Want Your Posts to Rank Better? Try This Content Writing Tip

Getting your blog posts to rank well in Google is hard. There’s no easy way to rocket to the top of search and gain the coveted #1 spot.

That being said, there are tactics you can use to increase your chances of ranking well. Beyond things like having a reputable website, using the right keywords, and publishing content consistently, there's one strategy I return to time and time again.

In this post, I'm sharing my top content writing tip to rank better in search. Of course, I can't guarantee this tactic will skyrocket your content immediately. But it's produced good results for me and my clients' posts.

My top content writing tip: Write for people first

If you want to rank better in search, write for people, not search engines.

That’s it, that’s the tip. You can all go home now. You’ve been a great crowd.

Actually, I’m not done. Sit down again and let me explain further.

Imagine this: You’re trying to research something, so you go to Google and type your query in. You eagerly click on the top blog post, only to discover it’s stuffed with keywords or just a thinly disguised ad for their products.

Now, imagine this instead: You click on the top blog post to find it's exactly what you need. It answers your initial query and anticipates your follow-up questions, providing those answers too. You happily save the post on Pinterest so you can refer back to it later.

We’ve all had scenario one happen to us before. It leaves you feeling discouraged because you were just looking for a simple answer, and yet you can’t find it, even among the top-ranked posts for your search.

That's what can happen when you write for the algorithm instead of people. You end up worrying if you said the keyword enough times, rather than whether or not you answered the question sufficiently.

Why writing for people works

But why does writing for people first help your posts rank better? Shouldn’t following everything you know the algorithm likes to a T make you rank higher?

See, a lot of people forget that the thing search engines like Google like the most are helpful posts. They get caught up in the technical details, like on-page SEO or backlinks, and forget the whole purpose of creating content.

You do want to do all that other stuff. But your post should be valuable to readers first, tailored to the algorithm second. If you do that, more people will read and share your content, which indicates to Google that your post is worth ranking higher, because people find it helpful. It's a domino effect that benefits everyone.

How to apply this tip

#1: Research competitors

The first thing you should do is assess the state of the top-ranking posts for your keyword. Search it up and read everything on page one. See what they do well, and, more importantly, what they do badly.

Do they fail to answer the question searchers are looking for? Do they name-drop their brand twenty times? Do they answer the question, but fail to provide further information?

Take note of all of that, because you’ll need it for the next step.

#2: Write a helpful post

This is the most important part. Write a post keeping in mind the search query, what people are actually looking for, and the areas where your competitors fell flat.

Most of all, be helpful. Answer their questions succinctly, preferably near the top of the post. Go in-depth on topics or follow logical question trails. Keep it to a reasonable length for the topic, whatever that is.

I highly suggest starting your post with an in-depth outline to make sure you cover all the important points. If you need help with that, read the post below.

#3: Add in your keywords

Only once you've written the post should you focus on adding in your keywords. Even though people are your focus here, keywords are important for helping Google understand what your post is about and rank it for the right searches.

You want to sprinkle keywords in as a topping, rather than make them the whole dish. Work them into things like the headline, introduction, and post body, but don’t force it. No one wants to read a post where you can pick out the main keywords from a mile away.

#4: Provide additional value

Lastly, see if you can provide any extra value that the other posts didn’t. You could:

• Add a video version of your tutorial

• Make a free PDF

• Go more in-depth on the topic

• Link to more helpful posts

• Create a free educational resource

This doesn’t have to be a big thing. Just something to add extra value that makes readers love your post. More readers = more interactions = better ranking.

While content marketing is still marketing, designed to help sales, it’s also meant to attract customers to your business. Thus, writing helpful posts designed for people, not algorithms, is well worth your time and effort.

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Do you want content like this, but lack the skills to do it yourself? I would love to work with you to create better-ranking posts or even manage your blog for you. To learn more, click the button below.

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