SEO

Long-tail keyword reaearch is the secret weapon of successful SEO strategies, offering a powerful way to attract highly targeted traffic to your website. Did you know that 70% of all search queries are long-tail keywords? This staggering statistic highlights their importance in today’s digital landscape.

Understanding Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are specific, often longer phrases that users type into the search box when looking for precise information or products. These phrases typically consist of three or more words and are more specific than short keywords.

For example, instead of “shoes,” a user might search for “women’s comfortable running shoes for flat feet.” Long-tail keywords are specific and may have lower search volume and often lower competition than broader, more generic terms.

That makes them perfect for niche long-tail keyword research, targeting specific customer segments with low-competition keywords.

Long tail keywords are easy to rank in SERPs. Some of my posts rank page one or #1 within hours, thanks to keyword mapping strategies and using long-tail keyword research tools.

What’s The Difference Between Long-Tail And Short-Tail Keywords?

When comparing long-tail keywords to short-tail keywords, the differences become apparent.

Short-tail keywords are usually one or two words long and have high search volumes. They’re often more competitive and, therefore, more challenging to rank for. For instance, “digital camera” is a short-tail keyword. In contrast, long-tail keywords like “best digital camera for wildlife photography under $500” are much more specific and targeted because of user intent matching.

Although long-tail keywords may typically have lower search volumes individually, they collectively make up most search queries, so content marketing strategies focusing on them are key for success.

The Benefits of Long-Tail Keywords

The benefits of long-tail keyword research for SEO and conversion rates are significant. First, they often have less competition, making ranking your content easier with keyword difficulty scores and search engine results page (SERP) features.

This increased visibility can lead to more organic traffic to your website. Additionally, long-tail keywords typically have higher conversion rates because they capture users with specific intent who are often further along in the buying process. When someone searches for a precise term, they’re more likely to find what they’re looking for, increasing the chances of conversion.

Moreover, long-tail keywords align closely with voice search queries. These are becoming increasingly common with the rise of digital assistants and should be something to target when writing blog posts.

Voice search queries provide valuable insights into user intent, a vital element of SEO success. These insights help you to write targeted and relevant content. Adding long-tail keyword research to your SEO strategy can attract organic and qualified traffic and improve your search rankings. In addition, they can drive better results for your business.

Keyword Research Tools

Keyword research tools are invaluable for finding effective long-tail keywords. While primarily designed for PPC campaigns, Google Keyword Planner offers insights into search volumes for long-tail search phrases and competition levels for various keywords. It’s a great starting point for discovering potential long-tail variations of your main keywords.

More advanced tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush are great for long-tail keyword research and provide even deeper insights, including latent semantic indexing (LSI) and keyword clustering techniques to refine your long-tail keyword strategy.

These platforms offer features such as keyword difficulty scores, SERP analysis, and content gap analysis. They can help you find long-tail keywords for which your competitors are ranking. In addition, you can identify untapped opportunities in your niche.

Note: I don’t use expensive SEO software. Ubersuggest is free, and although it is limited compared to software like Ahrefs, you get a lot with a free account, including website analytics, competitor analysis and SEO opportunities.

Another great free source for user intent-based long-tail searches is Answer the Public, which helps you discover long-tail keywords based on user search behaviour.

When using these tools, focus on phrases with lower search volumes and competition, as these often represent the most valuable long-tail keywords. Remember to export and organise your findings, creating a comprehensive list of potential long-tail keywords to target in your content strategy.

Read: 15 Common SEO Mistakes Beginners Make & How to Avoid Them

Analysing Search Intent and User Behaviour

Analysing search intent and user behaviour is crucial in identifying effective long-tail keywords. Search intent is the purpose behind what someone searches for. They might be looking to learn something, make a purchase, or find a specific website. By understanding the intent behind searches related to your industry, you can tailor your long-tail keyword strategy to match user needs.

Study your target audience’s online behaviour, including their language in forums, social media, and product reviews. This exercise can reveal natural long-tail phrases they will likely use in searches, allowing for better audience targeting with keywords. Additionally, examine your website’s analytics and note which posts and pages bring the most traffic to your site.

You can often expand these into valuable long-tail variations. Pay attention to metrics like bounce rate and time on the page to gauge how well your content meets user intent, and adjust your long-tail keyword strategy accordingly.

Leveraging Google Suggest and “People Also Ask” Sections

Leveraging Google Suggest and “People Also Ask” sections for long-tail keyword ideas. As you type a query into Google’s search bar, the autocomplete suggestions often contain excellent long-tail keyword opportunities. These suggestions are real searches people make, giving insight into how your audience phrases their queries.

Try entering your main keywords followed by each letter of the alphabet to uncover a wide range of long-tail variations. Similarly, the “People Also Ask” boxes in search results offer a wealth of question-based long-tail keywords. These questions represent topics users actively seek information about, making them prime candidates for content creation.

By adding these questions and their answers to your content, you can target precise long-tail searches and potentially earn featured snippets in search results. I often add these as FAQs to my blog posts.

Implementing Long-Tail Keywords in Your Content

On-Page Optimisation Strategies

On-page optimisation is crucial for effectively implementing long-tail keywords in your content. Start by adding your chosen long-tail keyword to your page title, ensuring it appears naturally and is close to the beginning. That helps the search engines understand your content’s focus quickly.

My blog posts have ranked without the long-tail keyword at the beginning, but I always try to use it as the first aspect these days.

Add the long-tail keyword in your meta description, too. Make it compelling to encourage clicks from the search results page. That said, you may notice that Google often doesn’t use meta descriptions but pulls a paragraph from the post. Don’t let that make you lazy. These meta-descriptions count.

Within your content, use the long-tail keyword in the first paragraph, preferably in the opening sentence, to immediately signal relevance to both readers and search engines.

Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content. Add long-tailed keyword synonyms where appropriate (ChatGPT is brilliant for generating titles with keyword synonyms). That improves readability. In addition, it helps search engine bots understand your content hierarchy.

Don’t forget to optimise your URL structure (slug), including the long-tail keyword if possible, while keeping it concise and user-friendly. In addition, add alt text for images to describe them accurately. Use long-tail keyword synonyms when relevant to the image content.

Creating Targeted Content Around Long-Tail Phrases

Creating targeted content around long-tail phrases involves developing comprehensive, in-depth articles or pages that thoroughly address the specific query represented by the long-tail keyword.

Start by researching the topic extensively to ensure you can provide valuable, authoritative information. Consider the search intent behind the long-tail keyword and structure your content to meet that intent, whether it’s informational, transactional, or navigational. Develop a detailed outline that covers all aspects of the topic, using related long-tail keywords as subheadings to create a logical flow.

When writing, focus on providing helpful, actionable information that directly answers the user’s query. Include relevant examples, case studies, or data that supports your points if you want to add credibility to your content. Consider creating supplementary content such as infographics, videos, or downloadable resources that complement your main text and provide additional value to users searching for that specific long-tail phrase.

Balancing Keyword Usage And Natural Language

Balancing keyword usage and natural language is essential for writing content that appeals to search engines and human readers.

Read: 7 Types of Blog Content That Google Loves

While it’s essential to include long-tail keywords, avoid going wild with numbers to the point of keyword stuffing. Too many make it “sticky” to read and may affect SEO. Instead, intersperse long-tail keywords naturally within your content’s sentence structure.

Use semantic SEO techniques by integrating terms and phrases conceptually related to your main long-tail keyword. That helps create a comprehensive piece of content that covers the topic thoroughly. When writing, prioritise clarity and user experience over keyword density. If you use the Yoast plugin, that counts as the readability assessment.

Use transitions and connective phrases to ensure your content reads smoothly, even when incorporating long-tail keywords. Remember that modern search engines use advanced natural language processing, so focus on creating high-quality, informative content that genuinely addresses the user’s query rather than simply repeating keywords. By striking this balance, you’ll create content that ranks well in SERPs and provides value to your readers.

Measuring Long-Tail Keyword Performance

If you don’t analyse your keyword performance, how do you know what content to write that performs? It took me a bloody long time to work this out. I used to write blogs for the sake of it. Doh! Now, every post I write has a purpose. If it doesn’t, I don’t write it.

Key Metrics To Track (Rankings, Traffic, Conversions)

Tracking key metrics is essential. How else can you monitor the effectiveness of your long-tail keyword strategy. Start by monitoring your rankings for targeted long-tail keywords. While ranking first is ideal, appearing on the first page of search results can still drive significant traffic. Use rank-tracking tools like Google Console to observe how your positions change over time for each long-tail keyword.

I can’t make head nor tail of Google Analytics since they switched to G4. It was so simple to understand, but now it’s gobbledegook. I use Google Console and Ubersuggest.

Next, analyse organic traffic from these keywords. Look at metrics such as the number of visitors, page views, and time on the page to gauge user engagement. Pay special attention to the bounce rate; a low bounce rate indicates that your content meets the searcher’s intent.

By focusing on these key metrics – rankings, traffic, and conversions – you’ll understand how your long-tail keyword strategy performs and where you can optimise opportunities.

Tools For Monitoring Long-Tail Keyword Success

There are multiple tools to help you monitor the success of your long-tail keyword strategy. Google Search Console is an easy-to-use online tool that provides insights into your website’s overall search performance.

It shows which queries drive traffic to your site, including long-tail phrases you might not have explicitly targeted. Use its performance report to see your long-tail keywords’ impressions, clicks, and average position.

Google Analytics complements this by offering detailed data on user behaviour once they reach your site from these searches. Consider paid tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz Pro for more advanced tracking for long-tail keyword research and more.

These platforms offer comprehensive keyword-tracking features, allowing you to monitor rankings across multiple search engines and locations. They also provide competitive analysis tools to see how your long-tail keyword performance compares to your competitors.

If you can’t be arsed to do all the work finding long-tail keywords, consider using SurferSEO. I’ve used this software for SEO for client work. It creates an intensive list of keywords and synonyms, suggests article length, how many images and a lot more. Yes, it’s a monthly expense but, if you want o save time and get your content ranked, SurferSEO is a fantastic SEO tool.

Adjusting Your Strategy Based On Data Insights

The true power of measuring long-tail keyword performance lies in using the data to refine and improve your strategy. Monitor performance metrics to identify trends and patterns. If specific long-tail keywords perform exceptionally well, consider creating more content around related topics or expanding on the existing content to capture even more search traffic.

For example, one of my recent posts gets four times more clicks than the other top long-tailed keywords, so I’m digging down into that area of focus.

Conversely, for underperforming keywords, analyse potential reasons for poor performance. That might involve improving on-page SEO elements, enhancing content quality, or reassessing the search intent behind those keywords.

Use conversion data to prioritise your efforts, focusing on long-tail keywords that not only drive traffic but also lead to meaningful actions on your site.

If you notice that some long-tail keywords drive traffic but not conversions, review the content to check it aligns with user intent and includes clear calls to action. Play around with different content formats or page layouts to improve performance.

Remember that search trends and algorithms are constantly evolving, so regular analysis and adjustment of your long-tail keyword research strategy is crucial. Don’t be afraid to pivot your approach based on new data insights. By continually refining your long-tail keyword research strategy, you can maximise its effectiveness and drive sustainable growth in your organic search performance.

Conclusion

Correctly researched long-tail keywords can significantly enhance your SEO efforts and drive more qualified site traffic. If you adopt the long-tail keyword research strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to find and use long-tail keywords effectively. Start incorporating these valuable phrases into your content strategy today and watch your organic search performance soar!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you sign up for a program or make a purchase using my link.

Google Updates – are they killing your blog?

Since the “Helpful” Content update in September 2022, Google began increasing the update frequency.

We all thought it was a blip and, in time, would sort itself out, but it caused many websites to decline to the point that people gave up.

The August (2024) update caused significant volatility 😒

Initially, there were huge spikes, and everyone got excited their website had taken off.

“Order the yacht, Sammy.”

“Yes, sir, shall I book the Bentley, too?”

Then, traffic plunged like a big fat fish off Niagra Falls.

Dismally, we all watched our hard-earned traffic descending faster than the speed of a politician submitting their monthly expenses.

Now, it’s like Google can’t make its mind up.

Even the “experts” are expressing dismay.

Read:  ChatGPT Prompts for SEO: An Effective Way to Rank Content

What the Heck Does Google Want?

The truth is that what Google tells us it wants is often the furthest from what it actually wants.

SEO experts like me can handle that, just about. But if you have limited SEO experience and keep doing the same things, getting your blog content to rank is becoming more challenging.

It’s a hard enough job for bloggers to keep coming up with fresh ideas, researching evergreen topics, keyword research, semantics, images, publishing and updating aged content.

Then Google updates undo your hard work. Google repeatedly twiddles with the algorithms, so everybody gets confused about how to get their bloody content to rank.

I’m an SEO writer. I know the types of content that google loves, regardless of the updates.

My content ranks on featured snippets & page one. Still, from the last few updates, I began thinking Google might not be a reliable source of traffic long-term.

In addition, the new AI feature that gives you an instant answer is not half bad.

I’m ashamed to admit that I use this AI feature for snippets of information I need or to help formulate a paragraph when my brain refuses to cooperate.

And I bet I’m not alone.

I began exploring additional search engines and focused on Pinterest.

I took two courses on Pinterest marketing, SEO & pin design.

Start A Pinterest Marketing Strategy

Pinterest is a search engine – it’s a slow burn but 100% worth the effort.

6-12 months of consistent pinning & you’ll have a solid traffic source.

Many people I talk to on IG Threads make a full-time income from a Pinterest strategy.

It will 100% send traffic to your website if you curate blog posts or YouTube content that address your audience’s problems.

I curate every blog post I write by pinning it on Pinterest.

My enthusiasm for Pinterest, led me to make a couple of simple mistakes in June and lost my first Pinterest account ☹. I was heartbroken when Pinterest deactivated my account. I’d spent months building it up, and I was at 9k monthly views and getting outbound links and saves.

It’s impossible to speak with a human on Pinterest. When you submit appeals, the responses come from a bot. The challenge is you can’t get into your Pinterest account to correct the mistakes.

I made four appeals. Nothing worked. So, I opened a new account.

Before opening a Pinterest account, please read the article about my Pinterest suspension, what I did wrong and what we should do. The post has the link to Pinterest Community Guidelines, which I suggest you read before pinning.

When you’re ready to get started, I have a low-cost offer for 60 Pinterest pin templates. These are based on the training I did on the Pinterest pin design course.

I also recommend a couple of free Pinterest courses.

Make YouTube Your Third Traffic Source

YouTube is another powerful search engine, and it’s entirely possible to succeed with a faceless account.

Curate your blog content to YouTube because Google is big into video.

That’s my intention when I can get over my procrastination hump.

Take your top-performing blog content – page one ranking and snippets – and create video content. Check the top videos on Google and create better content.

Read: Profitable YouTube Niches: 17 Best Income-Earners

If you don’t have articles ranking on page one, check what position they rank and select the ones highest. Open a free Ubersuggest account to check these statistics.

Use SEO keywords in the YouTube descriptions and add your website link so people can read the article if they wish. That acts as a powerful backlink for your website.

Read: Profitable Faceless YouTube Ideas: 7 Amazing Opportunities

Social Media Marketing vs Search Engine Marketing

I’m implementing a social media marketing strategy, working through Catalyst Collective, an Instagram business growth program with an ex-Meta executive.

The training is fantastic for any business that wants to grow from social media marketing. Still, my long-term goal is to focus 85% on search engine marketing.

Search engine marketing is less stressful & time-consuming. Plus, if you use the 3-pronged approach I suggest, you can create a consistent, long-term source of income.

I started social media marketing during April 24. Honestly, it’s been a vertical learning curve. I understand platforms like LinkedIn, but TikTok – a virtual lunatic asylum – and Instagram baffled me, especially Instagram Stories.

The algorithms change so frequently on these platforms that nobody can keep up.

Instagram randomly bans hashtags but doesn’t tell you about it. You suddenly get an account restriction or ban. Check MetaHashTags to find banned tags. For instance, “make money online” is a banned hashtag.

A gazillion people on Instagram are pushing the “make money online” business, so that’s tricky.

Read: Tips for YouTube Growth: How Top YouTubers Succeed

Conclusion

Every business relies on a regular traffic source. If nobody is viewing your website, making a consistent income is tricky.

Google updates will continue to disrupt traffic. That’s a given.

Get your own back on Google by building a Pinterest and YouTube strategy. Both platforms will drive traffic to your website and help push your content higher.

In addition, you can eventually monetise your YouTube channel and promote digital products, courses, memberships, affiliate products and more on top of money from ad revenue.

Start now, build and scale and within 12 months, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner.

I wish I’d started years ago.

ChatGPT prompts for SEO blog writing save me hours of work each week. Where I used to spend considerable time researching keywords and semantics, I now use generative AI like ChatGPT and Claude AI.

The best ChatGPT prompts for SEO I’m sharing today is only two sentences, but the results you will get from it are spectacular.

Most new bloggers want to know how to use ChatGPT for SEO keyword research. After all, the generative AI doesn’t connect to a live feed. ChatGPY prompts for content writing are becoming more popular, but add in a ChatGPT SEO tool and you’re firing on all cyclinders.

Here’s a quick & easy way to SEO optimise your articles for keyword semantics using generative AI like ChatGPT

ChatGPT SEO Prompt Results

Are ChatGPT prompts for content writing any good?

After inputting the ChatGPT SEO prompt, you will get a helpful selection of keywords to use with your article. The following list is an example of what to expect from this two-sentence ChatGPT SEO prompt.

Primary Keywords

When planning an article, having multiple primary keyword choices gives you options to write more content.

A primary keyword is the specific keyword for your content, but most people don’t realise that you can rank for dozens of other keywords in your articles.

Secondary Keywords

You want at least 4-5 secondary keywords to help build out your content so that the Google bots quickly grasp what your article is about.

I used to only do one primary keyword and a handful of secondary keywords before discovering the benefits of the following on-page SEO options.

Long-Tail Keywords

Primary and secondary keywords may be one or two words. Long-tail keywords are more like search phrases, short sentences that someone would type into the Google search box.

These keywords are often typically less competitive and may have lower search volume than primary and secondary keywords. They may have a higher conversion rate, so you stand a better chance of ranking.

I always use long-tail keywords and attribute them to getting most of my content on page one SERPs and top featured snippets.

Long-tail keywords are helpful for building an FAQ section at the end of your articles.

Questions To Target For Search Intent

If you use Answer the Public, it gives you an overall view of search intent. These days, search intent is king for ranking content. Knowing your target audience’s questions enables you to centre your content around that search intent.

Geographical Variations For Local SEO

If you want local customers, you must focus on local SEO. ChatGPT prompts for SEO like this one, provides these terms, for example, “Where can I buy X in (location)?”

Related Terms (Industry-Specific Phrases)

Your niche, whatever it is, will have multiple industry-specific phrases that you can use within your content. Again, much like all of these examples, it helps Google bots quickly understand the context of your article.

Semantic Variants (Synonyms & Phrases)

SEO software like SurferSEO springboard their SEO success by identifying an impressive list of synonyms and phrases relative to the primary keyword and title.

Within this prompt, you can specify the number of semantics you require. If you want high numbers of semantics, I suggest asking ChatGPT to list them alphabetically because some won’t be relevant.

LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) Keywords

Latent semantic indexing keywords differ from synonyms, even though they’re still words and phrases relative to your primary keyword. LSI keywords help the bots understand the intent of your article.

If your article was about the benefits of a Keto diet, LSI keyword examples could be “blood sugar,” “ketogenesis,” and “high protein.”

Don’t worry too much about LSI keywords because ChatGPT will give you the answer with this prompt.

Keyword Variations With Adjectives

We use descriptive keyword modifiers, particularly in titles and headings. Sprinkle them into your content, too.

For example, for an article about Pinterest courses, a descriptive modifier would be “best Pinterest courses,” affordable Pinterest courses and “free Pinterest courses.”

Keyword modifiers work because browsers often use them in searches.

Competitive Keywords

One of the tasks I do when working on a new article is finding the top competitor in SERPs. I then paste the content into ChatGPT or Claude and ask the generative AI to pull out the keywords in that content.

ChatGPT prompts for SEO, like this two-sentence one, don’t give you a comprehensive list of competitive keywords, but it’s a good starting point when combined with all the elements from this SEO prompt.

Save Hours On Keyword Research

This sweet prompt saves me hours and hours of work researching keyword semantics, and it costs me nothing 😎

I can genuinely say this SEO AI prompt has helped cut my content creation process down by at least two hours per article. In addition, I don’t invest in expensive SEO software. Even though they all work well, you can anticipate spending $99+ to use SEO software.

THE PROMPT

“You are an SEO expert and writing an article about <insert article subject or your primary keyword>. Please provide keyword semantics for this article.”

Thank me later, because this prompt is the bees flipping knees.

If you don’t understand the power of keyword semantics, layering them into your article helps the bots understand the context, which builds topical authority and increases the chance of ranking.

I added around 35 keyword semantics to a client’s article this morning. It will be their first published blog post, and I am confident it will rank well.

Why?

Because I have written SEO content for four years and have got clients’ content consistently on page one without fail.

Without using expensive SEO tools, my site has 574 organic ranking keywords (within six months), which, according to Ubersuggest (a free SEO tool by industry-recognised SEO expert, Neil Patel), is “Great” 😀

I have 77 published articles (Oct 24). Many rank page-one SERPs within 48 hours, and I have multiple top-featured snippets.

Articles I wrote for ex-clients in 22/23 still rank on page one.

I am the hidden, introverted gem who hasn’t shouted enough from the rooftops about my skills, enjoyment and passion for playing the SEO game and winning the Google first prize.

I’m doing a bit of rooftop shouting now as I’m ready to take on a couple more lovely clients.

Is ChatGPT Content Good for SEO?

Never post ChatGPT content directly from copy and paste. It’s essential to use the ChatGPT content ONLY as a framework to build out your articles.

Most importantly, always use a plagiarism checker. Most times, ChatGPT plagiarises content. I edit my articles with Grammarly Premium and ChatGPT ALWAYS has at least 2-3% plagiarism.

Use ChatGPT to help with brainstorming. Starting an article from scratch is hard work. If you have a bit of copy from ChatGPT, your brain can better anchor onto the articles theme. After that, it becomes easier to start writing.

I know some people publish directly from ChatGPT content, but I advise against that practice. Don’t be lazy. This prompt saves hours, so why skimp on publishing quality content?

Conclusion

Test out this two-sentence SEO prompt. I am confident you will love the results.

Combine all the keywords and semantics into each article, and you should see them ranking in SERPs much faster than usual.

Pillar posts and content clusters? What are they, and do you need to understand how to use them?

Yes. If you’re new to blogging, you may not be familiar with pillar posts and content clusters, but understanding could make a significant difference to your content ranking.

It’s a proven way of structuring content that helps Google bots understand your content and assess authority.

By the end of this article, you will have a full grasp and understanding of using pillar posts and content clusters to drive on-page SEO.

What Type of Content Does Google Want?

Google wants content that satisfies its users. That content should be informative and authoritative. Not in a strict teachery way but more so by demonstrating your expertise in a subject.

Considering the millions of websites online, how can you demonstrate expertise and rocket your SEO efforts?

Suppose you have a niche website focusing on weird fruits (yes, that does exist). You want Google bots to understand your website is about strange fruits, and you want it to rank for everything about weird fruits, including content like the following:

• Recipes
• Different types of fruit
• Benefits of the fruit
• Potential risks for individual fruits
• Countries of origin
• Anything and everything related to weird fruits

You could go deeper into narrowing your niche and create a content-driven website for weird fruit recipes.

Within the clusters, you can use the types of blog content that Google loves, such as listicles, comparisons, reviews and in-depth content.

What Are Pillar Posts and Content Clusters?

In this section, I will clarify the meaning and purpose of pillar posts and content clusters.

What Is a Pillar Post?

A pillar post is a central hub for related website content to establish topical authority in SEO. It’s a comprehensive article that covers a broad topic in great depth.

It links internally to more specific, related content and is typically longer than regular blog posts. For example, your pillar post could be 4,000 words or more, and your content clusters could be between 1000+ words.

The largest pillar post I wrote for a client was 8,000 words.

I needed to lie in a dark room for a week afterwards. It was exhausting. However, once done, you have a spectacular pillar post.

Another option is to create a course or eBook from your pillar post. Sell it or use it as a lead magnet.

Pillar posts are key in content marketing strategies, helping organise information and improve user navigation.

Should You Create New Pillar Content?

• Does the topic have good search volume? Great, that’s a positive.
• Do you have existing content that covers the pillar topic? If so, consider updating the content into a more comprehensive article instead of starting from scratch
• Do you have existing content that could become content clusters? If so, great. You already have a bank of content to work with.
• Is the topic something you want to cover in detail? If yes, get started. If not, don’t put yourself through the pain of trying to write about something that makes your soul weep.

What Are Content Clusters?

Content clusters are groups of related content posts that centre around a pillar post and are great for organising website content.

Each post links internally, connecting all the pieces and the pillar posts.

Content Clusters Typically Include:

• A pillar page (main, broad topic)
• Multiple subtopic articles
• Internal links connecting all pieces

Content clusters help search engines understand your site’s structure and expertise in specific subject areas.

Here’s an example:

Head Term: Forex Trading

Pillar Post: The Psychology of Forex Trading

Cluster Examples:

• Best Time to Trade for Mental Clarity
• X Steps To Know When To Close A Trade
• X Things I Stopped Doing That Made Me a Better Forex Trader

You could create an almost limitless number of content clusters for some subjects, and that’s the point. Linking all of these articles together makes a powerful site map.

Why Are Pillars And Content Clusters Good For SEO?

In a nutshell, pillars and content clusters are an SEO strategy you must use if you want your content to rank.

This structure improves site navigation and user experience.

It demonstrates to search engines the depth and breadth of a site’s expertise on a particular subject.

This approach shifts the focus from creating isolated, ranking-oriented content to developing a cohesive, topic-based content ecosystem that establishes authority and improves search visibility.

Most people write random individual articles and add a few internal links. However, that’s a weak content strategy, if it can be described as a strategy at all.

Look at the the bigger picture as it will improve your SEO overall.

Quick Summary of The Benefits of a Pillar and Cluster Content Strategy:

• Improved Content Relevance: Align your blog content with user intent.
• Better Internal Linking: Pillars and clusters seamlessly make creating a web of internal links between hundreds of posts effortless.
• Builds Topical Authority: It will help your website gain authority (which increases backlinking potential)
• It Improves The User Experience: Once someone lands on your site, pillars and clusters can help keep them clicking.
• Can Help Your Site Navigate Updates: Over the last few years, some sites’ traffic decimation has become an issue in Google updates. The more robust your content is, the less chance of a significant drop in traffic. Be aware that it still happens. Since the August 2024 update, traffic volatility has been a pain in the neck.

How to Create An SEO Content Strategy

The first step is to understand your niche and your audience. Knowing user intent is vital for creating a robust content strategy.

Spend time thoroughly researching before writing a word.

• What is the niche?
• Who is your target audience (create your customer avatar)?
• What problems do your audience have that keep them awake? Try using –
  • Answer the Public
  • Google your keyword, then note the “people also ask” in SERPs
  • When searching for a keyword term, note the drop-down options under the search box
• How do your products or services help your audience?
• What are the potential obstacles/objections?
• Research anything else specific to your target audience.
• What the general obstacles are to the audienc

Conclusion

You’ll find multiple 4k+ word articles on Google regarding pillar posts and content clusters, but there’s no need to overcomplicate the subject.

Build out each pillar post with as many content clusters as possible and internally link them all.

That’s it in a nutshell.

Have fun, and let me know your results.

Common SEO mistakes beginners make are easily avoided by checking through this list.

SEO (search engine optimisation) needn’t be complicated. Indeed, the simpler you keep it, the better.

Failure to address some of these SEO mistakes beginners make can hurt your search rankings.

Understanding these common SEO mistakes and learning how to fix them is crucial to driving traffic, improving visibility, and ranking higher on SERPs (search engine results pages).

In this guide, we’ll walk you through 15 common SEO mistakes beginners make and provide actionable tips to avoid them.

#1: Ignoring Keyword Research

Beginners often assume they know what their audience is searching for and skip proper keyword research. I get it. SEO tools like Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, and SEMrush help identify high-traffic, relevant keywords that align with search intent but are expensive.

You can use free keyword research tools such as Ubersuggest and Google Keyword Planner. You can also get ideas from Answer the Public.

Without research, you may target irrelevant terms or miss opportunities to rank for valuable keywords.

#2: Keyword Stuffing 

In an attempt to rank for a particular keyword, beginners often overuse it in content unnaturally. Unfortunately, keyword stuffing could incur search engine penalties.

Content should be readable for humans and not written in a way that doesn’t make sense. Google prioritises helpful content that flows naturally and provides value to its users.

Pick a primary keyword and use it around 2-3 times per 1,000 words. Research primary keywords and semantics because adding these to your content helps the bots make sense of your content.

#3: Neglecting Article Title Tags and Meta Descriptions 

Add meta tags – descriptions and title tags – to your content. It makes your content more easily understood by users and search engines.

If these elements aren’t optimised or are missing, search engines might pull random snippets of text to display in search results, reducing the chances of users clicking through to your site.

Ideally, add your primary keyword at the beginning of the title and the meta description.

Example

Primary keyword: smooth-coated dog breeds

Title: 14 Smooth-Coated Dog Breeds That Are Perfect Family Pets

Meta Description: 14 smooth-coated dog breeds that are the perfect pet for all the family. Discover everything about these family-friendly breeds from a dog behaviourist.

Titles should be up to 60 characters, and descriptions should be up to 160 characters.

#4: Not Optimising for Mobile 

With more users browsing on mobile devices, search engines like Google have adopted a mobile-first indexing approach.

Websites that are not mobile-friendly, with tiny text, poor site structure, slow-loading images and complicated navigation, or content that doesn’t resize properly will see drops in search engine rankings, and visitors will likely leave.

#5:  Using Non-Descriptive URLs 

A common beginner’s mistake is creating URLs (slugs) that don’t describe a page’s content (e.g., “www.website.com/page1”).

Descriptive URLs help users and search engines understand the page’s purpose. A well-structured URL should include relevant keywords and be easily readable.

For instance, for the doggy keyword, a suitable URL would be www.website.com/smooth-coated-dog-breeds

#6: Ignoring Local SEO 

For businesses serving a local area, optimising for local search terms is essential.

Beginners often forget about creating or optimising their Google My Business profile, using location-based keywords, or building local citations.

Neglecting local SEO means you could miss out on business from nearby potential customers searching for your services.

#7: Overlooking Site Speed 

Page speed is a crucial ranking factor.

Slow-loading websites frustrate users, increasing bounce rates and reducing dwell time, negatively impacting SEO.

Compressing images, using browser caching, deleting inactive plug-ins and reducing JavaScript and CSS bloat are essential for improving site speed.

#8: Failing to Build Internal Links

Your content needs internal links. It helps search engines to crawl your site effectively and distribute link authority (or PageRank) across your pages.

Beginners often forget to add internal links to posts and pages. That leads to orphaned pages (pages with no links to them), poor site structure, and missed SEO opportunities.

When developing your content strategy, focus on starting with a pillar post with multiple content clusters so you can interlink all of the content.

#9:  Not Optimising Images 

Large image files can hinder your website’s speed.

Beginners often overlook image optimisation by failing to compress image sizes. Avoid using big PNG files. JPEG images are smaller.

Alt text (adding relevant alternative text to an image file) is essential for accessibility and gives search engines more context about the image, which can help with image search rankings.

#10: Lack of Quality Backlinks 

Backlinks from established, high domain authority (DA) websites are a strong ranking signal, but beginners often focus on getting as many backlinks as possible without regard for quality.

Spammy or irrelevant backlinks can lead to Google penalties. Building organic, high-quality links from reputable sources in your niche is essential.

You can check your backlinks and scores with Ubersuggest.

#11: Ignoring User Experience (UX) 

SEO isn’t just about keeping the search engines happy; it’s also about creating a positive user experience.

Websites with confusing navigation, poor design, slow page load times, or excessive ads deter visitors. High bounce rates and low dwell times send negative signals to search engines, impacting rankings.

If you have an in-depth, heavy word-count article, intersperse images throughout the content.

To improve the user experience, have plenty of white space on the page, with no more than 3-4 sentences per paragraph.

#12: Not Updating Aged Content 

Many beginners create content and then leave it untouched.

However, outdated content that no longer reflects current trends, facts, or search intent may drop in rankings over time.

Regularly updating content ensures it remains relevant and aligned with evolving search queries. Additionally, periodically updating content helps with organic ranking.

#13: Not Using Analytics Tools 

SEO is a data-driven process. Without using SEO tools like Google Analytics and Search Console, beginners miss critical insights on how their website performs.

These tools provide data on keyword rankings, traffic sources, user behaviour, and potential issues, helping to refine SEO strategy.

For example, you can see which articles get the most clicks and target your content strategy to provide more of that content and link internally with the high-performing content.

#14: Ignoring Voice Search Optimisation 

As voice assistants like Siri and Alexa are becoming more popular, optimising for voice search becomes crucial.

Voice search queries are longer and more conversational, and beginners often forget to target these long-tail keywords.

Optimising content to answer common questions and using natural language increases the chances of ranking in voice search results.

#15: Overlooking HTTPS Security 

Security is a ranking factor, and websites that don’t use HTTPS encryption are marked as “Not Secure” by browsers like Google Chrome.

An insecure site deters users from trusting your site and can hurt your search engine rankings. Beginners often skip this critical step, leaving their sites vulnerable and less competitive in search results.

Conclusion

By avoiding these basic 15 SEO mistakes, beginners can set themselves up for long-term SEO success.

Ahrefs is one of the most popular SEO tools. It’s considered the heavyweight SEO platform for keyword research, content ideas, site audits, competitor analysis, and more. However, it’s costly, and people search for alternatives to Ahrefs.

This SEO tools comparison guide covers the best alternatives to Ahrefs, which are notably less expensive.

SurferSEO: Best On-Page Optimisation

SurferSEO vs Ahrefs?

SurferSEO is a different beast from Ahrefs. Still, if your goal is to write SEO content that ranks, it is one of the best I ever used. I wrote content up to 8,000 words with SurferSEO when I created crypto articles for Coin Bureau.

The article I wrote on “Crypto Trading Psychology” is still on page one of SERPs.

Search for that phrase and see for yourself.

SurferSEO is an in-depth SEO tool that has a proven track record.

SurferSEO Features & Benefits

Unlike traditional SEO tools focusing primarily on backlinks and technical aspects, SurferSEO’s unique selling point is its laser focus on on-page SEO.

It’s like having an SEO content optimisation guru beside you, guiding every word you write!

SurferSEO uses advanced algorithms to analyse top-ranking pages for target keywords, providing real-time suggestions to optimise your content.

This data-driven approach takes the guesswork out of content creation, ensuring that every piece you produce is spot-on for SERP success.

• Content Score: You know exactly how likely your content will rank because SurferSEO gives your content a score. The scale turns green when you’ve nailed it (usually at around 70%)
• Comprehensive SERP Analysis: SurferSEO doesn’t just tell you what keywords to use. It gives you insights into keyword density, how many headings to use, word count, and the number of images or videos that top-ranking competing pages use.
• Content Editor: The Content Editor provides real-time suggestions for improving your content’s SEO potential. It suggests relevant keywords and semantics and optimises your content.

For those of you like me, my favourite aspect of SurferSEO is that the keywords and semantics turn green when you have optimised them enough on the page.

Pricing: How Does SurferSEO Stack Up Against Ahrefs?

SurferSEO’s basic plan begins at $89/month (July 2024).

It’s an attractive option for smaller businesses or individual content creators who might find Ahrefs’ $129 pricing for Lite a bit steep.

However, note that SurferSEO and Ahrefs aren’t direct competitors in functionality. SurferSEO specialises in on-page optimisation, while Ahrefs offers a broader range of SEO tools.

Many SEO professionals use both tools in tandem for a comprehensive approach.

Pros and Cons: Is SurferSEO Right for You?

Like any tool, SurferSEO has strengths and limitations.

SurferSEO Pros

• Content Editor: Can save writing time. Always download and edit in Grammarly or equivalent & read out loud for auditory rhythm.
• Content Audit: Audit, evaluate and optimise your content.
• SurferSEO is Easy to Use: Its intuitive interface and actionable suggestions make it easy to create SEO-friendly content, even if you’re not an SEO expert.
• Ideal for Bloggers, Small Businesses & Content Creators: SurferSEO is affordable, and you can write up to 30 articles a month with the $89 package.
• Unlimited AI Detection: You want your published content to pass AI detection tests.
• Invite 2 Members: You can have up to two members on your SurferSEO content team.

For small to medium-sized businesses, bloggers, and content marketers, SurferSEO offers an excellent balance of functionality and affordability.

Larger enterprises or agencies with more complex SEO needs might find it helpful as part of a broader toolkit rather than a standalone solution.

SurferSEO Cons

• Content is Data-Driven: Be careful when mindlessly writing articles in SurferSEO because data-driven content can affect readability, content quality, and user experience.
• The Interface Can be Clunky: However, that might be my issue. I write my content in Word, run it through Grammarly and copy and paste it into SurferSEO.
• Limited to 30 Articles: If you’re a small blogger, 1 article a day is fantastic, but if you want more, you must upgrade.

Note: SurferSEO has a free Chrome extension to assess search volume, which is helpful. However, I advise prioritising user intent over search volume.

SurferSEO Trustpilot Score

SurferSEO has a Trustpilot score of 4.2 *

😊Try SurferSEO to Fastrack Your SEO Results

Please note: If you purchase a SurferSEO subscription, I may receive a small commission at no cost to yourself.

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Ubersuggest: The User-Friendly SEO Companion

Ubersuggest, created by digital marketing guru Neil Patel, is an excellent alternative to Ahrefs for user-friendly SEO.

If you’re a fan of Neil Patel SEO tools, you will love Ubersuggest.

Ubersuggest has an intuitive interface that doesn’t sacrifice depth, allowing users to dive into SEO without drowning in complexity.

Please read my Ubersuggest review to learn more about this low-cost SEO software.

Ubersuggest Features & Benefits

• Keyword Research: It uncovers valuable long-tail keywords and provides search volume data, helping you target the right audience.
• Content Ideas: Coming up with content ideas can be tricky. Ubersuggest now has an AI content writer with the paid package.
• Site Audit: Scan your website for issues that could affect ranking.
• Backlinks Checker: Identify your backlinks. Check their domain authority and spam score.

Ubersuggest is not as in-depth as Ahrefs, but, for the low price for individuals, it’s perfect for the small blogger writing 2 or 3 articles weekly.

Pricing: How Does Ubersuggest Stack Up Against Ahrefs?

Ubersuggest is $29 for individuals and $99 for enterprise users (July 2024).

The free version offers much value but is limited to three keyword searches daily, and you don’t get access to the AI content writer.

Pros and Cons: Is Ubersuggest Right for You?

Ubersuggest does not have many pros and cons. It’s an excellent all-round SEO tool.

Ubersuggest Pros

• Low Cost: At $29/month, Ubersuggest is $100 cheaper than Ahrefs, and the SEO tools are more than enough for the small blogger.
• Digestible Format: It is easy to navigate the Ubersuggest interface. Ahrefs can be daunting for beginners.
• Actionable Insights: Ubersuggest tells you how to optimise your website for SEO success.

Ubersuggest Cons

• Data Volume Less Than Ahrefs: Ahrefs is the best for tracking volume. If you’re an advanced SEO user, you may find Ubersuggest limiting. That said, it’s spot on for new bloggers to gain experience.
• Not as in-depth: Ahrefs has multiple SEO tools you can use to assess the chances of your keywords ranking. Ubersuggest is effective, but there’s a reason Ahrefs is so expensive. That said, I found I hardly used many of the Ahrefs SEO tools.

Ubersuggest Trustpilot Score

Ubersuggest is a popular and successful SEO tool with a Trustpilot score of 4.6 *

😊 Open a FREE Account With Ubersuggest

Please note: If you purchase the paid version of Ubersuggest, I may receive a small commission at no cost to yourself.

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SEOWriting AI: An Alternative to Ahrefs for the Lazy Blogger

If the idea of doing intensive keyword research or writing long-form content in SurferSEO, consider trialling SEOWriting AI.

SEOWriting does all the heavy lifting by writing the content for you using AI.

SEOWriting Features & Benefits

• 50 SEOWriting Generations: With the paid version, you can create up to 50 pieces of content
• Unlimited Words: Many AI writers limit the wordcount, which can become restrictive
• Bulk Generations: It takes time to write SEO content. SEOWriting AI can create it for you in bulk.
• Outline Editor: Get a shapely outline for your SEO blog content.
• GPT-40 and Claude 3 Opus: These are the AI used for the platform

Pricing: How Does SEOWriting AI Stack Up Against Ahrefs?

You cannot compare SEOWriting AI to Ahrefs, as it’s purely an SEO writing tool.

The starter package on the annual plan is $14/month and $19 if you pay monthly for 50 generations (July 2024).

The professional package gives you 250 generations and costs $59/month if paid annually and $79/month if you pay monthly (July 2024).

Pros and Cons: Is SEOWriting AI Right for You?

SEOWriting AI Pros

• Easy to Use: The interface is intuitive
• Bulk Create: Saves a ton of time writing SEO content
• Low Cost: From $14/month (July 2024)

SEOWriting AI Cons

• Mixed Reviews: Although SEOWriting AI scores 4.2 * on Trustpilot reviews, some users love the SEO tool, and others share a negative experience. One has to allow for user error, and SEOWriting AI responds to all reviews.
• It’s not a Keyword Research Tool: However, many people do not want the leg work of hunting for low-difficulty keywords, and it’s a perfect option.

SEOWriting AI Trustpilot Score

SEOWriting has a Trustpilot score of 4.2 *

😊 Try SEOWriting for Free

Please note: If you purchase a SEOWriting subscription, I may receive a small commission at no cost to yourself.

Conclusion

SEO for small businesses is vital to bring customers to your business. Of course, we all want affordable SEO software, but should price factor in our decisions?

I’ve used all three Ahrefs alternatives, and my first choice for functionality and performance is SurferSEO.

This excellent SEO software has the highest Trustpilot score, and it performs. I’ve written dozens of SEO articles using SurferSEO. They all ranked in SERPs.

If budget is a concern, my next choice is Ubersuggest. At $29/month, it is an excellent value SEO tool.

Ahrefs is a fantastic SEO tool, but as a small business, I baulk at paying $129 a month when cheaper SEO tools can rank your content in SERPs, such as Ubersuggest, for a fraction of the price.

Using free SEO tools is great. The downside is it takes longer because you have to confirm data accuracy. For the sake of spending $29 to $89/month, you’d save a lot of wasted time.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links on this page. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.