Want to move up your position on the all-powerful Google list? We are going to let you in on a little secret: sounding like a living, breathing human when writing content is a key factor to boost that ranking. Authenticity in content is something Google has been sniffing out lately, but how does one write in an authentic voice? How can you use this strategy to rank higher on Google? How exactly does it affect your Google rankings? We are here to give you some insight on how to write your content and not sound like a robot or an insane salesperson.
How Will Writing Authentically Move My Google Ranking?
Why does this make a difference when it comes to your Google ranking? The more effectively and authentically you write, the more likely you are to keep the reader on that page and potentially send them to other parts of your site for more information. Google will look at how long each visitor spends on any given page and the bounce rate relating to their visit. The longer a reader spends on your website the more likely it is that Google will see relevant information and push you up that list a spot or two.
Recent trends have shown us that Google has been favoring longer form content for the most part. Longer posts are better (1200+ words) People want more information, and not only do they want more info, they want to read something that is relevant, engaging, and dynamic.
Writing Authentically Could Increase Your Revenue
Using an authentic voice will keep people on your page longer, greatly increasing your chances of converting a reader to a long term client/customer. Which means more revenue for you! Who doesn’t want that?
The authenticity of your voice totally matters when it comes to making your reader/potential customer trust you. Gone are the days of faking happiness in writing. People can tell if you sound fake within the first paragraph. So much media and content is available on the web these days that any sense of false enthusiasm is a red flag to readers and they will leave your page, or even worse, leave you a spirit-breaking comment. Try your best not to sound like an infomercial, be enthusiastic, but don’t seem insane. Be straightforward, but not overly aggressive. Just be chill… and professional, of course.
Here are 4 Tips on How To Authentically Write Content:
1. Write a rough draft out and do so as if you are telling a friend about the subject.
Use words that are natural in your daily vocabulary and structure your sentences with a pleasant sounding flow. Even if there are a few grammatical and spelling mistakes you can go back and edit those later. Right now you just want to get those ideas on the page.
2. Read what you have written aloud
You don’t have to read your writing aloud to anyone, but sometimes reading that one weird sentence out loud and hearing how it sounds can help you catch any unnatural sounding areas and edit them accordingly.
3. Know what environment you write best in
Do you write well to rap on your couch or blasting death metal while at your kitchen table? Crank up that music and pound that keyboard. Do you prefer a coffee shop that plays light jazz? Order that latte, find your perfect spot, and get to it. Does doing a silly dance like a fool get you pumped? Do that. We won’t tell anyone.
The point is to figure out what focuses and motivates you to crank out wonderfully-worded, authentic content.
4. Read, read, read!
Find blogs by authors you genuinely enjoy and read them often, pay attention to what you like about their style of writing. You want to stay inspired.
Use Anecdotes and Real Life Situations in Your Writing
A great way to get your readers involved in what you have written is to use personal anecdotes and situations that are relatable. This humanizes your writing and lets the reader visualize the point you are trying to convey. For example we have created two pieces of writing, one with an anecdote and another without—both selling the same service.
First example not using an anecdote:
“We help our clients develop attractive, easy-to-use websites. We promise that your traffic will increase and conversion rates will sky rocket.”
This blurb isn’t necessarily bad, a lot of people write this type of copy/content. But there is no real way to tell if the statements made are true, and it lacks a human factor.
Second example using an anecdote:
“One of our leads, let’s call her Kim, came to us recently in dire need of a website redesign. Her site was broken and, in her words, “just plain ugly.” Kim was frustrated with the service she had received from another web designer and was tearing up as she told us about how much money and time she wasted with them. We gave Kim our promise to not only improve her website but also increase her online revenue as we had with many other clients in the exact same situation. Within 4 months we increased Kim’s online traffic ten-fold and, as a result, Kim saw a 20 percent increase in online sales.”
Now, although the second example takes a bit more effort to write out, you feel a connection with example two and this builds trust with your reader. You made a statement and proved that statement through a story. People love stories so use this to your advantage!
It Isn’t About Keywords Anymore
I mean… it is still about keywords, but that isn’t all Google looks at when it indexes your content post. They want to make sure you aren’t keyword stuffing and that you are using a natural sounding voice in your piece of writing. There is a delicate balance between using too many and too few keywords in your piece of writing. There are tools you can implement to evaluate how your keyword count and readability might look to Google.
Be Honest and Transparent With Your Writing
Transparency is king; let us reference the legendary Domino’s campaign when they literally admitted that their product… well, kind of stunk. It was wildly successful. Now we aren’t saying you should take the approach of saying your product sucks, but make sure you are honest with your potential customer. Do not make promises you can’t keep and definitely make sure you write about your product or service with honesty and in your voice.
Feel like Writing Isn’t Your Thing? Outsource
If all else fails and you feel that this is too much to take on you can always bring in a bonafide professional. Bringing in a professional content writer that knows your voice and can seamlessly connect your posts with internal links and relevant information is worth their weight in gold. If you are not a strong writer, and not everyone is, this might be the way to go for you.
How Do You Find a Writer?
You could post on Craigslist or Indeed, but unless you know exactly what you are looking for, we would advise against that. You could go bring on that friend of a friend who worked at Sephora for two years and knows absolutely everything about make up and skin care, but you are a plastic surgeon so is that the best choice? Probably not. Here are some places to find quality writers:
Websites
Tons of freelance writers are foaming at the mouth waiting for you to send them an assignment. Websites like UpWork, Guru, and Textbroker are great places to find content writers. Most seasoned pros have a specific niche that they are fluent in and you can filter your search to find a writer that fits your industry. Many professional freelancers will have online portfolios you can take a look at to make sure their voice is right for you and your product or service. If you are a little uneasy have them write a short sample (we suggest 300 words or less) and look it over.
Choose a Digital Marketing Agency
Talk to a digital marketing agency. This is honestly your best move when it comes to curating well-written content. Most of the time agencies will have different packages you can choose from that cater to your content marketing needs. They will talk to you about your vision for your company’s copy/blog, collaborate with you to optimize your content, and boost that Google ranking! You will be able to see their successes with other clients which gives you tangible peace of mind and prove that they’re worth your investment.
This strategy, among a few others, can help you build your rapport with Google, move you up on their almighty list, and create more business for you and your company.
