Content Writing

Since content is absolutely critical in the world of SEO, this topic may not receive as much attention as it should. Perhaps the administrators should create a new Forum category for discussing content as it applies to SEO.

I think that most people do not like to write for content. I have written thousands of pages (college/grad school/beyond), and I still do not like to write. It takes discipline to research, draft, rewrite, proof, redraft, have another check your work, rewrite, proof again and finalize your copy (at least that is the task of a good writer :-).

When it comes to forums and chatting, most ignore the above disciplines because the expectations are different.

When it comes to SEO, I would personally benefit from a discussion on content. People, on this forum, are divided in their opinions on what makes good content for websites. Here are some of my questions.

1) Is it better to start an article with the exact keyword phrase for which you are targeting or add a couple of words before, why?

2) What is the best way to layout your content for the search engines to create the best snippets? I am getting better at this, but I have a ways to go.

3) Long copy versus short copy.

4) What are the best examples of content that you have found?

Some good questions evmikna, content is hugely important and should be discussed more. Hopefully your post will start some discussions. Here are a few short answers to get the ball rolling, I'm sure others will have more to add to.

1) Is it better to start an article with the exact keyword phrase for which you are targeting or add a couple of words before, why?

The title of the article should contain text that is very similar if not identical to your keyword phrase, it should also be included in the first paragraph accompanied by buffer words so you have the right keyword proximity and density, if you are writing naturally for human users this should happen anyway

2) What is the best way to layout your content for the search engines to create the best snippets? I am getting better at this, but I have a ways to go.

Short paragraphs, not only good for SE's but also human readers as most generally have short attention spans online and don't want to read long parapgraphs, 4-5 sentences per paragraph max IMO.

3) Long copy versus short copy.

Depends on the topic, guides should be long but with short paragraphs, news items should be short and to the point. Also throw in some medium copy as well, generally 300-400 words.

4) What are the best examples of content that you have found?

www dot seobook dot com / archives / 001792 dot shtml

genuinely useful and informative content that generated over 3,000 back links according to yahoo site explorer. I'd like to know how many people visit that page each month

would a site linking to your homepage containing a blog count as content?? because if it does, you could certainly drop in anchor text there......

That's too much, looking for third party keyword results and then writing content based on those numbers that's probably a year old. You write content based on your market that you already know about. If you're looking for keywords to find ideas then you're in the wrong market. You should have an idea what people want to hear. If you're going to write around keywords then you do it based on the traffic that's already coming in to your web site.





Depends on audience. But be sure to fatten it with some nice images and figures. People like pictures. I still like the picture Bible even though Jesus has blue eyes.



Depends on market.

You should be asking, how can I create content that is reputable and of lasting value to the industry I'm in. This gives you traffic, links and repute. Hazah!

I need some clarification... creating fresh, new content is what exactly? Articles? Product reviews? If I'm on the right track, what else is considered fresh, new content? At what frequency should new content be created? Is there a point where you can create too much content? Is there a frequency of new content that should be followed?

I found this site: pagingconcepts dot com.... at the top of the home page, what kind of content is that considered? How would you keep that type of content fresh and updated?

Hopefully this isnt a silly question but I thought I understood this idea until I saw a site like the one above.

Good point DJStreet. I like the fact that hittails highlights the main longtail keywords for eixisting sites.

My challenge is writing content for brand new sites. I have a couple of sites right now (billiards and leasing). I have no experience with either. So I work with the client to understand their market and also use the keyword tools to inform us of terms which historically bring in the traffic.

What prompted this thread is that I have to write articles and content for websites on topics which:
I have zero interest in (except that it is for my client) :-)
I have zero knowledge about

Yesterday, I finished an article for a keyword which is quite boring to me. It took me a long time to write the article because I had no background on the subject. I could have hired this out (and I was tempted). However, I will have a long relationship with this client, so I felt it was mandatory to learn the terms, concepts and be able to construct an article that made sense and had appeal. Not an easy task, but I am glad to be on this side of it.

There are a few factors at play as I see it:

1) How much content do your competitors in the SERPs have? Write more than them.
2) What does your marketing base require for freshness of content? Do the products change frequently (as with cellphones), then add new content frequently.
3) Old (yet relevant) content, in my experience is "gold." It ranks well and does not need adjustment.
4) New content opens more doors for traffic. New longtail phrases and keywords are developed when new content is in place.
5) Too much content? Essays on cell phones is too much for the reader. That is whom you want to write for in the first place.

Writing the essay may be the right thing - some may want the entire message. Using analytics to watch results, place in content links near the top of the content to the money page. Move that link(s) around the page to what would be the best location for the users (as determined thru your analytics).

Hi a quick answer to your Q1 -
i have found that by simply picking out only your most important keywords for example purposes only ...'car'

Then just by brainstorming/researching all associated words with the keywords I have selected - I suddenly have a note pad full of 'Relevant' words I can use in a short paragraph.

(..a good starting point is likes and dislikes ie what people 'like about cars' etc..)

Melian

I'm glad you brought this topic up, as it is one I struggle with. I have no problem coming up with content. My problem is in the delivery of the content; ie, how to make it a "must read". I know what must be done, but hate doing it because it goes against my idea of a well designed page.

I read a great article a few months back on the problematic trend of adults having short attention spans. They must be lured, led and locked in.
How to do this? By making it look like a page out of a children's book:






*Think splash-page style tactics - loud, bold texting that is easy on the eyes and spaced well apart to encourage scrolling.

*Use xtra large, boldly colored (the preferred color is indeed red) font to outline paragraphs

*Keep paragraphs short - medium-sized font is preferred

*Bullet the key points below each paragraph, summing up what they just read.

*utilize pictures/images to help tell your story and keep it interesting.

*break up the page - this helps the reader assimilate an easier read and keeps them scrolling downward










Webmasters need to model their sites to internet browsers who have almost zero tolerance for slow load time, cluttered text & hoop-jumping navigation.

Such great numbers of tv viewers have DVR, that networks are being forced into alternative concepts just to capture viewers of their advertisements! We need to model our websites to cater to this behavior.
We are an impatient society in all we do and we have to keep that in mind as we improve our SEO

It's better to ignore targeting specific phrases, or rather the "writer" is provided a generalized topical area and they "just write".

EXAMPLE: A baby gift site has writers write on the generalized topics of pregnancy, parenting, and schooling to cover "baby" to "toddlers" and "mother" to "father" topics...

Among other things writers wrote about Postpartum Depression, Social Bullying, Breastfeeding, Homeschool, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Foster Parents, Adopting, Teenage Pregnancy, and Surrogacy to name a few...

At first glance not article topics asscoiated with "gifts" but these are all topics associated with baby and the generalized topics of pregnancy, parenting, and schooling.

Interesting enough two paralleling occurrences here:

1. Google's use of LSI comes to mind, and

2. People looking for information on Postpartum Depression, Social Bullying, Breastfeeding, Homeschool, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Foster Parents, Adopting, Teenage Pregnancy, and Surrogacy do BUY GIFTS and not just for what you decide to target.

That really isn't answerable. It all depends on your website's internal design...

However, in general, if you place the main contextual paragraph above (and to the left) of all navigation links you will get the best results... this can be accomplished by using a text div immediately after <body> placing all page text there > but positioned appropriately in the CSS.

If a blog - "RIGHT SIDE NAV BAR IS BEST".



Both have advantage but the edge goes to long since Google started supplemental results.

A fair margin: 500 words

A good margin: 800 words

A superb margin: 1000 words



Not sure what you mean but I have found through trial that hiring freelance writers is far better than doing writing yourself and it doesn't need to cost alot either.

I have used the following to keep costs down (at less when attempting content in volume)...

1. focus on personal experience in writers rather than professional experience (whether that is professional writing experience or professional background in a topic area). Research costs money but if you acquire writers that don't need to research that's a huge savings. Most people have vast lifelong learning experience and if they have a fair ability in English 101 you can receive quality articles for unbelievable prices. Professional freelance writers you don't need unless you are possibly developing link bait -- all you need to person with a story.

NOTE: All of the previous articles were written by 'mothers' on their own experiences within their families -- cost about $20 for those and a few more... REASON: it was a "joy" to write about their family rather than doing boring research in a topic they don't enjoy.

2. Seek out public domain information 'off-line' - libraries, schools, government offices, and other esblishments - then hire a data entry clerk.

3. Another possibility if you have an establish record with writers - keeping costs down but paying yearly residuals.

4. Innovative thinking is you best weapon.

A few years ago when i started writing online content, the first article i read on the topic was Jakob Nielsen's "How Users Read on the Web" useit. com/ alertbox /9710a .html.

Though this was written 10 years ago, I think that the findings still hold true today, and I think you'd be a bit hard pressed to find a good online content writer/copywriter that doesn't employ many of the techniques discussed in this article.

I know that this thread is more about writing to get your content high in the SERPS, but is there that much of a difference anymore. Keep your headline and body consistent and on topic, keep your copy readable and don't try to stuff in keywords unnecessarily. Latent semantic indexing is here to stay, trust that it'll work and go out on a limb and use a synonym every once in a while.

I am not suggesting that when I'm done writing I don't go back and read over my article and make sure that it includes instances of the keywords i think visitors will use to find it or set my title/description tags with those specific keywords in mind, but if you start there you'll end up cheating yourself and your visitors out of would could be a great piece of content otherwise.