Don’t Go Overboard With SEO: Better Articles Can Yield Higher Search Rankings

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Abstract

r's%20search%20intent.">dwell time</a>,” the amount of time a visitor spends on the website, is a key factor in SEO. Increased dwell time equates to higher search engine result rankings.</p><h2 id="bbb9">Taking SEO too far</h2><p id="9a12">Freelancers who write web content are sometimes given SEO instructions that are significantly longer than the word count of the articles being requested. These instructions often include lists of keywords and key phrases that the author must include in the article as many times as possible. Especially when the article being requested is short, such as one with a word count of 600 to 800, including these keywords and phrases repeatedly can significantly diminish the quality and readability of the resulting article.</p><p id="492f">Some SEO instructions even require writers to use key phrases that are either grammatically incorrect or are structured in a way that makes them very difficult, if not impossible, to incorporate into coherent sentences. Grammatical errors and awkwardly worded sentences negatively impact the readability of an article.</p><p id="7fc8">Yes, using keywords and key phrases is an important aspect of SEO, but excessive use can result in a decrease in the amount of time visitors spend on your site.</p><h2 id="e027">Website visitor dwell time is critical to SEO</h2><p id="6ca6">There are a number of ways to increase the average amount of time visitors spend viewing and exploring your web content. A couple of them are making sure your site is user-friendly and works properly and that your articles include links to other resources on the site.</p><p id="0f3d">A third way to increase dwell time is by ensuring that the articles published on your site are well-written, engaging, and provide the information readers are seeking. Requiring the excessive and repeated use of certain keywords and key phrases can not only result in awkwardly worded content but also consumes a wo

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rd count that would be better devoted to providing the information site visitors are looking for.</p><p id="5199">Here’s what all of this looks like:</p><ul><li>Someone visits your site and finds that all of the links work, the pages load quickly, and the site is mobile device friendly.</li><li>The writing is of a quality that holds their attention, is easy to read, and provides them with the information they were seeking.</li><li>The articles include links to other related well written and informative articles and resources within your site.</li><li>The visitor stays on your site longer, easily obtains the information they were looking for, bookmarks the site, and returns to the site repeatedly. They may also cite your articles and refer their friends, family, and coworkers to your site.</li><li>Your search engine rankings reflect the results of the improvements you’ve made.</li></ul><h2 id="716b">Summing up…</h2><p id="eebb">Becoming too focused on the technical aspects of SEO can do more harm than good. If you’re a skilled author or if you’ve found one or more writers that produce quality, informative, and engaging content, take advantage of those skills. Don’t overuse the technical components of SEO to the point that doing so reduces the quality of the information posted on your site.</p><p id="5471">These days, skilled and talented authors have become harder to find. When you do find them, allow them to utilize their skills without being overburdened with SEO requirements. Letting talented writers do what they do best will increase dwell time on your site and thereby improve your search result rankings. Overstressing SEO requirements and instructions could drive talented writers away, possibly leading them to offer their services to one of your competitors.</p><p id="a41e"><i>Enjoy this? Become a <a href="https://georgejziogas.medium.com/membership">Medium member</a> today for full access.</i></p></article></body>

Quality writing increases site dwell time and improves search engine site rankings

Authors of web content are increasingly being instructed to adhere to lengthy search engine optimization (SEO) guidelines that can be excessive. These guidelines are intended to elevate the search engine result rankings of the sites that publish the authors’ articles. Imposing too many requirements can, however, result in articles that are primarily focused on SEO rather than on reader engagement. When site visitors don’t care for the articles they find, they don’t spend as much time on the site that published them and may not bookmark and visit that site again.

Publishing better-quality articles that are focused on holding the readers’ attention and providing the information they’re seeking will increase the time readers spend on your site. Site “dwell time,” the amount of time a visitor spends on the website, is a key factor in SEO. Increased dwell time equates to higher search engine result rankings.

Taking SEO too far

Freelancers who write web content are sometimes given SEO instructions that are significantly longer than the word count of the articles being requested. These instructions often include lists of keywords and key phrases that the author must include in the article as many times as possible. Especially when the article being requested is short, such as one with a word count of 600 to 800, including these keywords and phrases repeatedly can significantly diminish the quality and readability of the resulting article.

Some SEO instructions even require writers to use key phrases that are either grammatically incorrect or are structured in a way that makes them very difficult, if not impossible, to incorporate into coherent sentences. Grammatical errors and awkwardly worded sentences negatively impact the readability of an article.

Yes, using keywords and key phrases is an important aspect of SEO, but excessive use can result in a decrease in the amount of time visitors spend on your site.

Website visitor dwell time is critical to SEO

There are a number of ways to increase the average amount of time visitors spend viewing and exploring your web content. A couple of them are making sure your site is user-friendly and works properly and that your articles include links to other resources on the site.

A third way to increase dwell time is by ensuring that the articles published on your site are well-written, engaging, and provide the information readers are seeking. Requiring the excessive and repeated use of certain keywords and key phrases can not only result in awkwardly worded content but also consumes a word count that would be better devoted to providing the information site visitors are looking for.

Here’s what all of this looks like:

Someone visits your site and finds that all of the links work, the pages load quickly, and the site is mobile device friendly.

The writing is of a quality that holds their attention, is easy to read, and provides them with the information they were seeking.

The articles include links to other related well written and informative articles and resources within your site.

The visitor stays on your site longer, easily obtains the information they were looking for, bookmarks the site, and returns to the site repeatedly. They may also cite your articles and refer their friends, family, and coworkers to your site.

Your search engine rankings reflect the results of the improvements you’ve made.

Summing up…

Becoming too focused on the technical aspects of SEO can do more harm than good. If you’re a skilled author or if you’ve found one or more writers that produce quality, informative, and engaging content, take advantage of those skills. Don’t overuse the technical components of SEO to the point that doing so reduces the quality of the information posted on your site.

These days, skilled and talented authors have become harder to find. When you do find them, allow them to utilize their skills without being overburdened with SEO requirements. Letting talented writers do what they do best will increase dwell time on your site and thereby improve your search result rankings. Overstressing SEO requirements and instructions could drive talented writers away, possibly leading them to offer their services to one of your competitors.

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