What is High-Quality SEO Content Writing? And How Do You Create It?

Copywriting Services in Toronto by professional Copywriters.

Developing High-Quality SEO Content Writing requires a writer to undertake detailed research, in-depth fact-checking, and have a very good understanding of the intent and goal of their online audience. This means delving deeply into the subject matter while considering different perspectives and verifying source information for accuracy.

The above is a ‘generic’ explanation of what many consider the standard definition for high-quality and compelling content writing for websites and other digital properties.

However, were I a politician, I’d say, “It Depends.” More specifically, it depends on your definition of high-quality and compelling content writing. As a professional SEO copywriter, I am primarily concerned with results for my clients and my personal digital properties. Whether creating SEO Copy for a client or my online assets, the ability to ‘measure’ the effectiveness (and distribution) of published content is key 🔑

If You Can’t Measure It, How Can You Improve It?

Once published, measuring the effectiveness of your content involves having a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help ‘track’ the effectiveness of the content in question. Having a KPI or goal(s) in mind before writing your Copy is smart. Otherwise, how else will you know whether your copywriting efforts are fruitful or fruitless?

Content Writing Experience Counts

Based on my 20+ years of Internet Marketing experience and running a digital Content Writing agency, it helps to have and follow a process and, when necessary, make tweaks as needed, like an algorithm. Regarding algorithms, Google’s March 2024 Core algorithm update, ending on April 19th, is an ironic twist of Content Writing fate. According to Google, this algorithm addresses “New ways we’re tackling spammy, low-quality content on Search.” And now, for the AI elephant in the ‘content creation’ room.

Does Google Penalize AI Content?

The consensus among SEOs and Professional Website Content Writers is no. In other words, Google does not penalize AI-generated content but penalizes ‘poor content.’ Let me explain using a recent case study. The name of the company in question (a Bank Rate Calculator) shall remain nameless due to respect for their privacy.

Referring to a recent article the company published and ranks in Google Search, the company said in the publication, “This article was generated using automation technology and thoroughly edited and fact-checked by an editor on our editorial staff.” This practice is known as ‘AI labelling’. It tells people that some content includes using artificial intelligence in part(s) of the Copy. Consider it a type of citation, giving credit where credit is due.

Will AI Replace Copywriters and Content Writing?

Perhaps one day, but not today or tomorrow. If anything, Google’s 2024 March Core algorithm update and its Helpful Content Update, which rolled out in August 2022, will negatively affect marketers and content creators solely reliant on AI for their MarCom, especially if they expect to rank and get TLC from Google. As noted in the above case study, purely generated AI content that is not curated, fact-checked, and edited by a human before publication can have disastrous effects. Allow me to drive the point home.

“Oh, The Humanity!”

Speaking of humanity, remember Google’s recent foray into the eco-system with their Gemini AI? To compete with tools like ChatGPT, they created Gemini, programmed by woke folk while inserting their personal ideology and bias code directly into Gemini’s framework. The net result? Moral outrage and severe shareholder backlash caused a significant drop in the company’s stock price by 90 billion dollars. And a substantial hit to Alphabet’s reputation.

It was and still is a modern crisis of epic proportions. So, before you replace your entire in-house marketing staff with artificial intelligence, remember the Gemini fiasco. The labour cost savings are tempting, but what is your company’s reputation worth if something goes awry?

DYK: The footer of ChatGPT’s page clearly says, “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.

What’s the Moral of the Story?

AI-generated content without human intervention and oversight to ensure factual editing, and I’d add ‘humanity’ into the content development mix, is a recipe for disaster. Enter experienced and knowledgeable human writers, editors, and fact-checkers, and throw in a splash of creativity, and you have a recipe and process that spells success.

The Content Writing Process

But I digress. Part of the creative writing process used at Writing Web Words Inc. is to keep the end in mind. Before putting pen to paper, finger to keyboard, or inserting a ‘prompt’ into ChatGPT (our web writers do have a sense of humour), we first need to figure out the goal or intent of your content. For instance, is it intended to do any or all of the following:

  • Engage with your online audience?
  • Sell a product or service?
  • Rank in Google’s SERPs?
  • Inform or educate?
  • Generate links?
  • Entertain?
  • Other?

More Content-Related Questions for Your Consideration

  • Location: Are you writing content for a local or global audience? For example, if you’re a local plumbing contractor, you may want to target a 20 to 30-kilometre radius for Searches. Gas ain’t cheap these days! If you’re an E-commerce company, the world is your oyster; hence, perfecting content for a global audience may be more proper.
  • Audience: Writing for a B2B vs B2C audience needs different approaches, as each has a unique clientele with other goals and user intent. Buyers in the B2B space do more research on average when sourcing local or global product or service providers than their B2C counterparts. One prominent B2B market report states, “90% of B2B buyers turn to online channels as their primary method for identifying new suppliers.” The cost and stakes are generally higher in the Business-to-Business space, so it only makes sense.
  • Researched and factual content: This point is crucial, mainly if you write about a product or service that you sell online or in person and that has the power to significantly affect the future happiness, health, financial stability, or safety and quality of people’s lives. Google refers to this type of information as Your Money or Your Life content, aka YMYL. Consider YMYL online copy topics such as investment advice, tax or retirement planning, health or dietary supplements, violent extremism, etc.
  • Online Platform: What platform(s) are you using, E.g., Google’s Organic Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), Google Maps, Social Media Sites, YouTube and others? They all have proprietary algorithms, best practices, and policies that, when followed, provide the best results.

Answering the above questions will focus your writing 🖊 skills and efforts and help a writer to produce proper content for each platform. But you get the picture 📷.

High-Quality and Effective Copywriting Defined

Based on my 20+ years of Internet Marketing experience, I define High-Quality content as original and effective using targeted topics & keywords for their specific audience; however, it’s essential to know your audience and whom you are writing ✍ your content. Doing so involves creating a ‘persona’ or ‘persona(s),’ a topic for another blog post.

Further, high-quality Copy often answers common FAQs, which is always a good practice. In Google’s Organic Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs), you will often see a section called ‘People Also Ask,’ or PAA, triggered by specific search queries, E.g., ‘What is the role of an SEO Copywriter?’ You can have your website appear in the PAA section for those online copywriters who are in the know.

In today’s digital landscape, Google is as much an ‘Answer Engine’ as it is a ‘Search Engine.’ Need proof? One of Google’s Consumer Insights reports states, “78% of consumers have spent more time researching a brand or product online than they have researching in a store.”

Moreover, useful, relevant, engaging content meets and exceeds searchers’ expectations. The best content is written with an intimate understanding of the end-user and profound knowledge of user intent. In other words, understanding what’s behind your audience’s search queries allows you to create content that directly addresses their unique needs when and where they are searching.

As a Rule, Don’t Make Blind Assumptions

 Remember, in most cases, the goal of your content is to inspire your audience to act. Creating High-Quality content is about more than just engaging and resonating with your audience. It’s about being actionable, with a clear Call to Action (CTA) that guides your audience toward your desired outcome. Some content marketers refer to this as creating a ‘sales funnel.’

Years ago, I read a book called, “Don’t Make Your Customers Think.” It was about delivering an ‘effortless customer experience,’ a practice I still adhere to today. In essence, you want to serve up an intuitive content experience for your online audience that doesn’t require them to do quantum mental gymnastics to get through and understand your message. Delivering superlative content that works requires creating intuitive Copy that generates the desired result as easily as 1, 2 and 3.

I touch on this and more in the Our Copywriting Process section of our website, in addition to other variables that help to develop, support, and distribute great content, or at least, what I define as High-Quality content.

If you trust us to write your online Copy, you can rest assured that your website will reach new heights on Google and more business for your business. Set your business up for online marketing success and call us today at (647) 707-2672 or contact us online for a FREE Quote.

You’ll be glad you did!

Ray Litvak, Writing Web Words Inc. owner in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Professionl SEO Copywriter in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Ray Litvak

President and Founder

Ray and his team enjoy using their knowledge to help companies thrive online.

Contact Ray today at 647-707-2672 for a free, personalized assessment of your content needs and how to distinguish yourself from the competition.