How to write SEO content that ranks and that people actually read

✍️ Start from the question, not the words

Before the first sentence, answer: who searches this and what do they want to know after reading? Look at the first few results for that phrase. What do they all have? What do they miss? Your opportunity is in what they miss.

🧱 A structure that works

1. An H1 containing the main keyword, one per page.
2. An intro of two or three sentences that immediately gives the answer or promise.
3. H2 headings that follow the reader's questions.
4. Short paragraphs, lists and tables where they help.
5. FAQ at the end, with direct answers.
6. A call to action that follows naturally from the text.

📏 How long

As long as needed. One topic needs 400 words, another 1500. Longer is not better by itself. If you are adding only to reach a number, cut it. Quality matters more than length.

🗝️ Keywords without force

The main phrase goes in the title, intro and one or two subheadings. Related phrases and synonyms appear naturally. Read the text aloud: if it sounds unnatural, people will notice before Google does.

🔗 Internal links

Connect the text to related pages with descriptive link text, not "click here". That way both readers and search engines understand the connection. For example, this article builds on keyword research.

✅ Pre-publish checklist

• Does the first paragraph answer the question?
• Is there a unique title and meta description?
• Are images optimised and described (alt)?
• Are facts checked, with no invented numbers?
• Is there a clear next step for the reader?

More about how we approach content on the SEO optimisation page.