Content Writing Practices of 2020
2020 has begun, and digital marketers are looking for the next best ways of advertising an online presence. As marketing and advertising has changed over the years, so has the art of content writing.
This decade probably has plenty of new marketing trends in store for all of us, but one thing will almost undoubtedly remain the same: the power of quality content. If you’re a business owner or digital marketer (or both), you’re probably trying to educate yourself on the best ways you can improve your marketing plans and practices to drive traffic and increase revenue. If you’re trying to make the most out of your advertising, it starts with content.
Are you trying to discover new tactics to add to your copywriting skill set? Maybe you’re revamping your marketing schemes for 2020 and you’re looking for a way to brush up on your skills. Whatever the case may be, check out this SERP Matrix blog that details the best content writing practices to implement in the new year.
Optimizing Content for Voice Search
This is where the writers must think outside themselves. Writing content for SEO is something that can be very rigid at times, but during others, you’ll have to be flexible and be willing to bend. The end result remains the same: answering customer questions and making sure they get the best experience possible when they click on your website.
Studies have shown that customers are using voice search, and with the new decade in full swing, these studies are providing valuable insights into the new ways consumers are conducting their searches.
Optimizing content for voice search will require you to target long-tail keyword phrases. When you’re conducting search results, you’re typically reciting phrases that are upwards of 10 words long. When individuals conduct voice searches using their home and mobile devices, they’re typically asking a question, not reciting a two- or three-word keyword. Example:
“Siri, where is the best pizza place near me?”
“Best pizza near me Houston TX”
Let’s be real: which one are you more likely to say when you launch your voice assistant?
Try writing portions of your content in a conversational manner. By building content around your conversational questions in addition to traditional keyword targeting, you’re giving yourself the best of both worlds. Long-form content that answers questions is a trustworthy method for not only ranking well, but also getting the most out of each and every visit to your website.
OPTIMIZING CONTENT FOR FEATURED SNIPPETS
Featured snippets are steadily becoming important SEO ranking factors. By definition, a featured snippet is a summary of an answer to a user’s search query, displayed at the beginning of a user’s search engine results page. It is a piece of content extracted from the webpage, and the snippet also contains the page’s title and URL. Featured snippets appear as paragraphs, lists, and tables.
A helpful tip for ranking for featured snippets is to answer the customer’s question concisely. In addition to phrasing your keywords as natural questions, you should also follow up that sentence with a concise paragraph that thoroughly answers the user’s query.
NEVER STOP LEARNING
Search engine optimization is something that is always going to change, and with today’s algorithms being as complex as they are, content writers cannot simply rely on their natural writing ability to achieve high rankings. Google, the search titan, has hundreds of different algorithm updates every single year. If you’re trying to make sure you stay ahead of the curve and get the most out of your clientele, study SEO.
Continue to follow your favorite and most trusted information sources. Today, there is more content on the Internet than ever before. There’s a vast amount of info at your fingertips, but you’ll need to make sure you’re trusting the right sources. Trust your mentors, your gut, and of course, Google itself. Outside of this, make sure you’re consuming the right information so you don’t inadvertently sabotage your content marketing campaign.
NO KEYWORD STUFFING. EVER.
Most content writers are already aware of this, but in case you’re not well-versed, keyword stuffing is an extremely dated SEO practice that needs to be completely forgotten. Not only is this one of the most common mistakes copywriters make, but it can absolutely sink your ranking potential.
The best copywriters write content that appeals to both search engine algorithms and human beings. Searchers are able to tell when content is clearly written to “game the system”, and as a result, they are quick to disregard it as low-quality, which will have negative ramifications on your business. Whether it’s a high bounce rate, negative review, or simply a lost customer who was otherwise interested in what you have to offer, poorly written content can implode your business.
Use keywords strategically and make sure you’re aware of your focus keywords, text enrichment, and all Meta tags and descriptions that are written on your website. In addition to this, make sure your content is written at an accessible reading level, and make sure it is informative. Long-form content doesn’t do anyone any good unless it is completely filled with useful information that consumers and users actually want to read. This is going to be critical to your digital marketing campaign’s success.
SERP Matrix | Content Writing in Houston, TX
Digital marketing is going to continue to change, and content writing is the backbone of any quality SEO campaign. If you are searching for the best way to improve the search engine optimization of your website, call SERP Matrix. As a full-service digital marketing agency, we have mastered the art of creating original, compelling content for business owners in any industry. For more information on our services and to receive a free consultation from a project manager on our team, get in touch with us today. Call us at 713-287-1134, or fill out our online contact form here to take the first step towards launching your content marketing campaign of 2020.
