4 Steps To Writing A Quality Online Article
4 Steps To Write A Quality Online Article
Creating a compelling digital footprint that positions you as a subject matter expert or thought leader in your field is fundamental to building your brand - for you and your business.
How do you achieve this when the internet is saturated with content?
In short, it’s all about readability and connecting with your audience.
The Fundamentals of a Quality Online Article
It’s true that online writing requires a different approach to print. These differences include tone, structure, length and SEO considerations to name a few.
However once these parameters have been established, the fundamentals still remain the same.
You may have Googled a ‘how to’ guide and been inundated with tips on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
While SEO is of course important, so is the readability and choice of topic. Long gone are the days of ‘keyword stuffing’ and low value ‘backlinks’ to drive SEO. Google has woken up and writers need to find the balance of search engine optimisation and quality content.
Getting Started - Your Mindset
You have a great idea to share - so let’s get started!
You really don’t have to be a professional copywriter to write a great article if you ask yourself a few simple questions and plan your responses accordingly. Here are some tips and things to consider before you commence writing:
1. Who is my target audience?
Who am I trying to connect with? How can my article assist them?
If you already have a website, Google Analytics can provide great insight into the people who are visiting. If you’re a guest author on a site, ask if they can share information about their audience or key insights with you. This information provides clarity when you’re choosing your article topic.
2. Do your research
Will your article provide value to your audiences lives? If the answer is no (or you’re not sure), start again.
Your topic selection is key to your point of difference. Taking the time to do your research on what will engage your audience will increase your readership and engagement.
SEO tools such as Google Keyword Planner, UberSuggest and SEMrush are really helpful in providing suggestions on topics that people may be searching for that align to your brand. The sweet spot? Try and aim for keywords and phrases that have high volume with low competition.
3. Is your topic original?
Once you’ve chosen your topic, a quick Google search can give you a good idea of the volume of content already published as well as angles on the topic other authors and publications have taken.
4. Will your topic improve your brand narrative?
How will this article improve your brand narrative? Do you believe it will help build your personal and business profile and potentially pique the media’s interest?
Your article should be in line with the story you want to tell, and ultimately tie back to your business objectives. The tone of the article should reflect the personality and values of your brand.
Now you’ve done your research, picked your topic and have a better understanding of your audience, it’s time to write!
quick tips for online writing
Start with a catchy headline (your H1 tag) - include your focus keyword and keep to a maximum of 6 words. Remember, you are trying to solve a problem or create value for your target audience.
Cover your unique angle and how it relates to your topic in your first paragraph.
Write a series of short and long paragraphs to discuss your topic.
Use sub headings / H-tags to break up the text. Include a meta description to describe the article topic in 65 letters or less.
Article length should be between 1500 - 2500 words. When you stay within this average, your articles are more likely to rank higher on search engines, as well as get more social media shares and backlinks.
If you use Wordpress, the Flesch Reading Ease Score is a great tool in the Yoast plugin to test the readability of your content. Further, if you can link to related articles on your website, this internal linking process will also support SEO.
Keep your eyes on similar topics that rank higher in search results - you may pick up a tip or two.
Be sure to include a conclusion that wraps up the essence of the article in one paragraph. Also, ensure you include your information sources and references at the end of your article or hyperlinked in the body content.
Your biography - always include a brief bio at the end of your article (25 - 50 words).
Once published, reach out to other businesses who’s audience may benefit from reading your article and encourage a backlink to yours. This will support your rankings in search engine results. And remember, the higher the authority score of a backlink, the better.
Conclusion
Over to you now - time for you to get researching and writing!
Remember the more articles you publish, the more opportunity you have to measure their performance. With these insights, you can continue to tailor your content to your target audience, which will deepen engagement with with your brand.