SEO posts (search engine optimization) spread fear in the hearts of many authors. Maybe your developer has asked you to think about your author’s site SEO, or maybe your latest freelance writing commission includes ‘Improving Content for SEO’.

SEO involves a number of activities at Google designed to help you (or your client) rank your web content as much as possible. Google has a very complex way of deciding whether to rank a site by the given search term. SEO experts work hard to understand these 100+ factors, and build websites, and create and promote content accordingly.

Many of these factors are technical, but some are related to writing. The exact combination is a trade secret, and Google changes it every time. Some factors (such as keyword density) are no more important, while others are new. Here are a few things authors need to be aware of in 2020.

EAT – Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness

As an SEO expert will tell you, writing great content that people will want to link to and share socially is not the # 1 SEO for beginners 2021 strategy bar. Google has put more and more emphasis on editorial quality in recent years, and the E-A-T is a recent Google definition that appears. In practice, this means: backing up your content with evidence and citations, providing author bios and photos, citing evidence of your expertise, and using original research where possible.

Search engines today are often referred to as ‘response engines’, especially when a lot of searches are now done by voice. That’s why Google often puts a “featured piece” at the top of a results page – below the paid results but in the organic (non-paid) ranking (1) above the # 1 position in the zero position. These slots are very common, and often include bullet points, numbers or question, and answer formats.

Numerous pieces are very popular because they can drive traffic peaks from the # 1 organic result, and are a means of stealing thunder from big players for small to large outlets: for its pieces, Google Will take you somewhere, until they think it’s the ‘best answer to the searcher’s question.

Many websites have tried to include specific queries for specific queries and recreate their content. There is a complete procedure for this, but it involves a strict character count, working in a clear structure in your copy, and writing in a neutral, Wikipedia-style tone.

Meta Description

It’s worth spending some time creating strong meta descriptions for each web page you are writing. While this may not affect rankings, your meta description can improve click through rate, as this little bit of text will often be picked up by Google and your content can be tweaked on the search results page. It will be used as pieces. So write things that are immediately meaningful and enjoyable.

Title

There’s been a lot of research right now on what makes a good search-friendly title for a piece of content. Numbers (lists) and ‘how’ titles work well, as well as titles that begin by describing the type of material in a square letter unit followed by a colon such as’ [[new research]]: average free Lance salary is lower in the third year running)

Length is Great

There is a lot of evidence that Google prefers comprehensive, in-depth content. Unlike a few years ago, when everyone was trying to eliminate themselves, it’s even better to write fewer pieces now but make them rich with long, unique, authentic information – and be updated frequently. , Google likes something else.