SEO Copywriting Checklist 2024

In 2024, it's key to write content that pleases Google and your readers for better ranking and interaction.

This list helps you know your readers, do deep research, and make content that's good for SEO and truly useful and interesting. Here's a brief overview:

✅ Understand Your Audience: Know who you're writing for by gathering insights on their interests, problems, and knowledge level.
✅ Client Interviews: Gain a deeper understanding of your client's business goals and target audience.
✅ Topic and Keyword Research: Use smart sources and tools to find engaging topics and long-tail keywords. Understand the search intent behind your keywords.
✅ Crafting Your Content: Write compelling headlines, use keyphrase-rich subheadlines, and ensure your content is conversational and showcases E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust). This is the most important item in this SEO writing checklist.
✅ Refining Your Content: Edit for clarity, readability, and engagement. Avoid leading your reader to a 'dead end'.
✅ Enhancing Engagement and Conversion: Provide valuable information, use bullet points for clarity, and make sure your CTA is clear.
✅ Standing Out: Incorporate testimonials and ensure your content is the best answer out there.

By following this SEO content writing checklist, you can create content that not only ranks well but also truly resonates with your readers. Let’s dive deeper 👉

1. ✅ Understanding Your Audience

Do you have enough information about your target reader?

It's super important to get who you're writing for if you want your content to hit home and show up in search results. Before diving into writing, take some time to figure out:

Who they are (things like age, where they live, how much money they make, etc.)
What they care about (what's important to them or what they believe in?)
Their problems and goals (what are they struggling with and what do they want to achieve?)
How much they know (are they newbies or pros on your topic?)

Use surveys, chats, group talks, and tests to learn more about your readers. Look at the data you already have to spot trends. Create profiles for your main reader groups.

The more you know before you start, the better you can make your content appealing and useful. Keep track of what you learn so you can use it to make your future content even better.

Did you interview your client?

Talking directly to your client gives you the scoop on what they need from your content. Make sure to have at least one chat to understand:

Their business aims and what success looks like
Who they're trying to reach and why those people should care
What drives their customers to buy
The questions their customers need answers to
Where they need more or better content

Ask smart questions to dig into their goals, challenges, what they think about their competitors and their expert knowledge. Write down the important stuff in easy-to-understand profiles.

Keep talking to your client. Have regular check-ins to share updates, tweak the plan, look at how things are going, and get more feedback.

Working closely with your client means you can make content that's just right for their business and their audience. The more you learn from them, the better your writing will connect with readers.

2. ✅ Topic and Keyword Research

Did you review topic ideas from smart sources?

When you're looking for what to write about, it's smart to see what's already catching people's attention. Here are some good spots to check out:

Reddit - Peek into conversations and questions in forums related to what you write about. You might find some great ideas for articles.
LinkedIn - Notice what posts get a lot of likes or comments. These can give you clues about hot topics.
Google Trends - Check out what keywords or topics are getting more searches lately. This can show what people are interested in right now.
BuzzSumo - This tool lets you see which articles are being shared a lot. It's a good way to spot popular topics.

Looking at these places can help you pick topics that people are already talking about. This makes it more likely your writing will get noticed and read.

Did you conduct keyphrase research?

Finding the right keywords is still key in 2024, but now it's all about finding specific, less common ones. These are called long-tail keywords and they're great because there's less competition for them.

Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush can help you find these keywords. Look for ones that lots of people are searching for but not many pages are talking about. Then, write your articles to answer these specific searches.

Did you determine the search intent of your keyphrases?

It's important to know why people are searching for the keywords you're targeting. Are they looking to buy something, or just looking for information?

Make sure your article matches what people are looking for. If they're ready to buy, include links to products or services. If they're just gathering information, provide helpful guides or comparisons.

Understanding this can help you connect with your readers better and meet their needs.

3. ✅ Content

Is your headline 'clickable' and compelling?

Your headline is super important. Try to:

Keep it short - Aim for less than 65 characters so it doesn't get cut off in search results
Use your main keyword - This helps show what your article is about
Make it interesting - Use words that make people want to read more

Try using formats like "X Ways to Y" or "How to X in Y Steps". See which headlines get more clicks.

Did you include keyphrase-rich subheadlines?

Subheadlines help break up your text and make it easier to read. They also help Google understand your article better.

Use them to split up big blocks of text
Format questions and answers
Include your main keywords in these subheadlines

This makes it easier for readers to skim and find what they need and helps Google know what your article is about.

Does the meta description fit the intent of the page?

The meta description is like a mini-ad for your article. Make sure it:

Gives a quick summary of your article
Includes your main keyword naturally
Uses strong words to make people want to click

Keep it under 160 characters. Try different ones to see which gets more clicks.

Is your content written in a conversational style?

People like reading articles that sound like a friend talking. To do this:

Use "you" and "we" a lot
Ask questions and then answer them
Keep explanations simple, like you're talking to someone face-to-face
Use everyday language and avoid big, complicated words

This makes your writing feel more personal and easier to trust.

Does your writing showcase E-E-A-T?

Google looks for:

Expertise - Talk about your qualifications and what makes you an expert
Experience - Share stories from your own life or work that show you know what you're talking about
Authority - Mention if you've been featured in well-known places or publications
Trust - Show you're honest and care about your readers

This helps prove you're reliable and sets you apart from articles that don't have real people behind them.

4. ✅ Refining Your Content

Did you edit your content?

It's super important to go over your draft to make sure it's the best it can be. This step can make a difference in how well your content does. Here's what to focus on:

Look for and fix any spelling or grammar mistakes.
Make sure sentences and paragraphs are clear and not too long.
Your keyword should fit in smoothly without being forced.
Double-check all the facts and data you mention.
Make sure the article flows well from one part to the next.
Ensure all links to other pages are working.
Reading out loud can help catch phrases that don't sound right.

Cleaning up these issues not only makes your content easier to read but also tells Google it's good quality, which can help it show up higher in search results.

Are your sentences and paragraphs easy to read?

People often skim through articles, especially on their phones, so you want to make sure they can get the gist quickly:

Mix up your sentence lengths to keep it interesting.
Use space between paragraphs to give the eyes a break.
Organize your content with headings and lists.
Highlight important points in bold.
Stick to shorter paragraphs, about 3-5 sentences each.

Try looking at your article on a phone to make sure it's easy to read at a quick glance. These tips help ensure readers can understand your main messages.

Are you forcing your reader onto a 'dead end' page?

Make sure your article doesn't leave readers hanging without anywhere to go next:

Link to other related content on your website.
Include links to more information on other sites when it makes sense.
Always have a clear next step for the reader, like a call to action.
Use your website's analytics to find pages people often leave your site from and improve them.

Linking like this makes your site more connected and guides readers to more useful info. It also helps with navigating around your site. Fixing these 'dead ends' makes for a better experience for everyone.

5. ✅ Engagement and Conversion

Does the content provide the reader with valuable information?

It's really important to make sure your readers get good info from what you write. Here's how to do it:

Learn a lot about your topic so you can share facts and useful advice
Give tips that people can actually use
Talk about problems folks have and how to fix them
Compare things so readers can make smart choices
Use up-to-date facts, advice from experts, and examples from real-life

When you write stuff that helps and informs, you show you know your stuff. You're also showing respect by giving readers helpful advice that matters to them.

Did you use bullet points where appropriate?

Bullet points make it easier to read and understand your content. Here are some tips for using them well:

Start your points with strong ideas that grab the attention
Keep the style consistent for easy reading
Don't make the list too long
Use headings to break up big chunks of text
Bold important words, but not too much

This way, people can quickly get what you're saying. It also helps those who learn better with visuals by breaking down big ideas into smaller parts.

Is the primary CTA clear–and is it easy to take action?

Your main goal is to get readers to do something after they've read your piece. To make this happen:

Put your call-to-action (CTA) in a spot where it's easy to see after you've shared the important stuff
Use words that encourage action, like "Start now"
Keep forms simple to fill out
Have a chat option ready to answer any questions right away

Making your CTA clear and the steps simple helps move readers from just thinking about it to actually doing it.

6. ✅ Standing Out

Do you have vertical-specific testimonials?

Getting good words from happy customers in your specific area can really help show off how great your solution is. They prove you know what you're doing by showing real examples of how you've helped.

Here's how to make the most of them:

Highlight success stories from your top areas. Pick ones that match who you're trying to reach.
Use quotes that talk about real benefits like making more money or saving time.
Mention well-known companies if you can. This helps people trust you more.
Show different types - like written, videos, or logos.

This kind of proof helps convince people you get their specific needs and can deliver results just for them.

Does your content stand out and genuinely deserve a top position?

With so much content out there, just being okay doesn't cut it. To get noticed:

Talk about things others don't by finding out what your customers need that they're not getting elsewhere.
Give more than expected with things like free tools or extra help.
Keep your content fresh by updating it to stay in line with what's new and what people want.
Spread the word by using social media, reaching out to others, and getting press to help more people find your content.

But most importantly, make sure your content is really helpful:

Offer tips and advice that solve actual problems
Use real-life stories to show how your advice works
Add pictures, videos, and graphics to help explain your points

Focus on making something that helps your readers first and foremost. Keep making it better based on what they say and how they react. The goal is to be the best answer out there. As Google gets smarter, only the most helpful pages will stay at the top. Aim for great, not just good, and keep your content valuable to stay ahead.

Conclusion

Writing content that both people and Google like might seem tough, but this SEO copywriting checklist makes it easier. Start by knowing who you're writing for and what words they use when searching. Make sure your titles grab attention and your summary tells what the article is about. Write like you're talking to a friend and go through your draft to fix any mistakes.

Always aim to help your readers by giving them useful advice, showing you know your stuff, guiding them on what to do next, and making your website easy to use. Keeping the reader in mind is important because Google is getting better at spotting quality and relevant content.

Use this SEO content checklist as a guide when you're writing and tweaking your content this year. Putting in a bit of extra work to make your content more engaging and easier for people to act on can lead to more people seeing it, visiting your site, and becoming happy customers.

SEO Copywriting Checklist 2024

1. ✅ Understanding Your Audience