When writing an SEO article, here is how you should start.

1. Identify the keywords

It’s essential for an SEO article to include some keywords or key phrases that are relevant to the subject matter or to the client’s business.

But don’t overuse them. If you write a piece around 400 – 600 words long you should only mention your main keyword about four or five times. Google penalises what it calls ‘keyword stuffing’.

It’s important to work the keywords into the copy naturally.

If you are too repetitive the article will not make sense.

You can choose keywords or phrases by spending time browsing your client’s website.

Or using the Google Adwords Keyword tool can be a great help. It works much better if you are logged into a Google account.

Here are some other free tools that can help you identify search phrases:

http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html

https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__u=8751112640&__c=4765727390

2. Think of the subject for your article. It can be hard to know where to start as the possibilities are endless. It also depends on the client or the subject matter that you plan to write about.

But here are a few ideas:

• Draw from your own knowledge or experience. If you work for a cleaning company, write something about how to remove different stains. Or ask friends and family why they would recommend using a certain cleaning company.
• Write about the client – things about them, their knowledge or experience that could be turned into an article.
• Look in the dictionary and pick a word at random and then write down possible ideas.
• Look at books or other articles as these can all be good sources of inspiration.
• Write about our place you have been to – there is a huge market for travel articles.
• Look for spin-off articles – when you’re writing one article, you might get an idea for another one.

3. Identify a formula is the best way to package your article. You will need to be seen as many times as possible, so you need something to pull in the readers and the search engines too, to some extent.

Imagine you have been asked to write an article for an IT company. You have chosen a subject: Computers.

But this covers a wide range of topics and some could be rather dull. So try to come up with something interesting.

For example:

• The world’s first PC
• How computers are changing the way we live our lives.
• What’s the best computer for an elderly person?

4. Write the article and remember it has to be 100% original. If copy and paste something from another website it’s not only unprofessional but illegal and a complete waste of time.

Google only rewards unique content. They will ignore articles that have already been posted somewhere else.

5. Insert the keywords to begin with and look for words that can be easily changed.

Then go back and see which parts of the article need rewriting to include the relevant keywords.

Don’t forget the keywords need to go everywhere on the page – the heading and the sidebars. But don’t overdo them.

6. A title is very important. In needs to be descriptive and unique as well as relevant to the article.

It should be seven or eight words long, at least. The longer the title is the better, if it’s relevant to the article.

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