I think one of the biggest mistakes in SEO content writing is treating a keyword as the entire strategy. Finding a relevant keyword is important, of course. But knowing what people search for is only the first step. You also need to understand why they're searching. Here's my go-to approach for turning a keyword into a useful article outline: - Identify the search intent. Is the reader looking for information, comparing options, or ready to take action? - Find the main question. What does the reader actually want to know? - Organize relevant subtopics. What information would help them understand the subject fully? - Build descriptive headings. Use clear H2s and H3s that guide the reader through the article naturally. The keyword should help shape the content, not dictate every sentence. Good SEO article writing is about creating content that matches search intent, answers questions clearly, and provides genuine value. Because ranking is great, we all agree on that, but being the answer someone was looking for is even better. When you plan an SEO blog article, do you start with the keyword or the search intent?

100% — Keyword is the topic, intent is the strategy.

I work with Illinois restaurants on Local SEO and the same keyword "restaurant near me" has 3 intents: hungry now, comparing, planning. Writing one article for all 3 = 0 bookings.

I always start with intent, then pick the keyword to match it. You?

Your feature sounds impressive... So what? I think this is one of the most useful questions in copywriting. It's easy to describe what a product does. The real challenge is explaining why it matters to the person reading your copy. Let's say you're writing for a SaaS platform: Feature: “Our platform offers automated reporting.” So what? "It reduces the time spent compiling data manually."

So what? "Your team spends less time building reports and more time making decisions." Now we're getting somewhere. This is the “So what?” test: a simple copywriting exercise that helps you move from product features to meaningful customer benefits. But a feature isn't useless copy. Features can be important, especially in SaaS, where buyers need to understand what a product actually does. But without explaining the value behind them, your messaging may leave readers doing the work of connecting the dots. Good copywriting makes that connection clear. Don't just tell people what your product can do. Show them why it matters. Next time you write a feature statement, ask yourself: “So what?” Would your answer make your audience care?