Content
By
Daniel Rojo
Apr 3, 2025
10 Min
Contents
In today's digital age, technology is rapidly evolving and opening up new possibilities for creating content with the help of artificial intelligence. However, when it comes to search engine optimization, Google still prioritizes content written by real people. That's why it's more important than ever to understand how to create SEO-friendly content that meets the highest standards. Whether you're a blogger, marketer, or business owner, mastering the art of SEO content creation can make all the difference in boosting your website’s rankings and connecting with your audience.
The evolution of search engines
Before diving into the details of SEO content creation, it’s important to understand how search engines have evolved over time.
Over the past decade, the way people use Google has changed significantly. Back in the day, people often used shorter, fragmented phrases when searching online. Nowadays, it is more common for people to ask full questions using complete sentences. With the increasing popularity of mobile devices and voice search, the way people formulate their search queries has become more conversational.
To keep up with these changes, Google has worked hard to improve its natural language processing capabilities. A significant breakthough in this evolution was the launch of the Hummingbird algorithm in 2013.
What is Hummingbird?
Hummingbird is a major algorithm update implemented by Google in 2013 that improved the accuracy and relevance of search results by better understanding the context and meaning behind search queries. The update placed a greater emphasis on the meaning and context of words within a query, allowing Google to better understand the relationship between different terms and concepts and to provide more relevant results for complex and conversational search queries.
From individual keywords to semantic search
As we have just mentioned. There has been a change in the way people search for information on Google, and therefore it has affected the way search engines analyze information.
In 2015 Google released Rankbrain. It is a system used to understand the likely user intent of search queries. We can consider RankBrain as a machine learning system based on Hummingbird, which turned Google from an environment of "strings" into an environment of "things".
Google and other search engines no longer rely on lexical searches to rank websites. Instead, they use semantic searches, which consider the meaning behind the search query rather than just matching the exact words or their variations. Lexical searches are based solely on word matching, without any understanding of the overall intent behind the query.
This has had a huge impact on SEO content creation. In order for our websites to rank better and appear among the first pages on SERPS, it is important not to create and optimize content by keywords, but by topics instead.
Organization is key
When creating SEO content, site organization and structure are essential aspects. Search engine bots typically start by crawling the homepage and then discover the rest of the URLs through internal linking. For this reason, it’s crucial to design a logical architecture that guides both users and search engines, connecting articles to one another and directing traffic to the most important pages for conversions. To achieve this, it’s essential to develop a topic cluster strategy that organizes content into related topics, improving both user experience and search engine rankings.
The importance of topic clusters in SEO content creation
A topic cluster is a content marketing strategy that involves organizing a group of related content pieces around a specific central topic or theme. The goal of a topic cluster is to create a comprehensive and cohesive resource on a particular subject, with the central topic serving as the 'hub' and the related content pieces serving as the 'spokes.' Topic clusters can help to improve the discoverability and visibility of a website's content in search results, as well as the user experience of the website.
When we create topic clusters, we need to differentiate between:
Pillar page: A pillar page is a comprehensive and detailed webpage that covers a specific topic or theme in depth. It serves as the central hub of a group of related pages (clusters), which provide more specific information on subtopics within the overall theme of the pillar page. For example, it could be a landing page dedicated to a specific service or product, linking to more detailed pages on related aspects. When we create a pillar page, we need to define the goals we want to achieve through it (leads, purchases…)
Cluster pages: Clusters are groups of web pages that are related to a specific theme or topic. They are organized around the pillar page, which provides a broad overview of the topic, and include sub-pages that delve into more specific aspects of the theme. The relationship between a pillar page and its clusters helps to improve the overall structure and organization of a website.
The primary goal of a cluster is to boost the authority of both the pillar page and the cluster pages, attract relevant traffic, and drive users toward the pillar page, increasing the likelihood of conversions.
Source: Labelnone
Every cluster should be linked to the pillar page and vice versa to establish a clear relationship and improve SEO. When analyzing performance, it’s crucial to evaluate clusters as a whole rather than individually, as their collective impact drives the success of the pillar page. A high-performing cluster page can enhance the authority of the pillar page and, in turn, benefit other linked cluster pages, boosting their search rankings as well.
Steps to create SEO-optimized content:
Once we have decided what topics we are going to use for our blog, we need to create an editorial calendar, organizing the topics and their pillar pages and clusters. Only after having organized the content we are going to create, can we start writing it!
1. Research keywords and understand your audience
Although we have said that right now search engines focus on topics rather than keywords, keyword research is mandatory when it comes to SEO content creation. We need to make sure the keywords we are including in the text have a high search volume (people are interested in them) and the right intent.
When users land on a webpage, they expect to find something concrete. If they see something different, not related to their search, they will leave.
2. Create SEO-optimized meta titles and meta descriptions
Meta titles and meta descriptions are essential meta tags in SEO. They are the first thing a user sees when they come across a website and also what Google crawlers analyze first. In order to create optimal meta tags we need to develop:
Meta Title: It must be unique for every single web page, between 50-60 characters, including the main keyword we want to rank for. If we include the brand, we need to separate it from the keyword with hyphen or vertical bar.
An example of this: Whitelabel SEO Services | Labelnone
Meta Description: Meta descriptions also need to be unique and catchy. The optimal length is between 120 and 155 characters and it is important to include a call to action, in order to increase the CTR.
An example of this: Whitelabel SEO Services for agencies: Bring your clients to higher rankings and improve their organic visibility with our SEO services.
3. Use headings and subheadings effectively
When Google bots analyze a website, they have a limited amount of time to spend on it (crawl budget). Because of this limitation, it is mandatory to structure the content in a way Google bots can follow fast and easily to identify as much relevant information as possible.
The HTML structure shows Google crawlers the path they need to follow, acting as a ladder with different levels, organized by importance:
H1: The main heading. It must contain the main keyword we want to rank for.
H2: The subheadings. H2 headings are used to develop the subtopics depending on the main H1. They should include synonyms or variations of the main keyword.
H3: Level-three headings are used to explain subtopics of an H2 heading.
H4, H5, and H6: Subsections of the heading of a major section. They are not very relevant in terms of SEO but still necessary for structure and clarity.
4. Incorporate internal and external links to your content
Google's algorithm is constantly evolving, and the importance of links in SEO content creation is beyond doubt. An example of this is the last link spam update released by Google on June 27, 2024. In this update, Google aims to remove the effects spammy links may have, eliminating any possible benefits that the spam links might have generated on websites.
Developing a properly optimized link-building strategy is essential for a website to increase its authority and therefore, be able to rank for competitive keywords.
We can think about a website like a water jug. When we create a website, it is filled with “average water”. This water will determine the website’s authority.
In order to increase this authority, we need to clean this water. How can we do that? By getting high-quality water (backlinks) from other websites. The higher the authority of these websites is, the more will improve ours.
4.1. Internal links
Links can be seen as the gateways that Google bots use to analyze content. By including links to various web pages on our website, we provide Google crawlers with multiple paths to access them. This increases the likelihood of a web page being crawled and ranked for relevant keywords.
When creating internal links, it’s crucial to use the appropriate anchor text. The anchor text should include the keyword we aim to rank for and link to the specific web page where we want to achieve that ranking.
As mentioned earlier, SEO content creation focuses on a cluster-based system rather than individual topics. Therefore, it is vital to interlink our articles, providing Google crawlers with more access points and enabling the transfer of authority between web pages.
4.2. External links
After reading this, you might wonder, “Why should I include external links on my website? I don’t want to send authority to another website.” The answer lies in Google E-A-T.
Google E-A-T—which stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness—is a set of factors Google uses to evaluate websites and determine their rankings in search results. Google aims to present users with relevant, trustworthy content, and E-A-T is a critical measure for deciding which websites to prioritize. Maintaining strong E-A-T can significantly improve your website's visibility in search results.
E - Expertise: Content should be created by experts in the field or industry relevant to the topic.
A - Authoritativeness: Your website should serve as a credible and reliable source of information. Linking to high-quality, authoritative websites can help establish this credibility.
T - Trustworthiness: The content must be accurate and trustworthy, which can be supported by fact-checking and citing reliable sources.
While including outbound links may pass some authority to other websites, linking to authoritative sources in your sector can validate your arguments and enhance your Google E-A-T. This practice ultimately improves your own website’s authority and credibility.
5. Optimize your images and media for SEO
When creating SEO content for a blog or website, the written content is just as important as the accompanying visual elements.
The inclusion and optimization of images play a crucial role in SEO content creation. Several factors impact how image content is indexed:
Image name: This is the most important factor, as the image's position depends on the keywords it includes. The name should be concise, include descriptive keywords, and use hyphens to separate words instead of determiners, prepositions, or conjunctions.
Image context: The text surrounding the image should naturally include the keywords mentioned in the file name, as well as related keywords and synonyms.
Title attribute: This attribute displays text when the cursor hovers over the image.
Alt attribute: This text is analyzed by Google to understand the image's content and is also read aloud by voice assistants. It should be under 100 characters, include the keyword, and make sense when read aloud.
Size: The image size should be less than 100 KB.
6. Incorporate tables, bullet points and ordered lists
As mentioned earlier, Google’s algorithms require information to be presented in a structured manner to quickly and accurately identify relevant content. This is why elements like tables, bullet points, and ordered lists are essential for SEO.
Tables: Use tables to organize data or comparisons clearly. This helps search engines understand relationships between elements and enhances readability for users.
Bullet points: Highlight key points or features using bullet points. This makes your content scannable, improving user experience and increasing the likelihood of appearing in featured snippets.
Ordered lists: When listing steps or ranking items, use ordered lists to provide clarity and logical progression. This is especially useful for how-to guides or top-ranking content.
By incorporating these elements, you can improve both the readability and the SEO performance of your content.
7. Use structured data to enhance search visibility
Structured data plays a pivotal role in helping search engines understand your content, enabling features like rich results, FAQs, ratings, and event details. By adding schema markup, you can provide extra information to Google, such as the author of an article and their expertise, enhancing credibility and authority within a specific field.
Additionally, structured data allows you to share helpful details like how long it takes to read a post or other contextual information that improves user experience. These enhancements not only make your content more appealing on search engine results pages but also boost its overall visibility and click-through rates.
What is the optimal content-length in SEO?
There is no strict rule regarding content length in SEO content creation. Since the ultimate goal of SEO is to provide users with the best possible answers to their queries, it’s impossible to declare that a blog post must have a specific word count. However, there are some general guidelines to optimize content effectively. Based on our experience:
Content under 600 words is often considered too short.
Posts exceeding 1,000 words tend to perform better in search rankings.
The text-to-HTML ratio (the balance between text and HTML code on a webpage) is an important metric to consider.
That said, longer content is not always better. What truly matters is providing valuable, relevant, and engaging content that meets the user’s needs. Focus on quality over quantity, ensuring the content is easy to read and enhances the overall user experience.
What is the optimal keyword density in SEO?
Keyword density is the percentage of times a keyword or phrase appears in relation to the total number of words on a webpage. In the past, some SEO practitioners would stuff their web pages with keywords in an effort to improve search engine rankings. This is known as "keyword stuffing" and was considered a black hat SEO tactic, so it can result in penalties.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for a keyword density of around 1-2%. This means that if a webpage has 1000 words, the targeted keyword should appear between 10 to 20 times.
It's also important to note that targeting a single keyword phrase too heavily can lead to over-optimization and decrease the readability of your content. Instead, consider using variations of your target keywords, including related phrases. This will make your content more natural, and will still allow your pages to rank for a variety of search queries.
Additionally, it's worth noting that Google and other search engines' algorithms are getting smarter day by day, so focus on relevance and user intent, instead of trying to manipulate the algorithm by keyword density.
The Influence of typography in SEO content creation
Some elements help capture attention and improve scannability.
Bold text <b>: Bold text is used to highlight phrases that might otherwise go unnoticed by readers. Regarding SEO, it has no relevance and it is recommended to use the <strong> tag instead.
Strong element <strong>: The strong tag is used to indicate to search engines that the text is relevant and has semantic importance.
Italics <i>: This tag is used for emphasis. Nevertheless, it has no actual impact on SEO and it is recommended to use the <em> tag instead..
Em element <em>: Used to emphasize and indicate search engines that a sentence has a different tone.
Underlined text <u>: Underlined text generates confusion, as it could be confused with links and harm the UX.
The importance of featured snippets in SEO content creation
Featured snippets, often referred to as "rank 0," are a crucial element of SEO content creation. They provide direct answers to users' specific queries, displaying the information prominently at the top of the search results.
According to a study by Ahrefs, featured snippets have an average click-through rate (CTR) of 8.6%, often capturing clicks from the first organic position. This makes securing rank 0 a highly valuable goal for any SEO strategy.
To increase the chances of appearing in featured snippets, consider the following:
Use questions as headings: Structure your content with headings that reflect commonly searched questions.
Provide clear and concise answers: Offer the most direct and comprehensive response within the content.
Emphasize the answer: Use formatting tools, such as the <strong> tag, to highlight key points and ensure the answer stands out.
By combining these practices with structured data implementation, you can significantly improve your content’s visibility and drive more traffic through featured snippets.
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating SEO-friendly content is more important than ever. By understanding the evolution of search engines and focusing on creating relevant, valuable content that caters to users' needs and intent, we can boost our website’s visibility, improve search rankings, and connect with the right audience.
Implementing strategies like topic clustering, optimizing for featured snippets, and leveraging structured data ensures that your content stands out in search results and provides a seamless user experience. As search engines continue to prioritize quality and relevance, investing time and effort into thoughtful SEO content creation will not only drive organic traffic but also establish your brand as an authority in its field.
