In this guide, you'll learn what SEO writing is, why it matters, and 12 tips for creating content that gets found everywhere it counts.
What is SEO writing?
SEO writing is the process of writing content to earn visibility in search engines like Google and AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.
At its core, SEO writing combines two things: genuinely helpful content and smart optimization. If you focus only on optimization, people won't engage with your content. If you write amazing content but ignore optimization, nobody will find it in the first place.
Key optimization practices include:
- Finding and targeting the right keywords your audience searches for
- Matching search intent so your content format aligns with what users want
- Structuring content with clear headings so search engines and AI platforms can surface your content properly
- Using internal and external links to show relationships between different pages and establish credibility
Why is SEO writing important?
SEO writing is important because it helps you increase the reach and visibility of your content.
People are likely searching for topics you have expertise in on Google and AI chatbots. When you write with SEO in mind, your content has a higher chance of being discovered through these platforms, driving consistent organic (free) traffic month after month.
Unlike paid advertising that stops working the moment you stop paying, well-optimized content keeps delivering results. It's an investment that appreciates over time.
Let's look at a concrete example.
Before you start writing
Before you start, take some time to do research. The research and planning you do upfront will shape how well your content performs in search engines and AI platforms. Skipping these steps often leads to content that struggles to rank or get cited in AI platforms.
1. Find your primary keyword
Choosing the right primary keyword is important because it tells search engines and AI systems what your content is about and when to show it.
Each piece of content you write should be optimized for one primary keyword. This is the main term (or phrase) you want your content to rank for in search engines and be associated with in AI answers.
To find your primary keyword, use Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.
Type your topic into the search bar and enter your domain name in the “AI-powered feature” space. Then, select your target location and click “Search.”
Here are some tips to consider.
Your primary keyword should:
- Be relevant to your content. It should reflect the main topic of your content and be relevant to your industry.
- Have a decent search volume. Enough people should be searching for that keyword. What constitutes a decent search volume depends on the niche of your website. Look at the “Volume” column to see how many people search for each keyword.
- Be within your reach. It shouldn't be too difficult for you to compete for. Look to the Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD %) column to see how challenging this keyword would be for your specific website. The lower the percentage, the easier it'll be to achieve visibility.
For example, you might choose “dog behavior training” as your primary keyword if you’re writing content about this topic.
This keyword has a search volume of 2,900 searches per month and a Personal Keyword Difficulty score of 46%, meaning it's competitive but within reach.
So, it’s definitely a good primary keyword to target.
(Targeting a keyword means using it in your content. We’ll see how to do that correctly later in this guide.)
This keyword has a search volume of 2,900 searches per month and a Personal Keyword Difficulty score of 46%, meaning it's competitive but within reach.
(Targeting a keyword means using it in your content. We’ll see how to do that correctly later in this guide.)
2. Choose your secondary keywords
Secondary keywords help you gain visibility for multiple related terms and usually have less competition than primary keywords.
What counts as a secondary keyword:
- Synonyms of your primary keyword
- Related subtopics
- Long-tail variations (highly specific terms of your primary keyword)
Find secondary keywords using Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool.
First, see whether your primary keyword has a default grouping on the left-hand side.
If it does, click on it. And you’ll see all the related keywords belonging to that group.
These keywords are close variations of your primary keyword. And they can make for great secondary keywords to target in your content.
Some of these questions (secondary keywords) might be worth addressing as subtopics in your content.
Enter a specific page's URL and click "Search." (Make sure that “Exact URL” is selected from the drop-down in the next screen.)
In the "Overview" report, look at "Top Keywords." These are terms the competitor's content appears for.
Click "View all keywords" to see the complete list and identify secondary keywords worth targeting in your own content.
Analyze search intent to figure out what kind of content users want when they search your keyword.
For blog posts, your primary and secondary keywords will likely have informational intent. This means users want to learn something about a topic.
And the best way to teach them about a topic is to use the right content format.
Some common content formats include:
- How-to guides
- List posts
- Step-by-step tutorials
- Definition posts
- Comparison posts
You can find out which content format works best for your topic by looking at the search results for your query.
For example, we see that the top results for "dog training for beginners" are how-to guides that share dog training techniques and tips.
Similarly, when you ask ChatGPT about this topic, it provides structured how-to guidance with step-by-step training methods and beginner-friendly tips.
For example, we see that the top results for "dog training for beginners" are how-to guides that share dog training techniques and tips.
The writing stage
Now, it’s time to start creating your content.
The following tips will help you create content that’s both helpful for readers and optimized for visibility in search engines and AI platforms.
4. Make an outline
Create an outline before you start writing because it helps you organize your ideas, cover important subtopics, and structure your content in a way that's easy for both readers and machines to understand.
Without an outline, it’s easy to miss important points, repeat yourself, or create a confusing flow.
A strong outline also helps ensure your content aligns with search intent. It forces you to think about how to integrate the questions readers want answered and the order in which to address them.
For SEO blog writing, your outline should include:
- Your main title (H1)
- Primary sections (H2s)
- Supporting subsections (H3s and H4s where necessary)
- Key talking points for each section
As an example, if you're writing about "dog training for beginners," your outline might look like this:
5. Create quality content
Create quality content because that’s what search engines and AI platforms want to surface in search results.
But what is quality content? It's content that:
- Is accurate
- Provides value to your audience
- Is original and unique
- Is up-to-date
Don't just summarize what other articles say on the topic. Bring something new to the table that proves you know it.
- Draw on firsthand experience: If you've done the thing you're writing about, share specifics: what worked, what didn't, what surprised you.
- Cite credible sources: Link to original research or studies to support ideas that could be challenged.
- Share original data or examples: Run a small experiment to test ideas you're writing about, and then include the findings in your article.
- Quote subject-matter experts: If a topic falls outside your expertise, interview someone who has expertise or first-hand experience with the topic. Even a few quotes can lift your content’s quality in a meaningful way.
By prioritizing quality this way, you build trust with your audience, establish yourself as an authority in your niche, and increase your chances of being cited by AI platforms as a reliable source.
6. Leverage keywords in your content
6. Leverage keywords in your content
Work your researched keywords into your content naturally. Search engines and AI platforms read those words to figure out what your page covers and when to surface it.
But avoid keyword stuffing at all costs.
Keyword stuffing is the practice of repeating keywords excessively throughout the content in an unnatural way. It’s a tactic some use to try to manipulate their way to better visibility.
See how the example below is doing it wrong:
To check whether you’re using keywords correctly, try Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant.
It highlights when any of your keywords are used in an unnatural way.
7. Structure content with subheadings
Well-structured content with clear subheadings helps Google, ChatGPT, and other platforms understand what each section covers, making your content easier to rank and cite.
Subheadings (H2-H6) are miniature titles that divide your content into sections. They're important for SEO blog writing because they:
- Make your content easier to read and understand. Readers can quickly scan and find the information they need.
- Help you use keywords naturally. Subheadings provide natural opportunities to incorporate keywords and related terms without forcing them.
See how the example on the right is much easier to scan for information?
First, write a catchy title that includes your primary keyword. This will be your H1 (the first heading in your content).
Then, organize the rest of your content with relevant H2 subheadings, H3 subheadings, and so on.
(H2 subheadings should support your H1, H3 subheadings should support your H2s, etc.)
Like this:
8. Make your content easy to read
Readable content keeps users engaged longer, signals quality to search engines, and makes it easier for AI platforms to extract and cite information accurately.
If your content is difficult to read, users will bounce off your page (and likely never come back). This behavior signals to search engines that your content is low quality, hurting your rankings. And poorly structured content is harder for AI platforms to understand and cite properly.
Using subheadings is a good start. But there are other things you need to do to improve readability:
- Use short sentences and paragraphs. This will make your content more scannable and digestible.
- Use simple and clear language. So readers of all levels can understand your writing.
- Use visuals. Images, infographics, videos, graphs, or other visual assets are powerful tools that can enhance your content and make it more engaging.
- Use bullet points and numbered lists. They’re great for presenting information in a clear and concise way. They help both readers and AI platforms identify key points quickly.
Run your content through Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant to measure its readability.
The tool tells you how easy it is to parse:
The tool tells you how easy it is to parse:
Internal and external links help search engines and AI platforms understand your content’s relationship with other pages and establish trust.
Internal links point to other pages on your own website. They direct readers to other valuable, relevant content.
External links (also called outbound links) are links that point to pages outside your website, typically when citing sources or providing additional resources.
Only link where it naturally makes sense. Forced or excessive linking hurts user experience.
For instance, in an article about dog training for beginners, you can add internal links to other pieces of content that provide more information on topics such as:
- How to stop unwanted behaviors
- Indoor vs outdoor training methods
- How to socialize your puppy properly
Also, it’s a good idea to provide an external link any time you’re referencing:
- Statistics
- Reports
- Surveys
- Case studies
- Interviews
Adding external links to authoritative websites for sourcing purposes shows that your content was created with accuracy and credibility in mind.
But statistics and research do change over time. So, make sure you link out to the most up-to-date information available.
10. Create an optimized title tag and meta description
But statistics and research do change over time. So, make sure you link out to the most up-to-date information available.
10. Create an optimized title tag and meta description
Title tag and meta description control how your content appears in search results and often determine whether someone clicks or scrolls past your page.
Here’s what they look like in traditional organic search results:
So, it's worth optimizing both elements carefully.
Follow these tips when crafting your title tag:
- Make sure your title tag entices users to click. You can use power words, numbers, and brackets for that.
- Include your primary keyword in your title tag (preferably at the beginning). This will help you rank for that keyword and show relevance to the user’s query.
- Keep your title tag around 55 characters long. So Google doesn’t truncate it in search results.
And these guidelines apply to your meta description:
- Use active voice. This will improve clarity by addressing users directly.
- Use action verbs. This will nudge users to click through and explore your article. So, use phrases like “learn more,” “find out,” or “dive deep.”
- Keep it brief. Google cuts off meta description after about 105 characters on mobile. So, keep it to one to two short sentences to stay below that threshold.
- Use your target keyword. This will signal to users that your page covers the topic they want to learn about.
Here’s an example of a good title and meta description that follows these principles:
11. Optimize your URL slug
- Title tag: Dog Training 101 [Complete Beginner's Guide for 2026]
- Meta description: Discover effective dog training methods. Learn commands, schedules, and techniques from pro trainers.
11. Optimize your URL slug
Optimize your URL slug because search engines look at it to understand your content’s topic and AI platforms use it when evaluating and citing sources.
A URL slug is the last part of your page’s URL.
Here’s an example:
- Include your target keyword. This can help search engines and AI platforms understand what your article is about and surface it for relevant queries.
- Use hyphens to separate words. Hyphens are the standard way to separate words in a URL slug.
- Avoid using dates. Dates in your URL slug can make your article look outdated.
- Be concise and descriptive. Long or confusing slugs are harder for readers to remember and for AI platforms to parse.
By following these tips, you can create an optimized URL slug that helps your content perform better in search results and makes it easier for AI platforms to identify and cite your work.
12. Get feedback on your content
12. Get feedback on your content
Have someone else review your content before you publish it. It's easy to overlook mistakes and weak spots when you're deep in your own draft.
At Semrush, every article we publish goes through at least one round of editorial review. You'll see this in the byline of every post, where an editor is listed as a contributor.
- Misalignment with the search intent
- Structural mistakes
- Sections where the flow feels off
- Parts that need clarification
- Sentences that could be tightened or simplified
- Claims that need a source or example to back them up
- Factual errors or outdated information
Once you've received the feedback, make the necessary changes. Your content will be in much better shape and ready to publish.
SEO writing is just the first step
SEO writing is just the first step
The 12 tips above will help you create content that's optimized for both search engines and AI platforms. But SEO writing is just the first step of a much bigger process.
Once you've got the writing side down, the next steps are:
- Promoting your content so it earns backlinks
- Tracking its performance in both traditional search and AI platforms
- Updating it regularly to keep it accurate and relevant
We've linked to resources to guide you on those next steps.
The right tools make all of this easier. An SEO and online visibility platform like Semrush helps you find keywords, analyze competitors, optimize your writing, and track AI visibility from one place.
The right tools make all of this easier. An SEO and online visibility platform like Semrush helps you find keywords, analyze competitors, optimize your writing, and track AI visibility from one place.
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