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Do you want to make your website more visible and get more visitors? To reach these goals, you need to write content that is good for SEO. When you write content optimized for search engines, you increase your chances of ranking higher in search results and reaching your target audience effectively. In this article, I’ll give you nine actionable tips on how to write SEO-friendly content that gets attention for your website. Whether you’re a seasoned content writer or just starting out, these tips will help you optimize your content and drive valuable organic traffic to your website. With these helpful tips, you’ll be ready to take your content to the next level and make it more powerful.
Why you need SEO-friendly content
Before you proceed to learn how to write SEO-friendly content, you need to know why you need it in the first place. In the digital age, optimizing your content for search engines is a game-changer, whether running a business, running a blog, or pushing your brand. Here are the main reasons why you need content that is good for SEO:
Increased visibility in search results
SEO methods increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When your content shows up on the first page of search results, it is more likely that your target audience will see it. More visibility means more chances for organic traffic, publicity for your brand, and possible leads.
Targeted traffic and audience relevance
SEO helps you attract the right audience, people looking for information, products, or services related to your content. By using relevant keywords and optimizing your content, you can ensure that your website aligns with what your target audience is looking for when they search. This targeted traffic makes you more likely to get people interested in what you offer, increasing your conversion rates.
Better user experience
SEO-friendly content isn’t just about making search engines happy but also about giving your audience a smooth and engaging experience. When you optimize your content, you improve how easy it is to read, how it is put together, and how the user feels. Visitors to your website can easily find the information they need and have an excellent time looking around because the content is well-organized.
Long-term value and sustainability
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a long-term investment that gives your online presence value that lasts. Unlike paid ads, SEO-friendly content keeps bringing in free traffic over time, even if you don’t keep spending money on it. Making high-quality, optimized content regularly builds a strong foundation for long-term growth and success.
Now that you know the importance of SEO-friendly content, here are some tips to help you create SEO-friendly content for your website.
1. Use the proper heading tags
Using heading tags correctly is vital to making your content search engine friendly. Heading tags like H1, H2, and H3 help you organize your content and tell search engines a lot about how your page is put together and what it is about. Here’s how you can make the most of heading tags to improve your SEO in Nigeria:
Use H1 tags to organize your writing
Your text should start with an H1 tag, your page’s main heading.
Use important keywords in your H1 tag to tell search engines what your content is about.
Ensure your H1 tag is short, clear, and says what your content is about.
If you are writing about the best places to visit in Nigeria, your H1 tag could be “Explore the Captivating Beauty of Nigeria: Top Tourist Destinations.”
Put subheadings in H2 tags
Use H2 tags for subheadings and divide your text into sections that make sense.
Use targeted keywords in your H2 tags naturally to give search engines more information.
H2 tags make it easier for users and search engines to find their way around your content and understand it.
If you’re writing a tour guide for Lagos, Nigeria, you can use H2 tags like “Must-Visit Attractions in Lagos,” “Cultural Delights of Lagos,” and “Exploring the Vibrant Nightlife of Lagos.”
Use H3 tags to separate sections
Use H3 tags for subsections to organize your information more detailedly.
Include important keywords in your H3 tags, focusing on long-tail keywords that describe specific topics or details.
H3 tags give your content more structure and clarity, which helps both your readers and search engines.
If your content is about food, you could use H3 tags like “Nigerian Traditional Dishes,” “Popular Street Food in Nigeria,” and “Delicious Nigerian Desserts.”
Remember that the right way to use heading tags makes your content easier to read and better for users and helps search engines figure out how it is organized and what it is about. In Nigeria’s competitive online world, you can make your content more visible and improve its SEO performance by using heading tags well.
Read Also: 5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs SEO Services in Nigeria
2. Link new posts to your old posts
Linking to your earlier posts in your current content is a smart way to improve your website’s SEO value and keep people interested. By linking related pieces together, you give your readers more value and show search engines how your content is related and how deep it is. Here’s how you can link to your past posts to get the most out of SEO:
Use the right anchor text
Look for keywords or phrases in your current article that easily connect to your previous posts.
Choose anchor text that correctly describes the linked post and makes people want to click.
Ensure your anchor text fits in with the rest of your content.
If you’re writing a new post called “Best Beaches in Nigeria,” you can link the phrase “exploring the stunning coastlines” to a previous post you wrote called “Hidden Gems: Underrated Beaches in Nigeria.”
Prioritize importance and value
Link to older posts that give more information go into more depth on a connected topic, or give more insight.
Ensure the linked post helps the reader understand the current topic better or solves a connected problem.
By linking to related posts, you encourage people to look at more of your content and lengthen the time they spend on your site.
When talking about “Budget Travel Tips in Nigeria,” you can link to a past post about “How to Find Affordable Accommodations in Lagos” or “Saving Money on Transportation in Nigeria.”
Use contextual cues for internal links
Use phrases like “As we talked about in our last article,” “For more information,” or “Read on” to start internal links.
Give a short description or teaser of what the related post is about to get people interested.
Contextual clues help readers see why they should click on the link and help them decide whether or not to do so.
In a post about “Nigeria’s Cultural Festivals,” you could say, “If you want to learn more about Nigeria’s rich cultural history, check out our complete guide to the “Top Cultural Festivals in Nigeria.”
By linking to your earlier posts, you create a web of connections within your content, making it easier for people to use and encouraging them to check out more of your valuable resources. Also, internal linking makes it easier for search engines to find and crawl your related content, which improves your site’s general SEO performance. So, when you make new content in Nigeria, remember to use internal links to keep your readers interested and improve your website’s search appearance.
3. Pick the best keyword for your article
Choosing the right keywords for your content is one of the most important steps in making content that is good for SEO and speaks to your target audience. If you know what keywords are popular and useful in Nigeria, you can make your content rank higher in search results by optimizing it. Here’s how to successfully pick the best keyword for your content:
Know who you’re writing for
Consider what your audience would look for if you were in their place.
Think about what they are interested in, what they like, and how they talk when they search online.
Search forums, social media conversations, and keyword research tools to find popular questions and topics.
If you want to write a blog post for people who like food, you could use keywords like “Nigerian recipes,” “traditional Nigerian dishes,” or “popular Nigerian cuisine.”
Do detailed research on keywords
Use keyword study tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or SEMrush to find relevant keywords.
Look for keywords that get a lot of searches and have little competition if you want to improve your chances of ranking well.
Long-tail keywords are more detailed phrases, target niche topics, and usually have less competition.
If you want to write about fashion trends, you could use keywords like “latest fashion trends,” “traditional clothing styles,” or “modern fashion designers.”
Analyze keyword intent
Consider what the keywords are trying to do to ensure your content is what people are looking for.
Find out if the person is looking for information, wants to buy something, or wants help.
Adjust your content to fit the purpose of the keywords you’ve chosen and give people helpful information or answers.
If you write a guide called “Nigeria Travel Tips,” users may look for different things. For example, they may want safety tips and trip plans or find secret gems. Change your content to meet those goals.
Use location-specific keywords
Choose keywords relevant to Nigeria if you want to reach people there.
Include keywords, place names, and cultural references that users will understand.
This localization approach helps you stand out in search results and attract visitors interested in your offer.
If you’re writing about music festivals in Nigeria, you might use keywords like “top music festivals in Lagos,” “Nigeria’s biggest music events,” or “traditional music festivals in Abuja.”
By carefully choosing the best keywords for your content in Nigeria, you increase the chances that it will appear higher in search results and attract the right people. Understanding your target audience, doing thorough keyword research, analyzing the meaning of keywords, and staying local will help you create content that fits how users search and grab their attention.
4. Make sure your article is the right length
Your pieces are the right length for user experience and search engine optimization. Finding the right balance can give your audience valuable content that keeps their attention while meeting search engine requirements. Here’s how to make sure your posts are the right length:
Quality is more important than quantity
Focus on giving your readers high-quality, well-researched information that is useful to them.
Ensure your piece covers the topic in-depth, addressing essential points and answering questions people often ask.
Use only a little filler or repeat, as this could lower the quality of your writing.
Think about how deep the topic goes
Look at how hard and broad the topic is to determine the article’s length.
Topics that are in-depth and cover much ground may need longer pieces to cover all the critical points.
For simpler or more specific topics, shorter pieces can still give readers useful information without being too much.
Aim for readability and user engagement by dividing your content into easy-to-read parts with clear subheadings and paragraphs.
Add bullet points, numbered lists, or visual features to make your writing easier to read and more enjoyable.
Make sure your piece flows well so that it is easy for people to read and understand.
Look at the content and search results of your competitors
Find out how long other top-ranking articles in your niche are by looking at related ones.
Look at the search results for the keywords you want to rank for and see if there is a trend in how long the articles that rank well are.
You shouldn’t just try to match the lengths of your rivals, but doing so can give you information about what users and search engines want.
Consider user and search intent
Find out what people want when they type in the search keywords that your article is meant to answer.
Users may like complete and thorough articles when they want to find information.
The content may need to be shorter and more to the point for transactional or navigational questions.
Optimize for mobile users
Know that a big chunk of your viewers will be reading your content on their phones.
Keep paragraphs short and use short words to make reading on a phone easier.
Think about the limits of smaller screens and ensure your piece is easy to read and find on a mobile device.
Remember that no one answers how long a piece should be. The key is to find the best balance for your topic, your viewers, and your content’s goals. By focusing on quality, readability, and what is vital to users, you can write articles that are just the right length, get your point across, and give users a good experience.
5. Make your content exciting and well-structured
This is the most important thing you can do to get your audience’s attention. By writing useful and engaging content, you can keep your readers’ attention and ensure they get the most out of your words. Here’s how to make content that is interesting and well-organized:
Know your readers
Know what your audience is interested in, what they like, and what they need.
Find out their common problems, wants, and questions about your topic.
Make your content fit their wants and give them answers or valuable information.
Start with an interesting opening
With an interesting hook, you can immediately get your readers’ attention.
Ask a thought-provoking question, tell an exciting story, or discuss an interesting fact.
Show how useful and necessary your content is to get people to keep reading.
Organize your content into clear sections
Separate your text into clear sections with subheadings that explain what each section is about.
Each area should talk about a different part or point of your topic.
This makes it easy for people to get around in your content and find what they’re looking for.
Use clear and direct wording
Say what you want to say in a way that is clear and easy to understand.
Don’t use jargon or words that are too hard to understand. This could confuse or turn off your viewers.
Be clear and straight to the point, giving information quickly and without filler.
Incorporate images and multimedia
Add relevant images, infographics, or videos to your text to make it look better.
Visuals can break up large blocks of text and make your content more exciting and easy to remember.
Ensure your pictures are of good quality and directly relate to your words.
Use bullet points and numbered lists
Use bullet points and numbered lists to present information in an easy way to read.
This way of putting things together helps readers get the main points quickly and makes the text easier to read.
It also makes it easy to look something up and easier to understand complicated information.
Put in your personality and storytelling
To connect with your readers, put your unique voice and personality into your content.
Use stories to explain ideas or share situations that people can relate to.
You can make your content more interesting and accessible by using personal stories or case studies.
Give a clear call to action at the end
Finish your content by reiterating the key points and the value you’ve given.
Encourage readers to do something specific, like leave a comment, share the article, or look at other content related to the story.
An engaging call to action can get Nigerians more involved and help build a loyal audience.
6. Optimize page titles and Meta descriptions
Optimizing your page titles and meta descriptions is vital to making SEO-friendly content that draws users and gets clicks from search engine result pages (SERPs). You can improve your search engine rankings and get people to visit your website by making titles and meta descriptions that are interesting and useful. Here’s how to make the best use of these elements:
Use titles that capture people’s attention
Start the titles of your pages with the main keyword or key phrase that best describes your content.
Use action, power, and detailed words that interest people and make them want to click.
Keep your names short, preferably between 50 and 60 characters, so they appear in SERPs in full.
If your page is about “Fashion Trends for 2023,” a good page title could be “Find Out What the Hottest Fashion Trends Will Be in 2023.”
Write compelling meta descriptions
Make meta descriptions that quickly explain what your page is about and make people want to click.
Add important keywords or phrases to the description naturally to make it more relevant.
Keep your meta descriptions between 150 and 160 characters long to ensure they appear in full search results.
For example, a good meta description for the article about fashion trends could say, “Stay ahead of the curve with our guide to the current fashion trends for 2023. Find out about the must-have styles and looks from the runway.”
Update your titles and descriptions for your location
Think about how your audience speaks, what they like, and what their culture is like.
Use words, place names, or cultural references that make sense to users.
This localization approach helps your content stand out in search results and attract the right people.
Instead of a general title like “Best Vacation Spots,” you could change it to something like “Explore the Beauty of Nigeria: Top Vacation Spots for Your Next Getaway.”
Keep things accurate and relevant
Ensure that your page names and meta descriptions match what is on your page.
Avoid misleading titles and descriptions or try to get people to click on them. This will disappoint users and hurt your reputation.
Deliver what your titles and descriptions say they will do by giving users helpful information that meets their expectations.
Leverage your unique selling points
In your titles and summaries, highlight your content’s unique features or benefits.
Show off the benefits, unique insights, or expert advice that make your content stand out.
Tell people why they should pick your content over others in the search results.
Example: If your content is a detailed guide to “Nigerian Street Food,” use a meta description like “Take a mouthwatering culinary trip through the lively streets of Nigeria. Find the secret gems of Nigerian street food and taste real flavours as you’ve never tasted them.”
Read Also: Role of Backlinks in SEO
7. Integrate your keywords in a natural way
For SEO to work, you need to work your keywords into your text in a natural way that doesn’t hurt readability or the user experience. Using keywords in your content naturally shows search engines that your story is relevant to people in Nigeria. Here’s how you can make sure that your keywords fit in nicely:
Do a thorough search for keywords
Start by doing a thorough keyword study to find high-ranking keywords relevant to your site.
Find out what these keywords are used for and how they connect to your content.
This study will help you choose keywords that match how people in Nigeria search.
Put quality and readability of content first
Focus on making content that is interesting, useful, and of high quality for your viewers.
Put only a few keywords in your sentences, or they won’t make sense or flow.
Write easily and keep the needs and interests of your audience in mind as you create content.
Use keywords in headers and subheadings
Use keywords in your headings and subheadings in a natural way to show that they are essential.
Aim for a mix between making your site search engine friendly and making sure it makes sense.
Use heading tags (like H1, H2, and H3) and keywords to make your text easier to read and more organized.
Include keywords in the introduction and conclusion
Put keywords at the beginning and end of your writing smartly.
This helps search engines figure out what your story is about and where it fits in.
Ensure that adding keywords feels normal and doesn’t feel like you’re forcing them in.
Scatter keywords throughout the body of your content
Focus on using keywords in a way that makes sense for the context of your writing.
Use different versions of your keywords and linked words to show a link in meaning.
Avoid using the exact keywords over and over again. This is called “keyword stuffing,” which can hurt your SEO efforts.
Use keywords in the image alt tags and descriptions
Optimize your pictures by adding alt tags and captions that describe the image and include relevant keywords.
This helps search engines figure out what your pictures are about and gives you another chance to use keywords.
Ensure that alt tags and captions describe the picture well and naturally include keywords.
8. Optimize images and other multimedia
Optimizing your pictures and other multimedia elements is vital to make content your audience will find exciting and visually appealing. You can improve your website’s user experience and SEO using best practices. Here’s how to get the most out of pictures and other multimedia:
Compress pictures so they load faster
Use tools for picture compression to shrink the size of your image files without losing quality.
When image sizes are smaller, they run faster, which makes the whole user experience better.
Optimize images for web formats like JPEG, PNG, or WebP to find a good mix between quality and file size.
Use file names and alt tags that describe the file
Before you share your images, rename them with keywords that describe them.
Include alt tags that describe the image’s content correctly and include keywords.
File names and alt tags that describe the picture help search engines figure out what it is about and make it easier to find.
Size and quality should be optimized
Scale your pictures to the right size for the style of your website.
Don’t use pictures that are bigger than they need to be because they can make it take longer for a page to load.
Choose high-resolution pictures when needed, but balance the file size and quality for the best performance.
Provide captions and contextual information
Include subtitles or other information about the image’s setting that gives more information about it.
Captions can get people interested, give them important background, and improve the user experience.
Use captions to back up the information and make it more useful for people in Nigeria.
Use video and audio content strategically
Add relevant videos or audio clips to your content to improve it and keep your audience interested.
Compressing and using the right format for video and music files will help them load quickly.
Adding video transcripts or subtitles can make your content more available to a broader audience.
Optimise multimedia for mobile devices
Ensure images, videos, and other multimedia pieces respond to different screen sizes and fit well.
Test how well video works on mobile devices to ensure it loads quickly and plays smoothly.
Since Nigerians often use their phones, optimizing for mobile improves user experience.
Consider accessibility requirements
Add features to multimedia that make it easier for people with disabilities to use, such as alternative text for pictures and closed captions for videos.
Ensure that people who can’t see or hear can access and use your content.
When you follow accessibility rules, you improve the user experience and reach more people.
9. Make sure your content can be shared
Making your content easy to share is vital to reach more people, raise awareness of your brand, and getting more traffic from your audience. You can make your content more visible and have a more significant effect by using strategies that encourage people to share it on social media. Here are some ways to make your work more likely to be shared:
Add buttons for social sharing
Add social sharing buttons to your website or blog to make it easy for people to share your content.
Put these buttons in prominent places, like at the beginning or end of your pieces or next to things that look good.
Include social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn that your audience will likely use.
Craft compelling and shareable headlines
Write headlines that get people’s attention and make them want to click and share.
Add numbers, strong words, or intriguing questions to your headlines to make them more likely to be shared.
Think about what your audience likes and cares about when writing headlines that catch their attention.
Encourage people to share your work on social media
Put calls to action (CTAs) in your content to get people to share it on social media.
Use phrases like “Share this article with your friends” or “Spread the word on social media” to get people to act.
Place these calls to action (CTAs) smartly, such as after a particularly insightful or powerful section.
Create visually appealing content
Add images, infographics, or videos that stand out to make your information more engaging.
Visual content is more likely to be shared on social media sites, which will get people’s attention and get them involved.
Ensure your visual content is relevant, of good quality, and set up to be shared on social media.
Write shareable content formats
Try out different types of content that people like to share, like listicles, how-to guides, and infographics.
These formats are often popular on social media sites and urge people to share them with their networks.
Think about what your audience finds most interesting and use that as a guide for organizing your content.
Use social media to talk to your audience
Engage with your followers on social media by responding to their comments and shares and starting conversations with them.
Make people feel part of a group by thanking and recognizing those who share your content.
By taking care of these relationships, you can get more people to share your content and build a loyal group of fans.
Optimize for sharing on mobile
Ensure your information is easy to share on mobile devices because many Nigerians use social media on their smartphones.
Make sure your social sharing buttons and images work well on mobile devices and make sharing easy.
Conclusion
You now know how to create SEO-friendly content for your website. Using the tips and strategies in this article, you can optimize your content, improve your search engine rankings, and bring valuable organic traffic to your website. Creating SEO-friendly content is an ongoing process that needs constant updates to stay ahead.
As an SEO specialist in Nigeria, I know the challenges and opportunities in SEO for your business. Please contact me if you need help improving your website’s SEO or implementing these methods. I have much experience helping businesses reach their SEO goals.
