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

@lauracreekmore

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

@lauracreekmore

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

@lauracreekmore

Writing Fails• Creating clickbait• Thinking short-term• Overly chummy, fake blogging style• Pageviews over value

@lauracreekmore

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 laura.creekmore@syndigo.com

@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 laura.creekmore@syndigo.com

@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

@lauracreekmore

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

@lauracreekmore

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

@lauracreekmore