreciate. This allows every writer to build discovery and relevancy on search engines.

SEO writing best practices

‍

To say that SEO is one-dimensional is a mistake. SEO writing involves a ton of details.

Here are the three important SEO factors you should take care of.

1. Directly answering the right questions

At this point, even your analog aunt knows the importance of including a target keyword inside the article.

So, before you write great SEO content, you should pinpoint the main keyword – the search term you want your content optimized for.

Choosing the right one will have an impact on your SEO, of course. The primary keyword you need in order to rank should be relevant, should hold informative intent, have a decent search volume, and match your ranking abilities.

For instance, the "software development" keyword will most likely be a fluke for most websites. It's way too crowded and has an absurdly high keyword difficulty score.

In fact, to spare you too much detail, if Wikipedia snags a keyword or results show 2-3 Google Ads on the results page, it's probably best to find your luck elsewhere.

Second... The right parts of the authoritative content should cut straight to the chase and answer every question directly. No need for a long detour. The algorithm loves it, users love it – hence the existence of featured snippets.

2. Semantics and words in the right places

Adding semantic analysis to SEO content production is an important aspect of SEO. Tools that utilize WDF-IDF analysis enhance understanding beyond just keywords. They can help content creators write content that ends up ranking better.

It's important to create content that's semantically optimized because Google prioritizes overall meaning in content. And it does so by using natural language processing. Consider WDF-IDF your ticket to Google qualifying your new content for relevancy.

We often fall victim to a digital version of anthropomorphism - thinking that engines (animals originally) think exactly like humans. They don't.

Placing key terms in the right places - aside from the quality of content - ensures you avoid this trap. If your goal is to create content well-received by search engines, consistently, you have to brew this into your marketing efforts.

3. Crossing off content publishing checklist

Here are just a few essential things you need to be able to embed in the new blog posts.

• Keyword Placement
• WDF-IDF Score
• Title Tags
• Meta Description
• Correct URL Structure
• Correct Header Hierarchy (H1, H2, H3)
• Good Readability and Skimmability Score
• Internal Linking
• External Linking
• Images

Pro tip: I've seen many people around forums overanalyze details. They claim one thing's more crucial than the other.

I say don't go overboard with analysis.

With the right workflow, you can power through the checklist and hit publish in a sneeze. Seems like a more practical and less exhausting way.

7 Reasons Why SEO Writing Is Important  For Successful SEO

Quality content writing is not just about climbing the ranks on search engines; it's a ranking strategy that can unlock the full potential of your website.

If you own a well-optimized site that ticks all the boxes for performance but hasn't yet realized its potential, this is for you. We'll explore seven key aspects where SEO content writing catalyzes rise to the top of the SERPs.

1. Reaching your organic traffic potential

Imagine you've got a service website, ranking decently without breaking a sweat.

It's ticking the boxes for optimization and core vitals, the niche isn't as fierce, and your service is solving important problems users tend to google away. Although admirable, it might take a while (I'm talking years) to hit just a fragment of its full potential.

But, here's the twist and it's pretty darn obvious:

The traffic to your website could soar with the introduction of different SEO-friendly types of content.

To illustrate the point, here's my experience with a vending machine client.

They went from almost zilch organic traffic to a whopping 16K monthly visits in just five months. Yes, solely thanks to a smart kind of content strategy (view the case study).

That right there is the magic of SEO content creation.

Now, think about it. If we were just churning out quality, unique content - without researching intent and semantics - they'd be in for a long waiting game. Worse yet, they'd only utilize probably a mere 3-5% of their organic potential.

Content quality is not enough.

And if we were solely fixated on the main keyword "vending locator" or core web vitals, well, even a lengthier journey... Just look at our competitors that have followed the same logic.

The key? Blend it all – quality content, solid SEO score, content-based strategy, and voila. You're on the express lane to boost your site's visibility on Google and other search engines.

2. Ranking gets you the highest quality traffic

In my experience, blog content is mostly funneling down prospects to the middle and bottom of your conversion funnel.

SEO content doesn't just rack up traffic numbers—it's a strategic game of attracting the right crowd that's likely to be interested in your product or services. Therefore, it's best when content is designed to play a role in the buyer's journey.

So, what qualifies as high-quality traffic? Well, these are the visitors who stroll onto your website not just to spam or bounce, but because they're genuinely interested in what your business brings to the table. Translation: these are the potential customers you've been dreaming about.

To lure in these quality prospects, you've got to understand their buyer's journey like the back of your hand. Know when to whip out the introductory content, when to tease or entertain, and when to hit them with the deep, thought-provoking stuff.

It's like a fine restaurant — serving a right dish that's cooked to every customer's liking. Understanding the power of SEO content production will tempt you to push out tons of content. If that's something you're contemplateing, head over to the piece that addresses whether more content is better for SEO.

When you're clued in on your audience's pain points and you're serving up the exact info they're craving, magic happens.

Your website becomes their go-to spot, and when they land on it, it's not a hit-or-miss scenario. They're hooked, ready to take that next exciting step with you. And guess what? You'll soon notice how well your content performs.

This is especially important recently considering the latest helpful content updates.

3. Aligned with the helpful content update

Google's Helpful Content Update, the effects of which were mostly reported back in September 2023, marked a significant shift in how search results are ranked. This update aimed to prioritize original and helpful content, the one that enhances user satisfaction. As of March 2024, Google is set to further trim down unhelpful content in search engine results by 40%.

In simple terms, this update means that those who create content to help users are likely to come out on top. Quality matters and Google's evolving core ranking systems are geared towards recognizing and promoting helpful content at the page level.

SEO content writers play a crucial role in producing helpful content. They are usually the only ones who understand the how to make the content that answers users' questions.

Drawing from my own experience, the vending machine business I collaborated with during 2023 saw the biggest spike in traffic from September 2023 to November 2023.

They went from a mere 2,5K all the way up to 17,8K in just a few months.

Yes, exactly at the time the update rolled out. As complaints about the update batched all over X (fmr Twitter) and people witnessed a decline in their traffic, we've seen our traffic spike 8-fold. Make an educated guess about the factors that set "us" apart from "rest."

Writing content, especially when content meets the "helpful" criteria, is paramount for SEO success. Don't just take my word for it. Industry experts are rallying behind it as well.

Google's systems are designed to assess content not just site-wide but on a page-by-page basis. Producing helpful content can contribute to the improved performance of all pages on your site in search results.

In essence, the game is favoring those who invest in creating valuable, helpful, and solid content. If you're not one of them, you likely won't see your efforts reflected in improved search engine rankings.

The key takeaway is clear: prioritize quality, understand the basics of helpful content, optimize, and stay tuned to Google's ranking systems for lasting SEO success.

4. Gaining higher domain authority and recognition

If you've spent any time in content marketing, you've probably heard about Domain Authority. A term is also known as the Authority Score.

At its core, it predicts how likely your website is to pop up high in search engine result pages (SERPs). The bigger the score the more likely you are to rank high.

Although calculations are becoming more complex, the tools that brained them do most of the calculus thanks to backlinks and referring domains: tossing in numbers like linking root domains and total incoming links.

Here's the cool part: it works both ways. Even if you start with a low authority score, if you adopt the right SEO content strategy and more of your stuff claims top spots, guess what?

Your website's authority score shoots up as a result. As it does, more of your upcoming content starts ranking higher, and higher, and on and on it goes.

Why, you may ask? Well, with your informative content claiming top spots on Google, other brands can't resist referencing your masterpiece. I mean, it was pretty easy to find. Plus, if Google deemed it super relevant... well, it must be good. Right? Well, not necessarily, but heck yes!😉

If you're out there answering burning questions through your SEO content, people will begin to see you as a go-to source. They'll engage with your article or blog like it's their favorite hobby. Some of them will even reference your content around forums and social channels.

As more real people land on your content via legit link shares, you're not just getting traffic – you're getting the good stuff that can nudge Google to position you even higher.

Have you noticed the fun effect that takes place here?

One thing feeds into another, creating this massive, all-supporting loop of positive effects. And it all started by creating high-quality, well-optimized content.

So, remember, SEO content writing alone can kickstart a massive chain of positive results.

5. Getting high backlink profiles with good content strategy

Backlinks are links from other websites to yours. They are signals to search engines that your site is reputable. Sort of like digital endorsements when done right. They play a significant role in SEO by significantly influencing your site's ranking on search engines.

Reputable sources like Search Engine Journal and SEMrush consistently highlight the pivotal role of backlinks in SEO success. Websites with a robust backlink profile - not those with a high backlink count - tend to rank higher in search results.

Now, here's the connection to content: creating optimized and valuable content naturally attracts backlinks. As we said earlier, when you're producing content that's top-notch, other sites find it worthy of referencing.

But the impact goes beyond passive linking. High-quality, optimized content can spark proactive backlink outreach efforts. Your marketing team can reach out to other reputable sources to collaborate or link to your content. This intentional backlink building, coupled with your great content, creates a potent synergy, further enhancing your website's ranking potential.

In essence, backlinks are the online votes that boost your website's credibility, and creating exceptional content not only draws them in naturally but can also trigger intentional internal efforts, solidifying your position in the SERPs.

6. Better internal linking structure (important for SEO)

Let's talk about internal links - the hypertexted portals that connect pages on your website.

There's a buzz in SEO circles, debating the real impact of internal links. But according to Google's John Mueller, these links are critical. He says "It's one of the biggest things that you can do on a website to guide Google and visitors to the pages that you think are important."

Now, aside from saying they're important, what Mueller subtly points out is the power you hold in steering Google. This is where a smart internal linking structure comes in handy. It lets you highlight pages that matter most to you - your cornerstone content, landing pages, or key products. Essentially, it's your way of saying, "Google, this is the holly grail on my site!"

Without quality content, though, this steering power is fairly limited. You need compelling content to drive users to your chosen pages effectively. That right there is what SEO content writing brings to you.

But there's more to it. Internal linking holds another component also crucial to your 'rankability'.

Anchor text. It's like a signpost, offering extra context for Google and users as they follow the link. When used inside blog content, anchor text is a very natural way to guide readers. Mention something, link to it, users get the context, and Google loves it - easy peasy.

So, in a nutshell, internal links not only help you navigate users but also add that extra oomph to your SEO game.

7. Better understanding of your target audience

Just start with keyword research.

It will feel like gaining a sixth sense of your audience. You'll better understand who exactly you are trying to woo to your website. What keeps them up at night... And, most importantly, what specific pain points could your service/product help alleviate?

Here, join me for a quick test.

Head over to Answer the Public. There, you'll spot a search box – type in a general term (one or two words) that your audience is all about. If you were in the fitness game, think of just 'fitness' or even something more specific like 'fitness goals'. If you were deep in a niche world, like, say, mushroom supplements, you'd try "adaptogens". Got your term locked and loaded? Good. Hit search.

Done? Now, tell me, how many of the questions that popped up surprised you?

You see? And that's just keyword research - just one slice of the SEO content writing pie. Going beyond, as the traffic pours in and more eyes land on your posts, you start spotting hotspots. I'm talking about reading time, the click-through response to your CTAs, or even the bounce rate. You'll begin to study the key metrics that tend to get even more relevant with an increase in traffic.

SEO content writing isn't just about ranking higher. It's a tool that gives you insights to recognize patterns and understand what engages your audience.

Key takeaways

• Content writing is not just important. It's crucial for SEO success. It answers users' questions directly, uses keywords effectively, and adheres to a comprehensive SEO content publishing checklist.
• There are three areas every good SEO writer should take care of: the right keyword selection that matches ranking potential, semantics and NLP analysis, thorough content publishing checklist
• Improve Domain Authority by adopting the right SEO content strategy, becoming a go-to source that attracts backlinks, creating a positive loop of increased credibility, and enhancing ranking potential.
• Attract backlinks naturally with quality content and support proactive backlink outreach efforts, while recognizing the critical role of internal linking and anchor text for guiding users and signaling importance to Google.
• Gain insights into audience interests and pain points through keyword research, and, as traffic increases, analyze metrics to understand audience engagement patterns and preferences.
• View SEO content writing as a tool for gaining insights into audience behavior and preferences, going beyond just ranking higher to understand what engages and resonates with your audience.

‍