How to Write Posts for Humans To Win Google

Blogging needs to be for humans?

In the past, SEO specialists are advocating writing content for search engines. But most recently, they're preaching writing for humans as if our lives depend on that.

And for real, our successes as bloggers and content marketers truly depend on the perceptions of people who read rather than the search engines.

In the beginning, we may need search engines to rank. Yet, in the end, users decide their fate while search engines are left with no other choices.

I will explain this!

So, why is writing for humans more important than writing for Google, Bing, etc? Why should people commit this to their minds while writing? What do people really want to read? How do we know what humans want instead of chasing Google and other search engines?

Below are clues to get into human minds and subsequently win search ranking. Because luckily for you, as soon you win the readers, you'd won the search engines. In the same vein, if you lose the readers, forget being favored by the search engines.

1. Be a Teacher, Not Just a Writer

People want solutions. They want answers. Google wants words (at least to start with). See How Google Truly Ranks Posts Up to No. 1 Position.

You can fool search engines at least for a while. Sooner or later, real humans will expose your flops. Hence, don’t give people words. They want ways out of certain issues. Can you identify that and provide comprehensive solutions?

Each time you start a writing project, picture yourself in front of a class or an audience. Picture students surrounding you. Then, they’re waiting for you to explain a problem and solve it.

Though your writing skill matters as well. You need to approach your presentation in a unique way to pass your teaching or else, you may end up being called a teacher who knows his subject well but lacks class methodology. See my recommended approaches in, "Blog Like a Pro: Make Readers Stay to the End and Rank Page 1"

2. Write for Emotions

Human beings are creatures of emotion. They respond to words. They understand “good”, “better” and “best” differently. Search engines understand this too but they're never emotional about it as humans will be.

Human beings know what you mean when you say "love" is different from "like", "fancy" etc. Search engines take them as synonyms, possibly without preference.

One of the reasons people read to the end of a post is when they feel glued to every word. Luckily, nothing is ethically bad in computing the total attention of your readers while on your pages. Can you help them get glued?

Sincerely, when I read from some high-profile content marketers like Neil Patel, they seem to know how to make me read every word without thinking of my breakfast getting cold.

Learn to use every word like a sword and fight any form of distractions your readers may have while reading your content.

3. Just Answer The Questions

Humans have problems to solve. Every search query is a question. Just answer it and you get their attention.

How well can you answer questions in your niche? 

You may need to invest in yourself before you can do well here. Readers don’t just consume one post and believe everything. They search for more and more. They want yours to be different – give new things or add more. They want their problems solved in every way possible.

I’ve personally observed that choice of words, mastery of technical jargon, and power of presentation help readers stay close to your points. 

Good knowledge of your industry, niche, and following current news will help you convince readers you have the right answers.

4. Get Them Involved

When you write without giving a part of the writing assignment to your readers, you’re only interested in the search engines. You'll definitely carry them along if you focus on humans.

Give them questions to answer as they read on. Give them references and close illustrations. Cite possible instances they might have found themselves in the past. Let them be part of the work.

This is the best way to get into people's minds. Search engines don’t have minds. Instead, they read human minds by mastering “intent”.

5. Blend Things with the Basics

No matter the niche, remember a few people are just joining you. These people will remain puzzled all through reading your content if you don't commit to writing with the basics in mind.

Even for those who have been in the industry for years, using basic terms and more friendly jargon will remind them of things as words cross their minds.

Help each visitors pick. Speak to all - let the beginners enjoy your work while the pros appreciate it as well.

6. Avoid Errors As Best As You Can

I'd share how grammatical/typo or language mistakes can affect your ranking. Forever, that remains true.

One of the problems some content experiences sudden drop in ranking is errors of all nature that readers might have spotted in the recent time. If people will not read your post as fluently and error-free as possible, you can be hurting more than helping them. See How to Reduce Bounce Rate: 11 Most Effective Tips.

In some countries, it may not be right to judge a book by its cover. This may hold true in blogging too. But here, to teach me a thing, I need the evidence that you've been taught well too.

7. Be Choosy With Language and Accent

I love American English. It seems so perfect while blogging. However, when writing for my British readers, I'd love to tailor things rightly.

Content writers should learn to adapt with a perfect accent if they have certain nationalities in mind.

This post is not originally written to show you how much accents can affect human feelings and comprehension. They will love it if they feel you speak to them especially.

Conclusion

As search engines are moving from depending on keywords only to determine the content to rank to using users' intent, you may need to focus on the people you're writing for if you will keep winning in the present SEO world.

Writing for humans should be the watchword of any of your projects this year and beyond.

What other ways do you suggest content should be focused on people than search engines? Leave a comment below.