Writing optimized blog articles is just like writing magazine and newspaper articles, only different.
All humor aside, there are many similarities and one major difference — the determination and application of keywords (aka “keyword phrases”).
It’s critical to begin with the ideation of an optimized title containing keywords (aka “keyword phrases”). Sometimes the keywords ARE the title, but not always.
First Sentence and First Paragraph
Yoast optimization guidelines call for the keywords to be inserted at or near the beginning of the first sentence of the first paragraph.
In most instances, there are some adjustments to title and keywords as the writing progresses. The original working title of this article was “How to Write Optimized Blog Articles.” After evaluating the keywords and first sentence, it became apparent that our revised title would still be SEO friendly while offering more versatility within the projected narrative and syntax.
Choosing witty titles (like those in magazine and newspaper articles) without considering SEO value is not advised. Those titles may reach existing subscribers, but they rarely draw new visitors unless the writer inadvertently captures proper SEO.
The length of a title and its punctuation are also critical. Semrush says titles should be between 50 and 60 characters and spaces. With the exception of exclamations and question marks, using punctuation such as colons is not recommended because they can confuse search engines crawlers into perceiving two separate titles, one before and one after a colon.
Continuing Optimized Blog Articles
Think of optimized writing as creating a new work of art on a 2’ by 4’ framed canvas. The artist is free to paint whatever they want as long as it fits within the parameters of the canvas.
The good news is that the remainder of the writing process becomes more natural after the determination of optimized titles and keywords.
Optimizing from the start also saves time. Finished articles can be optimized at the back end, but sometimes there are compromises to sort out.
Writing Optimized Narratives
We always focus on the storytelling while looking for organic places to insert the keyword phrases according to recommendations.
Hubspot says the general rule of thumb for keyword density is to insert one set of keywords for every 100 words of an article. Other sources say one set for every 100 – 150 words.
Article lengths of 300 words or more is another parameter to target per Yoast.
Optimization Tools
The Google Search Console is a great resource for writing optimized blog articles. The console shows metrics such as the keywords that viewers used to find a site and the exact pages they landed on. Note: after publishing, we submit articles to the search console for immediate indexing by Google.
Writing Optimized Blog Articles Finale
The best way to reach new online viewers is to determine the keywords they might search for, and then apply those words to original article content pursuant to recommendations.
We begin writing optimized blog articles in MS Word where we integrate many of the above principles. Then we paste those words into WordPress where blog articles are called “posts.”
Next, we assign keywords per the free Yoast optimization plug in. This step includes entering them in the Yoast Focus Keywords and Meta Description fields as well as the Alternate Text fields of all images.
Then we look at the Yoast analysis intel and make adjustments as needed. The Yoast tool offers important data such as keyphrase density, internal and external links, and readability factors (e.g. too many long sentences or too many in the passive voice).
We wish you the best in your blog writing endeavors. As always, we are here to discuss your blogs and goals during a free consultation.