SEO Writing Guideline 2022

1. FORMAT

● Use subheaders. Each article is broken down in “listicle” format. A general rule of thumb is to have a different subheader every two paragraphs.
● Word Count: Articles should be between 1000–2000 words. The word count also includes CTA (it should be between 150–250 words.)
● Write in 11 or 12-point Arial font.
● Spacing between lines should be set to 1.15

2. TITLE

● Capitalization: All words in titles and subheadings are capitalized except for minor words like short conjunctions, articles, and short prepositions (“and”, “of”, “in”, “to”, “the” [when not the first word of the title])
-How to get a job through linkedin → NO
-How to get a job through LinkedIn → NO
-How To Get A Job Through LinkedIn → NO
-How to Get a Job through LinkedIn → YES
● The title is a critical part of an article’s SEO (search engine optimization). The more descriptive and accurate your title, the more likely it is to show up in a search result.
● Analyze your headline here for SEO relevancy:
https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer
● The title/headline must reflect the contents of the article; one-word or vague titles cannot be used. Instead, create thought-provoking and interesting titles that catch a reader’s eye.
● Find more information on capitalization here.
● Use your target keyword at the beginning and end of your title.
● Keep your title under 60 characters. Google displays the first 60 characters in the search results.
● To hook your audience and increase your CTR, you can use emotional
modifiers in your titles, such as “best,” “amazing,” “funny,” “free,” “how-to,”
“surprising” and so on.
● Headline Tags Example:

3. VOICE

● Write in the voice of the brand or organization you’re associated with, so all
tenses must be 2nd person (“you”) or 1st/2nd/3rd person plural (“we are”, “you are”, “they are”). Using they/them is a reliable practice, as you never know who may be reading.

4. ARTICLE STRUCTURE

● An introduction
● A body (with the main message) — Use points when it comes to listicles. The
shorter your paragraphs, the easier they are to skim read. So, keep 2–3
sentences in paragraphs max.
● Use the TAC formula to end the article:
Transition — 1–2 lines to summarize the important points
Ask — “Which strategy would you like to try first”?
Call to action — “Let us know by leaving a comment in the below section”.

5. IMAGES

● All images used in your post should relate to the contents of your post in some
way.
● Keep image file sizes low (250 KB). Compress images wherever required.
● Ensure that all images have alt text. Try to create useful and informative
content that contains your core keywords appropriately and naturally in your
ALT text.
Here is the example of an ALT text for an image:
<img src=”puppy.jpg” alt=”Dalmatian puppy playing fetch”/>

6. GRAMMAR

● Divide long passive sentences into two concrete thoughts
● Avoid overusing “but” to connect two thoughts. Opt for separate
sentences.
● Use keywords wherever possible instead of “it” “this” or “that”
● Watch for repetitive sentence structure. Don’t start three sentences in
one paragraph with the same word, unless it is to drive home a point
with a creative narrative.
● Watch for fragments or incomplete thoughts. Change them into
complete sentences.
● Avoid “it may seem as though” or “it seems”. Use research or state a fact.
● Use broader terms or iterations of words/phrases to avoid repetition.
● Use Grammarly or Hemingway App. Make sure to dismiss any edits it
suggests that don’t make sense so the AI can adapt.

7. SEO TIPS TO MAKE THE ARTICLE SEO-FRIENDLY

● Use transition words. Transition words are words like ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’ and
‘because’. When you use them, you make it easier for your readers to
understand how your thoughts and ideas are connected. What is more,
they prepare your reader for what’s coming. For example -

●Use related keywords instead of stuffing primary keywords into the article.
● Internal linking is important. It helps the reader manage your content and
understand relationships between different content on your site.
● Shorten your URLs by removing unnecessary words. The average URL should be around 60 characters or three to five words.
● Don’t forget to optimize your meta description. The meta description should
explain what your article is about and include your target keywords. The
meta description length is between 155–160 characters.

PRO TIP: Go through this article and apply this while writing your copy:
https://copyblogger.com/scientific-copywriting/