ChatGPT can be a tempting alternative to outsourcing your writing, or putting it on the plate of your already-busy in-house writer. After all, doesn’t it write nearly identically to a human?
Well, to an extent, yes. ChatGPT is an impressive writing bot, and can churn out legible writing in seconds. But when it comes to targeted, keyword-heavy content, AI still needs some time to catch up with human writers.
In the meantime, we flesh-and-blood writers have to find ways to ensure our writing ranks higher on search engines than the algorithm-bending writing that bots are currently putting out.
1. Using Keywords Naturally
One thing that ChatGPT and other AI writing bots still haven’t fixed is their overly businesslike, sometimes robotic style of writing. This can lead to pieces that are stiff to read, won’t keep people’s attention, and ultimately can affect your website’s bounce rate.
This usually requires you to put the piece through a couple extra rounds of edits, but fitting in a keyword multiple times throughout your article will greatly improve search engine rankings.
By making sure the keyword is placed at organic spots within the article, you’ll also help the readability of your piece. This will keep readers engaged and lower your bounce rate dramatically.
2. Using Multiple Keywords
Using multiple keywords is another way to improve your piece’s search engine ranking. Having a primary keyword and a few secondary keywords is the most common approach. Typically, secondary keywords are either variations of the primary keyword, or keywords that tie in with the topic.
As the names imply, the primary keyword should be prioritized and used the most, with secondary keywords being used just as much or less. Many websites and blogs, especially those created with WordPress, have tools to let you know if you’re using keywords frequently enough.
And, of course, it’s important to make sure that all keywords are worked in naturally. It can be difficult to work in keywords that resemble Google search terms, but there are tricks to make it work.
3. Doing Keyword Research
Keyword research is an often-overlooked stop of the article-writing process, but it’s easily one of the most important. Keyword research allows you to see which keywords you should be including in your piece.
Sure, you can take guesses, but doing a bit of homework on which keywords would most benefit your piece can make the difference between showing up on the first page of search results, or the third page.
Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer are excellent tools for those looking to pepper their writing with SEO hooks.
While taking on the task of writing better than ChatGPT can seem scary at first, it’s doable! With the right tools, you can ensure that your writing outranks the bots any day.
