Jones the Writer Copywriting Services collaborated with an acoustics engineering firm to enhance their online presence and engagement through SEO services. The partnership aimed to address specific challenges related to visibility, client education, and time-sensitive communication.

The client

Resonate Consultants is an Australian firm specialising in acoustic engineering and vibration consulting services. This multi-award-winning company has offices across Australia and services a number of clients across multiple industries including building and construction, Defence, education, environment and marine, renewables, laboratories, transport and infrastructure and the arts.

Objective

The primary goals were to:

• increase visibility
• improve SEO
• and provide informative content with a cohesive tone of voice.

With the overarching objective to establish credibility among potential clients, clarify the offered solutions, and educate the audience about the benefits of engaging the services early in a project.

Challenges

1. Informing potential clients about the existence of the service and the importance of early engagement.
2. Providing clarity on the solutions offered and their benefits to clients and their projects.
3. Addressing time pressures faced by existing clients and highlighting the firm’s well-known ability to deliver quickly and reliably, with exceptional client service.

Strategies implemented

I began working with this client in early 2021, where I devised an in-depth content strategy and audit, tone of voice guide and email marketing strategy.

The marketing implementations included:

1. Content strategy:
   • Developed a comprehensive content strategy aligned with the client’s objectives.
   • Created nearly 100 pieces of new SEO content articles, to showcase expertise and engage the audience.
2. Onsite optimisation:
   • Conducted onsite optimisation of existing web pages and blog posts to capitalise on SEO keywords and enhance search visibility.
3. Email marketing:
   • Implemented targeted email marketing campaigns (and strategy) to directly reach potential clients and convey the firm’s capabilities. This also had the benefit of driving traffic to the website which enhanced SEO efforts.
4. Tone of voice and editorial calendar:
   • Established a cohesive tone of voice to enhance brand identity.
   • Developed an editorial calendar to ensure consistent and strategic content delivery making sure content attended to necessary content pillars, audience requirements, annual events and plans, and timely news.
5. Competitor analysis:
   • Conducted a thorough competitor analysis to identify market positioning, areas for improvement, and potential competitive advantages.
6. Conversion goals:
   • Emphasised converting goals through content, branding and SEO efforts.
7. Reporting:
   • Additionally, to ensure consistency and transparency, I provided in-depth quarterly SEO reports to this client so they could see for themselves the impressive results and upward trend. This report also supplied a number of ongoing recommendations to even further enhance their SEO and marketing efforts.

Content example

Results

The results were impressive for this client, with thanks to their consistency and enthusiasm for the entire team being willing and involved in coming forth with expert knowledge to include in the high-quality content articles.

It also helped that the CEO knew the value of content marketing and SEO and backed the process and my proposals fully.

1. Visibility and keywords:
   • Visibility increased by 133% in the January to March 2022 quarter.
   • 161 keywords ranked in the top 100 Google search results, with 65 in the top 10 (first page of Google).
2. Engagement metrics:
   • Total sessions increased by more than 23% during most quarters.
   • Goal completions rose by 11%, including a 12.5% increase in phone calls and a 10% increase in emails during July to Sept 2023 period. This was a typical quarterly increase.
3. Organic search acquisitions:
   • Organic search acquisitions increased by 66% in the nearest comparable quarter (April to June 2021).
4. Competitive performance:
   • Outperformed and ranked higher for keywords against competitors, including large international corporations, in most quarters.

Impact

31 out of 45 goal conversions during one quarter were directly attributed to organic Google searches.

This meant that their SEO was working tremendously to bring in new clients who happened to search for any of their SEO keywords and click on their site. Once on their site, they demonstrated contact by phoning or emailing for an enquiry. That’s nearly a 70% rate of contact from organic Google searches.

A remarkable 17.78% increase in goal conversions.

Resonate Consultants experienced a notable surge in goal conversions, showcasing an impressive growth rate of 17.78% during the April to June 2023 period. The surge in goal conversions underscores the successful engagement and positive response from their target audience during this timeframe.

Most quarters in the recent past have witnessed a consistent upward trajectory in goal conversions on Resonate Consultants’ website. This sustained pattern underscores the consistency of the approach, reflecting not only a one-time success but an ongoing commitment to meeting and exceeding their performance targets through SEO and content efforts.

Testimonial

Conclusion

With my help and services, the client successfully transformed their online presence, achieving substantial increases in visibility, engagement, and competitive performance. The implemented strategies addressed the challenges of client education, time pressures, and the need for a reliable online presence. The collaboration demonstrated the effectiveness of a holistic content approach in achieving tangible business results which will make a difference in the business’ bottom line for years to come.

The post SEO Services and Content Strategy | Case Study appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

Keyword research and selection

• Identify target keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business and have a good search volume.
• Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find keyword ideas.

On-page optimisation

• Ensure that the target keywords are included in the page title, meta description, headers, and body copy.
• Use descriptive and compelling title tags and meta descriptions that entice searchers to click on your page.
• Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content and make it easy to read.
• Use internal linking to help search engines discover and index your content.

Technical SEO

• Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly and has a fast load time.
• Optimise images by compressing them and using descriptive file names and alt tags.
• Use HTTPS encryption to secure your website and boost trust with users.
• Set up a sitemap.xml file and submit it to Google Search Console to help search engines discover and index your pages.

Content creation and optimisation

• Publish high-quality, original content that provides value to your audience. Hint: use my Blank to Brilliant course to help.
• Use relevant keywords throughout your content, but avoid keyword stuffing.
• Write content that is easy to read, engaging, and includes multimedia elements like images and videos.
• Regularly update your website with fresh, new content and professional website copywriting.
• Go through old/existing content and update with onsite optimisation.

Link building

• Develop a link-building strategy that includes acquiring backlinks from authoritative websites in your industry.
• Use guest blogging, broken link building, or other tactics to earn high-quality links to your website.
• Monitor your backlink profile using tools like Ahrefs or Moz to identify and disavow low-quality or spammy links.

Local SEO (if applicable)

• Claim and optimise your Google My Business listing.
• Optimise your website for local keywords and include your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on every page.
• Encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business page and other relevant directories.

Tracking and analysis

• Set up Google Analytics to track website traffic 
• Set up Google Search Console to monitor search engine performance.
• Monitor critical metrics like organic traffic, keyword rankings, bounce rate, and conversion rate.
• Use the data to identify areas for improvement and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.

Mobile optimisation

• Ensure your website is mobile-responsive and renders correctly on different devices.
• Optimise your website’s load time for mobile devices by compressing images, reducing the number of redirects, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
• Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check if your website is optimised for mobile devices.

Site structure and navigation

• Ensure that your website has a straightforward and easy-to-use navigation menu that allows users to find the information they need.
• Use breadcrumb navigation to help users understand where they are on your website and how to navigate back to previous pages.
• Use a logical URL structure that reflects the hierarchy of your website’s pages.

User experience

• Ensure that your website’s design and layout are visually appealing and easy to navigate.
• Use clear, concise language that is easy to understand.
• Optimise your website for fast load times to reduce bounce rates.
• Include calls to action (CTAs) that encourage users to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

Ecommerce optimisation (if applicable)

• Optimise product pages by including detailed descriptions, images, and customer reviews.
• Use schema markup to provide search engines with more detailed information about your products.
• Use a clear and user-friendly checkout process to reduce cart abandonment rates.

Local search optimisation (if applicable)

• Ensure that your website includes your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on every page.
• Create local business listings on relevant directories, such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places for Business.
• Use schema markup to provide search engines with more detailed information about your business, such as your hours of operation and customer reviews.

Done all that? Now do the following to power up your SEO and leave others for dust.

Social media integration

• Integrate social media sharing buttons on your website to make it easy for users to share your content.
• Use social media channels to promote your content and drive traffic to your website.
• Monitor social media conversations to identify opportunities for engagement and brand building.

Competitor analysis

• Identify your top competitors and analyse their websites and SEO strategies.
• Look for opportunities to improve their tactics, such as targeting keywords they are missing or creating more in-depth content.
• Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to conduct a backlink analysis of your competitors’ websites and identify potential link-building opportunities.

Voice search optimisation

• Optimise your content for voice search queries by targeting long-tail keywords and natural language phrases.
• Use structured data to help search engines better understand your content and provide more detailed information to voice assistants.
• Make sure your website’s load time is fast, as voice searches tend to have higher expectations for speed and convenience.

Video optimisation

• Create high-quality videos that provide value to your audience and align with your target keywords.
• Use descriptive titles, descriptions, and tags to help search engines understand the content of your videos.
• Host videos on your website or a reputable video platform, such as YouTube or Vimeo, to drive traffic to your website.

By undertaking all these items on your SEO checklist, you can ensure that you are taking a comprehensive approach to optimising your website for search engine performance and user experience. And start to get those mindblowing results that you’ve been dreaming of. 

The post Definitive SEO Checklist appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

I know a lot of us are always trying to configure our SEO and tweak it here and there to really suck the juice out of it. And I encourage that. SEO is an ongoing puzzle. It’s not just “set and forget” type of marketing activity. So with that in mind, I’ve proposed four overarching SEO strategies or components of an SEO strategy that I encourage you to look at this year. Now, depending on the size of your site or your brand, this can be a really overwhelming task. It might even take a whole team to action if you don’t have the resources; I suggest picking one of the following four strategies and really perfecting it to the best of your ability this year. Anything you can do will make a difference.

1. Keyword optimisation: Researching and incorporating relevant keywords into website content, meta tags, and image alt tags to improve search visibility.
2. On-page optimisation: Improving website structure, navigation, and content quality to ensure search engines can easily crawl and understand the site.
3. Link building: Acquiring high-quality, inbound links from reputable sources to increase domain authority and drive referral traffic.
4. Content marketing: Creating and publishing valuable content to attract and engage the target audience, earning natural links and increasing brand awareness.

Like I said above, if you don’t have the resources to tackle all of this yourself or have a team to help you, I recommend picking one of the four above, focusing on it and getting it really right before moving on to the next. You are better off diving in and making something work rather than doing bits and pieces here in there. So my recommendation is to pick either one or four above if you haven’t done a deep dive on either before.

SEO strategy 1 – keyword optimisation

Keyword optimisation is the process of researching, selecting, and incorporating keywords into your website content, meta tags, and other elements in order to improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines such as Google. The goal of keyword optimisation is to identify the keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for and to make sure that your website appears as high as possible in the search engine results pages (SERPs) for those keywords.

The process of keyword optimisation involves researching and identifying the right keywords, analysing the competition for those keywords, incorporating the keywords into your website content in a natural and effective way, and continuously monitoring and refining your keyword strategy to ensure maximum results.

Keyword optimisation is an important part of search engine optimisation SEO, as it can help drive more traffic to your website and increase your online visibility and credibility.

The following are some techniques and methods you can apply if keyword optimisation is your chosen SEO strategy for this year. Again, if you work with limited resources, pick one and perfect it until you move on to the next. 

Keyword optimisation techniques for 2023

1. Long-tail Keywords: Focus on more specific and descriptive phrases that better match user intent.
2. Voice search optimisation: Optimising content for voice search queries and using conversational language.
3. LSI keywords: Including semantically related words and phrases to strengthen the context and relevance of content.
4. Local keywords: Optimising content for local search queries and using location-based keywords.
5. Topic clusters: Organising content into interlinked groups of related articles, with pillar content as the primary source of information.
6. Synonyms and variations: Using synonyms and variations of keywords to avoid keyword stuffing and increase content relevance.
7. User intent: When creating content, understand and target the user’s goals, needs, and search intentions.

I want to explain a few of these terms a little further since they may be new to you. 

What are LSI keywords?

LSI (latent semantic indexing) keywords are semantically related words and phrases that provide context and meaning to the main keyword. They help search engines understand the content’s topic and theme and can improve search ranking for the target keyword. The use of LSI keywords can also help avoid keyword stuffing and make the content appear more natural and relevant to the user. Examples of LSI keywords for the main keyword “pizza” could include “toppings”, “delivery”, “New York style”, “crust”, etc.

What are topic clusters?

Topic clusters are a content marketing and SEO strategy that organises related articles into interlinked groups, with one main piece of content serving as the “pillar” that provides comprehensive information on a particular topic. 

Each cluster consists of the pillar content and several “cluster” articles that are linked to it, providing in-depth coverage of specific subtopics related to the pillar content. For example, where my main page (and SEO keyword and content focus) is “copywriter“, I would focus on creating and improving content (specifically blog articles) that are directly related to “copywriter”. That might look like topics such as “what’s it like being a copywriter”, “how to become a copywriter”, “what you need to know when hiring a copywriter”, etc. 

Using topic clusters helps establish the website as an authority on the subject (which we know is vital for the EEAT formula), improves user experience, and increases the chances of ranking higher in search results for relevant keywords.

What are local keywords?

Local keywords are words that include a geographic location, such as a city, region, or neighbourhood. They are used to optimise content for local search queries. These keywords are used to target users who are searching for products or services in a specific area. Examples of local keywords include “pizza delivery in Adelaide”, “best hair salon in Melbourne”, and “coffee shops in Sydney”. 

The use of local keywords can help improve a website’s visibility in local search results, attract local customers, and drive more relevant traffic to the website.

If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, you would absolutely make this one of your SEO strategy priorities. Especially if you rely on face-to-face service as your business. When you run an online and remote business like mine, it’s not so important. But I still occasionally look at doing as, say, a third-level priority when it comes to improving my keywords and SEO activities. The way to tell whether you need to invest your time in this is by doing good quality SEO keyword research, and if you notice a lot of search volume for, say, “copywriter Adelaide” (if that is your local area), then it’s definitely worth popping it on your to-do list.

What is user intent?

User intent refers to the goal, need, or purpose behind a user’s search query. Understanding user intent is crucial in providing relevant and valuable content that satisfies the user’s search request. User intent can range from informational (searching for information), navigational (searching for a specific website), transactional (searching to purchase a product or service), or commercial (researching products or services before making a purchase). 

By understanding and targeting user intent, marketers and content creators can optimise their content to better match the user’s expectations, improve search ranking, and increase user engagement and satisfaction. You can see in the image below that SemRush tells me that people are mainly searching for “copywriting services adelaide” with a commercial (that’s what the yellow C stands for) intent.

I find this particularly easy to work out with the SEO software that I use because it explicitly states what most users are looking for. It will tell me whether a keyword is mostly searched for being informational, transactional or navigational. If I know that something is being heavily searched for in a transactional manner, then I know to optimise that key webpage in a salesy way and that people are ready to buy.

SEO strategy 2 – on page optimisation

On-page optimisation refers to the actions taken directly on a website to improve its ranking and visibility in search results. It encompasses various technical and content-related elements of a website, including:

1. Title tags and meta descriptions
2. Headings and subheadings
3. Content quality and relevance
4. URL structure
5. Internal linking
6. Image optimisation
7. Page loading speed
8. Mobile responsiveness
9. Schema markup

The goal of on-page optimisation is to make it easier for search engines to crawl and understand a website’s content, making it more likely to rank well in search results for relevant keywords.

When starting to work with new clients, this is one of the first services or activities that I suggest to them, particularly if they have an existing website. Going back through old content, web pages, or blog posts can give an almost immediate boon to search ranking results. And you don’t even have to create new content. I find it a super-efficient way of helping clients to get their website in the game as a baseline, and then they can start to add on other techniques, new content and strategies from there. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with which SEO strategy to take this year and are reasonably new to it all but have an existing website, on onsite optimisation service is where I recommend you start. 

Why engage in on-page optimisation?

1. Improves search engine visibility: It helps search engines better understand and index a website’s content, increasing its chances of ranking well in search results.
2. Enhances user experience: Optimising website structure, navigation, and content quality improves user experience, which can lead to increased engagement and conversions.
3. Increases website’s relevance: It ensures that a website’s content is relevant, valuable, and aligned with user intent, which can increase traffic and engagement.
4. Supports off-page SEO efforts: On-page optimisation lays the foundation for successful off-page SEO efforts, such as link building, by providing high-quality, search engine-friendly content.
5. Increases conversion rates: By improving user experience, relevance, and search visibility, on-page optimisation can increase the chances of converting website visitors into customers.

SEO strategy 3 – link building

Link building is the process of acquiring links from other websites to your own website to improve its visibility and authority in search results. The more high-quality, relevant links pointing to a website, the more likely it is to rank well for relevant keywords. 

Link building is a critical component of off-page SEO and can be achieved through various tactics such as guest blogging, broken link building, resource link building, and others. The goal of link building (often referred to as backlinks) is to obtain natural, high-quality links that add value to both the linking and linked-to websites while avoiding spammy or low-quality links that can negatively impact search rankings.

Why engage in link building?

1. Improves search engine visibility: Link building helps search engines understand the quality and relevance of a website and can lead to higher rankings in search results for relevant keywords.
2. Increases referral traffic: It can drive referral traffic to a website from other sites, increasing visibility and exposure.
3. Builds authority and trust: The more high-quality, relevant links pointing to a website, the more authoritative and trustworthy it appears to both search engines and users.
4. Supports on-page optimisation: Link building can help support on-page optimisation efforts by providing additional context and relevance to a website’s content.
5. Enhances user experience: By linking to high-quality, relevant content, link building can improve the overall user experience and increase engagement with a website.

I don’t recommend you rush into this one straight away. This is the kind of strategy that you want to engage. Once you have a lot of content in place. You have an excellent website, you’ve done the web copy, you’ve put all the on-page SEO factors into place, and you definitely have optimised for your keywords. Only when you’ve got all that in place is it time to start your link-building activities. 

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, trying to decide which strategy to embark on this year, leave this one for last.

SEO strategy 4 – content marketing 

Content marketing is the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly targeted audience with the aim of driving customer action that makes money. The goal of content marketing is to establish a brand as a thought leader, educate and engage its target audience, and build relationships with customers through content that is relevant, valuable, and aligned with their needs and interests.

It should be pretty obvious by now why content marketing should factor into your overall marketing plan regardless of your SEO goals. But here are some reminders anyway:

1. Attracts and retains target audience: Content marketing helps attract and retain a target audience by providing them with relevant, valuable information that meets their needs and interests.
2. Establishes brand as a thought leader: By providing expert information and insights, content marketing helps establish a brand as a thought leader in its industry, building trust and credibility with its target audience. So this is not just for those who want to engage in the speaking circle, so their books etc. This is for brands as well that really want to establish credibility in the market. So that can be things like bedroom furniture, for example. You can see that a lot of those memory foam mattress businesses, who work really hard on their marketing, have established quite a lot of credibility by providing content around getting a good night’s sleep and sleep hygiene etc.
3. Drives engagement and conversions: By engaging and educating its target audience, content marketing can increase engagement and drive conversions, leading to increased revenue and customer loyalty.
4. Supports SEO efforts: Content marketing can fire up SEO efforts by providing high-quality, relevant content that can be optimised for search engines and drive organic traffic to a website. And you know that I’m all about this and will not shut up about it until you do it! 
5. Cost-effective marketing strategy: Content marketing is a cost-effective marketing method that can reach a large audience without the need for large ad budgets, helping to increase brand awareness and customer engagement. Especially if you engage in writing your own blog posts. 

Which of the four strategies is the best?

It’s difficult to say which of the four strategies is the “best” as it depends on your specific business goals, target audience, and industry. All four systems have their own unique benefits and can be used together to support an overall marketing strategy. 

The best strategy is the one that meets your business goals, addresses the needs and interests of your target audience, and delivers results that are meaningful to your business. And the one that is within reach for you right now. Whether that means: within your budget to outsource or that you have the time to engage in or have support from someone you know to help and encourage you to try. 

To summarise, though:

If you’re established and have already got a great optimised website and lots of content – try link building.

If you’re entirely new and have just got your website live, try keyword optimisation and/or content marketing. 

If you’ve been around for a little bit but haven’t really thrown yourself into any SEO strategy – try various parts of keyword optimisation and/onsite optimisation.

If you haven’t even started yet – write your website and get it live! Then do your keyword optimisation (or do it as you are writing your website pages). Hire a website copywriter if you are unsure. 

It’s important to regularly evaluate and adjust your strategy based on your results and changing market conditions and to find the right balance between different tactics that work well for your business. I recommend, at the start of every year, plan out what you want to achieve and work on within your SEO strategy for the year. But to also re-evaluate at least every three months as to whether you are making progress. 

The post Choose Your Own SEO Strategy Adventure appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

Backlinks, also known as inbound links or incoming links, are links from external websites that point to a specific page on your website. They are an important factor in search engine optimisation (SEO) because they signal to search engines that your website is reputable and valuable. It lets readers know that your site is one to read and provides a certain level of confidence. 

When other websites link to your website, it can increase your search engine ranking and drive more traffic. And it helps boost your domain authority. Which, you know I bang on about.

There are many ways to get backlinks, such as by creating high-quality content that other websites want to link to (probably the best way if you ask me), participating in online communities and forums related to your industry, and reaching out to other websites to ask for a link.

How important are backlinks for SEO?

Backlinks are hugely important. Link I’ve suggested in the title, backlinks are basically to SEO what the avocado is to any meal. Some SEO specialists even purport it to be one of the top factors. In fact, Google purports it to be one of its top three ranking factors!

When other websites link to your website, it can increase your search engine ranking and drive more traffic to your site.

However, it’s important to remember that the quality of the backlinks you have is more important than the quantity. Having a large number of low-quality backlinks can actually harm your search engine ranking. It’s also important to note that backlinks are just one factor among many that search engines consider when ranking websites. Other factors include the quality and relevance of your website’s content, the structure and organisation of your website, and the user experience provided by your website.

To improve your search engine ranking, it’s important to focus on building a robust and diverse backlink profile by acquiring high-quality backlinks from a variety of reputable websites. And these websites need to have a higher domain authority than your website. Of course, the higher, the better. 

What is a high-quality backlink?

A high-quality backlink is a link from an external website to your website that is considered valuable by search engines. These types of backlinks are important for search engine optimisation (SEO) because they signal to search engines that your website is one that needs to be read and will be credible. You know, one that follows the EEAT formula. 

There are several factors that contribute to the quality of a backlink:

1. Relevance: A high-quality backlink comes from a website that is related to your industry or niche.
2. Authority: A decent backlink comes from a website that is well-established and has a strong reputation.
3. Trustworthiness: It comes from a website that is trustworthy and free from spam.
4. Anchor text: It uses descriptive and relevant anchor text that accurately reflects the content of the linked page. In an ideal world, you want the other website to link to your page or post with the exact SEO keyword you have optimised that blog post or page for. 
5. Context: A high-quality backlink is placed in the context of relevant and valuable content.

It’s important to focus on building a strong, diverse backlink profile by acquiring these linkbacks from a variety of reputable websites. This can help improve your search engine ranking and drive more traffic to your site.

What domain authority should you place a backlink on?

Domain authority (DA) is a metric that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines. It is based on a number of factors, including the number and quality of backlinks pointing to a website, the age of the domain, the overall quality of the website’s content, and the website’s user experience.

You really need to be linking back from a website that is pretty high because websites with a high DA are more likely to rank well on search engines, and a backlink from a high-DA website can help improve the search engine ranking of the linked website. However, it’s important to remember that the quality of the backlink is more important than the domain authority of the linking website. A high-quality backlink from a website with a low domain authority can still be valuable, while a low-quality backlink from a website with a high domain authority can be harmful.

It’s also worth noting that domain authority is just one factor that search engines consider when ranking websites. Other factors, such as the quality and relevance of a website’s content, the structure and organisation of the website, and the user experience provided by the website, are also important.

Tips for link building:

Now, there’s no point putting the horse before the cart. Don’t leap into your backlinking project before you have written exceptional content. That means your main web pages need to be optimised and well-written, and you should have a handful of excellent cornerstone content blog posts. 

But if you have that in place, here are my recommendations for starting to acquire backlinks that will take your SEO strategy to the next level. 

1. Create high-quality content: One of the most effective ways to get other websites to link to yours is to create content that is informative, helpful, and valuable. It has to be content that people can actually have key takeaways from and will seek out to learn more about a topic. When you create content that people want to link to, it can help attract natural backlinks. Check out my online blogging course that teaches you how to write content that people actually want to read. 
2. Participate in online communities and forums: Engaging with other industry professionals and experts in online communities and forums can help you build relationships and earn backlinks.
3. Reach out to other websites: You can also reach out to other websites and ask for a link. This can be especially effective if you have a mutually beneficial relationship with the other website or if you have something valuable to offer in exchange for a link. 
4. Monitor your backlink profile: Regularly monitoring your backlink profile can help you identify and remove any low-quality or spammy links that may be harming your search engine ranking. Some backlinks can actually be harmful. It’s not always a case of the more, the merrier. You will need to clean up your links regularly too. ‘66.5% of links to sites in the last nine years are dead.’
5. Diversify your link sources: It’s important to have a diverse mix of backlinks from a variety of reputable websites. This helps to demonstrate to search engines that your website is well-respected and has a strong reputation.
6. On average, long content receives 77.2% more backlinks than short articles (Backlinko)

Semrush recommends creating juicy assets that sites will naturally want to link to and share with their audiences. Such as:

• data-driven studies
• in-depth, long-form guides and
• infographics and visuals.

How can you approach site owners for backlinks?

Here are a few key steps you can follow to approach site owners effectively (without offending or blacklisting yourself):

1. Research the website: Make sure the website you want to approach is relevant to your industry or niche and has a good reputation.
2. Personalise your outreach: Instead of sending a generic message, take the time to personalise your outreach to the website owner. Explain why you think a link from their website would be valuable for both parties.
3. Offer value: Think about what you can offer in return for a link. This could be something like a guest post, a valuable resource, or a discount on your products or services.
4. Be professional: Make sure to use a professional tone in your outreach and follow any guidelines the website owner has for link requests.
5. Follow-up: If you don’t hear back from the website owner, it’s okay to follow up with a polite reminder. Just be sure not to overdo it – one or two follow-ups should be sufficient.

Needless to say, it’s important to be respectful and professional in your outreach and to focus on building mutually beneficial relationships rather than just acquiring links. 

The post Backlinks: the Avocado to Your SEO appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

That also means there is plenty of scope for you to take what they’re doing the best and learn from it. And cheekily improve your own marketing.

Here are some steps you can follow to reverse engineer your competitor’s content marketing strategy:

1. Identify your competitors: Start by identifying the companies competing with you in your industry. This could include direct competitors as well as companies that offer complementary products or services. This may seem like an obvious step, but it’s one that I encourage you to put a lot of time and effort into, as it will form the base of your content. I aim for 3 to 5 direct competitors and then, perhaps, one wild card. By wild card, I mean an organisation that isn’t necessarily a direct competitor but is creating and sharing content that could work for your brand and is thriving. They could be from a different industry altogether.  
2. Analyse their content: Once you have identified your competitors, analyse their content marketing efforts. This includes examining the types of content they create (eg blog posts, videos, infographics), the topics they cover, and the frequency with which they publish new content. 
3. Identify their target audience: Try to determine who your competitor’s target audience is based on the topics they cover and the language they use in their content. This will help you understand the type of content that is likely to be most effective for reaching that audience.
4. Look at their distribution channels: Determine how your competitor distributes their content. Are they using social media, email marketing, or paid advertising to reach their audience? And, yes! Suppose you want to gain a competitive advantage. In that case, you should sign up for their enewsletters or email marketing (maybe under a non-obvious email address). Understanding their distribution channels can help you determine which channels might be most effective for reaching your audience and how to approach them. 
5. Evaluate their results: Look at the results your competitor is achieving with their content marketing efforts. This could include metrics such as website traffic, social media engagement, and conversions. Use this information to identify areas where you might be able to improve your own content marketing efforts.

It’s important to keep in mind that reverse engineering your competitor’s content marketing strategy is just one piece of the puzzle. You should also consider your own unique strengths and value proposition when developing your content marketing strategy. And the aim is never to completely copy what your competitors are doing. The objective is to assess what they are doing and then apply what will work for your company with the intention to improve and build on it so that you stand out from the crowd. 

You might like to try out a handy tool (that I recommend and use) to eliminate some of the grunt work: Semrush tool (head to the comparative analysis part) – Get a 14-day FREE trial.

What things should you compare:

Take note of the following:

• the frequency of their blog posts or content
• length of content
• strengths
• weaknesses
• what have they left out (deliberately or not?)

Choose one post from each competitor (the best one) and analyse it. There’s a complete module on doing this within my Blank to Brilliant online course. 

How to identify your competitors

Identifying your competitors is an essential first step in understanding the competitive landscape of your industry. Here are some ways you can identify your competitors:

1. Identify direct competitors: Direct competitors are companies that offer similar products or services to the same target audience as you. These are typically the companies that you are most directly competing with.
2. Identify complementary competitors: Complementary competitors are companies that offer products or services that complement your own but do not directly compete with you. For example, if you sell shoes, a company that sells socks could be a complementary competitor.
3. Look at industry reports and analysis: Industry reports and analysis can be a practical source of information on your competitors. These may be available from trade associations, market research firms, or other sources.
4. Use online tools: There are several online tools that can help you identify your competitors. For example, you can use a tool like SEMrush or BuzzSumo to analyse your website and identify other companies that rank for similar keywords or have identical traffic patterns.
5. Ask your customers: Your customers may be able to provide valuable insights into who your competitors are and what they offer. Consider conducting a customer survey or holding focus groups to gather this information.

It’s important to keep in mind that your competitors may change over time, so I suggest regularly reviewing and updating your list of competitors. Yearly is a suitable timeframe. 

What is Buzzsumo, and how can you use it?

BuzzSumo is a tool that helps users analyse and understand the content that is most popular on social media. It allows users to search for specific topics or domains and see which pieces of content have received the most social media shares.

There are several ways you can use BuzzSumo:

1. Content research: You can use BuzzSumo to identify the most popular content in your industry or on a specific topic. This can be useful for identifying trends and understanding what types of content are most likely to be shared on social media.
2. Competitor analysis: You can use BuzzSumo to see which pieces of content your competitors’ websites are generating the most social media shares. This can help you understand what types of content are most successful for them and potentially inform your own content strategy.
3. Influencer outreach: BuzzSumo allows you to see which social media users are sharing content related to your industry or topic. This can be useful for identifying influencers and potential partners for your content marketing efforts.
4. Alerts: BuzzSumo allows you to set up alerts for specific keywords or domains, so you can stay informed about new content that is being shared on social media.

How does SEMrush help with competitors’ content?

SEMrush is a tool that helps users understand and improve their search engine optimisation (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising efforts. It can also be used to analyse and understand your competitors’ content marketing efforts.

Here are some ways you can use SEMrush to analyse your competitor’s content:

1. Identify top-performing content: SEMrush allows you to see which pieces of content on your competitor’s website are generating the most organic traffic from search engines. This can help you understand what types of content are most successful for them and potentially inform your own content strategy.
2. Analyse keyword usage: SEMrush provides data on the SEO keywords your competitor’s website ranks for in search results. You can use this data to identify opportunities to optimise your own content for those keywords or target new ones your competitor is not targeting.
3. Identify backlinks: SEMrush provides data on the backlinks that your competitor’s website has earned. You can use this data to identify websites that might be willing to link to your own content and potentially improve your own website’s authority and ranking in search results.
4. Analyse PPC advertising: If your competitor is running PPC campaigns, SEMrush can provide data on the keywords they are targeting and the ad copy they are using. You can use this data to inform your PPC strategy and potentially identify areas where you can differentiate your offering.

It’s important to keep in mind that while SEMrush and BuzzSumo are super useful tools for understanding your competitor’s content marketing happenings, they shouldn’t be the only sources of information you rely on. It’s also important to consider your own unique value proposition and target audience when developing your content marketing strategy.

Once you’ve worked out what works for your competitors, it’s time to get started with your own content planning. 

Here are three tips to keep in mind:

• The aim is always to be better than your competitors.
• You don’t have to do everything your competitors are doing – do what works best for your brand.
• Spend a lot of time working out who your direct competitors actually are (and be realistic about it). 
• Remember that the most important thing is creating really exceptional content that will achieve your marketing goals, not to just outdo your competitors. 

The post How to Reverse Engineer Your Competitors’ Content Marketing appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

How many blog posts should you publish for SEO?

The frequency at which you should publish blog posts depends on your goals and resources. 

Suppose you are using your blog to drive traffic to your website. In that case, it can be helpful to publish new content regularly to keep your readers engaged and to help your site rank higher in search engine results. However, it is also essential to consider how much time and resources you have available to create and promote new content. If you’re a one-person show, sometimes spending all your spare time blogging when you could be doing the core duties of your business might be detrimental.

When they first started gaining extraordinary traction that saw them become the publishing giant that they are today, Huffington Post started pumping out an astonishing 1200 articles a day. That is not a typo. I meant to write ‘a day!’ But unless you have a team of 532 full-time editorial staff like they did, you are unlikely to achieve that kind of content volume. 

How many blog posts do I post?

My website saw a 69% increase in page views from 24th Dec 2022 to 7th Jan 2023 compared to the previous period. And a 307% increase in average session duration. This was when I posted pretty much all my blog posts for 2022 (busy year!). I posted almost one blog post per day. Additionally, I created far longer content than I usually do (a goal of mine for a while now) and have branched out into other keyword areas and topics such as blogging and more SEO stuff.

Now that’s also partly because I increased social media sharing during the Dec to Jan period (as I was on holidays, so I had more time to devote to my business’s marketing). But it would be foolish to discount the increase in content, helping to entice more traffic.

I already have a blog post bank of around 120 posts, so I have a great solid base to really build my blog upon. And as I’ve mentioned here, this year, 23.4% of my income came from leads who found my via Google Search. ⁠And 29% of my overall leads (whether they turn into clients or not) came from search. You can see why I’m a big proponent of SEO as a way to get new leads. 

Blog post frequency guidelines

Here are a few general guidelines to consider:

If you are just starting and are looking to build an audience, it may be helpful to publish new content at least once a week. This will allow you to establish a consistent publishing schedule and produce a variety of content for your readers. Weekly is a consistent and reliable content timeframe for most businesses and should be built into your general marketing duties. ‘Businesses that post four or more blogs weekly get 3.5 times more traffic.’

And, get this, ‘22% of bloggers post every single week’, so if you post twice a week or even five times per month, you are doing more than nearly a quarter of bloggers!

I’m going to propose that if you have no content at all, that you do a bulk lot of content and publish 100 posts as quickly as you can (without sacrificing quality). If you can, aim for 100 blog posts within the first month. That way, you will have an excellent content base to work from and start seeing SEO results quite quickly. Plus, it will be easier to create more content from existing content.  

You can see in this SEO case study that this business generated $54,285.30 in sales in a month by posting 7 blog posts a week and adopting a few other techniques, such as link building. 

If you have a more established blog and are looking to maintain a steady traffic flow, it may be sufficient to publish new content once or twice a month. This will give you time to create high-quality, in-depth content that resonates with your audience. 

If this is your strategy (and it’s always beneficial and more efficient if you have an SEO content strategy), then I recommend creating in-depth blog posts that are at least 1200 words that directly answer questions that your potential audience will have. And/or are targeted for a high-volume keyword that points to one of your core static pages. A how-to SEO article is an example of this.

If you have a medium or large team and are able to produce new content on a daily or weekly basis, you may want to consider increasing the frequency of your blog posts. This can help you stay top-of-mind with your audience and can also help you rank higher in search engine results. It also gives you the option of mixing up the variety of your content. Each month, you can publish several people profiles, an SEO keyword-rich article, a project review, a case study and a how-to guide. Keeping your audience entertained and hooked with helpful content. Plus, it gives the added bonus of giving you heaps and heaps of fresh content to share via your social media or email marketing channels. 

Ultimately, the right frequency for your blog will depend on your goals, audience, and resources. It’s important to find a balance that works for you and to be consistent in your publishing schedule.

Publishing new content on a regular basis can be helpful for driving traffic to your website and for keeping your readers engaged. However, it is also important to consider the time and resources it takes to create and promote high-quality content. If you publish too frequently, you may struggle to produce content that meets your standards or to promote your content effectively. The second your blog posts become amateur or repetitive, you may need to take a step back and publish less frequently (but write better content) or outsource to a freelance copywriter. 

How many blog posts does your site need to start ranking for SEO keywords?

There is no specific number of blog posts that you need to publish in order to start ranking for specific keywords in search engine results. The number of blog posts you need to publish will depend on a variety of factors, including the competitiveness of the keywords you are targeting, the quality of your content, and the strength of your website. 

I’ve had clients rank for their SEO keywords with only a handful of blog posts, so it doesn’t have to be many to get started. But if you’re one of those people that just like to have a number to aim for, I will suggest 100 blog posts. Even if you fall short, you will still have some content on your site, which is the main thing. 

Here are a few general guidelines to consider when it comes to publishing blog posts for SEO purposes:

1. Publish high-quality, in-depth content: In order to rank well in search engine results, it’s important to publish high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience. This means writing in-depth, well-researched articles that cover a specific topic in detail. Not sure where to start with this? I have a video-module online course to help with this very thing. 
2. Use targeted keywords: In order to rank for specific keywords, it’s important to include those keywords in your content in a natural way. This includes using the keywords in your article titles, headings, and throughout the body of your content. As a reader of mine, you get a free 14-day trial of my favourite SEO keyword research tool. 
3. Build high-quality inbound links: Inbound links from other websites can help improve your search engine rankings. It’s important to focus on building links from high-quality, authoritative websites in your industry.
4. Optimise your website for SEO: There are many factors that can impact your search engine rankings, including the structure of your website, the speed of your website, and the use of relevant keywords in your website’s meta tags and titles. It’s important to optimise your website for SEO in order to improve your rankings.

How can you post more blog content?

There are a few strategies you can use to increase the frequency of your blog posts:

1. Plan ahead: Create an editorial calendar that outlines the topics you plan to cover in your blog posts and the dates on which you will publish them. This can help you stay organised and ensure that you have content ready to go on a regular basis.
2. Collaborate with others: Consider partnering with other writers, bloggers, or experts in your industry to create content for your blog. This can help you generate new ideas and can also allow you to publish more content in a shorter amount of time. Maybe do a swap with someone who wants to reach more of your audience and vice versa? They can showcase their industry knowledge whilst promoting their business or service, and you can host on your blog and share amongst your channels. I have a fruitful guest posting option.
3. Repurpose existing content: If you have a backlog of content that you haven’t published yet, or even if you have, consider repurposing it for your blog. This can include updating old articles or turning them into new formats, such as infographics or videos. I am a huge fan of this and think this is an area where most people overlook great content. 
4. Outsource content creation: If you don’t have the time or resources to create all of your content in-house, consider outsourcing some, or all, of your content creation to a freelance copywriter. This can help you increase the frequency of your blog posts without sacrificing quality, particularly if you hire an experienced copywriter like me who knows about SEO. 

Want to get to 100 blog posts quickly? Let me help. 

The post How Many Blog Posts Should I Have? appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

“YMYL” stands for ‘your money or your life.’ It is a term used by Google to describe websites that have the potential to impact the health, happiness, financial stability, or safety of users. Examples of YMYL websites include those that provide medical information, financial advice, or legal services. Because these types of websites have the potential to significantly impact users’ wellbeing, Google has guidelines in place for how they should be ranked in search results. This includes requirements for accuracy, credibility, and trustworthiness.

If you run a YMYL website, it is imperative to focus on providing high-quality, reliable content and following Google’s guidelines in order to rank well in search results and have optimal website SEO.

‘As Google has stated in the past, “We have very high Page Quality rating standards for YMYL pages because low-quality YMYL pages could potentially negatively impact a person’s happiness, health, financial stability, or safety,’ Forbes reports.

What are examples of YMYL websites?

Some examples of YMYL websites include:

• Websites that provide medical or health-related information.
• Websites that offer financial or legal advice or services.
• Websites that sell products or services that have a significant impact on users’ financial stability or safety.
• Websites that provide information about government policies or programs that could impact users’ wellbeing.

It is important to note that not all websites that fall into these categories will be considered YMYL websites by Google. Google uses a variety of factors to determine which websites qualify as YMYL, and the specific criteria may change over time. In general, however, websites that have the potential to sway users’ wellbeing are more likely to be considered YMYL.

How can you write better content for YMYL websites?

Much like my tips on SEO writing for EEAT, there are a few key strategies you can use to write better content for YMYL websites:

• Focus on accuracy and credibility: It is vital for YMYL websites to provide accurate and reliable information. Be sure to fact-check your content thoroughly, and consider including sources and citations to back up your claims.

• Use clear, concise language: Make sure your content is easy to understand, even for readers who may not be familiar with the topic. Use clear, concise language, and avoid using technical jargon or slang. I have an exceptional video on how to do this in my online writing course.
• Keep your audience in mind: Consider who your audience is and what they are looking for when writing content for a YMYL website. Tailor your content to meet their needs and address their concerns.
• Use multimedia: In addition to text, consider using multimedia such as videos, images, and infographics to help illustrate your points and make your content more engaging.
• Regularly update your content: It is important to keep your content updated, especially on YMYL websites, where information can quickly become outdated. Consider setting up a schedule to review and update your content regularly.

What factors does Google use to determine which websites qualify as YMYL?

Google uses a variety of factors to determine which websites qualify as YMYL. Some of these factors may include the following:

• The nature of the website’s content: Websites that provide medical, financial, or legal information or services are more likely to be considered YMYL.
• The potential impact of the website’s content on users: Websites that have the potential to significantly impact users’ wellbeing, financial stability, or safety are more likely to be considered YMYL.
• The credibility and trustworthiness of the website: Google may consider factors such as the website’s reputation, the credentials of the authors or experts featured on the website, and the presence of sources and citations to determine the credibility and trustworthiness of a website.
• The website’s user experience: Google may also consider factors such as the website’s design, navigation, and loading speed when determining whether a website is YMYL.
• It is important to note that these are just a few examples of the factors that Google may consider when determining which websites are YMYL. The specific criteria may change over time, and Google may use a variety of other factors to determine which websites qualify as YMYL.

How can you improve accuracy on a YMYL website?

There are a few key strategies you can use to improve accuracy on a YMYL website:

• Fact-check your content thoroughly: Be sure to verify the accuracy of any information you include on your website. Consider using multiple sources to confirm the accuracy of your information.
• Use credible sources: When including information from other sources on your website, be sure to use credible sources such as academic papers, government websites, and reputable news organisations. If you need help researching your article, I have a whole module on research in my online blogging course. It also includes a template of where to get credible sources from.
• Include sources and citations: Providing sources and citations for the information on your website can help to increase its credibility and demonstrate to readers that you have done your research.
• Regularly review and update your content: Over time, information can become outdated. It is important to regularly review and update your content to ensure that it is accurate and up to date.
• Consider hiring an editor or fact-checker: If you are concerned about the accuracy of your content, you may want to consider hiring an editor or fact-checker to review your work. This can help to catch any mistakes or inaccuracies before your content is published.
• Provide high-quality, reliable content: Google values websites that provide high-quality, reliable content. Focus on writing content that is accurate, well-written, and helpful to your audience.
• Use SEO keywords effectively: Keywords are terms that people use when searching for information online. Include relevant keywords in your website’s content, titles, and metadata to help Google understand what your website is about. Get the 14-day trial for SEO keyword software here.
• Use header tags and structured data: Header tags (such as H1, H2, etc.) and structured data can help Google understand the structure and content of your website. Use this basic website SEO formatting to help Google crawl and index your website more easily.
• Make your website mobile-friendly: With more and more people accessing the internet from their smartphones, it is important to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. Google gives a higher ranking to websites that are mobile-friendly.
• Build high-quality backlinks: Backlinks are links from other websites to your website. Google sees backlinks as a sign of the quality and credibility of your website. Focus on building high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to improve your technical SEO.

It is important to note that these are just a few examples of the strategies you can use to improve your SEO for a YMYL website. SEO is a complex and constantly evolving field, so staying up-to-date with the latest best practices and guidelines is a good idea.

The post Your Money or Your Life – Website SEO Tips appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

E-A-T stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. These are key factors that Google’s algorithms consider when ranking websites in search results. Google wants to provide its users with the most relevant and trustworthy results, so it looks for websites that have credibility and are written by experts on the topic. So the handy acronym, EAT, is paramount to keep at the forefront of your mind when creating content for your website if you want it to rank well.

Now, EAT are not direct ranking factors (such as page speed, keywords etc). Still, they are taken into account when Google “looks” at websites overall and are laid out in Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines.

The Google Quality Rater Guidelines are a set of guidelines used by human evaluators, known as “raters,” to assess the quality of search results returned by the Google algorithm. These guidelines provide information on what constitutes high-quality content, how to evaluate the credibility of sources, and how to determine the relevance of a result to a user’s query. The guidelines are used to help ensure that the search results provided by Google are of the highest quality and relevance to users.

Expertise refers to the knowledge and skill of the content creators on a particular subject. This can be demonstrated through credentials, education, and experience.

Authoritativeness refers to the website’s reputation and influence on the topic it covers. A website widely recognised as a leading source of information on a particular topic is considered more authoritative than a website with less recognition.

Trustworthiness refers to the website’s reliability and honesty. This can be demonstrated through transparent business practices, accurate and verifiable information, and security measures to protect users’ privacy.

I will say that, in general, it’s important for a website to have high levels of E-A-T in order to rank well in search results and be considered a reliable source of information by Google.

But there’s now more to EAT – an extra E

In December 2022, there was a google update of guidelines that included an additional part to the acronym: an extra E. Making the full acronym E-E-A-T. This extra E stands for “experience”.

Google states the following: ‘Experience: Consider the extent to which the content creator has the necessary first-hand or life experience for the topic. Many types of pages are trustworthy and achieve their purpose well when created by people with a wealth of personal experience. For example, which would you trust: a product review from someone who has personally used the product or a “review” by someone who has not?’

What is trustworthiness in SEO?

In the context of search engine optimisation (SEO), trustworthiness refers to the credibility and reliability of a website. Trustworthiness is an important factor that search engines consider when ranking websites in their search results, as it helps to ensure that users are presented with high-quality and reliable sources of information. There are several ways a website can demonstrate trustworthiness to search engines, including having a clean and secure website, having a professional design, having a clear and easily navigable structure, and having high-quality and informative content. Additionally, having a good track record and positive reputation can also help to increase a website’s trustworthiness.

How can you achieve trustworthiness for SEO?

There are several ways that you can work to increase the trustworthiness of your website for SEO purposes:

• Publish high-quality and informative content: By consistently publishing high-quality, well-researched, and informative content, you can establish your website as a reliable source of information.
• Design a professional and user-friendly website: A well-designed, easy-to-navigate, and professional website can help establish trust with users and search engines.
• Use a secure connection: Ensuring that your website uses a secure connection (HTTPS) can help to protect user data and show search engines that you are committed to security.
• Use reliable sources: If you include information from external sources on your website, use reliable sources to back up your claims. This can increase the trustworthiness of your content. One of the modules of my online blogging course talks you through in-depth research.
• Be transparent: Disclose any conflicts of interest or biases that you may have, and be open and honest about your business practices. This can increase the trust that users and search engines have in your website.

When creating their SEO content strategy, I always encourage clients to start with decent cornerstone content (before they start blogging about the “fun” stuff) that highlights their proficiency in their field, no matter the industry.

Cornerstone content is a term used to describe the most critical and comprehensive content on a website. It is called “cornerstone” content because it serves as the foundation of a website and provides a structure for the rest of the content on the site. Cornerstone content is typically in-depth, well-researched, and evergreen (meaning it will remain relevant for a long time). It is often the website’s main attraction and is designed to be the go-to resource for a particular topic. Examples of cornerstone content might include a detailed guide, an informative video, or a comprehensive review. As an example, some cornerstone content for a copywriter might be an in-depth post about the history of copywriting.

This is what Google says about trust:

Consider the extent to which the page is accurate, honest, safe, and reliable.

The type and amount of trust needed depends on the page, for example:

Online stores need secure online payment systems and reliable customer service.

Product reviews should be honest and written to help others make informed purchasing decisions (rather than solely to sell the product).

Informational pages on clear YMYL topics must be accurate to prevent harm to people and society.

Social media posts on non-YMYL topics may not need a high level of trust, such as when the purpose of the post is to entertain its audience and the content of the post does not risk causing harm.’

How can you be an expert in your field for SEO?

To be seen as an expert in your field for SEO purposes, you can follow these tips:

• Gain relevant education and qualifications: Having a degree or other formal education in your field can help to establish your expertise. This isn’t entirely necessary, but if you do happen to have qualifications in your industry, you might like to let people know on your About page or web bio or even point to it in some content articles.
• Build a solid foundation of knowledge: Make sure you have a thorough understanding of your field and stay up-to-date on the latest developments and trends. Facts, statistics and resources need to be current and accurate. Having inaccurate or unreliable sources can potentially harm the way that Google sees your site.
• Share your expertise through content creation: One of the best ways to demonstrate your expertise is by creating high-quality, well-researched, and informative content. This can include blog posts, articles, guides, videos, and other forms of content. And if you prefer to stick to one type of asset (like I do with blogging), it’s a good idea to add in different asset types occasionally.
• Engage with your community: Participating in industry forums, social media groups, and other online communities related to your field can help to establish your expertise and build your reputation, as well as followers or fans that trust in your knowledge.
• Include client case studies on your website.
• Include appropriate terms and conditions, privacy policy, contact details and disclaimer pages.
• Link to high authoritative web pages and sites.
• Get other people to link back to your website.

Essentially, your whole website should be obviously set up to immediately announce what you do and what industry you are in. If you look at my website, my home, about and copywriting services pages, all clearly state my areas of expertise and experience and are optimised for specific industry-related SEO keywords. Then my blog post content solidifies these claims and points towards what I offer professionally.

You could still start a blog and rank well without having to work or be an expert in your field, but it’s going to be easier, following the EEAT formula, if you demonstrate your expertise on your website towards your chosen blog topics. For example, if you’re a travel blogger, be sure to include on your home and about pages why you are best placed to talk about the things you will blog about. The same goes if you are an accountant, artist or car blogger!

If you aim to be super helpful to whoever will happen across your website by providing quality information and guidance, as well as personal opinion, you will be on the right track.

An SEO expert case study

Neil Patel is a well-known digital marketer and entrepreneur who has gained a reputation as a bonafide SEO expert. If you ever want to learn more about SEO, he is an excellent resource, and I cannot recommend his resources and knowledge enough.

To ensure his own website adheres to the EEAT principles, he regularly puts out expert content that is both helpful and sticks to his clear tone of voice.

Here are a few things that Neil Patel does to establish his expertise in SEO:

• Consistently produces high-quality content: Neil Patel has a popular blog where he consistently publishes in-depth and informative articles on SEO and other topics related to digital marketing.
• Offers SEO consulting services: Neil Patel has a successful consulting business where he works with clients to help them improve their SEO strategies.
• Speaks at industry events: Neil Patel is a popular speaker at industry events and conferences, where he shares his knowledge and insights on SEO and other topics.
• Collaborates with other industry experts: Neil Patel frequently collaborates with other experts in the field and shares their knowledge and insights on his blog and other platforms.
• By consistently producing high-quality content, offering consulting services, speaking at industry events, and collaborating with other experts, Neil Patel has been able to establish himself as an authority on SEO and build a reputation as an expert in the field.

What kind of blog posts does Neil Patel publish?

• Neil Patel has a popular blog where he publishes articles on a wide range of topics related to SEO, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship. Some examples of the types of blog posts that Neil Patel publishes include:
• In-depth guides and tutorials: Neil Patel often publishes long-form articles that go into detail on specific topics, such as how to conduct keyword research, how to create a content marketing strategy, and how to use social media for business.
• Industry news and updates: Neil Patel keeps his readers up-to-date on the latest developments and trends in the world of SEO and digital marketing.
• Personal stories and experiences: Neil Patel also shares personal stories and experiences on his blog, offering insights and lessons learned from his own journey as an entrepreneur and digital marketer.
• Interviews with industry experts: Neil Patel frequently interviews other experts in the field and shares their knowledge and insights on his blog.

By publishing a mix of in-depth guides, industry news, personal stories, and expert interviews, Neil Patel’s blog has become a go-to resource for those interested in SEO and digital marketing.

If you want to write blog posts that really nail the EEAT fundamentals, register for my online blogging course now.

The post You Don’t Have to be an SEO Expert to Create Trust | EAT formula appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

‘The first five seconds of page-load time have the highest impact on conversion rates. (Portent, 2019)’ and ‘website conversion rates drop by an average of 4.42% with each additional second of load time (between seconds 0-5).’

SEMrush declares that page load time is a primary ranking factor. It also effects conversion rate too. ‘A 1-second delay in your site speed can result in a 7% reduction in conversions.’

Why do you need to improve your site speed?

There are several reasons why it’s important to improve the speed of a website:

• User experience: A slow website can be frustrating for users and may lead them to leave the site and go to a competitor’s site. Improving the speed of your website can improve the user experience and keep visitors on your site longer.
• Search engine rankings: Google and other search engines use page speed as a ranking factor in their search results. A faster website is more likely to rank higher in the search results, which can lead to more traffic and potential customers for your business.
• Conversion rates: A faster website can lead to higher conversion rates, as users are more likely to complete a purchase or take the desired action on a site that loads quickly, as we’ve seen from the stat above.
• Reduced bounce rates: A slow website can lead to high bounce rates, as users may leave the site before it has finished loading. Improving the speed of your website can reduce bounce rates and improve your site’s overall performance.

How to improve site speed

There are many ways to improve the speed of a website. Here are a few general tips:

• Optimise images: Large images can slow down a website, so it’s important to optimise them by compressing them or resizing them to a more appropriate size.
• Enable compression: Compressing resources such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files can reduce the size of these files and speed up your website’s loading.
• Minimise the use of plugins: Too many plugins can slow down a website, so it’s important to only use the ones that are absolutely necessary.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN is a network of servers that delivers web pages and other web content to a user based on the geographic location of the user, the origin of the webpage and the content delivery server.
• Optimise your website’s code: Optimising your website’s code can help reduce the amount of time it takes for a page to load. This can involve reducing the number of lines of code, minimising the use of unnecessary code, and optimising the order in which code is loaded.
• Use caching: Caching allows a website to store commonly used resources on the user’s computer, so they don’t have to be downloaded each time the user visits the website. This can significantly improve the speed of the website.
• Optimise the website’s server: If the website’s server is not optimised, it can slow down the website. You can improve the server’s performance by optimising the database, using a faster web server, and optimising the server’s configuration.

These are just a few general tips to improve the speed of a website. It’s also important to regularly monitor the performance of your website and make adjustments as needed to ensure it remains fast and efficient. See below for tools that can help with this.

How do you optimise images for site speed?

There are several ways to optimise images for site speed:

1. Compress images: Using image compression tools, you can reduce the file size of images without significantly affecting their quality. This can help reduce the amount of time it takes for the images to load on your website.
2. Resize images: If an image is larger than it needs to be for the space it’s being used in, it can slow down the loading time of your website. Resizing images to the appropriate size can improve the speed of your website.
3. Use appropriate image file types: Different image file types are better suited for different types of images. For example, JPEG is a good choice for photographs, while PNG is better for graphics with transparent backgrounds. Choosing the appropriate file type can help reduce the file size of images and improve the speed of your website.
4. Use lazy loading: Lazy loading is a technique that delays the loading of images until they are needed. This can help improve the speed of your website by reducing the amount of data that needs to be loaded at once.
5. Use a CDN: A content delivery network (CDN) is a network of servers that delivers web pages and other web content to a user based on the geographic location of the user, the origin of the webpage and the content delivery server. Using a CDN can help improve the speed of your website by reducing the distance that data needs to travel.
6. Optimise image file names: Using descriptive, keyword-rich file names for your images can help improve the speed of your website by making it easier for search engines to understand what the images are about. Get a 14-day trial of SEO software here.
7. By following these tips, you can optimise images for site speed and improve the overall performance of your website.

How many plugins should I use for good site speed?

The number of plugins that you should use on your website depends on the specific needs of your site and how well-optimised the plugins are. In general, it’s best to use as few plugins as possible, as each plugin you add to your website can potentially add more code and resources that need to be loaded, which can slow down your website.

That being said, there are some plugins that are essential for the functionality of your website and can actually improve the speed of your site. For example, a caching plugin can help speed up your website by storing commonly used resources on the user’s computer, so they don’t have to be downloaded each time the user visits the website.

It’s important to carefully evaluate the need for each plugin you are considering using and to only use those that are necessary for the functionality and performance of your website. If you do use multiple plugins, make sure to keep them up to date and optimise them for performance. It’s also a good idea to regularly review the plugins you are using and consider removing any that are no longer necessary or that may be slowing down your website.

How do plugins slow your website down?

Plugins can slow down a website for a few reasons:

• Extra code: Each plugin you add to your website adds more code that needs to be loaded every time a page is requested. This can increase the amount of time it takes for a page to load, especially if the plugin has a lot of code or if you are using multiple plugins.
• Resource-intensive: Some plugins may be resource-intensive, meaning they require a lot of resources (such as CPU, memory, or database queries) to function properly. This can slow down your website, especially if you are using multiple resource-intensive plugins or if your server is not powerful enough to handle the demand.
• Poorly optimised: If a plugin is poorly coded or not optimised for performance, it can slow down your website. It’s important to use well-written, optimised plugins to ensure that they don’t negatively impact the speed of your website.

By using as few plugins as possible and carefully evaluating the need for each plugin you use, you can help ensure that your website performs well and loads quickly. This is something that trips me up all the time. I love a good plugin, but I tend to overload my site with them and forget to disable those that are no longer working for me. And then my site crashes or takes ages to load. Oops!

It’s also important to keep your plugins up to date and to optimise them for performance to ensure that they don’t slow down your website.

How do you enable compression on your website?

There are a few ways to enable compression on your website:

Use a plugin: Many popular content management systems (CMS) have plugins that can enable compression on your website. For example, WordPress has several plugins that can enable Gzip compression, such as W3 Total Cache and Autoptimize.

Use mod_deflate: If you are using an Apache web server, you can enable compression by using the mod_deflate module. To do this, you will need to edit the .htaccess file in the root directory of your website and add the following code:

<IfModule mod_deflate.c>

  # Compress HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Text, XML and fonts

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript

  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/vnd.ms-fontobject

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-OpenType

  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-otf

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-TrueType

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-font-ttf

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xhtml+xml

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/XML

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/opentype

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/otf

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE font/ttf

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE image/svg+xml

  AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE image/x-icon

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/CSS

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/HTML

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/javascript

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/XML

</IfModule>

Use nginx: If you are using an nginx web server, you can enable compression by adding the following code to your nginx.conf file:

gzip on;

gzip_comp_level 6;

gzip_vary on;

gzip_min_length 1000;

gzip_proxied any;

gzip_types text/plain text/CSS application/JSON application/javascript application/x-javascript text/XML application/XML application/xml+rss text/javascript;

gzip_buffers 16 8k;

These are just a few ways to enable compression on your website. It’s important to note that compression can impact the performance of your server, so it’s essential to carefully consider the trade-offs between increased performance and increased resource usage when enabling compression.

What is a content delivery network?

A content delivery network (CDN) is a distributed network of servers that delivers web pages and other web content to users based on their geographic location, the origin of the webpage, and the content delivery server.

CDNs are used to improve the performance and speed of websites by reducing the distance that data needs to travel between the user and the server and by offloading traffic from the main server. CDNs work by storing copies of a website’s content on servers located in strategic locations around the world. When a user requests content from a website, the CDN will serve the content from the server that is closest to the user, reducing the amount of time it takes for the content to be delivered.

CDNs are commonly used by websites that receive a large amount of traffic or that serve users from around the world, as they can help improve the performance and reliability of the website. CDNs can also enhance the security of a website by providing features such as DDoS protection, SSL/TLS encryption, and rate limiting.

How to use a content delivery network

A content delivery network (CDN) is a network of servers that delivers web pages and other web content to a user based on the geographic location of the user, the origin of the webpage and the content delivery server. Using a CDN can help improve the speed and performance of your website in a few ways:

• Reduce the distance that data needs to travel: By storing copies of your website’s content on servers located around the world, a CDN can reduce the distance that data needs to travel between the user and the server, which can improve the speed at which content is delivered.
• Offload traffic from your main server: A CDN can help reduce the load on your main server by handling some of the traffic that would normally be served by your main server. This can help improve the performance of your website, especially during periods of high traffic.
• Improve security: A CDN can help improve the security of your website by providing features such as DDoS protection, SSL/TLS encryption, and rate limiting.
• To use a CDN, you will need to sign up for a CDN service and configure your website to use the CDN. This typically involves adding a few lines of code to your website’s configuration files and pointing your domain name to the CDN. Some CMS platforms, such as WordPress, have plugins that can help you set up and manage a CDN for your website.

How can you optimise your website’s server?

There are several ways to optimise your website’s server to improve its performance:

• Optimise the database: The database is a critical component of many websites, and optimising it can improve the performance of your website. This can involve optimising the database’s configuration, such as setting the appropriate cache sizes and optimising the indexes, as well as optimising the database’s queries and structure.
• Use a faster web server: Using a faster web server can improve the performance of your website by reducing the time it takes to process requests and serve content.
• Optimise the server’s configuration: There are many configuration options that can impact the performance of your server. Optimising these options can help improve the performance of your website. This can involve setting appropriate resource limits, disabling unnecessary services, and optimising the server’s networking configuration.
• Use a load balancer: If you have a high-traffic website, using a load balancer can help distribute the load across multiple servers, which can improve the performance of your website.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN is a network of servers that delivers web pages and other web content to a user based on the geographic location of the user, the origin of the webpage and the content delivery server. Using a CDN can help improve the performance of your website by reducing the distance that data needs to travel between the user and the server and by offloading traffic from your main server.

What tools are available to check your site speed?

There are many tools available to check the speed of a website. Here are a few popular options:

• Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool analyses a webpage and provides recommendations for improving its speed and performance. It also provides a score based on how well the page performs based on this criteria.
• GTmetrix: This tool analyses a webpage and provides recommendations for improving its speed and performance, as well as providing detailed information about the page’s performance and the resources it uses.
• Pingdom: This tool allows you to test the speed of a webpage from various locations around the world and provides a detailed report on the page’s performance, including the time it takes to load and the size of the resources it uses.
• WebPageTest: This tool allows you to test the speed of a webpage from various locations around the world and provides a detailed report on the page’s performance, including the time it takes to load and the size of the resources it uses.
• Lighthouse: This tool is a performance auditing tool that is built into Google Chrome. It can be used to analyse the performance of a webpage and provide recommendations for improving its speed and performance.

What is the right loading speed for your website?

The right loading speed for a website will depend on a variety of factors, including the size and complexity of the site, the type of content it serves, and the target audience. In general, it’s a good goal to aim for a loading speed of under 2 seconds for most websites.

That being said, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to what the “right” loading speed for a website is. It’s important to consider the specific needs of your website and your target audience when determining the right loading speed for your site.

It’s also important to note that the ideal loading speed can vary depending on the type of device and connection that a user is using. For example, users accessing your website on a high-speed broadband connection may be able to tolerate slightly longer loading times than users on a slower mobile network.

It’s a good idea to regularly test the loading speed of your website and make any necessary adjustments to improve its performance with the handy hints above. Because there’s no point having great SEO content and all the SEO factors in place if your site takes an eon to load.

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The post Are You Ignoring This One Vital Thing for SEO? appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

To use GPT for blogging, you can provide it with a prompt or topic and have it generate text based on that prompt. For example, you might give it the prompt “Write a blog post about the benefits of meditation” and have it generate a list of ideas or a complete draft of a blog post on the topic. You can then edit and refine the generated text to suit your needs.

It’s important to note that GPT is a tool and not a replacement for human writing and editing. While it can be a useful tool for generating ideas and providing inspiration, it’s important to review and revise the text it generates to ensure that it is accurate and meets the standards of your blog.

What are the benefits of chatgpt for blogging?

There are several benefits to using GPT for blogging:

1. Generates ideas: GPT can generate ideas for blog posts based on a given prompt or topic, which can be helpful for writers who are struggling to come up with ideas for their blog.
2. Saves time: GPT can generate text quickly, which can save time for writers who are short on time or have a lot of content to produce.
3. Provides inspiration: GPT can provide inspiration and help writers come up with new angles on a given topic.
4. Offers flexibility: GPT can generate text in a variety of styles and tones, so writers can choose the style that best fits their blog and audience.
5. Improves efficiency: By automating certain tasks, such as idea generation and basic outlining, GPT can help writers be more efficient and productive.

However, it’s important to note that GPT is a tool and not a replacement for human writing and editing. While it can be a useful tool for generating ideas and providing inspiration, it’s important to review and revise the text it generates to ensure that it is accurate and meets the standards of your blog.

GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text. It is best for tasks that involve generating text, such as:

1. Generating ideas for blog posts, articles, or other written content.
2. Generating complete drafts of written content, such as blog posts or articles.
3. Answering questions and providing information on a wide range of topics.
4. Translating text from one language to another.
5. Summarizing long texts or articles.
6. Generating descriptions or captions for images or videos.

GPT can be used in a variety of contexts and industries, including content marketing, journalism, education, and more. It’s important to note that GPT is a tool and not a replacement for human writing and editing. While it can be a useful tool for generating ideas and providing inspiration, it’s important to review and revise the text it generates to ensure that it is accurate and meets the standards of your blog.

What are the limitations of chatgpt for blogging?

GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a powerful language model that can generate human-like text, but it does have some limitations to consider when using it for blogging:

1. It may produce text that is not entirely accurate or coherent. While GPT has been trained on a large dataset of human-generated text, it is still a machine and may produce text that contains errors or lacks clarity.
2. It may not fully understand the context or nuances of your blog. GPT generates text based on patterns it has learned from its training data, so it may not always produce text that is fully in line with the tone or style of your blog.
3. It may not generate ideas or text that are original or unique. GPT generates text based on patterns it has learned from its training data, so it may produce ideas or text that have been covered by other writers or bloggers.
4. It may not be able to handle more complex or technical topics. While GPT is capable of generating text on a wide range of topics, it may struggle with more complex or technical subjects that require a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

It’s important to keep these limitations in mind when using GPT for blogging, and to review and revise the text it generates to ensure that it is accurate and meets the standards of your blog. You could use my preferred spellchecker, Grammarly, to help.

Everything above was written by GPT and I left it unedited so you, as the reader, can get a sense of what it produces. Below, is entirely my copy without any assistance from AI.

Why AI writing software doesn’t work for blogging

Context is often missing. Humans can easily identify context and what information goes where. So you can’t rely on AI in terms of structure and what statements go where.

I have used AI writing software in the past (I won’t mention which one for obvious reasons) and it just never suited my needs and I ended up getting frustrated with it. It’s an expensive software for me to keep flogging without the proper results of great quality content writing.

It would repeat the same sentences over and over again. Literally, word for word. And then the next paragraph would say the same thing but with a few words different, liked they had been plucked out of a thesaurus and therefore, context was lost.

Most AI, ChatGPT included do not even recognise that UK/Australian spelling exists (as you can see from the text above). Let alone language nuances and colloquialisms, which makes it tougher for the reader. Plus, the naturalness is removed.

Often, I would discover by using Copyscape that the text wasn’t entirely original. And we know that when it comes to great writing, originality is key and is supposedly favoured by Google’s bots.

Because I’m a fast and prolific writer, I have found that it’s just much quicker for me to write something from scratch than use AI software because by the time I have to edit the piece, I may as well have written it! Plus, you have feed the software prompts and plan out the structure yourself.

Additionally, AI can’t insert correct facts, statistics, hyperlinks, quotes and research— a huge proponent of convincing articles and quality SEO blogs. Of course, it can’t help you with SEO factors that improve your search rankings such as formatting and keyword placement.

And you can forget the personal anecdotes. As we know, ‘Personal experiences and anecdotes receive more respect, are perceived as more rational, and elicit a greater willingness to engage than facts and statistics.’

Are there any benefits to AI writing software?

With the paid software that I used, they provided useful templates and copywriting formulas. These are really handy if you are new to copywriting. For example, it offers a PAS (pain, agitate, solve) template which helps the novice understand exactly how each of these facets function in a piece of writing. But, if you ask me, it’s cheaper to just watch some Youtube vids or buy a copywriting book.

Interestingly, ChatGPT is poised as something that will be used IN PLACE OF Google search as the prediction is people will source a written paragraph on their query straight up.

At the moment, ChatGPT is free whereas other AI writing software comes at a cost. Often, not cheap. And it will be surprising if it stays free forever.

Plus, there’s the issue of copyright. Currently, it’s a very murky area and US copyright law might suggest hostility towards AI-generated content being attributed to humans. Australian copyright is a little different but, again, it is murky as law catches up to reality.

What can you do instead?

Practice writing. The more you practice, the quicker you will get at it and you’ll notice that software will actually slow you down rather than help.

Wait. I’m sure one day AI writing software will get to a point where it is beyond helpful but it’s too new for that yet.

Outsource. If you find that you’re bored of writing content, consider outsourcing to a freelance copywriter who lives and breathes writing (and SEO practices). Having a fresh take on your business’s content is always fruitful.

Put it this way, I’m not fearing the downfall of my job or copywriting business anytime soon.

Learn to write professional-level blog posts here.

This post contains affiliate links of things that I actually believe in.

The post Using AI Writing Software ChatGPT for Blogging appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

What type of blog post will help you reach your target audience? 

Firstly, to create a blog post that hits the mark, you need to ask yourself: what are your business or marketing goals? Are you looking to generate leads, increase brand awareness, or drive traffic to your website? 

The answer to these questions will help you determine the type of blog post that will be most effective in helping you reach your desired outcome. 

Here are a few different types of blog posts that can help you achieve business and marketing goals:

How-to posts

These types of posts provide readers with step-by-step instructions on how to do something related to your industry. They are typically informative and helpful and can be a great way to generate leads.

Product reviews

Writing product reviews can be a great strategy if you’re looking to increase brand awareness or drive traffic to your website. Be sure to include links to the products you’re reviewing so readers can easily purchase them.

Case studies

Writing case studies can be beneficial if you want to show potential customers that your product or service is effective. Sharing stories of how your product or service has helped solve a problem for a customer is a great way to build trust and credibility.

Lists/listicles 

People love lists! Whether it’s a list of tips, resources, or even just fun facts, these types of posts are easy to read and provide value to the reader. If you want to increase website traffic, consider including listicles in your content strategy.

You know the ones, they’re the ones that are often titled ‘6 ways to become better at your job’ etc.

Fun fact: listicles are said to have been around since 1000CE in Japan. 

Newsjacking

This term refers to the act of writing about current events or hot topics in your industry to generate traffic and increase brand awareness. Suppose you can provide insightful commentary on a timely topic. In that case, you’ll be more likely to capture the attention of readers and media outlets.

How-to articles are the most popular blogging format.

Orbit Media reports that ‘76% of bloggers are publishing “how-to” articles. Lists (54%), long-form guides and ebooks (45%), and news and trends (41%) are also popular blogging formats. Stats further show that roundups, gated content, interviews, infographics, and lists are most likely to deliver strong results.’

It’s important to know that lots of readers are on the lookout for instruction via blogs, even in the day of Youtube video saturation. ‘33% of people would read a blog that teaches them how to do something new.’

How to write a how-to SEO content article

If you want to improve your business or marketing goals, one type of blog post you can write is a how-to article. This type of article provides readers with steps they can follow to complete a task. When writing a how-to article, make sure to:

1. Choose a topic that will be useful to your readers.
2. Provide clear and concise instructions.
3. Include helpful tips and tricks.
4. Use images or videos to illustrate your points.

How to choose a how-to topic

If you want to improve your business or marketing goals, writing a how-to blog post is a great way to do it. But how do you choose a topic? 

Here are four tips:

First, consider what your audience wants to know. What questions do they have that you can answer? 

Second, make sure the topic is something you’re knowledgeable and passionate about. You’ll be able to write more convincingly if you believe in what you’re saying. 

Third, choose a topic that’s specific enough to be exciting but not so specific that there’s no room for discussion. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment. Try different topics and see what works best.

How to provide clear and concise instructions in a how-to article

When writing a how-to article, the goal is to be clear and concise. No one wants to read a long, drawn-out explanation of how to do something. They just want to know how to do it! So, keep that in mind when you’re writing your next how-to article. 

Here are some tips: 

1. Start with a catchy headline that tells the reader what they will learn from reading your article.
2. Write in short, simple sentences that are easy to understand. Use active voice whenever possible.
3. Use numbered lists or bullet points to break up the text and make it easier to scan.
4. Include plenty of images, infographics, or videos to help
5. Include step-by-step instructions. 

When writing the steps, ensure that you write in the correct order with enough detail before your reader moves on to the next step because ‘When reading and following instructions, a person will act in the same sequence in which action items are presented in the text.

Writing instructions according to the sequence of actions the reader needs to take may lead to better results. For example, “do A before doing B’ is a superior form of wording instructions than stating, “before doing A, do B,”…’

Keeping the objective front of mind is the most essential thing that will help inform your article through the planning, drafting and finalising stages. What do you want your readers to take away from your SEO content article? 

Helpful exercise

Write it down as a clear mission statement at the top of your page, or stick it near your computer. 

‘By the end of the article, the reader will…’ and fill in the blanks. For example, ‘By the end of the article, the reader will be able to build their own chicken coop.’ If you start with this objective, you can work backwards and write up the steps.

Want super clear how-to SEO content articles written for your business? Step one: email me.

The post The How-To of the How-To SEO Content Article appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

Why do small businesses need content planning?

Small businesses need content planning for several reasons:

1. Targeted marketing: By identifying the target audience and creating content that is relevant and useful to them, small businesses can more effectively reach and engage their desired customer base.
2. Branding: Consistently creating and sharing high-quality content can help establish a small business as an industry leader and build trust with its audience.
3. Search engine optimisation: Well-planned and executed content can improve a website’s search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find the business online.
4. Cost-effective: Developing a content plan can help small businesses make the most of their limited resources by ensuring that content is created and shared strategically and efficiently.
5. Competitive advantage: Small businesses that invest in content planning and marketing can stand out from their competition and gain a competitive advantage in their industry.

Honestly, content planning is a critical aspect of any small business’ marketing strategy, helping to increase visibility, reach new customers, and establish the business as an authority in its field.

Why do larger organisations need content planning?

Larger organisations need content planning for similar reasons as small businesses but on a larger scale. Here are a few key reasons:

1. Aligning content with overall business goals: A content plan helps larger organisations ensure that all of their content is aligned with their overall business goals, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving sales.
2. Managing multiple teams and channels: Larger organisations often have multiple teams and channels producing content, so a content plan helps them coordinate and align their efforts to ensure consistency and efficiency.
3. Maximising resources: A content plan helps larger organisations make the most of their resources by identifying the most effective channels and formats for their content and focusing their efforts accordingly.
4. Measuring ROI: A content plan can help larger organisations track the performance of their content and measure the return on investment (ROI) of their content marketing efforts. ‘Content marketing generates three times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing but costs 62% less.’
5. Staying competitive: Larger organisations face a lot of competition, and a content plan helps them stay ahead of the curve by identifying industry trends and creating content that is relevant, engaging, and valuable to their target audience.

Content planning is crucial for larger organisations to ensure the alignment of their content efforts to their overall business goals, efficiently manage the production process and optimise the use of resources, measure the success of their content marketing efforts and to stay competitive.

‘78% of those who believe their content marketing was very successful in 2021 had a documented content marketing strategy,’ states SEMrush’s content marketing report. With most marketers finding that their content planning tactics that provided the most success were improving the quality of their content and improving the SEO.  

How content planning can enhance your branding

Content planning can enhance branding in several ways:

1. Consistency: A content plan ensures that all of a company’s content is aligned with its brand message and tone, which helps to build trust and credibility with its audience.
2. Relevance: By understanding the target audience and creating content that is relevant and useful to them, a company can establish itself as an authority in its industry and build a strong relationship with its audience.
3. Unique voice: A content plan allows a company to develop and maintain a unique brand voice that sets it apart from its competitors and helps it to stand out in the marketplace.
4. Storytelling: A content plan can help a company tell its story and communicate the values and mission that are at the heart of its brand.
5. Brand awareness: A well-executed content plan can increase brand awareness by reaching a larger audience and making it easier for potential customers to find and learn about the company.
6. Brand loyalty: By consistently providing valuable and relevant content, a company can build a loyal audience that is more likely to become customers and recommend the brand to others.

It’s really an important aspect of branding, as it helps companies to effectively communicate their message, build trust and credibility with their audience, and establish themselves as leaders in their industry. I always encourage my clients to undertake rigorous content planning, particularly at the start of the year. 

How can content planning be more cost-effective for your business?

Content planning can be more cost effective for a business in several ways:

1. Prioritisation: A content plan allows a business to prioritise the most critical topics and channels for their content, ensuring that resources are used effectively.
2. Repurposing: A content plan allows a business to repurpose existing content in new ways, such as turning a blog post into a video or a webinar, which can save time and money.
3. Efficiency: A content plan allows a business to streamline its content creation process, reducing the need for multiple revisions and editing, and ultimately saving time and money.
4. Budgeting: A content plan helps a business to set realistic budgets and timelines for content creation, which can help the business to avoid overspending on content creation. Particularly when it comes to last-minute or rush jobs to get something done. For example, if you remember the day before an event you’re hosting that you need a photographer to capture content for your social media, you’re likely going to incur a rush rate fee. 
5. Measuring ROI: A content plan can help a business to track the performance of its content and measure the return on investment (ROI) of their content marketing efforts, which can inform future budgeting decisions.
6. Smart outsourcing: A content plan allows a business to identify which tasks can be outsourced to external experts, which can save time and money. Did you know that ‘Half of all marketers say they outsource some content marketing.’

How does content planning advance SEO?

Content planning can improve SEO in several ways:

1. Relevance: A content plan helps to ensure that a business is creating content that is relevant and useful to its target audience, which can improve the relevance and authority of the website in the eyes of search engines.
2. Keyword research: A content plan includes keyword research, which helps a business to identify the keywords and phrases that are most relevant to its target audience and industry. By including these keywords in its content, a business can improve its website’s visibility in search engine results.
3. Quality content: A content plan helps a business to create high-quality content that is valuable to its audience. Search engines prioritise high-quality, informative content in their search results.
4. Consistency: A content plan helps a business to create and publish content on a regular basis, which can help to establish the business as an authority in its industry and improve its website’s visibility in search engine results.
5. Internal linking: A content plan allows a business to strategically link its content internally, which can help search engines to better understand the structure and relevance of the website.
6. Social media integration: A content plan can also include a social media strategy, which can help a business to drive traffic to its website and improve its search engine visibility.

Overall, a well-executed content plan can help a business to create high-quality, relevant, and keyword-optimised content that can improve its website’s visibility and search engine rankings.

How can you start content planning?

Starting content planning involves several steps:

1. Identify your goals and objectives: Clearly define what you want to achieve with your content, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving sales.
2. Understand your target audience: Research your target audience and create buyer personas to understand their needs, interests, and pain points. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m always banging on about identifying your target audience as a first step. This can end up saving a lot of money in the long run. 
3. Research and brainstorm ideas: Research your industry and competition to identify gaps in the market and generate ideas for content that will be valuable to your target audience.
4. Create a content calendar: Organise your ideas into a content calendar, including the topics, channels, and formats for your content, as well as the schedule for creation and distribution. I have a practical editorial plan template for you. 
5. Set metrics for success: Determine the metrics you will use to measure the success of your content, such as website traffic, engagement, and conversions. Make them realistic to start with so you don’t feel disheartened when you’re not reaching unattainable goals in the early stages. 
6. Create and execute: Create and execute your content, following your content calendar and metrics for success. Find out which process works best for you or your organisation. Do you like to batch content and write a heap of blog posts in one day? Or do you prefer to set aside half a day a week to write and publish a blog post?
7. Monitor and adjust: Regularly monitor the performance of your content and adjust your content plan as needed to ensure that it is aligned with your goals and objectives and resonating with your target audience.

It’s important to note that content planning is an ongoing process, and it needs to be reviewed and adjusted regularly to ensure that it’s aligned with the business goals and audience needs. 

Here’s what I do:

I base all my marketing around my blog content (with the objective of selling my marketing and copywriting services, blogging course and books – so everything needs to point back to them). I choose to blog because that’s my love, I know it’s effective for me (especially in terms of SEO), and it plays to my strengths. 

Then, I base all my other marketing around that. My social media, email marketing and paid ads generally feed back to my blog posts (or my website, depending on what I’m promoting). 

My blog content is primarily based on SEO keywords (I do a mixture of blogging, copywriting, digital marketing keywords and occasionally words related to my books). But I also focus my content on answering questions that my community or potential clients may have. Or that will help them achieve their marketing, blogging or writing goals. 

I actually do my content plan every quarter, as well as an annual strategy. Do I always stick to it? No! Because client work always takes priority, so I plan as if I am able to dedicate consistent time to my content marketing and then just end up doing what I can. 

Even though my SEO is pretty consistent for me at the moment, I figure that I can never have enough blog content, so I will often focus my efforts on building more and more. I encourage others to do the same, especially if you are interested in building on your SEO.

The post Please Tell Me You’re Content Planning appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

‘…semantic search seeks to understand natural language the way a human would.’

In traditional keyword-based search, the search engine looks for pages that contain the exact keywords specified in the user’s query and returns the results in order of how many times those keywords appear on the page. However, this can lead to many irrelevant or low-quality results, especially for complex or nuanced queries.

With semantic search, the search engine uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand the meaning and intent behind the user’s query. This allows it to return results that are more relevant to what the user is actually looking for, rather than just pages that happen to contain the keywords they used.

For example, a traditional keyword-based search for “best pizza delivery” would return pages that contain those exact words, regardless of whether they’re actually talking about the best pizza delivery places. A semantic search, on the other hand, would use NLP to understand that the user is looking for the top-rated pizza delivery places and would return results that are actually relevant to that query.

It may also factor in the location, history, and preferences to personalise the results. It also tries to understand the relation between the words in the query and gives more weight to the terms which are more relevant; for example, if “Chicago” is mentioned in the query, it will try to look for the best delivery places in Chicago.

To achieve this, semantic search relies on a variety of techniques, such as synonym matching, entity recognition, and sentiment analysis. The goal is to understand the intent behind the query rather than just matching keywords. ‘Around 40% of English words are polysemous—they have two or more meanings.’

Is semantic search a critical part of SEO?

Semantic search can be an essential part of SEO (search engine optimisation) because it can help improve the relevance and quality of the search results returned for a particular query. By understanding the intent and meaning behind a query, a search engine can return results that are more likely to be what the user is actually looking for, leading to a better overall user experience.

As a result, it’s important for website owners and content creators to consider how their pages will be understood by a semantic search engine and to optimise their content accordingly. This can include using semantic keywords and phrases, structuring content in a way that makes it easy for search engines to understand its topic and purpose, and ensuring that the content is of high quality and relevant to the user’s query.

Search engines are using semantic techniques more and more to understand the context of the query, so as a result, semantic SEO is becoming more important to ensure that your website can rank well and be found by the right people.

To optimise your website for semantic search, you can:

• include a mix of different types of content like blogs, videos, images and infographics to make your website more informative.
• use structured data
• include links – both internal and external hyperlinks to give context to what you’re writing about
• utilise headings and subheadings
• answer questions through your blog posts and topics and
• create a clear information architecture.

It’s important to note that while semantic search can be a valuable part of SEO, it’s just one of many factors that search engines use to rank pages and is not the only way to achieve high rankings.

How important is semantic search?

Semantic search is becoming increasingly important for a few reasons:

1. It improves the relevance of search results: By understanding the intent and meaning behind a query, a search engine can return results that are more likely to be what the user is actually looking for. This can lead to a better overall user experience and a higher likelihood of the user finding what they’re looking for.
2. It allows for more natural language queries: Traditional keyword-based search can be restrictive, as users need to know the exact keywords to use in order to get the results they’re looking for. With semantic search, users can use more natural language queries, which makes the search process more intuitive and easier to use.
3. It helps to understand the intent behind a query: Search engines also use querys’ context and background, such as location, history, and personal preferences, to understand the meaning behind a query. This helps search engines to return more accurate results and improve the relevance of the search results,
4. It helps with voice search: With the rise of virtual assistants and smart speakers, more and more people are using voice commands to interact with search engines. Semantic search makes it easier for these devices to understand natural language queries and return relevant results.
5. It helps with personalisation: Understanding the intent behind a query and users’ context can also be used to personalise the search results, leading to a better overall user experience.

All these factors are making semantic search an important part of search engine algorithms, and websites should strive to optimise for it to ensure that their pages can be found by the right people and rank well in search results.

It’s important to note that semantic search is not the only way for search engines to understand the meaning and context of a query, and it’s just one of many factors that search engines use to rank pages. However, it’s becoming an increasingly important aspect of SEO, and website owners should consider optimising their content for semantic search in order to improve their visibility in search results.

The post What is Semantic Search? appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

Voice search is a technology that allows users to search the internet or access information on their devices using voice commands rather than typing out a search query and can be used to search the internet, access specific websites, find information about local businesses, and more.

Voice search is often used through voice assistants, such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Siri, software programs allowing users to interact with their devices using voice commands.

Voice search is becoming increasingly popular, as it allows users to easily and quickly access information and perform tasks without typing out a search query. ‘…Around half of all internet users in the US… are users of voice search‘ and ‘27% of the global population is using voice search on mobile devices.’

It’s especially convenient for users on the go, as it allows them to access information and perform tasks without typing on a small smartphone keyboard. It is also helpful for users who may have difficulty typing, such as those with disabilities or mobility issues.

Overall, voice search is important for businesses and website owners looking to reach and engage with consumers.

What is voice search optimisation?

Voice search optimisation is the process of optimising a website or its content to improve its ranking in the results of voice search queries.

There are a few key strategies that can be used to optimise a website for voice search:

• Use long-tail keywords: Voice search queries are often longer and more conversational than typed queries, so it’s important to include long-tail keywords in your content.
• Use structured data: Structured data, such as schema markup, can help search engines understand the content of your website and improve its ranking in voice search results.
• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly: Many voice searches are conducted on mobile devices, so it’s important to make sure your website is optimised for mobile.
• Use clear and concise headings and subheadings: Voice search results are often read aloud, so it’s important to use clear and concise headings and subheadings to make it easier for voice assistants to understand and present your content.

By following these strategies, you can improve the ranking of your website in voice search results and make it more easily accessible to users through voice assistants.

What are long tail keywords?

Long-tail keywords are specific and highly targeted keywords that are typically longer and more specific than shorter, more general keywords. They are usually made up of three or more words and are often more descriptive and specific than shorter keywords.

For example, “red leather shoes” is a long-tail keyword, while “shoes” is a shorter, more general keyword. Long-tail keywords are often more effective for voice search optimisation because they more closely match the way people naturally speak and ask questions.

Using long-tail keywords in your website’s content can help improve its ranking in the results of voice search queries, as they are more specific and relevant to the user’s search. By including long-tail keywords in your content, you can make it more likely that your website will appear in the results of voice search queries related to your business or industry.

What is structured data?

Structured data is a standardised format for providing information about a webpage and classifying the page content. It allows search engines to understand the content of a webpage and provide more relevant and accurate search results.

Structured data can be added to a webpage using a variety of formats, including JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), Microdata, and RDFa (Resource Description Framework in Attributes). The most commonly used format is JSON-LD, which is a simple JavaScript notation that can be added to a webpage’s HTML code.

By adding structured data to your webpage, you can help search engines understand the content of your webpage and improve its ranking in search results. This is especially important for voice search optimisation, as structured data can help search engines understand the content of your website and present it more accurately in voice search results.

There are many types of structured data that can be added to a webpage, including information about products, events, people, organisations, and more. By including the appropriate structured data on your webpage, you can help search engines understand the content of your webpage and improve its ranking in search results.

How to add structured data to your webpage?

There are a few different ways to add structured data to your webpage:

• JSON-LD: This is the most common format for adding structured data to a webpage. To add structured data using JSON-LD, you will need to create a JSON object that contains the structured data and then add it to the head of your webpage’s HTML code. You can find more information about how to create a JSON-LD structured data object on the Google Developers website.
• Microdata: This is another format for adding structured data to a webpage. To add structured data using Microdata, you will need to use HTML tags to mark up the structured data on your webpage.
• RDFa: This is a third format for adding structured data to a webpage. To add structured data using RDFa, you will need to use HTML attributes to mark up the structured data on your webpage.

Regardless of which format you choose, it’s important to make sure that the structured data you add to your webpage is accurate and up-to-date. This will help ensure that search engines can accurately understand the content of your webpage and improve its ranking in search results.

What headings should you use for voice search optimisation?

When optimising your website for voice search, it’s important to use clear and concise headings and subheadings to make it easier for voice assistants to understand and present your content. Here are a few tips for choosing headings and subheadings for voice search optimisation:

• Keep them short and concise: Headings and subheadings should be short and to the point, as they will be read aloud by voice assistants. Avoid using overly long or complex headings but be sure to use your designated SEO keyword where possible.
• Use natural language: Headings and subheadings should be written in natural language that is easy for people to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical language that may confuse users, especially since ‘41% of people who own a voice-activated speaker say it feels like talking to a friend or another person.’
• Include long-tail keywords: Headings and subheadings are a good place to include long-tail keywords, as they will be more specific and relevant to the user’s search.
• Use clear and descriptive language: Headings and subheadings should clearly and accurately describe the content that follows. Avoid using vague or misleading language.

Why should you optimise for voice search?

There are a few key reasons why you should optimise your website for voice search:

• Increased convenience for users: Voice search allows users to easily access information and search the internet using voice commands rather than typing out a search query. By optimising your website for voice search, you can make it more convenient for users to find and access your content.
• Improved search rankings: Optimising your website for voice search can improve its ranking in the results of voice search queries, making it more likely that users will discover your content through voice assistants.
• Enhanced user experience: By optimising your website for voice search, you can improve the overall user experience for users accessing your content through voice assistants. This can lead to increased engagement and loyalty from users.
• Growing market share: The use of voice assistants is on the rise, and more and more people are using voice search to access information and search the internet. By optimising your website for voice search, you can tap into this growing market and increase your visibility and reach.

Overall, optimising your website for voice search can help increase its visibility, improve the user experience, and increase its reach to a growing market of users accessing the internet through voice assistants.

How many people use voice search?

It’s difficult to accurately estimate the number of people who use voice search, as this can vary widely depending on a number of factors, including the specific voice assistant being used, the device on which the voice search is being conducted, and the region in which the search is being conducted.

57% of Australians use voice search, and it’s now the second choice for mobile search behind using the mobile browser.

Overall, it is clear that the use of voice search is increasing all the time and that it is an important consideration for businesses and website owners looking to reach and engage with consumers.

Disadvantages of optimising for voice search

While optimising your website for voice search can have many benefits, there are also a few potential drawbacks to consider:

• Limited space in voice search results: Voice search results are typically presented in a limited space, such as on a small smartphone screen or through a voice assistant’s speaker. This means that there may be fewer opportunities for your website to appear in the results of a voice search compared to a traditional text search.
• Increased competition: As the use of voice search increases, the competition for ranking in the results of voice search queries is likely to increase as well. This can make it more difficult for your website to rank highly in the results of voice search queries.
• The need for ongoing optimisation: As with traditional text search, the algorithms that determine the ranking of websites in voice search results are constantly evolving. This means that you will need to continuously optimise your website for voice search in order to maintain a high ranking in the results of voice search queries.
• Limited control over how your content is presented: When your website appears in the results of a voice search, the content may be read aloud by a voice assistant. This means that you have limited control over how your content is presented to users.

‘Traditional search and SEO focus mainly on the keyword terms and how your website ranks for them. You can get clicks from Google if your website appears on the first page and even if your website ranks at position number two, three, five, or even ten. Voice search focuses on searching in a more conversational tone. For example, when you Google search “What are the best basketball shoes for kids?” it will return a page with a variable number of paid ads (usually three or four on top of the search page) plus ten organic results below. With VST, Google or Siri will only return ONE result or answer, and not ten results that you can select from. Therefore, using a traditional SEO strategy may not be helpful with voice search websites, and websites need to optimise for voice search,’ AdNews reports.

Overall, while optimising your website for voice search can have many benefits, it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks and to carefully consider whether it is the right strategy for your business.

What does the future of voice search hold?

It is difficult to predict exactly what the future of voice search will hold, as it is a rapidly evolving technology that is influenced by a wide range of factors. However, it is clear that the use of voice assistants and voice search is on the rise and is likely to continue to grow in the coming years.

One trend that is likely to continue is the increasing use of voice assistants on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, smart speakers, and other connected devices. As the capabilities of voice assistants continue to improve, it is likely that they will become an even more integral part of people’s daily lives. 26% of Australians own a smart speaker (as at 2021), which has risen from 5% in 2018 and this is only going to increase.

Another trend that is likely to continue is the increasing use of voice search for a wide range of tasks and activities, including searching the internet, accessing specific websites, finding information about local businesses, and more. As the accuracy and reliability of voice assistants improves, it is likely that more and more people will use voice search as their primary method of accessing information and interacting with the internet.

Overall, the future of voice search is likely to be characterised by the increasing use of voice assistants and the expanding range of tasks and activities that can be performed using voice search. So you can’t ignore the need to be focussing your SEO efforts for voice search.

The post Hear This! Voice Search Optimisation Should Be Your Priority appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.

Cornerstone content is a term used to describe the most essential and authoritative content on a website, often serving as the foundation for the overall content strategy and architecture. Think of it like the bones of your SEO content. Or the bread in your sandwich.

This content is typically comprehensive, detailed and covers the main topics or themes related to the website’s purpose, providing a clear understanding of what the site is about and what information it offers visitors. Cornerstone content is also designed to be evergreen, meaning it is not subject to rapid changes and can remain relevant and valuable over a long period of time.

Often it refers to a set of high-quality, in-depth articles, pages, or blog posts that are considered the most important and foundational content on a website. They provide the foundation for the website’s overall content strategy and are used to attract and retain visitors and establish the website’s authority and credibility in its respective niche or industry. 

They are typically optimised for search engines and include internal links to other related pages and content on the website, making it easier for visitors to navigate the site and find relevant information. Cornerstone content is also designed to be evergreen, meaning it will not become quickly outdated or irrelevant and will remain valuable to visitors for an extended period of time.

So for my site, any in-depth blog post about copywriting would be pegged as my cornerstone content. 

How can you create cornerstone content?

Here are some steps to create cornerstone content:

1. Identify your target audience: Understand who you are creating the content for and what their needs, interests, and pain points are. This information will help you create content that appeals to them and provides value.
2. Choose a topic: Select a topic that is relevant, important, and closely aligned with your target audience’s needs. Consider topics that are comprehensive, in-depth and can provide comprehensive information on the subject.
3. Research: Conduct thorough research to gather information and insights on the topic. Ensure that you are using credible sources and the information is up-to-date. I have an entire research module in my Blank to Brilliant online blogging course that will help with this. 
4. Organise your content: Break the information down into clear, easy-to-follow sections and use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and images to make the content more accessible and engaging.
5. Optimise for search engines: Use keywords in the content and meta descriptions, and make sure to include internal links to other relevant pages and content on your website.
6. Write with authority: Write in a confident and authoritative tone, and aim to provide unique insights and perspectives on the topic.
7. Promote your content: Share your cornerstone content on social media, include links to it in your email campaigns, and reach out to other websites and bloggers in your niche to request links back to your content.
8. Make it visually appealing: Use images, graphics, and videos to break up large blocks of text and make the content more engaging and easier to understand.
9. Keep it up-to-date: Regularly review and update your cornerstone content to ensure that the information remains accurate and relevant.
10. Encourage engagement: Include calls to action, such as asking questions, encouraging comments, or directing visitors to other related content on your website, which promotes engagement and interaction with your content.
11. Make it shareable: Make it easy for visitors to share your cornerstone content by including social media sharing buttons on your site.
12. Measure its effectiveness: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your cornerstone content, including pageviews, bounce rates, and conversion rates. Use this information to continually improve and optimise your content.
13. Diversify your content: While cornerstone content should form the foundation of your content strategy, it is also essential to diversify your content and create a mix of different formats, including blog posts, videos, infographics, and more.

As well as in-depth articles, there are several types of cornerstone content, including:

1. Ultimate guides: These are comprehensive, in-depth articles that cover a specific topic in great detail. Ultimate guides are typically longer than most other blog posts and can include images, videos, infographics, and other multimedia elements.

2. How-to articles: How-to articles are step-by-step tutorials that teach readers how to do something. These types of cornerstone content can be beneficial for both beginners and experts looking to learn a new skill or improve their knowledge.

3. List posts: List posts are articles that organise information into a list format. These types of posts are popular because they are easy to read and scan, making them perfect for sharing on social media.

4. Case studies: Case studies are real-life examples of how a particular product, service, or strategy has worked for a business or individual. They are often used to demonstrate the effectiveness of a particular approach or tactic.

5. Product reviews: Product reviews are in-depth evaluations of a particular product or service. They typically include an overview of the product, its features and benefits, and an assessment of its pros and cons.

Why do you need cornerstone content?

Cornerstone content is important for several reasons:

Establishing authority

Cornerstone content helps establish your website as an authoritative source of information in your niche or industry. Which, you know, I’ve discussed as important to feed into the EEAT system. 

Plus, it will contribute towards a better domain authority. This can help you attract and retain visitors, build trust with your audience, and increase your credibility.

Improving SEO 

Cornerstone content is ideally optimised for search engines, which can improve your website’s visibility in search results, attract more organic traffic, and increase your search engine rankings.

Don’t forget to put all the SEO trimmings into these blog posts. 

Learn to improve your SEO in 18 minutes!

Providing value

This kind of fundamental content is comprehensive, detailed and provides in-depth information on important topics related to your website’s purpose. Think of it like an in-depth research article or case study that you might find in a newspaper or respected magazine. 

This can help you attract and retain visitors by providing value and meeting their needs.

Enhancing navigation

These types of blog posts include internal links to other related pages and content on your website, which makes it easier for visitors to navigate your site and find relevant information. 

And don’t forget the high-quality external links as well. Make sure you link to websites that have a higher domain authority than your site.

Creating a foundation

This is really the crux of it all: cornerstone content serves as the foundation for your content strategy and can provide a clear understanding of what your website is about and what information it offers to visitors.

Then there’s an opportunity to spoke other content off these fundamental pieces. 

Generating ongoing traffic

It’s designed to be evergreen, meaning it will not become quickly outdated or irrelevant. So make sure when you create it that it’s not time restricted or trend-based. Such things as “marketing trends of 2023” will not work.

This means it can continue to attract and retain visitors and generate ongoing traffic over time.

By having cornerstone content on your website, you can establish your website as an authoritative source of information, improve your search engine rankings, provide value to visitors, and enhance their experience on your site.

The post What is Cornerstone Content? appeared first on Jones the Writer Copywriting Services.