3 SEO Optimisation Strategies: How to Use Them Effectively in Your Writing

In content writing, there are several SEO optimisation strategies.

You can call them “search engine optimisation strategies” or simply “SEO techniques.”

But in this article, you’ll learn:

• 3 strategies for optimising your article or blog post
• And how to apply them effectively (with examples).

But why optimise for SEO?

Optimising for SEO helps search engines find and rank your content.

Google is the most used search engine. It holds 90.01% of the global search engine market — with its closest rival, Bing, at 3.95% (StatCounter, 2024).

Google is the king of search engines.

So, optimising your article for SEO enables it to rank higher on Google.

And when it does, it attracts more organic search traffic (or visitors) to your content.

“Organic search is the #1 way people find website content.”

Here’s what the statistic says about organic search traffic:

53% of all website traffic comes from organic search (BrightEdge).

This means organic search is the #1 way people find website content.

Which means it brings more traffic to websites than paid search (15%), organic social (5%), and other ways (27%).

Away from the statistics

SEO is as important as ever — and it’s here to stay.

Now, here’s the deal:

SEO doesn’t guarantee page 1 ranking — it just increases your chances of achieving it.

So, how do you apply SEO to your content successfully?

How do you optimise content for SEO?

Here are 3 effective strategies:

• #1. Using relevant keywords
• #2. Creating meta descriptions
• #3. Using internal and external links.

With these SEO techniques, your content is more likely to:

• Rank higher on Google
• And attract relevant traffic.

So, let’s get into them.

#1. Using relevant keywords

Place relevant keywords in the title, headings, throughout the content, and meta description.

For example:

Let’s examine this article from Good Housekeeping about plants for air purification.

The article ranks #1 on page 1 of Google for the primary keyword, “air purifying plants.”

Now, see how the writers included the relevant keywords in the:

• Title (or headline)
• Headings
• Throughout the text (content)
• And meta description.

I. The title (or headline)

The title or headline is for reader engagement.

Recently, Backlinko analysed 11.8 million Google search results.

One key finding from the analysis is that there’s no real relationship between using a keyword in your title and getting a higher ranking on page 1 of Google.

Well, that’s interesting.

But including the main keyword in the title still has great advantages, like

• Helping Google understand the focus of the article

• And compelling your audience to click on the article when the title matches their search.

These advantages indirectly contribute to ranking.

So, how do you include keywords in your title effectively?

Here are 3 pro tips

(a.) Place the main keyword near the start of the title.

Example:

In the article about “air purifying plants,” the writers placed the keyword near the beginning of the title.

This assures the audience that the article is really about air-purifying plants.

As a result, they’ll likely click on it.

(b.) Don’t focus on just including the keyword.

The point is to ensure the title makes sense to people.

So, use punctuation marks like colons (:) or hyphens (-), where necessary, to make the title easier to read.

Example:

Instead of using the exact keyword, “air purifying plants,” the writers joined “air” and “purifying” with a hyphen.

This formed a compound adjective, “air-purifying,” that describes the noun, “plants.”

Remember: The goal is for the title to communicate what the content is about.

(c.) Use the H1 heading tag.

The title should appear as heading 1 (H1 ) on the page.

This doesn’t directly impact ranking.

But it improves user experience and content structure (which indirectly helps the article rank).

Now, let’s see the next place to include the primary keyword.

II. The headings

Use variations of the primary keyword in the headings to “remind” Google what your content is about.

Example:

Instead of using the exact primary keyword, “air purifying plants,” in the heading (H2), the writers used “plants purify air.”

Meanwhile, don’t stuff your headings with keywords — it’s bad for user experience.

Even if the keywords are variations of the primary keyword, the headings will be repetitive, unnatural, and out of context.

This is called keyword stuffing.

In Google’s own words, keyword stuffing is “filling a web page with keywords… to manipulate rankings in Google Search results.”

That’s spamming, essentially. And it is harmful because it disrupts normal communication and deceives readers.

So, don’t do it.

Instead, ensure your headings are readable and relevant to the content.

But how do you optimise your headings for readability and relevance?

Don’t worry. I’ll show you.

Here are 4 pro tips

(a.) Keep them concise and clear.

Make your headings easy to understand.

To achieve this, focus on short, direct phrases or sentences that clearly describe the content.

Example:

This article by Dalyn Business, “How to Price Your Products And Services Effectively for Profitability,” has clear and concise headings.

Clear headings make your content more accessible and engaging.

(b.) Align them with the topic.

Ensure your headings address what your audience is looking for.

Example:

If the topic is about “How to get rid of headaches naturally,” don’t have headings like:

• “Understanding the anatomy of headaches”

• “Different types of headaches and their symptoms.”

Here’s why:

The headings focus on “anatomy” and “symptoms,” respectively, rather than remedies.

So, they don’t meet the needs of the audience.

Instead, go with headings like:

• “Effective natural remedies for headaches”

• “Lifestyle changes that can prevent headaches naturally.”

These headings are relevant because they match what the audience is looking for.

(c.) Format them properly.

Heading tags (like H2, H3, H4, etc.) help Google figure out the structure and hierarchy of content on a page.

John Mueller, a Google Search Advocate, has also confirmed that headings help Google understand the different sections on a webpage.

This can influence how your article is indexed and ranked.

So, make your headings visually distinct by using:

• H2 for main headings — main sections of your content

• H3 for subheading — subsections under H2

• And H4-H6 for sub-subheadings — more detailed breakdowns under H3.

Doing so helps your content flow from topic to subtopics.

(d.) Don’t jump heading levels.

A weak content structure decreases audience engagement.

Don’t move from H2 to H4 without H3 — it weakens your content structure.

A weak content structure decreases audience engagement.

Why?

Most readers aren’t there for the details.

In fact, 81% of people don’t read online content word for word.

They just scroll through the headings to know if the content is worth reading.

If they find the heading structure confusing, they’ll exit your page.

III. Throughout the text (content)

Include the primary keyword or its variations throughout the content.

Example:

In our article example, the writers included the keyword variation, “air-purifying houseplants,” in the introduction.

This ensures the content aligns with the terms the audience is searching for.

But to maintain readability and user experience, use keywords naturally.

Doing so helps maintain keyword density which is how often a particular keyword appears in your content.

Finally, remember to avoid keyword stuffing.

It is detrimental to your content — Google will penalise it.

IV. The meta description

“A meta description is a snippet or summary of your content.”

Include the primary keyword in your meta description.

A meta description is a snippet or summary of your content.

It previews your content below the title in Google search results and makes people click on it.

Adding the primary keyword in your meta description shows your audience what the page is about.

When the keyword matches or relates to their search question, Google highlights it in the search results.

This can improve your click-through rate (CTR), as your audience will likely click on your article when it seems directly relevant to their search.

For instance:

The screenshot below shows that the writers included the primary keyword in the meta description.

But before worrying about including the primary keyword in your meta description, the question is:

How do you create a compelling meta description?

(Note: I’ve discussed this in detail in strategy #2 below.)

#2. Creating meta descriptions

Creating engaging meta descriptions motivates clicks from your target audience.

This is what Ahrefs says about meta descriptions:

“Meta descriptions aren’t a ranking factor, but they can entice more clicks — and that leads to more traffic.”

This means that while ranking high is important, the ultimate goal is to drive traffic to your content.

Meanwhile, some ranking articles don’t even get any traffic or visitors.

You don’t want your article to fall into that group.

So, create engaging meta descriptions to motivate clicks from your target audience.

How do you go about this?

How to write a great meta description

I. Focus on the search intent.

Summarise the key takeaways, unique aspects, or practical benefits of your content.

Ensure they align with what your audience is searching for (search intent).

Example:

Below is a meta description from SendPulse for the primary keyword, “What is a loyalty program?”

• “A loyalty program is a strategy in which a company provides its customers with rewards and discounts for being loyal.”

This example focuses on the search intent by answering the searcher’s question.

II. Include the primary keyword.

Include your primary keyword naturally to show the content is relevant to the audience.

A fantastic example is this meta description from TechRadar.

The web page ranks #1 on page 1 of Google for the primary keyword, “best student laptops.”

You can also see that the meta description includes the primary keyword.

Some articles rank higher on page 1 of Google without any keywords in the meta descriptions.

Look at this example from Dalyn Business.

The article ranks #4 on page 1 of Google for the primary keyword, “How to price your products and services.”

Look at the screenshot again (below).

The primary keyword is missing in the meta description.

Also, notice that the meta description has no related or relevant keyword.

Here’s the reason for that:

When your meta description does not accurately reflect your page’s content, Google automatically uses the content that best describes the page as the snippet.

As simple as that.

III. Include a call-to-action (CTA).

Use words and phrases like “Learn,” “Discover,” “Get started,” or “Find out.”

These words are engaging and can encourage your audience to click and read your content.

Here’s an example:

The use of active language in this example encourages clicks.

IV. Be concise.

Your meta descriptions should be between 120 and 150 characters.

(Note: Characters, not words.)

Why?

Google can only show about that number of characters in the search results.

Example:

This meta description by Cleanneat is more than 150 characters.

That is why Google cut it short.

So, stay within the recommended character limit when creating yours.

AI tools, like Dashword, can help you generate good meta descriptions.

The result?

You can refine the ideas you generate following the above tips.

For more examples of meta descriptions, search for any keyword on Google and see the ones in the search results.

#3. Using internal and external links

Use internal and external links in your content.

“Interlinking keeps readers on the website longer by directing them to other relevant content on it.”

Let’s look into how they work and how you can apply them.

I. Internal links

Internal or inbound links are hyperlinks that connect one page on a website to another page on the same website.

They help your audience go through the website and allow Google to discover and index all pages on the website.

Internal linking or interlinking keeps readers on the website longer by directing them to other relevant content on it.

The question is: How do you use internal links?

Here are 3 steps to follow

(a.) Identify relevant content on your site.

On your website, look for articles, guides, or blog posts related to the topic of your current article.

Example:

I was writing this current article about “SEO optimisation strategies” to publish on my website.

When I remembered I’d published a related (relevant) article on the website, I interlinked the 2 articles.

The screenshot below shows the page I linked to.

(By the way, that’s the introduction to this article.)

So, linking to that page on my website

• Helps Google understand the structure of my website

• Encourages you, my audience, to click on it to learn about the related article — content writing

• And increases the length of time you spend on my website.

(b.) Use descriptive anchor text.

Use descriptive anchor text (the clickable text) that includes keywords related to the content you’re linking to.

Example:

Don’t hyperlink “click here” as I wrongly did.

Instead, use anchor text like “how to edit your own writing.”

The descriptive anchor clearly and concisely describes the linked content (destination page).

This helps the audience decide whether to click or not.

(c.) Place internal links naturally within your article.

Add them where your audience may want to learn more or need additional context.

Look at this inbound link I included in my article on content writing.

Then, consider how encouraging it is for anyone who wants to learn more.

The guide provides more details about writing your first draft — since I only listed the steps in the article.

So, it’s easy for them to check out the linked guide.

II. External links

External or outbound links are hyperlinks that lead visitors from one website to a different website or online resources like social media.

They provide your audience with useful, related resources and signal to Google that your content is well-researched, credible, and part of a broader, informative network.

Now, how do you use external links in your writing?

Here are 3 steps to follow

(a.) Choose credible sources.

Find and use external links to authoritative sites like academic journals, news sites, or recognised industry leaders.

In Step #2 of this article, I linked to a credible external source from Google — Google Search Central.

I linked to the source because I wanted to back up my points about creating accurate meta descriptions.

This adds authority and trustworthiness to my content as my audience can visit the source to learn more.

What’s more?

It also tells Google that I’m sharing valuable and well-researched information.

Remember: Don’t link to your direct competitors or low-quality websites or sources. Either way, you’ll lose your traffic.

(b.) Use anchor text strategically.

Use descriptive anchor text that accurately describes the content of the external page.

Example:

If you’re linking to a trend report, don’t use just “source.”

Instead, use “statistics on organic searches.”

When you use anchor text strategically like this, your audience and Google will understand the context and relevance of the link.

(c.) Set external links to open in a new tab.

On WordPress or your content management system (CMS), set all external links to open in a new tab.

This ensures the links open in a different tab, so readers won’t need to leave your site entirely when they click on the external link.

Finally

By using these SEO techniques, Google can rank your content higher.

When it does, it’s easier for people to find your articles on page 1 of Google.

This, in turn, helps drive more traffic to your content.

I would love to hear from you

I hope you enjoyed reading this article.

What do you think about it? And what strategy or tip interested you the most?

Have any questions for me?

Let me know in the comments now.

Take the next step to start content writing NOW!

If you want personal mentorship, talk with me or send me your questions and concerns here:

• simplymoses25[at]gmail[dot]com (simplymoses25@gmail.com).

Be assured I’ll respond to you within 12 hours.