Articles need a main keyword in the title, introductory paragraph, two or three supporting paragraphs and a conclusion paragraph. This is basic writing but there are specifics to know for each in order to make sure your article is compliant with the latest in search engine optimization techniques. Start your articles with a summary just like this one.
Formula for Keyword Placement in SEO titles
The formula is pretty simple. The page should start with a headline, usually an <h1> which is the title of the article, content section starts with an <h2> and sub headings are usually an <h3> heading code tag. You should have 3 – 5 sections for every article. Each paragraph should have 3-5 supporting sentences. Paragraphs or groups of paragraphs should be grouped by adding sub headings.
How long should an article be?
Articles should have more than 300 words excluding titles, headings, and sub headings. Quotes from other websites should never be included in word count. It is very difficult to include enough keyword phrases in the article to get good ranking if you try to cram them together in articles that are too short. You should be covering at least 1 main exact match keyword phrase, 2-3 variations of that phrase, and 2-3 exact match keyword phrases related to the main phrase with their own 2-3 variations.
Start titles with your exact match keyword
If you can’t start the title with the keyword it is okay but keep in mind, that is your goal. Sometimes it won’t sound right and in those cases, don’t do it. It is very important this you do not alter the keyword phrase in the title. Some might add an “s” to make it plural or maybe add an “ed” to make it past tense. You have to use your imagination to make sure that the whole keyword phrase is used exactly as given.
First paragraph or summary keyword placement
Begin the first sentence of your first paragraph with the keyword phrase or at least a slight variation of it. At minimum include it in the first one or two sentences. It is also wise to include a related keyword or two here. If you don’t give the reader what they searched for in this paragraph you are going to lose their attention. This first paragraph should be a well written summary of what the reader will learn if they continue reading the entire article. It is a good thing to use the related keywords you chose for this paragraph to be in the sub headings as explained below.
Start page sections with your keywords
Every page should have a heading tag or an H2 tag headline that begins the content after the summary. Start the heading tag in your content with the keyword unless it reads awkward. Because this is the first sentence in your content it is important that this have the keyword in it but not sound like the title. Make it different and spicy. This is likely the deciding text on the page for readers as to whether or not the article contains the information they are looking for. Many people start reading from the title but some do not and we want to catch both group type’s attention.
Additional sub heading keyword placement
Separate sections of the article with h3 heading tags. In these sub headings place variations of the keyword phrase you are targeting. If not already accomplished make sure the related keywords that you placed in your first paragraph are contained in these sub heading sections as well. These are basically a mini-title for the paragraph(s) under neath it. If a user likes your title, your leading heading, or the first paragraph they still may skim the article looking for the specific section of the article that may contain the information they are looking for. Chunk-a-fying your content in this manner accommodates the skimmer type of reader.
Content paragraphs and keywords
Make sure there are at least 1 or 2 related keyword phrases that are on the same topic as your main keyword phrase. These paragraphs that are inbetween your sub headings are designed to provide greater details to the reader on the subjects listed in the sub headings. This is where the real meat of the article is. the rest of the items we have discussed are more navigation related. The purpose of titles, sub headings, etc. is to lead the reader to the information they are seeking with as little effort as possible.
All-In-One SEO Pack and Meta Data
Meta title and keywords
Start your meta title with your targeted keyword if possible. The same rules for the main title apply here with the exception of the purpose. The purpose of the meta title is to convince a searcher that the meta description below may lead to information that they are looking for. Keep your character count below 65 and closer to 60 if possible.
Meta description and keyword phrases
Start your meta description with your keywords as well but it does not have to be exact match. A slight variation of the target phrase is okay. The purpose of this part is to convince the search reading this listing that yes indeed their hunch is correct that this listing will lead them to an article or page that contains the full details of the answer they are searching for. Keep your character count below 160 and closer to 150 if possible.
Make sure you put a call to action at the end. The power of suggestion is strong so ending your meta descriptions with phrases like READ MORE… CLICK HERE… CONTINUE… increase the chances the searcher will follow the suggestion and click. Make sure these are in ALL CAPS similar to how I have shown you here.
Formatting for Optimization
How to use Bold
Bolding is something very easy to get wrong. Many people bold their keyword phrases excessively. The goal of bolding is to give readers who scan the content a specific message. If all a person does is scan your article they should get the sense of what it is about from looking at the title, headings and your bolds. Use bold to tell a story and highlight what the article or paragraph is about. Make it easy for scanners to skip reading your entire article if possible.
Italics
Italics can play a role in allowing your content to be scanned. The goal however is a little different. Use italics when you really want to get the reader to pay attention to something specific. Typically italicizing a word or phrase only helps those who have already committed to thoroughly reading the article or at least the paragraph the person is looking at.
Underline
Try to stay away from using underlined keywords. Most users on the web associate an underline with a click-able link. Even if you use an underline for in your subheadings you may still confuse someone into thinking they should click it to get more information.
Quotes
Do your best to use the quotation tag when you are quoting another website. Not only does it help readers know that it is not you saying it, but it gives a signal to search engines that you are not trying to claim this content as original. This can go a long way from keeping your article from getting penalized for containing duplicate content.
Optimizing Images For SEO
Title
A great source of traffic is Google Images. The other search engines index image as well. Making sure that you give your images a keyword descriptive title is important. Don’t stuff keywords and don’t use the same variations of keyword phrases as the rest of your content if possible. Keep it natural sounding.
Description
The description of your image is similar to the meta description. When someone is searching often times they may see an image in the search results or they might be specifically looking for images. Either way this is your chance to describe the content of your page and convince them to click through to your site. Describing your content is another way of saying that you should use your targeted keyword phrases in the description.
Alternative Text
Every screen reader program for the disabled relies on words to describe the image. Use a variation of your keywords in a way to actually describe what the image is and what it is for in a practical way.
Yes, it is very important that you capture the reader’s full attention as quickly as possible. As a frequent reader myself, I sometimes find myself easily jaded by a post if there is no strong point in the introduction. I would simply click out of the article and find something more striking to read. Bolded words are among some of the other things I look for, especially when I don’t have enough time on my hands. I don’t have time to read through every single article to find exactly what I’m looking for, so I click and scan through articles as quickly as I can. Bolded words are really helpful to the reader, and it can be used towards the advantage of the writer, as well. It sort of breaks down the search and squares in on the main points that the reader is looking for. In addition to that, using the right photo certainly stirs things up a notch. Studies have shown that using the right image on your article/post can actually increase the time one spends on your page and, in terms of making money, can definitely open doors to conversions. Also, stay away from writing BIG, bulky paragraphs. Say you wrote a 600-word article and broke it up into two paragraphs. Chances are no one will really take the time to read it. Even if in actuality it isn’t, it is way too much information hurtled together – it’s almost suffocating. It sort of rips out the value of the main point in the article; you basically have a page filled with words of no significance.
thnx a lot for such a nice explanation and most of it was so easy to jot down.