Tips for Great Content Writing

Kevin McLauchlin
5 min readFeb 21, 2022

Google’s main priority is to answer search intent through high-quality content, so what better way to rank high in search results and boost organic traffic than through content writing?

We cannot stress it enough: the biggest SEO myth is that content creation doesn’t matter. After all, your visitors arrived on your website for a reason, so it’s crucial to remember that you are creating content for humans, not for search engines.

So, it’s no wonder that the number of marketers who are using content marketing is constantly increasing. In fact, 82% of marketers stated that they used content marketing actively in 2021.

It’s safe to say that investing in great content writing should be treated as a priority.

Are you eager to boost your website’s ranking in search results through content creation? It’s time to discover our content writing tips!

What Is Content Writing?

Essentially, content writing encompasses the process of planning, creating, editing, and sharing content for the web. From evergreen articles to seasonal blog posts, from podcast and video scripts to infographics, writing is the foundation of all content.

Having said that, content creation is a cornerstone of any successful digital marketing strategy. In fact, not only does content marketing cost 62% less than traditional marketing, but it also generates approximately three times as many leads as traditional marketing.

Approximately 7.5 million posts are published every day, hence writing content is not enough. You need to develop content writing skills in order to create insightful and engaging content. While writing for search engine optimization isn’t the main priority, publishing high-quality and informative content that matches search intent will power your ranking in search engines.

Tips for Producing Quality Content Writing

Did you know that content marketing is considered a core business strategy by 81% of marketers?

Nonetheless, in order for content creation to be effective, having an effective strategy is crucial.

Keep reading to discover our content writing tips for compelling and relevant content!

1. Conduct Research

In order to be able to write a valuable piece, you first need to put yourself into your reader’s shoes, to think about your visitors’ interests and pain points. Only through research will you be able to understand your audience and your niche better. Besides, by researching background information you will grasp a deeper understanding of existing content in your niche, hence it will be easier to differentiate your blog posts from your competitors’.

It is equally important to conduct keyword research. While keyword stuffing should be avoided, including keywords in content is still a crucial step of any effective SEO strategy, so keyword research is a must.

By using keyword research tools, you can discover keywords with high search volume while also uncovering the keywords that the competition is ranking for.

2. Write a Compelling Title

Think about it, a title for an article is like a card for a business- it’s what sparks the audience’s attention and gets users to click on the links. When users search for something, multiple results appear on the search engine results pages (SERPs), so having an engaging title tag is what makes a difference.

Here are some tips for creating compelling title tags:

  • Include the primary keyword
  • Don’t use all caps
  • Keep your title short (55–60 characters)
  • Give unique titles to each page
  • Use action words

3. Create Content for Your Target Audience, Not for Search Engines

While including high-volume keywords and writing a compelling title tag will definitely help with ranking higher in SERPs and bringing in organic traffic, attracting users to your page is not everything.

Otherwise, you might just end up with a high bounce rate.

See also PPC Data Analysis: 5 Key Metrics to Track

This is why your intro needs to grab your readers’ attention. Otherwise, the chances of sticking around are pretty low.

So, how can you avoid that?

  • Have an engaging opening line: Your web page has 10 seconds to grab your visitors’ attention, so you better make that best out of that time with a compelling opening line.
  • Explain the article’s main point: What better way to convince readers to stay than by reassuring them that your content answers their search intent?
  • Highlight the content’s importance: Content writers should make visitors aware of the benefits that come with consuming their content.
  • Differentiate yourself from the competition: By offering your visitors unique insights into your niche, you will position yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

4. Improve Readability

Your blog post may be top-notch, but if it’s hard to read, not so many people will stick around. It would be a shame to lose readers just because your content isn’t easy to skim.

After all, readability affects visitors’ experience with websites, so content writers should prioritize it when they create content.

Here are some ways to improve readability:

  • Use short sentences and try to keep them to a maximum of 25 words
  • Write short paragraphs with maximum 4 lines
  • Break down text with bullet points and multimedia (videos or images)
  • Use active voice predominately when you write articles
  • Create informative and compelling subheadings
  • Utilize transition words to make transitions between paragraphs easier

5. Use Your Brand’s Tone

Your brand’s unique voice could be the one thing differentiating you from other brands in your niche.

It’s crucial to let it shine through your written content. You can start by thinking about the approach you want to use. For example, is an emotional tone suitable for your brand or a rather humorous one?

See also Your 4-Step Guide to Becoming a LinkedIn Thought Leader

Similarly, when choosing a brand’s tone, content writers should also take into consideration the audience that they are trying to appeal to. While a younger audience might appreciate a direct approach with second-person pronouns, a casual tone might not be considered appropriate by everyone.

You should also keep in mind that your brand’s tone should echo your brand’s voice. So, if your brand’s overall personality is rather formal, using a casual tone and funny anecdotes when you write posts might not be the best idea.

6. Optimize for Search Engines

We’ve made it clear that we are not writing for search engines. However, great content marketing also requires taking into consideration SEO.

So, here are our actionable tips for boosting your blog posts’ ranking!

  • Incorporate the primary keyword in a short yet descriptive URL
  • Write a short (50–160 characters) meta description and include the primary keyword
  • Optimize images for search engines by adding descriptive alt tags
  • Link at least 5 authority sites in order to write a high-quality, helpful article
  • Include internal links

Boost Your Digital Marketing Strategy… Start Writing!

Users arrive on your page looking for answers, so what better way to do that than by providing them with insightful and valuable content?

After all, at the heart of every business are customers, hence they should always be your utmost priority. In fact, 81% of consumers say that they need to trust the brand before making a purchase. So, providing them with helpful information is key.

Having said that, in 2022, content writing can no longer be treated as an option. Writing content is a priority.

Ready to start writing? CadenceSEO, with its customer-centric approach and white hat SEO practices, may be just the help you need to take your content marketing strategy to the next level.
Contact us today for more information!

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Kevin McLauchlin

Co-Founder and Director of Growth at CadenceSEO. Online Marketing and SEO Nerd. Lover of Personal and Professional Growth. Husband and Father of 6