There are so many guides and articles that tell you how to improve your content writing. Most are long and contain complicated advice. For content writers, we simply don't have the time to go through all of these guides, as any help we get needs to be quick and also help us immediately.
After writing hundreds of articles all across the internet, I have found four things that have helped me improve my ranking in search results, as well as readership.
1. Choosing the Right Title for Your Content
The title of your content is the first thing people will look at. If the title is not catchy, people will not even try to read the post. They will pass you up for a similar article that does grab their attention with the headline.
It's like shopping for a car. If you see a car that simply does not appeal to the eyes, chances are you won't even want to know the features or look at the interior. Same holds true for content.
Okay. I suck at headlines. I struggle each and every time I write a new piece. However, I found a few things to help. The first is to simply write a title without giving it a second thought. Having something to work with is the first step to a catchy title.
Next, paste this title into search results and see similar titles that are ranking high. You can then use similar titles, but change some of the wording to make yours unique. My favorite thing is to use words such as "now" (see this title?).
2. Nailing the First Paragraph
Just like headlines, people want immediate gratification when they start to read your content. This is why you must nail the first paragraph. If people cannot get through the first paragraph easily, don't expect them to read the rest. This is going to cause high bounce rates and let Google know your content is crap.
If you are telling a story with your first paragraph, make sure to make it catchy. Tie it into the rest of the article so that people want to read more. Another way to help keep people interested is to ask a question in the first paragraph that you answer throughout the article. It can be a multi-part question that can be answered paragraph by paragraph or under subheadings therein.
Look back at some of your old blog posts that do not get much traffic. Go over the first paragraph of each and see if there is a way to spruce them up. This will help new visitors stay on the page longer and hopefully start working those pages higher in the search results.
3. Using Multiple Keywords
Using the same keyword over and over is a major mistake. Not only will it show Google you are keyword stuffing, but it takes away from the readability of your content. When this happens, people are unlikely to trust the information you present and you shouldn't expect to rank high for that content.
To improve your content, use multiple keywords throughout the article. If you used your main keyword 10 times, mix it up by reducing the main keyword to 4, then use 2 other keywords 3 times each (I know you didn't sign up for the math lesson but trust me it equals 10).
A great way to help spruce up content with multiple keywords is to use latent syntax indexing, otherwise referred to as LSI keywords. These are the keywords that Google sees as similar to your main keyword.
The easiest way to find them is to type your keyword into Google search, then scroll to the bottom of the page and look at the suggestions. These "suggestions" are actually LSI keywords and you can use them to reduce your main keyword, for better visibility and better SEO.
4. Get Your Content Proofread
Everyone makes mistakes. Some people don't realize the mistakes they make in their writing and some do. If you can get your content proofed then it is definitely worth it. Especially if your proofreader also understands the importance of SEO with online writing. Good, clean writing not only makes it easier to read but it means your articles will also be happily accepted by editors of guest blogging sites. This is because it reduces any work they may need to do with your content and will possibly get your article accepted and published quicker than normal.
Improving Your Content Writing is Not Difficult
If you want to improve your content writing, you don't need to take a college course or study complicated guides. Simply pick up a few new things here and there and you will start to see your content rank higher. For me, the above four items, although simple, have helped my rankings improve dramatically. Choose a catchy heading and woo your readers with the introductory paragraph. Make sure to vary keywords that help rank you without getting penalized for keyword stuffing. And, finally, get your content proofread so it is easier to read and editors will love you for it.
What are your simple tricks which you use to improve content writing?