How to write an article and climb Google’s rankings

If you want to know how to write an article, you need to know how to be found on Google After all, what’s the point in creating awesome content if no one is going to see it?

Simply being a good writer isn’t enough. You need to follow the rules of SEO if you want to climb the rankings.

But how do you write an article that will be found on Google? Don’t worry – we’ve got your back!

Here are Vocal’s top tips for creating super awesome content for Google.

First things first – what is SEO?

If you want to write an article that can be found on Google, you need to understand SEO.

SEO (search engine optimisation) is key if you want your article to rank higher in search engines.

Many people think being a wicked wordsmith is all they need to succeed as a copywriter. But when it comes to creating content, having a way with words will only get you so far.

SEO refers to the way search engines (like Google) rank content in the search engine results pages (SERPs). The more SEO-friendly you make your content, the higher your article will rank.

How can you use SEO to be found on Google?

So, you want to write an article and be found on Google. How can you use SEO to help you climb the rankings?

When it comes to SEO, there are plenty of tips and tricks you can use to increase your article’s reach. Here are Vocal’s top tips for SEO:

1. Use keywords throughout when you write an article

When you write an article for SEO, you absolutely have to make use of keywords.

Why are they so important?

When someone Googles a word or phrase, Google searches their index for content that includes the words and phrases searched. The articles that consistently use a certain word or phrase will be placed at the top of the SERP. This is because Google wants to present its users with the most helpful content. The more often the words and phrases are used, the more useful Google believes that article to be.

How can you use keywords when you write an article?

So, now you know why you need keywords. But how should you use them when you write an article?

Just because Google likes to see them in your content, it doesn’t mean you can overload your article with keywords.

It can be tempting to include the keyword as many times as you can. After all, we just told you that the more times you use the keyword, the higher you’ll rank in Google. Why not make the most of it, right?

But overloading your content with your chosen keywords is actually bad for SEO. In the world of content marketing, this is called ‘keyword stuffing’. And if Google finds you guilty of keyword stuffing when you write an article, you could actually be penalised. Your article will be pushed down the rankings by articles that follow the rules of SEO!

So, what’s the trick to writing keywords successfully? When you write an article, your keywords shouldn’t stand out to your audience. Instead, they should blend in with the rest of the content. If your audience can immediately pick out your keywords, you need to go back to the drawing board!

And remember our top tip! Include the keywords in the title and first line of your article to increase your SERP ranking.

2. Link to other pages on your site after you write an article

To write an article for SEO, you need to get used to internal linking.

What do we mean by internal linking?

It might sound complicated, but it really couldn’t be simpler! Think about your favourite blogs. Have you ever noticed that the writer often links to other pages on their website? That’s internal linking.

It can be something simple, like linking to a ‘contact’ page in your call-to-action (CTA). But if you really want your Google ranking to climb, you need to take it one step further. When you write an article, see if you can link to other blogs on your site.

Say you’ve written an article about boosting your social media presence and in that article, you mention social media copywriting. You look back on your published blogs and see you already have one about social media copywriting. Well, there’s your chance for internal linking!

Why is internal linking good for your Google ranking?  

Internal linking is great for SEO because it helps Google find other pages on your website. The more of your pages stored Google’s index, the higher chance you have of appearing on Google’s results page.

3. Use shorter sentences

Google is all about making things easy for its users. So, if you want to stay on Google’s good side, use shorter sentences in your content.

As a writer, it can be difficult to limit your word count. After all, you want to show off your talent, right? But when you write an article for SEO, you should try and keep your sentences to 20 words or less.

Why are shorter sentences better for Google?

Google prefers articles with shorter sentences because they’re easier for the average reader to understand. If Google finds an article with long-winded, convoluted sentences, it will assume that it won’t be helpful to its users.

So, when you write an article with Google’s results page in mind, make your writing clear and easy to understand. That way, Google is more likely to recommend your content to its users.

4. When you write an article, use a clear and focused URL structure

 If you’re new to the world of copywriting, you might not have considered our next tip before. But it’s really useful if you want your content to be found on Google. When you write an article, use a clear and focused URL structure.

Why does the URL structure matter when you write an article?

You might be thinking, ‘who cares about the structure of my article’s URL?’

And the answer is simple – Google cares!

Your URL is important for SEO because Google needs to know what your article is about. If the focus of your content isn’t clear, Google will assume that it’s not helpful to its users. And remember, Google is all about making things easier for the user.

How should you structure your URL?

When you write an article, there are certain tricks you can use to make sure your URL is Google-friendly:

• Keep the URL short and sweet.
• Make sure that your keywords are included in the URL.
• Get rid of any unnecessary words.

The easiest way to make sure you have a Google-friendly URL is to see how it’s received by others. If it’s too complex for a person to understand, then Google won’t understand it either!

5. Link to other websites and blogs when you write an article

So, we’ve talked about the importance of internal linking for SEO (see tip number 2), but what about external linking?

There are two types of external linking:

• Outbound links: these are links from your content to someone else’s.
• Backlinks (or inbound links): these are links back to your website from someone else’s.

If you want your article to be super SEO-friendly, see if you can make use of external linking in your blog.

Why is external linking important for SEO?

So, you’ve set out to learn how to write an article. You probably weren’t expecting us to tell you to link to other writer’s content, right?

It might seem counterproductive. When you write an article, you don’t want to direct people away from your blog. But it’s actually a great way to boost your ranking on Google!

Outbound links add depth and value to your content, so Google assumes you know exactly what you’re talking about. But don’t forget – only link to other content if it’s relevant and trustworthy. Otherwise, you’ll be putting your own credibility at risk.

And remember not to link to your competition! You don’t want to spend time producing an awesome article, only to send your audience straight to a competitor.

Backlinks are super useful for SEO because they increase your authority on a subject. Just think: if other websites are pointing audiences to your content, you must have something pretty important to say, right?

This is important for your Google ranking because Google assumes that your content will answer the user’s questions. So, when a user makes a Google search relating to your company, your website will go straight to the top.

They also help put your content on Google’s radar. When Google finds new content to store in its index, it also follows any links included in that content. If other websites are linking back to your site, Google will follow these links and add you to their index.

How do you actually get backlinks?

When you’re learning how to write an article, getting backlinks can seem like an impossible task. And we won’t lie to you – it takes a lot of hard work!

But there are ways to get backlinks to your article:

• Use the skyscraper technique

Using the skyscraper technique to write an article basically means that you search for existing content and make it better. Sounds simple enough, right?

But let’s break it down for you:

First, you need to think about which subjects you want to become an authority on. Do a quick Google search on these topics and see which articles are ranking at the top. Next, you need to use the highest-ranking content in the SERP and make it better.

Now, that doesn’t mean you can take someone else’s content – it still needs to be your own work! But maybe you can expand on their points, delve deeper into a topic or offer a new perspective.

• Promote your content

Not only is this a great tip for generating backlinks, but it’s important to remember whenever you write an article. You need to promote your content!

It’s not enough to post your content online and hope for the best. If you want to write an article for SEO, you need to actively promote it.

The best – and easiest – way to promote your content is on social media. But there are other ways to promote your articles that you might not have considered.

Why not send your article to people who might be interested in linking to your site? Building relationships with other companies is a great way to secure reliable backlinks. Just don’t send your content directly into the hands of your competition!

6. Create consistent SEO-friendly content 

If you want to write an article and be found on Google, you need to be consistent with your content.

Even the most SEO-friendly content won’t get very far on Google if you aren’t publishing regular articles on your site.

Why does consistency matter for SEO?

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Google is all about finding answers for its users.

So, when it comes to recommending content to users, Google will choose websites that contain fresh, new content.

If you haven’t published anything on your site for a while, Google will assume that your content isn’t relevant anymore. After all, how can you answer user questions if you never post anything?

And the same goes for your audience. Even if you’ve managed to build a loyal readership, they’ll soon get bored if you never publish anything new.

If you want to write an article and be found on Google, it’s not just a one-time thing. You need to create regular content and be consistent with your posting schedule. Or you’ll never reach the top of the rankings!

But don’t forget the golden rules of copywriting!

 SEO is crucial for your Google ranking. But it’s not the only thing you need to consider when you learn how to write an article.

Your SEO efforts will go to waste if your article is hard to read and understand. And your SERP ranking will go down anyway!

When you write an article, follow these top tips:

• Your article should be easy to scan

Audiences only take in around 20% of online content, so your article should be quick and easy to read.

• Edit, edit and edit again!

No one wants to read sloppy content. When you write an article, get someone else to check your work for mistakes you might have missed.

• Think about your audience when you write an article

What’s the point of writing an article if you haven’t thought about the people reading it? Think about your audience and make sure your writing will appeal to them.

• Use compelling headlines

It’s important that you choose an intriguing headline for your content. After all, when you write an article, the headline is the first thing your audience will see!

• End with a CTA

When you write an article, it’s vital that you finish with a CTA. A persuasive CTA will encourage your audience to act. What more could you want from your copy?

Want to find out more? Get in touch with our team. We can write an article for you!

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