What Is SEO Writing? How to Write Articles That Rank Higher

Many readers ask us about effective content creation strategies and specific techniques to improve search rankings through SEO writing.

This guide provides a clear, systematic explanation of both the fundamental concepts and practical techniques of SEO writing.

Drawing from our extensive experience in digital marketing and ongoing blog management, we'll share practical, field-tested methods that have consistently delivered results for our clients and our own content.

What Is SEO Writing?

SEO writing refers to content creation techniques that incorporate search engine optimization principles. It involves crafting articles with a deep understanding of user search intent, designed to enhance evaluation from search engines.

Stuffing Keywords Is Not SEO Writing

One common misconception in content creation is the "mechanical placement of keywords." Writers may claim they've included numerous target keywords throughout the text, but this approach doesn't constitute effective SEO writing.

While keyword frequency significantly impacted search rankings in traditional SEO methods, today's Google algorithm may actually penalize unnatural keyword stuffing.

The key is providing information that's both valuable and easy for users to read. SEO writing techniques should serve this goal rather than being the goal itself.

Characteristics of SEO-Friendly Articles

Provide Solutions to Problems

The hallmark of highly-ranked SEO articles is presenting clear solutions to users' specific questions or challenges.

Most Google users have clear objectives: seeking specific information, resolving doubts, or finding solutions to problems.

By creating content that precisely addresses these user needs, you can improve your evaluation from search engines, resulting in better rankings.

Effective SEO writing requires understanding search keywords not just as text strings, but as representations of users' concerns and questions.

The One Who Presents the Best Solution Wins

For competitive keywords, numerous content pieces vie for attention on a single search query. In this environment, users will select the most valuable information source from multiple options.

To gain an advantage over competitors, consider these effective strategies:

• Demonstrating expertise and authority: Properly showcasing the writer's experience and specialized knowledge
• Clear explanations: Breaking down complex content into easily digestible information
• Comprehensive solutions: Taking a multifaceted approach that addresses various user needs

In essence, you need to provide information that delivers substantially more value than competing content.

This concept is known in the international SEO industry as 10x content, referring to the practice of creating content that provides ten times the value of competitors' offerings.

Steps to Write an Article (Step by Step)

Now, I'll share the specific steps I follow when writing SEO-optimized articles.

STEP 1: Determine Target Keywords

Begin by developing a persona (target user) and mapping the customer journey for the product or service you want to promote.

Since Google searches typically occur during this journey, imagine what keywords your target audience might use when searching for information.

During the research phase, users might search for terms like "beard removal effectiveness," "beard removal pain," "beard removal reviews," or "beard removal cost." These become your target keywords.

STEP 2: Analyze the Top 5 Articles Ranking for Your Target Keywords

Competitive analysis is essential for effective SEO writing. Content that ranks highly for your target keywords has already been deemed valuable by Google's algorithm.

By analyzing these top-ranking articles, you can identify patterns in the information users seek and effective content structures.

Analysis example: Top 5 sites for the keyword "beard removal pain"

• 1st place: Expert explanations based on medical evidence
• 2nd place: Personal experience report on laser hair removal
• 3rd place: Personal experience report on laser hair removal
• 4th place: Personal experience report on laser hair removal
• 5th place: Expert explanation based on medical evidence

STEP 3: Identify Content Trends and Choose Your Approach

From the competitive analysis, we can identify two main approaches in the top-ranking content:

1. Experience-based content: Personal testimonials about laser hair removal
2. Knowledge-based content: Theoretical explanations based on medical evidence

Choose your approach based on your expertise, experience, and available resources. Either approach can achieve high rankings if it provides valuable, trustworthy information.

Criteria for selecting your approach:

• Experience Approach: When you have personal experience with the service and can provide detailed testimonials
• Expertise Approach: When you can provide objective information leveraging medical knowledge or industry expertise

STEP 4: Enhance Your Content Using Various Tools

After creating your basic content using the selected approach, implement these two methods to enhance quality and SEO effectiveness:

1. Apply On-Page SEO techniques
2. Identify additional questions and provide comprehensive answers

For details on on-page SEO, refer to the following article:

Reference On-Page SEO Optimization: Essential Elements for Improving Search Rankings

For the second method, use these approaches to identify questions your audience is asking:

• Explore "problems and questions" keywords using Google Suggest and related keywords
• Search forums like Quora or Reddit to find common questions
• Use heading analysis tools to identify question-based search patterns
• Utilize Ahrefs competitor analysis to discover question-based keywords

List all the potential questions your persona might have, then provide thorough answers to each one.

STEP 5: Monitor Performance and Optimize

About six months after publishing your content, analyze its search performance using Google Search Console. At this stage, it's crucial to check how your content ranks for your target keywords.

Key points for performance analysis:

• Target keyword performance: Check rankings and click-through rates for your intended keywords
• Unexpected keyword rankings: Identify new opportunities where your content ranks for keywords you didn't target
• User engagement: Analyze metrics such as time on page and bounce rate to gauge content effectiveness

If your content ranks well for keywords you didn't initially target, consider optimizing it further for those keywords to increase traffic and visibility.

Additional Effective Techniques

Crafting an Engaging Lead Paragraph

For effective blog introductions, I recommend using this proven template:

Are you wondering about [specific question]?
Have you been struggling with [common problem]?
Do you want to know how to [desired outcome]?

We will answer questions like these.

Specifically, I will explain the following:

How to [solution 1]
The best ways to [solution 2]
Proven strategies for [solution 3]

By the way, I have several years of experience in [topic], so I will share my experiences honestly.

I hope this is helpful.

This is how an effective lead looks.

This lead paragraph structure follows the APP formula (Agreement, Promise, Preview), which significantly enhances reader comprehension and engagement from the start.

Strategic Keyword Placement in Titles

Based on my experience, incorporating multiple related keywords in your title consistently produces better results.

For example, if your primary target keyword is "Bali hotels," a more effective title would be "Top Recommended Resort Hotels in Bali."

This approach increases your chances of ranking for related search terms like "Recommended Hotels in Bali," "Bali Resort Hotels," and "Bali Hotel Rankings."

Additionally, ranking well for these longer keyword phrases significantly improves your chances of ranking for the shorter, more competitive keyword "Bali hotels."

Include the Current Year in Your Title

Adding the current year (e.g., "2025!") at the beginning of your title can substantially improve search rankings.

I've tested this technique multiple times with consistently positive results.

However, since adding the year to every title might appear excessive, I recommend using this technique selectively for your most important content.

Leverage External Links Strategically

When analyzing my highest-ranking content, I discovered they all share one common element: effective use of external links.

While linking to authoritative sites is ideal, incorporating a variety of credible external sources creates a more natural link profile that search engines favor.

Additional Techniques

For more comprehensive on-page optimization strategies, please refer to our detailed guide on On-Page SEO.

Reference On-Page SEO Optimization: Essential Elements for Improving Search Rankings

Conclusion

While the methods outlined above aren't the only path to success, they represent the approach that has consistently delivered the best results in my experience.

I hope you find these strategies valuable for your content creation efforts.