If a small business owner were to ask me, “How do I grow my audience?” I’d point them toward personal wellness, as well as technical skills.
For now, let’s look at the technical side, specifically, search engine optimization (SEO). Although there are other pieces to the puzzle, this post is all about on-page SEO.
On-page SEO encompasses the content that shows up on your website, as opposed to your behind-the-scenes SEO projects.
If I had to cut this blog post short, I would leave you with this: creating search engine optimized content means creating content that’s on-brand, Googleable, and reader-focused.
SEO content is on-brand, Googleable, and reader-focused.
You can take a big sigh of relief when you realize that your ideal audience has already created this content for you. You’re not pulling a problem out of thin air. Likewise, you’re not creating a solution out of thin air.
Your writing process is rooted in the public’s Google searches. This information is made available to you through keyword research tools, like Ahrefs and Moz.
On-Brand Blog Content
Staying on-brand includes what you say and how you say it (i.e. tone of voice). I’ll use some of my favorite small business owners as examples.
If I sold organic superfood desserts out of San Diego, I’m likely not going to research the keyword “Dallas brunch spots.” I’m also not going to write a blog post titled “How to Start a Cattle Farm.”
If I taught private drum lessons, I could write “5 Easy Steps to Assemble Your First Drum Kit,” instead of“5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Play the Drums.”
If I owned a window repair business, I could research keywords like “home maintenance” and “energy efficient windows.” If I’m known for my approachable and funny tone of voice, I could use the blog post title “3 Quick Ways to Clean Your Windows When You’d Rather be Watching Lord of the Rings,” instead of “How to Clean Your Windows.”
Going Off-Brand
Have you ever gone skydiving? What’s the difference between anti-gravity and zero-gravity?
Right now you’re probably wondering, “Is Kat glitching? I thought we were talking about blogging!” It’s kind of like sitting front row at an Andrea Bocelli concert, and all of a sudden you hear him singing “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. It could be fascinating, but you’re also like, “How did we get here?!”
I’m taking this silly moment to remind you — you don’t have to be dull or bland. Hold onto what makes your brand stand out from the crowd. However, if you want the Google algorithm to favor your website, you must stay on topic.
Going off-brand will confuse and repel your ideal audience.
That’s why you conduct keyword research. You eliminate guesswork, while strategically choosing a variety of keywords that all point to common themes and goals within your niche.
Googleable Blog Content
First, what makes content un-Googleable?
Misalignment with search intent.
“The last time I walked my dog I fell” is a highly unlikely search term. Google would not understand which problem needs to be solved. Do you need knee doctor? Non slip shoes? A dog walker? The intention is unclear.
People don’t conduct Google searches that way, so you shouldn’t position your content that way. Instead, create blog post titles and headings that match search intent. “Top 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Knees Without a Gym” or “7 Best Dog Walking Services for Busy Dog Moms” could work for this example.
Yes, you should still include creativity, context, and stories. That’s more so for the body of the text. Your titles and headings (which organize different sections of your blog post) get to be simple, based on search intent. This eliminates the excuses of “I’m not a good writer” and “I’m just not creative.”
Googleable content is to the point and connects real people with real solutions. It’s the type of content that both Google robots and your human readers appreciate.
Reader-Focused Blog Content
Ultimately, SEO is a means to an end. Yes, I enjoy the process. I’m glad if you do, too. Yet, the true purpose behind SEO skill development is people. We strive to improve our internet visibility in order to serve our people well.
Find your sweet spot between SEO-focused writing and relationship-building writing. Both can be professional. Don’t underestimate your readers. They will notice any attempts to hack the Google algorithm by overusing keywords.
Yes, prioritize keyword research, but also make sure you’re tending to your audience’s communication style. You have permission to dump a couple SEO rules here and there, if it means truly getting through to your audience.
