The Complete SEO Copywriting Checklist to Rank #1 on Google

You’re probably wondering why you even need an SEO copywriting checklist. Can’t you write however you want? Not quite.

SEO copywriting is about crafting content that ranks high on Google. It answers people’s questions, provides valuable information, and abides by Google’s best practices. The result? More organic traffic, leads, and sales.

For businesses that need organic visitors to make a profit, an SEO checklist isn’t optional. It’s the real deal. Here’s the complete SEO copywriting checklist you need to rank number #1 on Google.

Keywords are the words or phrases people type into Google when searching for information. Keyword research is all about finding the best ones.

Use tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs or free options like Backlinko. I used SEMRush to find keywords for this article. Here’s how you can do the same:

Visit the SEMRush Keyword Research tool.

Enter the seed keyword and click search.

View the stats and review the suggested keywords.

Look for longer keywords with low difficulty or competition of 30% or less (not many pages are ranking for this).

A decent monthly traffic of at least 100 (enough people are looking for this).

Prioritizing keywords with low competition and high volume increases your chances of ranking.

Once you have your keywords, type it into the search bar. Next, study the top three ranking articles to discover what questions they answer, the gaps in their content, and how you can create something better.

Search intent is what your readers expect from an article. To discover this, study the top articles on the results page and discover which one of these categories they fall under.

Informational: The user wants to learn something. (e.g., “What is SEO Copywriting?”)

Navigational: The user is looking for a particular website. (e.g. Lead Nicely)

Transactional: This user wants to purchase or sign up for a product. (e.g., “HR software pricing”

Commercial: This user is just researching different products or services. (e.g., “Best Content Marketing Agencies in Texas”)

If the top-ranking pages are all informational, focus on education, not a sales pitch.

To stand out, don’t just rely on existing Google results. You need to cast a wider net. So, listen to podcasts on Spotify, watch YouTube videos, read industry blog posts, and interview subject matter experts to get fresh ideas to make your content unique.

Drafting an outline will guide your writing process and help you stay on track. You can use ChatGPT to do this.

Copy the URL of a top-ranking page.

Visit ChatGPT or any AI tool of your choice.

Ask ChatGPT to draft a detailed outline that can help you write something better.

Customize and improve it based on your research.

This is the title that appears on the results page. For better ranking, place your keywords in the first few words. Also, ensure it’s not longer than 50 to 60 characters, or Google will cut off the rest.

Some best practices for writing titles that attract attention are:

Address the problem and suggest that you have the answers.

Use emotional words and strong adjectives like “free,” “ultimate,” or “best” to capture attention.

Make your title short and precise.

Keep your meta description between 150 and 160 characters to prevent Google from clipping it. Remember to include your keywords in the first few words as well.

URLs should include keywords only. Before hitting publish, edit out all the other strings of text. Do not include numbers or dates so you don’t have to change the URL when you update the article later. Keep in mind that changing the URL can affect rankings.

Include headings and subheadings in your article to help Google understand what it is about. Depending on the length and depth of your content, have one H1 tag or headline and then several H2s and H3s, which are the subheadings.

Your introduction should mention your readers’ challenges and position your content as the solution. One way of doing this is with the PAS copywriting method—problem, agitation, and solution.

First, address the problem that your readers have.

Next, agitate it by emphasizing the seriousness of the issue and why they need a solution fast.

Finally, let them know you’ll provide that solution in your article.

Now, you have a compelling introduction!

Don’t bore your readers with walls of text, complex structures, or words that’ll send them off your page to the nearest dictionary. We want readers to enjoy our articles, stay longer on our site, and interact with the products we have to sell. So, here’s how to do this:

Use bullet points to list items and make them more accessible.

Break large paragraphs and long sentences in half.

Keep white space between paragraphs to make your content easy on the eyes. No one likes the sight of a heavy paragraph.

Use simple words, and write like you’re talking to a friend.

Write more in active voice and less in passive.

Use contractions like “can’t,” “won’t,” or “isn’t” to make your content sound natural.

You should also make sure there’s no duplicate content. Duplicate content occurs when multiple pages on your blog target one particular keyword, making it difficult for either to rank well. To improve rankings, ensure no two pages target the same keyword.

Google has updated its algorithm to only rank content humans enjoy. When writing, don’t use the target keyword repeatedly. Include keywords naturally, and alternate with variants or synonyms so your piece is pleasant to read. Here’s an example of a keyword-stuffed paragraph so you know what to avoid.

Add links to sources when you cite them. It helps Google and users know that your content is thoroughly researched. You can also link to other pages on your website to connect your blog articles. When linking internally, include anchor texts that clearly describe what the linked page is about.

Using multimedia helps boost engagement. While breaking lengthy texts into smaller paragraphs, remember to include images, GIFs, and videos to engage your audience. Nothing is more entertaining than a meme of a smiling puppy, so don’t hesitate to incorporate funny elements into your content where it makes sense.

Add a short description called alternative texts to your multimedia to make them readable to Google. This description should also include your target keyword. Adding alt text also makes your content accessible to braille readers.

Finally, edit your content for a better reading experience. We don’t want readers tripping over misspelled words, poorly structured paragraphs, or sentences that don’t flow right.

First, read your content out loud to spot errors and areas that need clarity. Use tools like Hemingway, Wordtune, or Grammarly to edit your work. Finally, read it out loud again to catch any other issues that could ruin the readers’ experience.

What is the ideal keyword density for SEO copywriting?

How long should an SEO-optimized blog post be?

Does SEO copywriting help with ranking on Google?

SEO writing is all about creating website content that Google and people appreciate. An SEO copywriting checklist helps you keep track of all the elements your content needs to achieve that. Make sure you also check out our SEO checklist.