SEO Content Writing Tips Every Business Owner Should Know
- lindangrier
- Nov 4
- 6 min read
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You’ve heard you need SEO to get found on Google. But the advice out there can be confusing. Talk about keywords, but don’t “stuff” them. Write for people, but also for an algorithm. It feels like trying to solve a puzzle with invisible pieces.
What if you could cut through the confusion? Good SEO isn't about tricking Google. It's about creating a clear, helpful experience for both your reader and the search engine.
When you focus on being genuinely helpful, you naturally do most of what Google is looking for.
Let's walk through the essential, non-negotiable SEO tips that will make your content work harder for your business.
The Golden Rule: Write for People, Optimize for Google
This is the most important mindset shift. Your primary audience is the human being reading your article. Google is your secondary audience.
Think of it this way: Google is a brilliant but literal-minded librarian. Your article is a book. SEO is the information on the book's spine and in the card catalog. It helps the librarian understand what your book is about so they can recommend it to the right people.
Your goal isn't to write for the librarian. Your goal is to write such a helpful, clear book that the librarian has no choice but to recommend it every single time.
When you write for people first, you create content that is engaging, valuable, and naturally includes the language real humans use. This, in turn, makes Google happy.
Tip 1: Find the Right Conversation (Keyword Research)
Before you write a single word, you need to know what your ideal customer is searching for. This is called keyword research. It’s not about guessing; it’s about listening.
Imagine you’re at a large party. You can’t just shout your message and hope the right person hears it. Instead, you listen to the conversations happening around you and join the one where you can be most helpful.
Keyword research is how you listen to the conversations already happening on Google.
How to Do Simple Keyword Research:
Brainstorm Topics: What are the main problems your business solves? List them out. (e.g., "start a blog," "email marketing," "social media strategy").
Use Free Tools: Go to AnswerThePublic. Type in one of your topics. It will show you a visual map of all the questions people are asking about that topic. This is a goldmine for content ideas.
Look at Google Suggestions: Start typing your topic into the Google search bar. The suggestions that pop up are all real, popular searches.
Pro Tip: Focus on “long-tail keywords.” These are longer, more specific phrases. For example, instead of targeting the super competitive keyword “yoga,” target “yoga for back pain for beginners.”
They have less search volume, but the people who use them know exactly what they want and are more likely to become customers.
Tip 2: Create a Compassing Answer (Cover the Topic Fully)
When someone clicks on your article, they want their question answered completely. Google’s goal is to rank the best, most satisfying answer. Your job is to create that answer.
This means going beyond a simple, 300-word definition. It means being comprehensive.
Let’s say you’re writing about “how to start a vegetable garden.” A weak article would list a few basic steps. A strong, comprehensive article would include:
How to choose the right location (sun, soil).
A list of the easiest vegetables for beginners.
A step-by-step planting guide.
A watering and care schedule.
Common problems and how to solve them (pests, diseases).
This approach, often called “skyscraper content,” ensures that a reader doesn’t need to go to another website to finish learning about the topic. You become their one-stop shop.
Tip 3: Structure Your Content for Easy Reading (Formatting)
People don’t read online; they scan. Your content must be incredibly easy to scan, or people will leave quickly. A high “bounce rate” (people leaving your site quickly) tells Google your page isn’t helpful.
How to Format for Scannability:
Use Descriptive Headings (H2, H3): Break your content into clear sections. Your headings should act like a table of contents, telling a story even if someone only reads them.
Weak Heading: "The Process"
Strong Heading: "Step 3: How to Write a Blog Post Outline in 10 Minutes"
Keep Paragraphs Short: Aim for 1-3 sentences. White space is your friend. It makes your content feel less intimidating and easier to read.
Use Bullet Points and Numbered Lists: They are visual anchors that break up text and make information digestible.
Bold Key Takeaways: Highlight the most important sentence in a paragraph. This helps the scanner’s eye catch the core message.
This structure isn't just good for readers; it also helps Google’s bots understand the hierarchy and main topics of your content.
Tip 4: Optimize the “Wrapper” (On-Page SEO Basics)
Once you have a well-written, well-structured article, you can quickly optimize the technical “wrapper” for Google. This takes just a few minutes.
Title Tag (Your Clickable Headline): This is the most important place for your keyword. It should be compelling and include your primary keyword near the front.
Example: "Email Marketing for Beginners: How to Write Your First Campaign"
URL Slug: Keep your web address short and clean.
Meta Description: This is the short blurb under your title in the search results. Write a 1-2 sentence summary that includes your keyword and makes people want to click. Think of it as your ad copy.
Image Alt Text: Describe your images for visually impaired users and for Google. Instead of "IMG_1234.jpg," use "woman-working-on-laptop-with-email-marketing-software."
A tool like Yoast SEO (for WordPress) can guide you through these steps effortlessly.
Tip 5: Build Topic Authority (Internal Linking)
You don’t just want visitors to read one post and leave. You want them to explore your site, see you as an expert, and maybe even sign up for your email list. Internal linking is how you do this.
Internal linking is when you link from one page on your website to another.
Why it’s powerful:
It keeps people on your site longer (a positive signal to Google).
It helps Google discover and understand all your content.
It shows the depth of your knowledge on a topic.
How to do it: When you mention a concept you’ve written about elsewhere, link to that older post. For example, if you’re writing a post about “social media strategy” and you mention “creating a content calendar,” you should link to your more detailed post about “how to create a content calendar.”
Expert Insight: “Google’s algorithms are increasingly focused on E-A-T: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness,” says SEO specialist Mark Williams. “They don’t just want to see a keyword on a page.
They want to see that you are a true expert on a topic. Comprehensive, well-structured content that’s part of a larger, interconnected site is how you prove that.”
Tip 6: Prioritize User Experience (Page Speed and Mobile)
If your website is slow or looks broken on a phone, nothing else matters. Google knows that a bad user experience leads to frustrated visitors who leave quickly.
Page Speed: Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s speed. Simple fixes include compressing images and using a caching plugin.
Mobile-Friendly: The majority of web traffic is on mobile. Make sure your website theme is “responsive,” meaning it automatically adjusts to look good on any device.
Your Simple SEO Checklist for Every Post
Before you hit “publish,” run your post through this list:
Human Check: Is this the best, most helpful answer to my reader’s question? Is it easy to scan?
Keyword Check: Is my primary keyword in the title, one heading, and sprinkled naturally throughout the body?
Formatting Check: Do I have descriptive headings? Are my paragraphs short? Do I have lists or bold text?
Wrapper Check: Did I write a compelling title and meta description? Is my URL clean?
Authority Check: Did I add 2-3 relevant internal links to other posts on my site?
By following this process, you stop seeing SEO as a separate, technical chore. It becomes a natural part of creating outstanding content. You’re not writing for Google. You’re writing for people, and using SEO to make sure your brilliant, helpful content gets delivered to them.
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