This time of year, a lot of people are heading back to school. They’re stocking up on supplies, getting textbooks, and preparing for another semester of classes. However, even if you’re not heading back to school, it doesn’t mean you can’t do a little learning!
For this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we decided to go “back to school” by talking about the basics of building your site presence and mastering SEO. This was another one of our community chats, where our participants are the stars of the show. And they certainly had some great advice to share!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: “Back to School” with Your Site Presence & SEO: 101 Refresher
If you’re ready for a refresher course on site presence and SEO, you’re in the right place! Grab a pen and paper to take some notes and let’s dive right in!
Q1: Explain the importance of SEO and how it integrates into your online marketing.
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share why they feel SEO is important. What did they have to say about it? Here are a few responses from the chat:
As Jason said, SEO helps people find and see you online. The keywords you target in your content are just one of the ways you can boost your visibility in search rankings.
A1: SEO is integrated into the content we create. We do keyword research which is used in the page title, body copy, etc #contentwritingchat
Lexie mentioned that SEO is a huge part of everything they do over at Netvantage Marketing. They conduct keyword research before creating anything. Then, that keyword is used in the page title, body copy, etc.
A1: In summary, good SEO helps a brand to be searchable/more visible on search engines like Google. #ContentWritingChat
When done right, SEO helps your brand become searchable and more visible on search engines. This is why you want to conduct keyword research and choose the right keywords for each piece of content you publish.
A1: #seo = how you’re put on the search engine map. If Google doesn’t know you exist, it can’t send people to your site! #ContentWritingChat
Brittany made a great point! You can’t build something and expect it to be successful. You can’t just publish a piece of content and expect people to find it. You have to put in the effort to optimize your content for search engines like Google.
Q2: What are the basic SEO steps every blogger needs to take when publishing new content?
To get started with SEO, we need to have the basics covered. So, which steps should you always keep in mind when you’re publishing a new piece of content? Here’s some advice:
A2 ?? a) know your audience, their interests/questions b) research long-tail keywords within their topics of interest #ContentWritingChat
As Julia said, it starts with knowing your audience. Without knowing your audience and understanding their needs, you can’t create content they’re interested in. You’ll want to follow that up with keyword research to choose the right long-tail keywords for your content.
A2: First, do keyword research. Use that keyword research in the page title, meta, body copy, but do so NATURALLY. #contentwritingchat
Lexie also knows that keyword research is an essential beginning. The keyword you choose for a piece of content will be used in the page title, meta description, and throughout the body copy. However, as she pointed out, you should always incorporate the keyword in a way that’s natural.
A2: Pay attn. to what the target audience is talking about. What are their pain points/FAQs. Use that to drive content. #ContentWritingChat
Choosing the right keywords goes back to paying attention to your audience. Your content should address their pain points and the questions they’re asking.
A2. Gather insights: keywords people are searching for and conversations they are having. (1/2) #contentwritingchat
Tony shared a helpful infographic with some tips that are important to keep in mind!
Q3: How can you make sure you’re speaking to the right audience in your search optimized content?
Another priority is to make sure you’re reaching the right audience with the content you’re publishing on your website. After all, you don’t want to risk attracting all the wrong people to your site. Here’s how to make sure you reach the right people:
Audience and keyword research is essential here. As Jason said, you need to know who you want to reach and then research the terms and phrases they’re searching. This will help you write the content that targets your ideal audience.
A3. Do research & create a persona for your target audience.
Having a reader persona is essential. You want to know who you’re trying to reach and create content that answers their questions and addresses pain points.
A3 Google looks at content humanly. Write with the real reader (human) in mind, and write TO them. Topic > Keyword #ContentWritingChat
Jenn is a fan of actually talking to her audience. You can strike up a conversation with your ideal readers to really get to know them and their needs.
A little research is going to teach you everything you need to know about your audience!
Q4: Name a few top mistakes you see repeatedly in SEO content.
There are quite a few mistakes that people frequently make in their SEO content. And if you don’t know what they are, you won’t be able to avoid them! These are things you’ll want to avoid on your own website:
A4: Keyword stuffing; it’s sadly still a thing. Not doing keyword research. Not using H1-6s for keywords. #contentwritingchat
Andrew feels using visible clusters of keywords can actually cheapen your content. You don’t want to go overboard when incorporating keywords into your content. It needs to be done naturally.
A4: Choosing the wrong keywords! One must know what words your audience would use to describe what you’re writing. #ContentWritingChat
One thing that a lot of people still forget about is their meta description. Don’t forget to take an extra few seconds to type up a meta description for your blog posts.
Mistakes Zala has noticed are not optimizing for the right keywords and local search, poorly written content, and failing to check analytics to see what actually converts.
One huge mistake that Julia sees is people putting out crappy, worthless content. That’s not serving a purpose for anyone. You need to focus on adding value with everything you publish.
Q5: Are there any tools you rely on when it comes to creating SEO content?
There are plenty of tools out there that can help you with SEO, but how do you know which ones you should use? Here’s a list of suggestions:
A5: @Moz and their competitive intelligence. I love seeing where we’re lacking most with the competition. #ContentWritingChat
Andrew knows the first step is actually setting quantifiable, trackable goals. Without clear goals in mind, you won’t know what you’re working towards.
A6: How are rankings changing? How is your domain authority changing? How many backlinks are you generating? #ContentWritingChat
Jenn suggests watching how your rankings change. Is your domain authority changing? How many backlinks are you generating? These are all factors you may want to watch.
Another thing to keep an eye on is how people are finding your site. What keywords are they searching to discover your content? This is important information to keep in mind.
Q7: What steps will you take to give your site a refresher in the months ahead?
Now that we’ve talked about giving your site a refresher and SEO basics, we wanted to know how our chat participants could improve their own sites. Here’s what they had to say:
A7. Do a quick content audit and review my content strategy. (And take the Content Strategy Course from @JuliaEMcCoy) #contentwritingchat
Mallie is also a big fan of Moz’s content! Join us for #ContentWritingChat every Tuesday from 10-11 AM Central Time! Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat so you don’t miss anything!
By now, you probably know how important content marketing and SEO are for your online brand. But do you really know how to implement them? In this #ContentWritingChat, we discussed this topic and received some really great advice from our chat participants. Keep reading to learn more!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Making Content Marketing & SEO Work for Your Brand with Gini Dietrich
Our guest host this week was Gini Dietrich. Gini is the CEO of Arment Dietrich. She’s also an author and a speaker. In this week’s chat, she shared some valuable tips you’ll want to use for your own brand.
Q1: Content marketers today have to know SEO. Do you have a process you recommend to combine both?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share their tips for combining both content marketing and SEO. Here are some of the responses we received:
A1: I do, in fact! The process is this: 1) Define keywords where you can compete; 2) Create headlines (cont…) #contentwritingchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) June 27, 2017
A1: 3) Develop your ed calendar based on those headlines; 4) Publish content; 5) Earn high-value links; 6) Watch results #contentwritingchat
Gini’s process includes the following: defining keywords where you can compete, creating headlines, developing an editorial calendar, publishing content, earning high-value links, and tracking results.
A1 Know your keywords (use @semrush). Optimize a headline & craft outline. Create comprehensive, best-answer 2000w blogs #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) June 27, 2017
Julia says it all starts with knowing your keywords. She loves to use SEMrush for this. Then, she writes an optimized headline and begins creating her content.
A1 Identify key keywords through Google Keywords + other research. Find out what people want to know about through this. #ContentWritingChat
For Emma, her process starts by identifying keywords with Google’s Keyword Planner and other research. She knows it’s important to figure out what your audience is looking for.
Kristin agrees that you need a strategy in order to get your content in front of the right people.
Q2: So, are you saying we need to create content for robots first?
The big question here is… Who do we focus on when creating content? Do we focus on the human reader or the robots running the search engines? Here’s what our chat participants had to say:
A2: Not necessarily, no. You should have a list of questions customers and prospects ask. (cont…) #contentwritingchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) June 27, 2017
A2: A list of questions you answer via email. Your FAQ. Then look up keywords based on those. #contentwritingchat
Gini doesn’t feel robots should be your primary focus. Instead, she recommends keeping a list of questions your customers and prospective customers ask. You can then do keyword research and create content based on those commonly asked questions so you can better address your audience’s needs.
Gaby’s advice is to focus on providing quality, valuable content for your audience first and foremost.
A2. I always write for my audience first. #SEO tweaks can be made afterward w/o compromising story. #contentwritingchat
— Kristin Huntley (@seekristintweet) June 27, 2017
Kristin focuses on writing for her audience and makes SEO tweaks afterwards.
Gaby’s advice is to monitor your market, industry, audience, brand, and your analytics.
Q4: Can you define domain authority and explain why it’s important to content marketers?
Wondering what domain authority is and whether or not it’s important for you? Check out these responses from the chat:
A4: For content marketers and communicators, domain authority gives a metric at top of the funnel #contentwritingchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) June 27, 2017
A4: It provides an opportunity find high-value sites for media relations/publicity #contentwritingchat
Gini says domain authority gives a metric at the top of the funnel. It gives you the opportunity to find high-value sites for media relations and publicity.
Julia said domain authority is a metric created by Moz. She suggests paying attention when researching keyword opportunities.
A4ii: DA is important because it correlates with “rankings”/performance in search engines. High DA = high visibility.#ContentWritingChat
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) June 27, 2017
As Sarah said, it correlates with rankings and performance in search engines.
Q5: How do you recommend we pitch contributed content, if we’re not PR pros?
If you need some tips for pitching contributed content, just check out this advice:
A5: Pitching is all about relationships. If you want contributed content, share their content first. (cont…) #contentwritingchat
A5: Comment on their content. Talk to them on Twitter. Then pitch your story idea. #contentwritingchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) June 27, 2017
Gini feels pitching is all about relationships. You can start building a relationship with a publication by sharing their content first. You can also comment on their content and talk to them on Twitter. Once you’ve built up that relationship, you can move forward with your pitch.
A5. It helps to know who you’re pitching – inside and out – to ensure it’s a good fit. #contentwritingchat
Andrea suggests building relationships with publications and authors. When you do, you stand a better chance at getting a yes from them when you pitch content.
A5: Build a relationship with site/editor, and then pitch your idea. Provide examples of published work to back up #contentwritingchat
Devin also agrees with building a relationship with the site and editor you’re wanting to pitch to. It also helps to have examples of work you’ve already published.
Mallie’s advice is to personalize the pitches you send. You want to showcase the value you can provide through a contribution you’d like to submit.
A5. No mass emails! Be personal and GENUINE – it shines through (I think so anyway!) #contentwritingchat
— Louise Dickens (@_LouiseDickens) June 27, 2017
Ditch the mass emails when pitching. Be personal and genuine when contacting someone about a contribution.
A5 Pitching content is no diff than any other kind of “pitching.” Find right person, show value & fill a need. #contentwritingchat
As Devin said, it’s ultimately going to depend on your niche. Not every niche will have the same size, search volume, etc. And Gini agrees. Low search volume can be beneficial in a niche industry.
Julia knows it’s not worth trashing a topic simply because it has low search volume. Check out the graphic she shared with tips on how to validate your content topic.
A6: Doesn’t matter if it is low search volume, as long as it is well written for a specific audience #contentwritingchat
While search volume is valuable, Mallie knows that engagement is key as well.
Q7: Can we use LinkedIn Pulse and Medium to help increase our domain authority?
Are platforms like LinkedIn Pulse and Medium worthwhile? Here’s what some of our chat participants had to say about the subject:
A7: No, they won’t increase your DA. But they WILL build your readership and bring people to your site. #contentwritingchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) June 27, 2017
Gini feels it won’t boost your domain authority, but it will build your readership and send traffic back to your site.
A7. Absolutely! Include posts on LI Pulse & Medium in your monthly content plan, link to your site related content w/in #ContentWritingChat
Julia says yes. She suggests including posts on LinkedIn Pulse and Medium in your monthly content plan. You can use it as an opportunity to link to related content on your site.
While it might not help you increase domain authority, it can help you get more traffic.
A7: Depends on where your audience hangs out. Yelling in a new empty room won’t change anything. #ContentWritingChat
— don’t panic mgmt (@dontpanicmgmt) June 27, 2017
It’s also worthwhile to determine if your audience is actually spending time on these platforms. If they are, it’ll be worthwhile for you to share content there.
Q8: Can you give us a list of all the tools you recommend for this type of work?
If you’re in need of some new tools to try out, we’ve got you covered! Check out these suggestions from the chat:
A8: A list of questions your customers/prospects ask, a keyword planner, a mind mapping tool, an ed calendar (cont) #contentwritingchat
A8: Some patience, some elbow grease, and the ability to build relationships with human beings #contentwritingchat
— Gini Dietrich (@ginidietrich) June 27, 2017
Gini suggests having a list of questions from your customers and prospects, a keyword planner, a mind mapping tool, and an editorial calendar. She also recommends having some patience, elbow grease, and the ability to build relationships with others.
A8: A creative mind with a strong work ethic ready to take the long road & not cut corners #contentwritingchat
Andrea’s go-to tools include BuzzSumo, Feedly, and Hashtagify.
Recap of Recommended Tools:
SEMrush
Moz
keywordtool.io
Answer the Public
Mangools
BrightEdge
Hashtagify
Grep Words
Majestic SEO
BuzzSumo
Reddit
Be sure to join us for the next #ContentWritingChat, which happens every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time. (We’ll skip July 4, though! Happy Independence Day to all our chatters!) Follow us @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest updates!
The latest #ContentWritingChat was all about SEO as we talked about the importance of internal linking. In this chat, some amazing tips were shared regarding this tactic and how you can use it in building your own website’s online presence. If you’re ready to learn more about it, keep reading for the recap!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Internal Linking & Its Importance in SEO with Sarah Danks
Our guest host this week was Sarah Danks from ThinkSEM. She’s their Digital Strategist and is no stranger to a great Twitter chat. In fact, if you’re a regular participant you’ve likely noticed Sarah in our chat before, as she typically joins us every week. It was great having a regular participant step into the guest hosting role and she shared some fantastic advice with all of us.
Q1: Why are internal links important?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share why they felt internal linking was an important part of SEO. Here’s what a few of our participants said:
As Sarah pointed out, the web is all about connections. Internal linking allows you to to connect pieces of relevant content to one another. You’re able to show the relationship between pages on your own website, which is a great way to keep them on your site longer.
A1 If SEO is a house, internal linking is the framework of the house. It moves your “traffic” from room to room onsite. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) June 6, 2017
Julia’s response is really a helpful way to think of internal linking. It helps to move traffic from room to room onsite. This basically means it keeps people from moving from page to page once they’ve first landed on your site. It’s key if you want to keep someone digging into the depths of your archives.
A1: Internal links spread your authority and ranking through the site and builds structure! #ContentWritingChat
Jeff knows that building up those internal links is a good way to increase your authority with your audience. And who wouldn’t want that?!
A1. They help make you a credible, reliable source by showing readers that you’re the authority! #contentwritingchat
— Kristen Dunleavy (@KristenWritesIt) June 6, 2017
Kristen also mentioned it’s a way to show you’re a credible and reliable source and builds your authority.
A1: Makes it easy for everyone. Without these, people will go elsewhere for answers and info. #ContentWritingChat
By providing internal links, it also makes it easier for your readers to find more relevant content. As Jeremy pointed out, people will go elsewhere to find what they’re looking for if you don’t give it to them. So, if you have more content you know they’d enjoy, link to it!
A1: Internal links help guide your audience through your site to other valuable/actionable content #contentwritingchat
— Elizabeth Greenberg (@BettaBeYou) June 6, 2017
Elizabeth feels internal linking helps guide your audience through your site and leads them to other valuable, actionable content. Keep that in mind when adding links to content so you can be sure you’re sending them somewhere worthwhile.
Q2: How do internal links affect overall site structure?
Now that you know the importance of internal linking, you should also know how it’s going to affect the overall structure of your website. Here are a few responses we received in Tuesday’s chat:
A2ii: Conversely, if the linking between pages is sparse it will be difficult to find related content or even convert.#ContentWritingChat
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) June 6, 2017
As Sarah pointed out, a well-linked site is easy to navigate. This is great for visitors to your site because you want everything to be accessible. There’s nothing worse than a site that makes it difficult to find what you’re looking for.
Also, if you’re lacking when it comes to links, it makes it harder for readers to find related content. It can also make it more difficult to get them to convert.
A2) It offers flow & stability. Internal linking saves the users from thinking where to find additional content. #ContentWritingChat
Jason said internal linking offers flow and stability. Instead of forcing your reader to figure out what to do next or where to go, you can direct them to additional content. Don’t leave it up to them, otherwise there’s a greater chance they’ll leave your site.
A2: It helps create a hierarchy of your content and allows users to flow from broad content to more specific content. #ContentWritingChat
— Pinpoint Laser (@PinpointLaser) June 6, 2017
This is another important thing to consider! Linking helps create a hierarchy of your content. Through those links, a reader can flow from broad content to more specific content that’s still relevant.
Jenn knows internal linking is going to help customers easily find the relevant information they’re looking for while on your site. Make sure you’re taking advantage of that by directing them to the next page you think they’d be interested in.
Julia, our CEO, has even written a guide on internal links that will help you out. Be sure to read it!
Q3: Who do you please first: search engines or users?
We all know that it’s important to optimize our content for search engines, but is that really where we need to direct our attention first? Or should we primarily be focusing on our users? Check out these responses from the chat:
Sarah said it’s all about catering to your users first and the search engines second. When you focus on them, you’re playing by Google’s rules and delivering valuable content. That’s important!
The search engine algorithm changes from time to time. One way you can’t go wrong is to focus on your user first and foremost. This ensures you’re creating the content they’ll love.
Julia is all about focusing on the real human who is going to be engaging with her content.
A3: I like to make my site first about the users and second about search engines. People before bots. Lol! #ContentWritingChat
— Mind of a Diva (@MindofaDiva) June 6, 2017
People before bots!
A3: People have to find your #content to read it, but then it has to be humanistic. Optimize for SEO, create for users. #ContentWritingChat
Ashley brought up a great point about how users need to be able to find your content in order to read it. Her advice is to optimize for SEO, but create for your user.
A3: SEO optimization is mandatory for competitiveness, but user engagement is the reason you even have a website. ?vs? #ContentWritingChat
— Andrew Roberts (@ARoberts021) June 6, 2017
As Andrew pointed out, it’s just like the old chicken versus the egg debate. He said it’s important to optimize your content for competitiveness, but user engagement is essential as well.
Q4: Does the anchor text of links matter?
When it comes to actually creating a link, does the text you add the hyperlink to matter in the end? If you’ve been wondering about this, we have an answer for you. Check out these responses:
A4ii: I.e., don’t link an entire 70-word sentence. Choose the key point and use that for your link text. #ContentWritingChat
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) June 6, 2017
Sarah knows anchor text should be descriptive, but you also need to avoid anything spammy. That’s not cool! There’s no need to link an incredibly long sentence either. You can link just the key point so people know what they’re clicking for.
A4: Anchor text absolutely matters. Is there anything more frustrating than a link that says, “here”? Give details! #ContentWritingChat
Anchor text certainly matters. Readers don’t want to see a link that says, “Click here,” or anything else of the sort if it doesn’t state where they’re going. They want details so they know what they’re clicking on.
And of course, make sure you avoid any kind of click bait.
A4: Ask yourself, would I click on this anchor text? Treat readers as you’d like to be treated #ContentWritingChat#blogging
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) June 6, 2017
In the end, if you wouldn’t click on a link, your readers probably won’t either.
Q5: Are there any links you should include on every page?
We asked everyone to chime in with their thoughts on including certain links on every page. Here’s what some of them had to say:
As Sarah said, every website has a purpose. Make the purpose of your site know through the use of a CTA (call to action) that leads people to your end goal. And of course, having a good navigation on your website is important in helping people find what they want.
A5) I think there should always be a link that takes users to the next relevant step in their journey e.g. CTAs #contentwritingchat
As Sarah said, both are absolutely possible. You don’t want to overdo it by providing too many links, which can look spammy. However, there are downsides to too few links as well.
Tony’s advice is to only link to content when it’s relevant to do so.
A6: Yes, there is a happy medium to the number of links. Don’t have links just to have links; make them valuable links. #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) June 6, 2017
To second that, don’t have links just to have links. Make sure they’re adding value to your user in some way.
A6 Yes, you can TOO MANY links in content, like reading an academic paper w/ footnote for each sentence. #Tiresome#ContentWritingChat
— Shannon Mouton Gray (@ShannonRenee) June 6, 2017
Shannon knows too many links can be a turn-off for your readers, so it’s best you find a balance.
If you add a new blog post, make sure you link to it. You can link newer posts to older ones and older ones to newer ones. It really is that simple to get started!
A7 Link naturally to related older blogs from new blogs. That gets super easy with long-form, comprehensive content. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy ? (@JuliaEMcCoy) June 6, 2017
Julia suggests doing the same. Whenever you create new content, take the time to add links to relevant content from your archives.
Don’t use the same link too many times, avoid using non-descriptive text such as “here” for anchor text, and don’t get spammy with CTAs.
A8: Not using valuable anchor text/keywords, linking to the same page multiple times, over doing the # of internal links #contentwritingchat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) June 6, 2017
Not using valuable anchor text, linking to the same page multiple times, and overdoing it on the links are all things to avoid.
A8: If the content is riddled with links like a law review article’s footnotes, that’s too many. Prune some. #ContentWritingChat
And remember, don’t like just for the sake of linking. It should add value and serve a purpose.
Ready to join the fun for yourself? #ContentWritingChat takes place every Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time over on Twitter! Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for all the latest.
As online content creators, there’s no denying that SEO is essential. It’s not enough to just write amazing content for your blog, but you have to optimize it as well if you want search engines (and potential readers) to discover it. To help you step up your skills and create content for SEO, you’ll want to dive into the recap of our latest #ContentWritingChat where we talked all about it!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Curating Consistent Content for SEO
Our guest host for this week’s chat was Danielle Tate of Elegant Entrepreneur. Danielle is a CEO, best-selling author, and a speaker.
Q1: When it comes to publishing content consistently, where do you find inspiration to write?
There’s no denying that sometimes it can be hard to come up with fresh ideas for your content. In order to keep those creative juices flowing, you need to seek a little inspiration. We asked our chat participants where they find inspiration for their writing and here’s what some of them had to say:
For Danielle, she likes to look for news hooks that correlate to the topics she wants to write about. She also turns to customer questions, as they can make great blog content. This is a good reason to pay close attention to feedback your audience gives you and make note of any commonly asked questions.
A1: Find inspiration from your audience! They can give you great ideas based on their questions. #contentwritingchat
It looks like Danielle isn’t the only one turning to customers to find content ideas. The team over at Netvantage Marketing uses this strategy as well.
Kristi does the same. She finds out what questions customers are asking and what they’re talking about. This will lead you in the right direction when it comes to potential topic ideas.
A1. I usually look at trends, listen for challenges and I have a pretty serious rainstorm board in my office. #ContentWritingChat
Brittany knows it’s a great idea to look at the trends in her industry. This gives you an idea of what’s hot at the moment and provides you with an opportunity to write about it. She suggests looking at trends and listening for challenges others are facing and then having a good brainstorming session.
For Tony, he enjoys reading different articles for inspiration. There’s always something new to read, whether it’s something within your industry or not. You can always draw inspiration from what others are saying.
@ExpWriters A1. I find inspiration to write content from twitter chats and also from successful people who are great with others #contentwritingchat
Cheval gets inspiration from Twitter chats. Chats are very informative and they provide you with the opportunity to connect with others and hear their questions. It can be a great place to find your next blog post idea.
@ExpWriters A1: Frequently inspired by something someone said, what I see in nature when I #run, and a great photo/video. #ContentWritingChat
Jeremy finds writing inspiration from a variety of sources. He gets ideas from things he hears others talking about, what he sees in nature while he’s out on a run, and from great photos and videos.
Q2: What advice do you have for writers maintaining a blog long-term?
One thing that many on the outside looking in don’t realize is that blogging is actually hard work. You take on many roles as a blogger and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. So, how do you manage all of those tasks for the long haul? Check out this advice:
A2: Don’t be afraid to widen your scope of topic so you have more to write about for the same audience #ContentWritingChat
Danielle says you shouldn’t be afraid to wide your scope of topic when it comes to the content you cover. If your audience would be interested and it’s still relevant overall, there’s no reason you can’t experiment with something new.
A2: Write about something you genuinely enjoy, don’t let it turn into a chore, and find a schedule for yourself #contentwritingchat
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) May 9, 2017
No matter what you choose to write about, it should be something that you genuinely enjoy. If you aren’t passionate about your chosen topic, writing will quickly become a chore.
Make sure you’re running tests to see what’s working for you and what’s not. This allows you to see what you should do more of and what needs to change.
To make sure you’re staying consistent, develop a content strategy and keep an editorial calendar. This will keep you on track when it comes to publishing.
Varun says there should be consistency in the quality of the content you produce, you should allow formats to evolve, and you need to keep an eye on trends in your niche. He also suggests focusing on community building. This will help you build a relationship with your audience.
Gabriela’s advice is to define your blog’s purpose and align it with your passions. Having that passion for what you’re doing will ensure you’re consistent and committed to your blog.
Q3: Do you have a specific formula for creating posts on your blog?
Writing a blog post requires quite a bit of work, as there are many stages of content creation. Developing a formula to follow will help make the process easier. Check out the formulas our chat participants follow:
Simple, but effective! For Sarah, she comes up with an idea, jots down notes or an outline, then performs any necessary research. Once that’s done, she begins to write, proofread, and ultimately publish her content.
A3. I use the Ann Handley method: write “The Ugly First Draft” draft, let it breathe, then rewrite and optimize. #ContentWritingChat
Don’t be afraid to write that ugly first draft! Brittany follows Ann Handley’s method by getting a first draft out, letting it rest for a while, then coming back to rewrite and optimize.
A3: Outlining posts, including calls-to-action before filling in information works great for us! #contentwritingchat
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) May 9, 2017
An outline can pave the way to a fantastic piece of content.
A3.
Gut
& analytics!
Balance
of:
what is proven to
be of interest
vs.
what I feel should
be addressed. #contentwritingchat
Tony likes to be ahead of schedule when it comes to content creation. He has an editorial calendar that allows him to plan and then create content in advance.
@ThinkSEM A3: I tend to keep seasonality in mind for posts. Timeliness. Tap into what people are searching for online. #ContentWritingChat
For Leah, she likes to keep seasonality in mind. This ensures you’re timely with the content you share and you can be sure it’ll appeal to your audience in that moment. Figure out what people are searching online and add those topics to your editorial calendar.
A3: Share valuable information. That’s the only formula we have. 🙂 #contentwritingchat
The number one formula we should all remember? Provide value to your readers.
Q4: What does SEO mean to you as a content writer?
To switch gears into the SEO focus of this week’s chat, we asked our participants to share what it means to them as content writers. Here’s what they had to say about SEO:
For Danielle, SEO mentions intentionally weaving keywords her audience is searching for into her content. She knows this is essential if she wants the right people to discover the content she creates.
Great way to look at it! SEO is something you have to deal with in order to let your content shine.
Q5: How do you determine the keywords you use within your posts?
When creating content for SEO, you need to determine the right keywords to use for the content you create. How do you go about that? Here are some helpful tips:
A5: I analyze which key words are performing best on Google Ads and purposely frame titles and topics to include them #ContentWritingChat
Create a list of potential keywords you can analyze, but make sure you go with something that your ideal audience will actually be searching for. Think about how they talk and how they would word their searches.
Choose a topic, then research keywords people are searching for that relate back to your topic. Once you have that ideal keyword, use it naturally throughout your copy.
A5: 1) Choose topic 2) keyword search 3) Apply in writing BUT write naturally for your reader? *pick keywords w/ volume #ContentWritingChat
Elizabeth starts by choosing a topic, conducting keyword research, and then writing while naturally sprinkling in her keyword. She says to pick keywords that have high volume so you know people are searching for what you’re writing about.
@ExpWriters A5: Google analytics, watch trending words/topics on all platforms, create some cross-platform appeal. #ContentWritingChat
Jeremy’s go-to strategy includes using Google Analytics, watching trending words and topics on platforms, and ultimately creating cross-platform appeal with his content.
A5: Remember your keywords are more than interest specific, they’re built for your audience. Build for potential reach #ContentWritingChat
Great answer from Jeff that we should all keep in mind when creating content for SEO.
Q6: What are your favorite lesser-known SEO tips you can share?
By now, we all know the basics of SEO. However, there’s always something else we can learn, so we asked everyone to share their favorite SEO tips that most people don’t seem to know about. Here’s what they had to say:
A6: Include links to previous posts you wrote on a topic to boost your key word relevance & ranking. It’s called siloing #ContentWritingChat
Danielle says to include links to previous posts you wrote on a topic. This will boost your keyword relevance and ranking. This technique is called siloing. If you aren’t already doing this, it’s time to get started. You can go through the blog posts in your archives and begin interlinking related posts right now.
Utilize the strategy of link building. You can guest post on other websites and include links back to posts you’ve written and published on your own blog. This helps to build quality backlinks to your blog and sends more traffic your way.
— Digital Natives Cast (@DgtlNativesCast) May 9, 2017
Don’t forget to add alt tags to the images in your blog posts. This tells search engines what your images are of and it’ll help them show up in search results.
Sarah says it requires her to focus on the larger picture. There’s no reason to post for the sake of posting. Everything should serve a purpose and be strategic.
A7. Used to believe in just writing good content for the sake of it. Content is pretty useless without a measurable goal #ContentWritingChat
Zala said it helps you understand the focus for your content. It also shows you how to make it valuable, relevant, serachable, and useful.
A7 Need to plan ahead, but also aware of trends and shifting patterns in SEO. Algorithim updates can make or break you #contentwritingchat
— Traffic Jam Media (@trafficjammedia) May 9, 2017
Plan ahead and be aware of trends and changes in SEO algorithms. You need to be on top of those changes to ensure you’re doing the right things when it comes to creating content for SEO.
Q8: What are your favorite tools and resources for SEO? Tag them!
The great thing is, there are plenty of tools and resources that will help you create content for SEO these days. Here are just some suggestions that will help you out:
Are you ready to catch up on this week’s #ContentWritingChat? We’ve prepared an awesome recap with some of the tweets from Tuesday’s chat, so get ready to dive in!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Practical SEO Advice for the Online Creator with Caleb McElveen
Our guest host this week was Caleb McElveen. Caleb is and SEO and content marketing specialist. He’s also a co-host on the digital marketing podcast, Search Talk Live.
Q1: What are the basics of SEO every content creator should know?
SEO doesn’t have to be hard to figure out! In fact, if you’re just getting started with optimizing your content, these basic tips are great to know:
A1) Learn to correctly optimize title tags, meta descriptions, headers, & more. Understand how they impact performance. #ContentWritingChat
Caleb said it’s important to know how to correctly optimize title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and more. All of these things impact the performance of your content, so it’s helpful to know the best ways to optimize them in order to maximize your results.
He also recommends understanding user intent when creating content because it can also impact your SEO strategy.
Sarah knows keywords are essential to SEO! She recommends figuring out how your audience is using and searching for keywords, which will help you choose the right ones for your content. You’ll also want to sprinkle those keywords throughout your content in heading tags, meta description, and more.
A1) Proper keywording. Find those popular, relevant keywords about your content that will help people find it easier #ContentWritingChat
Jason also agrees understanding keywords is very important! He recommends finding the popular and relevant keywords that will help your audience find your content.
A1. SEO and readability should work together, not against each other, to make your content easily searchable + scannable #contentwritingchat
Kristen is right on with her answer! She said that SEO and readability should work together. You should never sacrifice readability for the sake of trying to rank higher. Providing great content for your audience should always be priority number one.
A1: Never overstuff with keywords! Write naturally and then use some SEO dust before publishing. #contentwritingchat
One big SEO don’t? Keyword stuffing! It’s not cool to overdo it on the keywords because Google doesn’t like it and neither do your readers. We’ll have some more SEO mistakes coming up in the next question!
Q2: What are the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to SEO?
There are some common SEO mistakes people make when creating their online content. It’s important to know what they are so you can avoid them! Here are a few mistakes you don’t want to make:
A2) Not having or using keyword/phrase correctly. Often it’s not used in titles & more, or there’s keyword stuffing. #ContentWritingChat
Caleb knows many people make mistakes when it comes to keywords. In some cases, people fail to use the keyword correctly or don’t even have one. Make sure you’re using your focus keyword in titles and throughout your content without going overboard. Keyword stuffing is a big no-no!
He also said not to forget about optimizing the images you share. They’re searchable as well and you want to make sure you take that extra step to optimize them.
A2) Using keywords that aren’t used as often. Don’t waste space on useless words that won’t help you get noticed. #ContentWritingChat
As Jason said, using keywords that aren’t used as often won’t help you see results. You need to do your research to find the right keywords for your content.
A2: Ignoring SEO by thinking body copy isn’t necessary for success. They think it’s just page titles and meta. #contentwritingchat
Ignoring SEO is a huge mistake! If you want your content to be seen, you need to learn about the best SEO practices and start putting them to use with your own online content.
Remember that SEO is important, but there’s so much more to you content than just the optimization process. You have to start with a piece of quality content that shows personality and tells a story in order to really attract people.
A2 thinking they understand it by reading about it and not implementing it. I’m still learning everyday about SEO #ContentWritingChat
Never stop learning. SEO changes and it’s important to stay updated on all the latest information. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you know everything about SEO. Make sure you’re actively learning about the best practices and implementing them.
Q3: What steps can you take to get your content on the first page of search results?
As an online content creator, one of your dreams is probably to rank on the first page of Google’s search results. It sounds like a dream, right? The good news is, it’s totally possible to make this happen! Here’s what you need to know:
A3) First, research what’s ranking on the first page. Outline what they did right/wrong. Create a plan to do it better. #ContentWritingChat
Caleb’s advice is to research what’s already ranking on the first page. Study what they did right and what they did wrong so you can create your own plan to do it better. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little inspiration from your competitors!
He then suggests creating content that provides value to your audience. Answer their questions and provide them with the amazing content they’re looking for. It’s a sure-fire way to keep them coming back for more, too.
A3: It’s not just about KWs in content/copy, but tags, headlines, images, all of it! Also be relevant to those KWs! #ContentWritingChat
Kristi knows everything needs to work together if you want to see major results. She said to make sure relevant keywords are included in your content, tags, headlines, and images.
A3: 1) Do research for the best keywords 2) Optimize body copy carefully 3) Get VALUABLE links (quality over quantity) #contentwritingchat
Research the best keywords. Optimize the body of your content. Get valuable links. All three of these tips will help you rank higher in search results.
Don’t forget to provide a great experience overall for the visitors to your website. It should be user-friendly and you need to make sure you’re writing good content.
A3 LOTS! Optimize your site for speed, UX and Google… then add relevant long-form, useful posts around long tail kws #ContentWritingChat
Our CEO, Julia, recommends optimizing your website for speed, user experience, and Google. The next step is to add relevant, long-form content that’s useful to your audience. Utilize long-tail keywords in your content to increase discoverability!
Q4: How does social media factor into SEO?
Social media certainly plays a role in SEO. If you’re wondering how, here’s what some of the participants in Tuesday’s chat had to say:
A4) Social media amplifies your content to increase the opportunity to earn important SEO factors such as links. #ContentWritingChat
Lex knows social media is great for pushing out content to get more visitors to your site. It’s also helpful for learning what your audience needs from you. Take the time to listen to them and create more of what they want.
Caleb recommends researching your competition. He tries to determine why their content performs well and how he can create content that outperforms it. Caleb also knows it’s important to understand user intent. You want to know how they’re searching because that impacts your content.
Get the whole team involved with SEO! Keep everyone informed on what you’re working on and allow them to voice their thoughts and opinions. Working together as a team will yield the best results.
A5: Research, research and talking to people. Setting up GA and then checking to adjust which keywords aren’t working #ContentWritingChat
Brandie suggests conducting research and talking to people. She also said it’s important to set up Google Analytics and regularly check to see which keywords are working and which ones aren’t.
Do your research and think like a reader! Get into the mind of your reader to figure out what they’re searching, which keywords they’re using, and more. This will help you reach them.
A5)
1. Set up clear content goals
2. Optimise for the reader & search engines
3. Keep your content fresh+relevant #contentwritingchat
Liliana said to set clear content goals, optimize your content, and make sure you keep everything fresh and relevant.
Q6: What would you say to someone who argues SEO isn’t important? How would you convince them otherwise?
Believe it or not, there are still plenty of naysayers out there when it comes to SEO. Many content creators still don’t understand the value it can provide and therefore don’t take it seriously. If someone says SEO isn’t important, remember this:
A6) SEO communicates to search engines & users what your page, business or content is all about. #ContentWritingChat
Caleb said SEO communicates to search engines and users what your page, business, or content is all about. Taking the time to optimize your posts will help search engines recognize you in their results.
A6. If you create great content and no one can find it, what’s the point? #contentwritingchat
If you want to prove the value of SEO to someone who doesn’t understand, come prepared with facts! Brandie recommends backing up your argument with facts and data that prove SEO is a must.
a6: Show them your metrics. You can’t make someone do something, but numbers also don’t lie. #contentwritingchat
It’s safe to say that without SEO, it’s hard to put yourself on the digital map. Zala knows getting your content to rank is a must.
Q7: What tools do you use to help with SEO?
There are a ton of great tools out there that can help you become an SEO master. If you’re looking for some new ones to test out, check out these suggestions:
Caleb has three go-to tools he uses for optimizing content. Have you tried any of them?
He also said it’s important to familiarize yourself with Google Analytics and Search Console. It’s important to be able to interpret the data these give you.
Debbie often turns to her network to learn more about SEO. Seeking advice from your peers is a great way to get SEO help. Which brings us to our final question…
Q8: Which influencers do you turn to for the latest in SEO news?
There are plenty of influencers who share great content regarding the latest in SEO. Check out these sources for the best information:
This is certainly an awesome line-up from Caleb! He also shared a great tip about reading something on SEO every day. It’s important to stay updated on the latest news. You can never been too educated on a topic.
We look forward to seeing you at the next #ContentWritingChat! Mark your calendars weekly for Tuesday at 10 AM Central Time for great chats centered around content writing and marketing. Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated on our new topics and guests!
