writing for seo - ragan communications...•imagine you run a website that posts events. •you’d...
TRANSCRIPT
Writing for SEO
Laura CreekmoreDirector of Taxonomy and Content Strategy@lauracreekmore
Agenda• Intros• SEO basics for 2020• Writing for SEO 101Practice• Building structure for SEOPracticeResources
@lauracreekmore
SEO Basics for 2020
SEO Basics for 2020• How search technology works• The role of writing• The role of content structure• Beware the snake oil• Table stakes before shiny objects
@lauracreekmore
How Search Engines Work• Crawling the web
SEO Basics for 2020: How search technology works
How Search Engines Work• Crawling the web• Evaluating pages
SEO Basics for 2020: How search technology works
SEO Basics for 2020: How search technology works
How Search Engines Work• Crawling the web• Evaluating pages• Ranking the results• Structuring the results
SEO Basics for 2020: How search technology works
SEO Basics for 2020: How search technology works
On-Site Search Technology• Type of indexing may differ• Control weighting, results• Define recommended results• Define internal SERPs• Go deeper with search analytics
SEO Basics for 2020: How search technology works
@lauracreekmore
The Role of Writing• Writing is the raw material• Write for your audience• Headlines, URLs, good content
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of writing
@lauracreekmore
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of writing
Great Writing for SEO…Is Great Writing• Audience understanding• Business goals• Draft• Review structure, audience language• Edit • Publish• Review
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of writing
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Structure Supports the Story• Highly structured content supports reading • Aim for narrative and structure• Avoid formulaic structure
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of content structure
@lauracreekmore
Structure Connects to Code• Highly structured content is easier for computers to
read• Structured content aligns with semantic tags• H1 tags, URLs, schema.org markup tags
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of content structure
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Structure Reduces Liability• Manage topics and data efficiently• Manage changes effectively
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of content structure
@lauracreekmore
Structure Enables Advanced Tech• Voice skills• Chatbots• AI• More!
SEO Basics for 2020: The role of content structure
@lauracreekmore
Don’t Be Fooled• Bad linking practices – you can’t fake it• Keyword stuffing – don’t bother• Paying a scammy provider
SEO Basics for 2020: Beware the snake oil
@lauracreekmore
First Things First• Make sure your site is mobile-optimized• Create great content• Often• For your audience
SEO Basics for 2020: Table stakes before shiny objects
@lauracreekmore
Writing for SEO 101
Writing for SEO 101• Define the audience• Find the keywords• The longer tail, the better for popular topics• Write a great piece• Headlines• URLs• Write again often
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Writing Fails• Creating clickbait• Thinking short-term• Overly chummy, fake blogging style• Pageviews over value
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Writing for SEO 101• Define the audience• Find the keywords• The longer tail, the better for popular topics• Write a great piece• Headlines• URLs• Write again often
@lauracreekmore
Practice
Assignment: Christmas Trees• Imagine you work for Balsam Hill, the purveyor of
high-end artificial Christmas trees.• You’d like to create a website that drives organic
traffic to your site year-round – and drives sales.
Discuss: Expected audience and business strategy.
@lauracreekmore
Assignment: Christmas TreesWrite: Draft an article pitch for the Balsam Hill blog. Pitch includes:
• Headline [Tip: Write this next to last.]• URL [Tip: Write this last.]• Lead paragraph• Summary of audience, topic, how the piece will fulfill
audience need, how the piece fulfills company need. [Tip: Write this first.]
• Expected keywords
Email to [email protected]
@lauracreekmore
Critique
Assignment: Tech Support• Imagine you work for Dell Technologies.• You’d like to create a website that drives organic
traffic to your site – and drives sales.
Discuss: Expected audience and business strategy.
@lauracreekmore
Assignment: Tech SupportWrite: Draft an article pitch for the Dell website.Pitch includes:
• Headline [Tip: Write this next to last.]• URL [Tip: Write this last.]• Lead paragraph• Summary of audience, topic, how the piece will fulfill
audience need, how the piece fulfills company need. [Tip: Write this first.]
• Expected keywords
Email to [email protected]
@lauracreekmore
Critique
Building Structure for SEO
Kinds of Content Structure• External• System• Internal
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Taxonomy, Tags, Links• Website structure can make it easier to find and
index your pages• Use audience language keywords in category names,
tags, links• Never say “Click here” or “read more”
Building Structure for SEO: External
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External Structures
URLs, HTML tags, schema.org• Write your best keywords into the URL• And your H1 tags• Use HTML tags correctly• Look for additional semantic structure
Building Structure for SEO: System
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System Structures
The Hidden Structure in Content• Recipes, IMDB• Rethink your writing• Write in a spreadsheet or form
Building Structure for SEO: Internal
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Facets of Content• Audience• Time/Date• Location• Use• Outcome
• Input• Topic• Source• Industry-specific facets
Building Structure for SEO: Internal
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Practice
Assignment: Design a Content Template
• Imagine you run a website that posts events.• You’d like to create a structure that makes it more
likely your events show up on SERPs.• Sketch the form your writers should use to enter
event information to make this easier.
Tip: Check schema.org for ideas.
@lauracreekmore
ResourcesHow Google Search works video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eKVizvYSUQ
How Google Search works website https://www.google.com/search/howsearchworks/
Preventing pages or sites from showing up in searchhttps://yoast.com/prevent-site-being-indexed/
Search Analytics for Your Site, by Louis Rosenfeldhttps://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/search-analytics-for-your-site/
Getting the Google featured snippethttps://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2017/03/google-featured-snippets/
The Battle for the Body Field, by Jeff Eatonhttps://alistapart.com/article/battle-for-the-body-field
Training the CMS, by Eileen Webbhttps://alistapart.com/article/training-the-cms
Designing Connected Content, by Mike Atherton and Carrie Hanehttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0134763386
Content Strategy for the Web, by Kristina Halvorsonhttps://www.contentstrategy.com/content-strategy-for-the-web
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