Content Optimization: 14 Effective Tactics for Better Results

What Is Content Optimization?

Content optimization is the process of improving and updating your website contented to guarantee it performs well.

The extremity of contented optimization is to support your contented fresh, accurate, and relevant, truthful it attracts much visitors and holds their interest.

By the extremity of this guide, you’ll cognize what you tin bash to heighten your contented to get much postulation and conversions.

Why Is Content Optimization Important?

Content optimization tin assistance your website look higher successful hunt engines and transportation users to instrumentality actions that enactment concern goals. 

If you optimize contented continuously, you tin support driving results agelong aft the contented was archetypal published.

For example, Semrush’s nonfiction connected nexus gathering was published successful December of 2022. And the nonfiction inactive gets astir 4.5K monthly website visitors, according to our Organic Research tool.

That’s due to the fact that it was updated some successful August of 2023 and successful April of 2024.

Some much circumstantial reasons you should put successful contented optimization see the following: 

• It tin amended hunt motor rankings. Optimizing your existing contented tin assistance it fertile higher connected search motor results pages (SERPs) for your people keywords.
• It tin summation website traffic. Higher rankings marque your contented much visible, which tin pb to much integrated visitors to your site. And they mightiness go leads oregon customers.
• It tin support hunt motor rankings implicit time. Regularly optimizing your contented with the latest insights tin assistance support oregon adjacent amended its hunt motor rankings.
• It tin assistance you execute a amended instrumentality connected concern (ROI). When selling budgets are tight, optimizing aged contented is faster and much cost-effective than creating caller content.

How to Optimize Content for SEO

Here’s a step-by-step usher to assistance you optimize your contented for SEO:

1. Optimize Your Content to Meet Search Intent

Search intent is what users are trying to execute erstwhile they participate a query successful hunt engines, and hunt engines similar Google privation to fulfill that intent. 

So, aligning your contented with what searchers are really looking for tin amended its chances of ranking higher connected results pages.

There are 4 types of hunt intent:

• Informational: The idiosyncratic is looking to larn much astir a topic 
• Transactional: The idiosyncratic is looking to marque a acquisition oregon implicit a transaction
• Navigational: The idiosyncratic wants to find a circumstantial website oregon page
• Commercial: The idiosyncratic is researching products oregon services to pass a decision

There are 2 ways to find hunt intent.

The archetypal mode is simple: execute a hunt and analyse the results.

Enter your query into the hunt motor you privation to fertile connected (e.g., Google) and look astatine the results.

For example, we entered “influencer selling tools.” 

As you tin spot from the titles, astir results absorption connected instrumentality lists and examination guides. Which means the keyword has commercialized and perchance informational intent. 

A quicker mode to find hunt intent is with Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool.

Search for your people keyword utilizing the tool. And look astatine the “Intent” container to find your keyword’s hunt intent.

For example, the intent for “influencer selling tools” is some commercialized and informational.

Now that you cognize your people keyword’s intent, marque definite your contented satisfies it.

For example, if your nonfiction targeting “influencer selling tools” focuses heavy connected explaining what these tools are, you whitethorn request to alteration your post’s structure. 

Also support successful caput that what ranks champion tin alteration implicit time. So, marque it a wont to regularly reappraisal the hunt intent of important keywords for your business. And tweak your contented to support it relevant.

2. Target Relevant Secondary Keywords

Target applicable secondary keywords by incorporating them people passim your station to amended your content’s imaginable reach.

Each station should people a primary keyword (the main keyword you privation to fertile for) and aggregate secondary keywords. 

After all, ranking good for multiple, related keywords tin let you to scope much radical and perchance summation your integrated traffic.

Chances are, you’re already ranking for aggregate secondary keywords. Since astir contented people ranks for much than 1 keyword.

But you tin instrumentality it a measurement further by beingintentional astir targeting secondary keywords with precocious postulation potential.

Here’s however to find secondary keywords with precocious postulation potential.

Use keyword probe tools similar Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool. 

To get started, motorboat the tool. And participate your superior keyword and click “Search.”

The instrumentality volition make a database of related keywords, on with cardinal metrics for each, specified as:

• Intent: The crushed down a search
• Volume: The mean fig of searches a keyword gets per month
• Keyword Difficulty (KD %): A people from 0 to 100 indicating however hard it is to fertile successful the apical 10 integrated hunt results

Find high-traffic secondary keywords utilizing the "Volume" filter. 

Click connected it and participate "1,000" successful the “To” tract to get a database of keywords with astatine slightest 1,000 searches per month. 

Then, prime "Apply."

The instrumentality volition past amusement lone keywords with volumes of astatine slightest 1,000. From there, manually reappraisal the database to find the astir applicable keywords to target.

Then, sprinkle your chosen secondary keywords passim the contented you privation to optimize. 

3. Make Sure Your Content Is Easy to Understand

Keep readers engaged by making definite your contented is skimmable, readable, and engaging.

Why?

Because astir readers scan. And whitethorn permission a leafage if it’s hard to get what they want. 

Here are immoderate ways to guarantee your contented is casual to digest:

• Use a wide heading structure. A well-organized heading operation tin amended the idiosyncratic acquisition andhelp hunt engines amended recognize your content. Break up your substance with headers similar H1, H2, and H3 to springiness your contented structure.
• Prioritize progressive voice. Write successful the progressive dependable for much clarity and flow. Instead of framing your condemnation arsenic “The keyword was searched for by the reader,” say, “The scholar searched for the keyword.”
• Apply the bottommost enactment up beforehand (BLUF) principle. This attack means presenting the astir important accusation first. Answer readers’ questions close astatine the opening of each conception to assistance them find the accusation they need.
• Use slug points. Bullet points assistance interruption up accusation and marque it easier to scan for cardinal details. 
• Incorporate visuals. Images, infographics, and charts assistance interruption up substance and marque accusation much digestible.
• Improve the communicative flow. This is the creaseless progression of ideas passim your content. Read your station aloud to drawback awkward phrasing, inconsistent rhythms, oregon immoderate pacing issues.

4. Keep Your Content Up to Date

Keeping your contented updated maintains accuracy, which tin assistance found you arsenic a reliable root of information.

For example, if you published a station astir influencer selling trends successful 2015, those trends are apt outdated. Updating the station with the latest trends for 2024 volition marque it much applicable and utile to readers.

Wondering however to find outdated content? 

Use Semrush’s Position Tracking tool. 

This instrumentality lets you show your rankings. 

A important driblet successful rankings tin beryllium an indicator that the contented is outdated.

Once you find pieces that person seen a dip successful rankings, update your contented to support it caller and relevant. 

Here are immoderate tips:

• Fix broken links that whitethorn negatively interaction the idiosyncratic experience
• Add caller internal links to different applicable pages connected your site
• Update oregon adhd visuals specified arsenic images, infographics, oregon charts
• Replace outdated accusation similar statistics, merchandise workflows, and examples

5. Optimize Your Content for On-Page SEO

On-page SEO involves making changes to your pages to amended their rankings.

For example, 3 important elements of on-page SEO are title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text.

Your rubric tag indicates what your main taxable is, portion your meta statement summarizes your leafage content. 

Alt substance describes an image, truthful hunt engines tin amended recognize images connected your page—and truthful those utilizing surface readers tin recognize what’s being shown.

For much on-page SEO recommendations, tally your tract done Semrush’s On Page SEO Checker.

The instrumentality volition make a database of actionable suggestions to amended your website’s on-page SEO.

First, participate the URLs you privation to optimize and the keywords you privation to fertile for. Then, click “Collect ideas.”

Once you’ve configured your project, spell to the “Optimization Ideas” tab. 

For each URL you’ve added, you’ll find ideas connected however to amended its on-page SEO. This tin scope from method fixes to contented improvements. 

Implement these recommendations to assistance these pages fertile higher successful hunt engines.

6. Optimize Your Page for SERP Features

SERP features are enhanced results connected Google’s hunt pages that spell beyond the accepted integrated listings—and ranking for them tin amended your hunt motor visibility. 

Some examples of SERP features see AI Overviews, featured snippets, section packs, People Also Ask, and cognition panels.

They look similar this connected the SERP:

First, find retired if your people keyword has immoderate SERP features. 

Enter it into the Keyword Overview tool. And scroll down the “SERP Analysis” conception to spot a database of ranking URLs. And which if immoderate SERP features look successful hunt results.

For example, the SERP for the keyword “what is hunt intent” has an AI Overview, a featured snippet, and a People Also Ask section.

Click connected the “View SERP” fastener to spot what the results look similar connected Google.

Next, optimize your contented for the SERP diagnostic you privation to fertile for.

For example, if your people keyword has a featured snippet, travel these champion practices to fertile for it:

• Use wide and concise language: Write successful a straightforward mode that straight answers the query. Avoid jargon and support your sentences concise.
• Add a summary box: Start your contented with a summary oregon reply to the query successful 40-60 words. Google often pulls snippet contented from these speedy summaries.
• Incorporate question-based headers: Format your headers (H2s and H3s) arsenic communal question-based queries. For example, if your people keyword is “what is hunt intent,” usage that nonstop keyword arsenic a header to assistance Google place applicable sections for snippets.

Read our usher connected how to optimize for SERP features to larn more.

Using semantically related keywords (terms that are conceptually linked to your main topic) successful your contented signals to hunt engines you’ve covered the taxable comprehensively, which increases your chances of ranking higher successful hunt results.

For example, if your people keyword is "how to turn tomatoes," semantically related keywords mightiness see "organic gardening," "best ungraded for tomatoes," and "tomato works care."

Use Semrush’s SEO Content Template to easy find semantically related keywords for your content.

Enter your people keyword and prime your country. Then, click “Create contented template.”

The instrumentality volition analyse the apical 10 Google results to supply a database of semantic keywords.

These aren’t the nonstop keywords you privation to fertile for, but they’re conceptually linked. So, incorporating these into your contented tin assistance you vie much efficaciously with your competitors.

8. Optimize Visual Content

Using visuals similar images and videos tin marque your contented much engaging due to the fact that they interruption up substance and marque analyzable accusation easier to understand.

But they’re lone effectual if they’re decently optimized.

If your visuals are excessively dense and dilatory down your page's loading clip oregon aren’t accessible, they tin wounded the idiosyncratic acquisition alternatively than amended it.

Here are a fewer representation optimization tactics to consider: 

• Add alt substance to images: Include applicable keywords wherever it makes sense, but support the statement natural. For example, “Brown canine jumping implicit a achromatic obstruction successful a grassy field.”
• Compress record sizes to amended loading times: Use tools similar TinyPNG oregon JPEG Optimizer to trim record sizes without losing quality.
• Use descriptive record names that see keywords: Instead of generic record names similar “image123.jpg,” rename your files utilizing descriptive names that see your people keywords. For example, “seo-strategy-guide.jpg.” 
• Provide captions oregon a transcript (for videos): This makes the contented accessible to much users and helps hunt engines recognize what the video is about

Further reading: Image SEO: How to Optimize Images for Search Engines & Users

9. Satisfy Google’s E-E-A-T Guidelines

Google aims to prioritize contented that demonstrates the Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) framework.

Here’s however to optimize contented for E-E-A-T:

Include Author and Contributor Bios 

Hire writers and squad members with manufacture acquisition and showcase that utilizing bio pages.

Consider including years of acquisition (e.g., 10). And successful what tract the contributor specializes successful (e.g., contented selling and SEO). 

This shows the assemblage the writer has the acquisition and expertise to backmost up their statements. 

Include Expert Insight

Interview taxable substance experts and usage their quotes to adhd worth and insights to your content—or see experts successful the reappraisal process. 

Like this Semrush blog post:

Use Credible Sources

Back up statements and statistic with reliable probe and reputable sources. 

And beryllium definite to nexus to authoritative sources like:

• Industry-specific websites and blogs
• Academic journals and probe papers
• Government publications and reports
• Trusted quality outlets

10. Cover the Topic Comprehensively

Including each important ideas gives readers a implicit knowing of the taxable and reduces the likelihood of readers going backmost to hunt engines for much information.

It whitethorn besides awesome to hunt engines similar Google that your leafage afloat satisfies the user's hunt intent, which tin summation its chances of ranking higher successful hunt results.

What should you adhd to your content?

Start with a SERP analysis, which involves examining what your competitors person already covered. So you tin place immoderate subtopics top-ranking pages code that you don’t. 

Use Semrush’s Keyword Overview instrumentality to execute a SERP analysis. 

Launch the tool, participate your people keyword, and prime a country. Then, click “Search.” 

Scroll to the bottommost to find the SERP investigation tab. Here, you’ll spot the top-ranking pages for the determination you’ve set, on with postulation data, the fig of backlinks, and different metrics.

Once you person this information, sojourn these top-ranking pages 1 by 1 and manually analyse their content. 

Look for circumstantial details like:

• Subtopics: What are your competitors covering that you haven’t? Are determination areas wherever their contented goes deeper, oregon are determination missed opportunities you tin capitalize on?
• Use of visuals: How galore images, charts, oregon videos bash they see successful their posts? 

But spell beyond simply replicating what's already ranking successful the SERPs. Because offering unsocial contented volition acceptable you isolated from your competitors.

Here are immoderate tips:

• Offer a caller perspective: Instead of rehashing the aforesaid points, supply a caller space oregon idiosyncratic insights that springiness readers thing different
• Include unsocial examples: Present real-world examples that haven’t been wide covered

11. Include Original Research

Original probe is unsocial information that comes straight from your institution and can't beryllium recovered elsewhere—and publishing it tin pb to backlinks (links connected different sites to yours) that boost SEO.

This includes survey results, lawsuit studies, and platform-specific data.

This benignant of probe makes your contented much link-worthy and shareable.

For example, Wistia published its State of Video report successful March 2024, which has earned much than 1K backlinks from implicit 460 referring domains.

Here are immoderate ways to see archetypal research:

• Surveys: Use online tools similar Google Forms oregon SurveyMonkey to cod responses from website visitors
• Interviews: Conduct one-on-one interviews with customers, manufacture experts, oregon employees to summation deeper insights
• Case studies: Share examples of lawsuit successes oregon challenges and however your merchandise oregon work helped
• Platform analytics: Analyze your platform's information to find absorbing trends

How to Optimize Content for Conversions

Optimizing your contented for conversions (desirable actions similar signing up for a newsletter oregon filling retired a interaction form) increases the chances they’ll instrumentality that desired adjacent step.

Here’s are a fewer ways to bash that:

12. Demonstrate the Value of Your Product oregon Service

Showing your merchandise oregon work successful enactment lets you show however it addresses the circumstantial situation readers whitethorn beryllium facing.

That tin promote them to marque a purchase—especially if they’re connected the cusp of making a decision.

For example, Semrush blog posts often incorporate workflows. These workflows amusement readers however Semrush tin tools to lick their problems.

Like this 1 showing readers however to find dependable hunt keywords utilizing Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.

However, it’s important not to overdo it. 

Only see these mentions wherever they people acceptable and genuinely lick readers’ problems. 

Including societal impervious similar lawsuit testimonials, occurrence stories, oregon lawsuit studies shows imaginable customers that others person had affirmative experiences with your merchandise oregon service, making them much apt to spot you.

For example, if you're penning astir the champion influencer selling campaigns, you could see a lawsuit survey showing however a marque utilized your influencer hunt bundle to find the close influencers. Followed by a testimonial from the customer. 

A lawsuit survey with a nonstop lawsuit punctuation tin power whether readers convert.

Insider seamlessly included five-star reviews successful the beneath blog post, which addresses a large symptom constituent for their people audience–MarTech implementation.

14. Use Calls to Action

A call to action (CTA) is simply a punctual that tells users what to bash next, and they tin summation the accidental of readers converting oregon taking the enactment you privation them to take.

Some examples of CTAs see “Sign Up Now,” “Contact Us,” and “Buy Now”—depending connected the desired action.

For example, this CTA connected the Semrush blog uses the CTA “Try for Free.” Along with substance that explains the benefits of signing up to effort One2Target.

Optimize Your Content to Get Better Results

Optimizing your existing contented tin amended its hunt motor show and thrust much conversions. 

The contented optimization techniques we’ve shared successful this station volition usher you successful the close direction. 

For adjacent amended results, brace them with Semrush tools. You tin try them for free.