Creating high-quality content can be frustrating if it doesn’t rank well on Google or attract enough traffic. Without website visitors, it becomes difficult to achieve content marketing goals, such as increasing brand awareness with top-of-the-funnel content or generating conversions at the bottom of the funnel.
The solution to this problem is content optimization, a method used to improve the overall performance of a piece of content by enhancing it to better meet the needs of both readers and search engines.
In this article, we will outline the significance and definition of content optimization. You will gain knowledge about the systematic process of optimizing content to significantly enhance your placement on search engine results pages (SERPs), consequently driving more traffic to your website.
What Is Content Optimization?
The process of content optimization involves strategically revising blog content to enhance search engine rankings. To demonstrate to Google that your content is of high quality, trustworthy, and deserving of a good ranking on the SERPs, it is essential to send the appropriate signals. A higher rank on Google increases the likelihood of more people seeing your page, clicking on it, and visiting your website.
To create a successful content optimization strategy, one must incorporate keyword research, technical SEO, and the effective composition and content of a blog post. This strategy aims to assist Google’s crawlers in comprehending the content effortlessly, enabling them to present it as an organic search result to the appropriate users at the appropriate timing.
Why Optimizing Content Is Worth It
By following a step-by-step process, refreshing your content can lead to a 111% increase in organic traffic. To ensure your content receives the visibility it deserves, particularly on the first page of search engine results, it is necessary to complete content optimization protocols.
If you do not provide signals to Google through elements like title tags and linking structures, your content, no matter how great you think it is, will not rank well. Google bots crawl your pages and include them in a massive database, learning about your content, its purpose, and its level of quality.
How to Optimize your Content for Maximum Results
1. Choose the right keywords to target
Let’s consider this post as an illustrative example.
What is the reason for me writing about content optimization?
The text is highly relevant to my desired audience, possesses the capability to attract customers, and represents a keyword phrase viable for ranking.
When deciding what to write about, it is crucial to prioritize keyword research.
I conducted research using Ahrefs keyword explorer and discovered that the search volume for ‘content optimization’ is 300 searches per month in the US. However, it is important to note that the potential traffic is much higher due to the possibility of ranking for numerous related keywords and also considering countries outside of the US.
Based on the average number of links to articles ranking in the top 10 search results, the text also indicates that the keyword difficulty is 7.
When thinking in a sequential manner, rephrase the following text without altering its meaning or omitting any information: Please note that the score given is out of 100, indicating approximately 7 websites that have linked. If the score were 70 out of 100, it would signify numerous links.
If I am able to produce an excellent article and secure a minimum of eight moderately good links to it, my prospects of achieving a high rank are promising.
If the authority of my website is comparable to the authority of other websites ranking for this keyword, it will be easier for me to achieve a good ranking. However, if I am competing against highly authoritative domains, it becomes more challenging.
2. Optimize for SEO
Google’s analysis of content is becoming more advanced, so exact keyword matches are no longer completely necessary in areas such as the meta title, meta description, or URL name.
If you have a new, lower ranking website, it is recommended to ensure that matching keywords are still present in all relevant places for safety purposes.
Are you uncertain if all the content you have published is optimized correctly for SEO?
You can easily find out this information using the Screaming Frog SEO Spider tool. This tool conducts an on-page SEO analysis of your website, checking for problems like duplicated titles, absent or lengthy meta descriptions, absent alt headings, and others.
Screaming Frog can assist you in identifying any broken links on your pages, ensuring that you do not add or remove any information while thinking step by step.
By addressing the SEO problems on your pages, you will increase their likelihood of achieving higher rankings in the SERPs.
3. Optimize content for sharing
Do you want your hard work in creating exceptional content to catch attention when it is shared on social media?
In order for this to occur, it is necessary to inform the Social Platforms (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) about the specific information that should be shown when a link from your site is shared.
With the assistance of Open Graph protocol, you can achieve this for Facebook by offering code snippets for interpretation.
- The og:title tag(the title) tells Facebook what your page is about and how it should be displayed within the social graph.
- The og:description tag gives information about your page and entices people to click through.
- The og:image tag lets you specify the URL of an image that will represent your page in the social graph.
To optimize your content for sharing on Facebook, you’ll need to put in some additional effort to adapt it for Twitter.
Twitter Cards are used to display summary information, such as title, description, and thumbnail, whenever your content is shared on Twitter.
This article provides all the necessary information on how to set up Twitter cards.
I understand that this may appear to be a significant amount of effort, but here’s a positive update:
If you are using WordPress, you can avoid doing tasks manually by utilizing the Yoast SEO plugin.
To define Open Graph and Twitter Card tags, Yoast has included built-in options. You can easily do this by going to the SEO > Social menu within your WP dashboard and selecting the social tabs such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.
After enabling the Open Graph meta data, Facebook’s plugin will automatically complete the majority of necessary tags. To personalize this, you have the option to include a default image for pages that do not have any images.
To ensure that the Twitter card meta data is enabled, start by checking its settings. After that, simply select a default card layout. It truly is as straightforward as that.
After setting everything up, it is advisable to double-check your content to ensure it is properly optimized using a tool such as Knowem.com.
4. Optimize for reading
Occasionally, we tend to overlook the importance of organizing our content in a way that ensures it is easily understandable for humans, due to excessive focus on optimizing it for search.
You can enhance the readability of your content by giving importance to the structure of your content. This is important as it ensures that people are able to find it easy and enjoyable to read.
- Writing short sentences and paragraphs. Most people scan the content looking for quick takeaways. So keep your writing to the point, make sure to stick to one idea per paragraph, and lay it out in four sentences max.
- Using sub headlines to break down the text. If people like what they’re able to consume in a few seconds by scanning the subheadings, they’re more likely to read through the whole article.
- Using copywriting techniques. Using proven copywriting techniques will help you grab the attention of your readers and keep it.
Below is a highly valuable compilation of copywriting techniques.
5. Optimize the imagery
To keep readers engaged with your content, it is important to use relevant and high-quality images; however, it is equally crucial to optimize them for search engines.
In order for Google to comprehend the content of your images, you must include ‘alt text’ for each image utilized in your post, as images are not readable by Google.
Title: Step-by-Step Rephrasing Original Text: Please follow the incremental process of rephrasing the text below without adding or removing any information. Feel free to provide a title for your rephrased text. Rephrased Text: Rephrase the following text step by step while ensuring that no new information is added and no existing information is removed. You can also give your rephrased text a title, like what you see when you hover over the image.
To ensure the proper loading of visuals, it is important to compress image files. This can help improve the user experience on the page as heavy image files take longer to load.
By checking out Tinypng, you will find that it effectively reduces the size of your png images. Despite the image size being reduced by over 30%, the difference in image quality remains unnoticeable.
6. Add relevant links
Linking is of great importance for SEO purposes and also enhances the user experience by providing readers with opportunities to explore more relevant content on your own website or external websites.
7. Add a Relevant Title Tag
The HTML code that generates the headline for your blog post is called a title tag, which appears as
To optimize the title tag, ensure that it accurately relates to the search query and enables users to easily determine the content they will encounter upon clicking.
When browsing Google results, readers face the task of choosing which link to click on, and the competition is tough. The title “Dog Food Tips” is likely to be overlooked, but “6 Ingredients to Avoid in Dog Food for Large Breeds” is informative and enticing. Make sure to keep your title tag within 50-60 characters to avoid it being cut off in the displayed SERPs.
If you need help coming up with ideas, you can use a tested headline formula to make your title tag more attractive. Copywriter Joanna Wiebe, who is highly regarded in the field, recommends this approach.
- “The Only Way to [Do Something Desirable] Without [Doing Something Undesirable]”, for example, “The Only Way to Make Cold Brew Without Steeping It Overnight”
- “[Do Something Desirable] Like [an Expert] Without [Something Expected & Undesirable]”, for example, “Change Your Oil Like a Mechanic Without Ruining Your Car”
8. Write a Compelling Meta Description
A meta description, also known as metadata, appears as a text snippet beneath the title tag in search engine result pages or social media posts. This metadata functions similarly to a store window, enticing users to click and explore further.
In order to generate more clicks, create meta descriptions that highlight the benefits or knowledge that users will acquire upon clicking. It is important to ensure that the description accurately represents what is actually offered on the page, as misleading information will cause users to quickly return to the search engine. The bounce rate, which refers to the frequency with which people leave your page after clicking on it, is an indicator of a negative user experience according to Google. This can result in penalties.
When crafting the meta description, think about the search intent of the post to guarantee its relevance to the content. Incorporate your target keyword and provide a description of the type of content that will be encountered upon clicking, such as “Discover a comprehensive and easy-to-follow strategy for eliminating credit card debt, along with vital advice on how to avoid a certain method that can negatively impact your credit score.”
Meta descriptions should have a length of approximately 140-160 characters, depending on your blog’s specifications. For instance, WordPress permits 141 characters whereas Webflow allows up to 160 characters.
9. Optimize Content to Attract Backlinks
According to Google Search Quality Senior Strategist Andrey Lipattsev, the two primary ranking factors are “content and links directing to your site”. If a reputable site is willing to link to your content, it indicates its high quality.
Our clients have achieved impressive results by combining effective link building techniques, such as broken link building and guest posting, with optimization and the creation of high-quality backlink-worthy content.
To attract more links, create a comprehensive resource on a specific topic that surpasses the quality of competitor blog posts. Additionally, incorporate unique visuals like infographics that others may find valuable and be inclined to use.
If another website or blogger wishes to reference your material, they must cite your blog post as the original source and include a link back to your site. This could be achieved by incorporating original research or conducting interviews that are exclusive to your blog post.
Adopt a Content Optimization Strategy for Your Business
If you want to increase the visibility of your content in search engines and drive more organic traffic to your site, it is necessary to go through the process of content optimization. Failing to optimize content for SEO can result in a significant drop in rankings. By doing it correctly, optimizing a few posts each month can greatly enhance your content efforts.
We understand that optimizing content may not be a top priority amidst various other digital marketing strategies. However, demonstrating the quality and reliability of your blog posts to Google is a continuous task that requires weekly dedication. Therefore, consider delegating this responsibility to individuals who specialize in content optimization and are passionate about it on a daily basis.
