Mastering SEO: How to write authoritative content that ranks
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s visibility to rank higher on search engine results pages. Effective SEO helps your engaging content get discovered by your target audience, driving organic traffic to your website. It’s not just about visibility; it’s about attracting the right audience – people who are genuinely interested in your services.
Authority in SEO refers to the credibility and trustworthiness of your content and website. Search engines like Google prioritise authoritative content because it provides value and reliability to users. Authoritative content not only ranks higher, but also earns trust from readers, which can lead to higher engagement, conversions and customer loyalty.
Understanding SEO fundamentals
SEO involves strategies and techniques to ensure your website appears in front of the right audience when they search for relevant keywords. Search engines match search keywords to the content that best answers a given query. If your content has the right keywords, search engines can rank it higher.
For example, if you’re a mortgage broker in Sydney and want your website to be visible to people who live there, some of the search terms they may use are:
- Sydney mortgage brokers
- Mortgage broker Sydney
- Mortgage brokers near me
- Best mortgage brokers Sydney
Long-tail keywords are phrases rather than single words. Examples include:
- How to find a good mortgage broker in Sydney
- Experienced mortgage brokers in Sydney
- Affordable mortgage brokers in Sydney
Don’t insert too many keywords in the first paragraph of your content writing. Instead, strategically add them throughout your blog to make it natural to the readers. Search engines don’t like posts stuffed with keywords that offer no value to readers.
Use Sydney content marketing agency Hunter & Scribe’s SEO writing services for property and finance web content creation.
Key components of SEO:
- On-page SEO: The optimisation of individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic. This includes content creation, keyword optimisation, meta tags and internal linking.
- Off-page SEO: Activities performed outside your website to improve its ranking, primarily backlink building and social media marketing.
- Technical SEO: Improving the technical aspects of a website to increase ranking. This includes site speed, mobile-friendliness, crawlability and secure connections (HTTPS).
Building authority in your engaging content
Authority in SEO writing is the perceived value and trustworthiness of your content by both search engines and users. High-authority content typically features well-researched information, credible sources and expert insights.
How to establish authority
- Create high-quality content: Produce valuable, in-depth content that answers your audience’s questions and solves their problems. This builds trust and establishes your site as a go-to resource.
- Engage with your audience: Actively engage with your audience through comments, social media and community forums. This builds a loyal following and demonstrates your commitment to your audience.
- Use expert contributors: Collaborate with industry experts to create engaging content. Featuring guest columns or interviews with recognised authorities can lend credibility to your website.
Crafting SEO content with authority
Writing for your audience first, search engines second
The primary goal of your content writing should always be to provide value to your audience. When you write with your readers in mind, your content naturally becomes more engaging and informative. This builds a loyal audience and aligns with search engines’ goals – to provide the best possible results for their users.
Characteristics of high quality content
- Depth and detail : Cover topics comprehensively, providing in-depth insights and detailed explanations. Use data, statistics and case studies to support your points. This shows your insights are backed by evidence and real-world experiences.
- Accuracy : Ensure your content is accurate and up-to-date. Use reliable sources and verify the information you present.
- Engagement : Write in a way that captures and maintains your readers’ interest.
Using engaging titles and headings
Create compelling titles and headings to grab attention and convey the essence of your content writing. A good title helps search engines quickly identify the content of a blog and relate it to relevant keywords.
- SEO title length : An SEO title should have a length of 55-60 characters to ensure it is fully displayed on search engine results pages.
- Example of an SEO title: For a real estate agent in Melbourne, a useful SEO title might be “The ultimate guide to buying property in Melbourne”.
When creating SEO-friendly headings, use only one H1 tag on your blog post for the article’s title. Use headings in their hierarchical order: H1, H2, H3. This structure makes the content skimmable and easy to understand.
Adding internal links and external links
Internal linking is about linking to relevant, high-quality engaging content from your website. This helps search engines understand your topic and expertise.
Include links to sources other than your own. It may seem like you’re driving away your website visitors, but adding credible sources and linking to authoritative content increases your own website’s credibility.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the time or skill to create and research web content like blog posts or website text. Hunter & Scribe can do that for you.
Writing evergreen content
Evergreen content stays relevant for a long time. Once you publish evergreen content, you don’t have to update the post very often as it doesn’t go out-of-date.
Tips for writing evergreen content:
- Write for newbies : People who don’t have a great deal of knowledge about your expertise may need your help. Show your knowledge on a specific topic related to your business that can help your new audience. For example, a conveyancer can include a blog on a “Step-by-step guide to buying your first home: The role of a conveyancer”.
- Write about specific topics: Readers will stay longer on your website if they find what they need in one blog post. Try to answer the search query that you’re targeting directly. For example, an accounting firm can include a case study on how it helped improve a growing IT-managed services business with its financial processes as they faced persistent bookkeeping challenges.
