Talking about SEO is easy. Creating content for SEO is a whole different story. A beautiful story, but by far a complex one. And that is exactly what this article is about: quality content, as we try to figure out what kind of material search engine users like.
Metaphorically speaking, a content-rich website is like a fish. The structure (pages and categories) is the skeleton that holds it up, the flesh is the content (texts, articles, messages), and SEO is the shiny scales that make the fish attractive.
So to begin with, let’s talk a little about structure.
The content we add to a website is extremely important.
But so is the way it is structured. Here is a quick checklist for structure.
1. Intuitive categories
Specialists advise reducing as much as possible the number of clicks a user needs to reach the information they want, whether it is a product or a service you want to promote.
So if you run a store that sells makeup, the makeup brushes category should contain exactly that: makeup brushes, not other tools that might confuse the visitor.
2. Optimizing both category pages and product pages properly
Ideally, both would be fully indexed by Google and rank well in search for certain keywords.
Sometimes, however, product pages end up ranking better simply because they answer searches directly.
As a rule, people tend to search for “makeup brushes” (product) rather than “makeup tools” (category).
3. Using keywords in the right amount.
OK, OK. We said earlier that you need to optimize both categories and product pages.
But watch out for SPAM! Use a sensible number of keywords, always keeping their relevance in mind.
And by the right amount we also mean few repetitions.
You can’t string the same keywords together endlessly and expect search engines not to see them as spam.
Moderation is the mother of optimization.
4. Google prefers a natural style. Insert links as naturally as possible.
Specialists say backlink campaigns are a good idea. But the links need to be inserted naturally.
Let’s say you have that makeup store we mentioned earlier.
It is fine for links to your products or categories to come from beauty blogs (directly related to your field), from lifestyle news portals, or from comments by people who recommend your products. But a backlink campaign coming from fishing gear blogs might look artificial and forced.
Both to visitors and to Google! Also read the 2019 SEO guide!
Quality content and what influences it
The famous Danny Sullivan himself said that search algorithms focus above all on “great, unique, useful and compelling” content. But that statement is rather general and vague, we might say. All the more so because the quality of content can itself be subjective.
That is why another big name in the industry, Cyrus Shepard, came up with a fairly relevant line that supports this idea: “Google’s statements about ranking factors are like an onion. The more layers you peel back, the harder you cry.”
And although the statement is a metaphor, we are sure you too have had at least one moment when you felt you had discovered the recipe for ranking as high as possible in Google. Organically, of course.
And then, after a while, something stopped working. That content no longer seemed as appealing to your readers. Your competitors seemed to have “woken up” and come out with better material.
If you want to find out what you did wrong, read the list below carefully.
Common mistakes people make when trying to create quality content for their websites
- Too much content
At one point the rumor was that Google likes long pages dense with text and content. So longer articles had a better chance of being indexed quickly and ranking near the top. Nothing wrong so far.
In the meantime, however, Google noticed that SOMETIMES modern people no longer have the patience to read. They quickly look for answers to the questions on their minds. And a long text can also be tiring. Modern readers can get lost in the information and easily give up reading.
Take news portals, for example. How many times have you read only the first few paragraphs, even though the headline made the story sound quite interesting? Well, Google knows this. And it is smart enough to figure out whether a topic has the potential to be explored in depth or not.
So sometimes it is enough to stop at 400 words and still give readers quality, relevant information.
Another good tip is to split your material into easy-to-read paragraphs and use subheadings and markers (dashes, bullets, numbering and so on), and readers will choose what to read.
Try to apply this method especially for “How to…” articles, or for those that answer direct questions people might ask.
Here is a concrete example: How do you open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew?
That said, never give up on quality, well-researched articles, even if they run to 2,000+ words. They are valued as long as they give readers relevant information.
So the secret is for you, just like Google, to figure out early which topic has potential and which should be handled simply, directly and concisely.
- Going off topic
Do you like telling stories? Giving details? Unfortunately, Google finds that rather boring.
And if you start your text talking about SEO and then move on to how to make the most delicious pickles, Google might penalize you.
Google prefers texts that are unique but also relevant to the topic. In addition, the title must also match the theme you are covering.
So avoid wandering off topic as much as you can and try to focus your information in a well-written text.
- Too many metaphors in the title
Don’t get us wrong. Using a metaphor in a title now and then is fine. But if you make a habit of it, it will not win the “sympathy” of the people who land on your website. Or of search engines.
The same goes for slang or jargon.
Here is a concrete example.
Let’s say you want to write on your website about wisdom. An interesting, relevant topic would be “How to act like a wise person and make the right decisions”.
But if you choose to use, in the title and several times in your content, the Romanian idiom “om cu scaun la cap” (literally “a person with a chair in their head”, meaning a level-headed person), a metaphorical expression used to convey this idea, there is a very high chance the search engine will not understand it and will confuse the term with the piece of furniture itself (the basic meaning of the word “chair”).
In that case your article, although relevant and well researched, might not score very highly on quality.
- Focusing on quantity, not quality
It is very important that the text you create for your blog or website always be of high quality. And although we know search engines like “living” websites where content is posted frequently, the emphasis will always be on quality.
To put it more clearly: two well-written articles about the art of freshwater fishing are enough, rather than 10 articles on the same topic that are poorly written.
And your two articles must answer the questions of people who like reading about fishing.
- Irrelevant links inserted in the content
Here, too, it is all about relevance. There is no point inserting links that have nothing to do with the topic you are covering.
Choose carefully the websites you want to send your readers to. Even if they pay you…
If you have a fishing website, it is relevant for Google that you link to fishing gear stores. But if you insert links to motorcycle or tractor dealers, it might not be quite as pleased.
And we are sure you can guess why.
Question first, then answer
One way to avoid the traps of content that is too long or confusing is to put yourself in the reader’s shoes before you write.
Think about the reader’s needs and the reasons they would need to visit your website.
In other words, what would they want to learn from you and what can you offer them? Once you have the answers to these questions, you will be able to create relevant, concise, quality content.
And Google will notice right away.
With that said, we wish you every success writing your materials. And don’t get discouraged.
First create a strategy, choose a theme that suits you, set a structure for the material you are about to write and research it from as many sources as possible. Then start writing.
And when your material is ready, don’t forget to review it. Remove anything that seems superfluous to you (because it will seem the same to Google). At the same time, make sure you have fully answered your potential readers’ questions.
If you want to know whether you have succeeded, have a colleague or friend read the material. If they got the message, it is quite likely other readers will too.
Photo source: Shutterstock.com
About the author:
Pal Emil Lucian, owner of UnicWeb
Lucian set out with the vision of a young entrepreneur who builds professional success on hard work, personal skills and continuous development.
Specialists în SEO, GEO, performance marketing și web development, cu 17 years de experiență în proiecte din România și din alte 23 de piețe.
