Just who the heck is your blog content for?

Glenn C
Glenn Cowan has been a freelance writer for the last couple of years, writing content for a number of clients. Glenn now runs his own website Orange Copywriting, which provides a wide variety of copywriting services. This includes blog content, as well as SEO articles.
Glenn C
I can can write a 450 word SEO friendly article on any subject for for $15 http://t.co/gsH7aefvoI - 17 hours ago
Glenn C
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Blogging just for youself, or Google?

There is no doubt about it, blog writing is massive. Okay, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that. Thousands of new blogs start up every day. Most of which have great intentions; however, many completely miss the point.

Their content is not written for the right people! Huh, I hear you say? Well what I mean is that the blogger doesn’t write for the people they should.

To expand on this a little further, the following multiple choice question should help:

  1. Google
  2. Themselves
  3. Readers

Hopefully most people will choose a healthy split between their readers and Google. In reality it should be something like a 70/30 split, in favor of the readers. After all these are the people that actually bother to read the content you have (painstakingly) written.

Practically Unreadable

Unfortunately way too many bloggers are still writing content that is just for the search engines, aka Google. How do I know this? Well the stuff that gets churned out is practically unreadable. Most of the time the content contains way too many keywords, it seems that these bloggers are trying to force Google to notice their content.

It should also be noted that attention to formatting is important here too. A well laid out blog post will make it much easier for the reader to actually, errr… read it!

In some desperate attempt to get their content featured as high up the rankings they are resorting to churning out spam articles. Despite Google and the others stating time in memorial that content should be adding value.

Preventing Spam

The fix for this spam is quite easy. All that it really needs is the writer to think more about the audience that they are writing for. If it is not possible to fit a keyword into a sentence naturally, then it should be left out. This practice is much better than forcing keywords into text; it makes it so much better for the reader too.

Generally speaking a good, readable article will contain around 2-3% keyword density; much higher than this and you are risking spamming your readers with your blog content.

It’s all about me!

Nearly as damaging as purely writing for Google is to just to write for yourself. This means that you really don’t care about providing your reader with any kind of solution.  Very often there will be way too much technical information in your writing, when this happens readers don’t get time to digest what they have read. People don’t want to be force fed this kind of text, they really don’t.

If there is any chance of becoming the expert in your area it is done by allowing people to arrive at their own conclusions. Constantly telling people how great you are, is one sure fire way to p**s them off. Fact.

The Wrap up

Blog content is a brilliant way of engaging with your site visitors. Done well it can help you to become the authority in your niche. However, a huge number of bloggers get wrapped up in either writing content that is just for the benefit of Google, or themselves. When this happens there is much less chance that the reader will want to share the content, or even come back for a second helping. 

Comments


  1. Twitter:
    Hi Glenn

    I think you’ve made a point here. There are too many people out there who either bombard their posts with keywords or do absolutely nothing about their posts. A blog needs constant love, care and nurturing for it develop into well-known platform. However, most people are usually impatient to achieve the success, so they indulge in quick fire, shortcuts to success.

    I believe a blog post should be such that after reading it, the viewer should leave the blog with a ‘Wow’ on his/her mouth and with a promise to return back to the blog. Once that is achieved, everything falls into place.

    Regards,

    Jay
    Jay recently posted..Towards Energy Solutions One Step At A TimeMy Profile


  2. Twitter:
    Exactly Jay,

    Yes, you are spot on. Its the “Wow” factor that will ensure that the reader returns to that particular blog. Without it you are just another blog amongst the millions that are already out there :(

    Depending on the type of site and the necessity to earn from it, many bloggers will try for the quick fix. Sadly this doesn’t always provide value to the reader!

    Thanks for taking the time out to comment.
    Glenn C recently posted..How to Unleash the Full Potential of Your BlogMy Profile

  3. i think spam is a disgusting matter.so prevent the spam is essential for a blog site and there blogging tipsis very well.thanks this post
    amran recently posted..Community: To Grow with OthersMy Profile


  4. Twitter:
    Hi Glenn,

    Write for the people you read your blog and your content will become much more popular. Love the tips!

    Fools write for themselves. Run a diary if this is your aim. Robots might appreciate keyword-stuffed posts on some level but we know google cares not for this tactic.

    Write for the people who show up to your blog, read the name, read the tagline and figure that yep, the blog should cover the topics discussed in name and tagline. Then you are on to something.

    Thanks!
    Ryan Biddulph recently posted..Work at Home Mastery – Who Cares What They Say?My Profile


    • Twitter:
      Thanks Ryan,

      Yes you’ve got it there, write for the people who show up to read your content.

      Loving your comment about running a diary! :)
      Glenn C recently posted..Maybe Your Business Should Stop BloggingMy Profile


    • Twitter:
      There’s nothing wrong with writing a blog as a diary and writing for yourself – as long as you’re up front with yourself about it. It’s only foolish if your goal is to get a lot of readers/followers.

      And the distinction between writing for Google and writing for subscribers doesn’t have to boil down to spam vs. non-spam. Writing evergreen content (tightly focused articles that will rank well in a search engine for the long term) will bring in a steady stream of traffic but may not be interesting to your regular readers. Likewise, a post that your subscribers find interesting may be completely unmarketable to Google because it has no clearly defined, searchable topic.

      Both types of articles can be well written, interesting and useful, but they appeal to two different types of audiences.
      Brian Rock recently posted..Fractions Webquest: Counting and Eating a Few Bags of MnMsMy Profile

  5. Hell Glenn,
    A very interesting post. if i may say, as a blogger it is best to do what you feel, like give your readers what they need and not what they want and on the stuffed keywords? i wonder who still does that in this modern times.
    babanature recently posted..ADDING A SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL WIDGET FOR BLOGGER BLOGMy Profile


  6. Twitter:
    I try to check out as many sites as possible, still way too many that are writing just for Google and the other engines.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Glenn C recently posted..7 Tips for Effective Blog ContentMy Profile

  7. very useful tips…by getting through this article one can easily understand the jist of blog writing
    rahul recently posted..Blogging Goals of 2013 to Make More MoneyMy Profile


  8. Twitter:
    Hey Glenn,

    Too often I’ve opened a rough and clumsy blog just to bounce right off. I wonder if the “author” actually thinks that way in real life. Having a personal chat would be quite a stress.

    Relax, have a conversation with your pencil. Let thoughts flow naturally. Engage your reader and they will be eager to return.

    Thanks for the great post!

    Fred
    Fred Henning recently posted..Four Best Principles that Secure SuccessMy Profile


  9. Twitter:
    Rahul,

    Thanks for taking the time to comment, glad that found the post useful :)
    Glenn C recently posted..Is Your SEO Copywriting Damaging Your Image?My Profile

  10. I see the same trend in blogging; However, the more I get into the blogs, the more good blogs I do find. People that are truly passionate about what they are writing is rare but a great find. Of course, when it comes to some subjects, who on earth could ever be excited about them :)

  11. I agree that blogging content should have keywords, but not be overrun by them. So maybe in a 500 word post, mention your keyword five times?
    Robert Koenig recently posted..Months After Car Accident, Boy Dies in HospitalMy Profile


    • Twitter:
      5 times for every 500 words works really well when you are aiming to make the passage readable. Remember, you don’t always have to rely on Google search to pick up readers. Some will come from social media and repeat visitors.

      For me it’s all about making it interesting and readable. Give your reader some value and they will return again and again.

      Thanks for sharing Robert.
      Glenn C recently posted..Maybe Your Business Should Stop BloggingMy Profile


  12. Twitter:
    Some good points made Glenn. very now and then I’ll stumble upon one of those non-readable posts and it’s almost like reading a spun article. When someone has to read a sentence several times to make sense of it, then it’s not a good thing at all.

    Personally my search engine ranking sucks, but I don’t spend all day placing keywords and stuff. But I do try to put interesting content out so the readers I do have can enjoy it. Thanks for being a voice in this very important aspect of blogging!
    Robert recently posted..How Sound and Stone IntertwineMy Profile


  13. Twitter:
    A good blog post should always focus on the user. If bloggers feel the need to write keyword stuffed articles or writing content for themselves I would advise writing on several blogs.

    I would unsubscribe any blog that starts posting keyword stuffed articles that does not make sense to anyone else but the search engines.


  14. Twitter:
    Anyone writing just for the search engines is making a huge mistake. One might be able to get away with it for a while but ultimately they will have pay for it for low quality.
    Shalu Sharma recently posted..Pictures of India GateMy Profile


  15. Twitter:
    Even the search engines don’t want you to write for them so we are left with only one option: our readers. The focus is to improve the quality of search results from search engines and even if a spammer gets away with spamming now, it is very likely that he will fall out of the game in the nearest future.
    Andrew Okey recently posted..Top 10 Airports in AfricaMy Profile


  16. Twitter:
    So true Glen. All I want is to either be inspired or to find an answer for what I am looking for. Being a blogger means I do a lot of commenting and let me tell you there is probably one really good blog with valuable content,for every 100 blogs I read.

    Blogging is part science and part art form. You have to be willing to learn and grow with it in order to succeed.
    Justin recently posted..Brain Evolution System ReviewMy Profile


  17. Twitter:
    Most of the people write for Google first & then for readers. This habit will not make their blog readable for readers.
    I do a little bit of keyword research before writing but once I start writing, I never think of Google, just for readers. I do a good research before I write my contents.
    Priya N recently posted..Can These 10 AdSense Alternatives Earn You Enough IncomeMy Profile


  18. Twitter:
    You’ve got it right there Priya.

    Thanks for sharing :)
    Glenn C recently posted..How to Unleash the Full Potential of Your BlogMy Profile


  19. Twitter:
    People forget that blogging should be fun as well as informative. It’s about YOU and what YOU think. Be compelling, a bit cheeky, add the information, cook in Google for a couple of days then reap the rewards!


  20. Twitter:
    Great post. I keep my readers in mind and I don’t think about keywords enough. It’s nice to hear the 2-3% keyword guideline. I have read blog posts that are so keyword heavy that there’s no content there worth reading.
    Tammy Fuller recently posted..Ultimate Reset Day 16 – Workout TemptationsMy Profile


  21. Twitter:
    Great post, I truly believe that the top priority should be your readers but you shouldn’t forget google and yourself.
    Jade recently posted..Korean rap songs, here is my list of my favorite Korean rap songsMy Profile


  22. Twitter:
    Always make a research on your readers and write fresh content for them. We are writing only to share the information among the people. And not to search engines.
    Kyle recently posted..DirectOn Headphone DesignMy Profile

  23. To the point, Daily thousands of bloggers are adding low quality content. I would like to call the content for search engines as low quality because this content can’t be used in a long race and if you have started a blog than it must be for a long race or don’t start it. Writing for bots should not be your main focus otherwise Google is getting smarter and smarter so a day will come when it will penalize you for god sake.

    Thanks for sharing.
    Anurag recently posted..Do Honey Singh Really have a Bugatti Veyron?My Profile

  24. Usually a blogger will set a niche for their blog. But when it’s a time, they try to play with seo. So the contents will stray from their blog’s niche.
    Joe recently posted..Kamera Air Clicker [3 gambar]My Profile

  25. I have also edited the content on my website again and reduced the keyword density. And surprisingly after some time my rankings improved. I think it was because of optimizing the content.
    amarinder recently posted..Physical Therapist Assistant-job description, salary, careerMy Profile


  26. Twitter:
    Hi Glenn,

    Enjoyed reading your article.

    Everything is changing at such a rapid pace.

    Alongside what you mention, the whole ethos is to move away from search engine ratings and being ‘pitch slapped’ on Twitter, but to be genuinely seen as helping others. That way you’re seen as the leader amongst your competition.

    Thanks

    Mark


  27. Twitter:
    In my experience, if you don\’t care about the topic and have at least some experience in it, it\’s really difficult to blog about it in an engaging way. I\’ve been blogging about coffee, lately, and I find it really easy because I\’ve been a coffee lover since college and there are a lot of interesting aspects to it, such as health and performance-enhancement benefits.


  28. Twitter:
    Hi Glenn,

    Point well taken about keywords. I see a lot of posts that don’t make sense. Their trying too hard to fit the keywords in and some just look like garbage. I try not to force my keywords in there even when my SEO plugin recommends more. Thanks!
    Rich recently posted..Seasonal: Green Carrot Ginger Juice | Reboot With JoeMy Profile


  29. Twitter:
    I do the same too, Rich.

    Despite what any plugins might tell you, you cant ever beat reading the material for yourself and adjusting as you go.

    Thanks for commenting :)
    Glenn C recently posted..Is Your SEO Copywriting Damaging Your Image?My Profile


  30. Twitter:
    I agree with you Glenn, we should all ask ourselves that question and answer it honestly too.

    Whoever is still writing for search engines alone already got the right audience – robots! LOl.

    On a serious note, bloggers writing for themselves are most likely to keep the blog private.

    Anyone writing for real people should write ‘human readable’ stuff full of ‘substance and quality’ and that’s what makes the difference.

    Search engine matters but is should be: My readers first and search engine second, otherwise my readers won’t find me.
    Lola Stoney A recently posted..Social Media Marketing Campaign – How to Establish A Strong Presence on Social NetworksMy Profile


  31. Twitter:
    You make some great points there Lola,

    There is no point in readers managing to find a blog, only to be completely turned off by what they read.

    Its the bloggers job to leave their visitors wanting to read more. This will also dramatically increase the chances of the content being shared. No one want to share things that are hard work for others to read!

    All the best….


  32. Twitter:
    Have been writing content for myself as well as the audience which connects them well. Plus I know what a reader on my website really wants to read. Google adwords help sometimes :)
    Rohan Advani recently posted..Top 10 Ways To Flirt With A WomanMy Profile


  33. Twitter:
    It’s important to have good quality content for your audience, after all your audience going to make your blog successful and search engines too prefer useful content.
    Pankaj recently posted..MLM Software DelhiMy Profile

  34. Creating for the user is an essential, integral part of any good content-creation strategy.

    PS. Like the new website design (even though the last one wasn’t half bad either). Quite a few kinks though that need to be ironed out with this design!
    KevinR recently posted..A Checklist of Things to Do Before Publishing a PostMy Profile


  35. Twitter:
    This is a great post. Since Google panda is upgrading SPAM will no longer exist that is why the need to write quality contents is very important. And writing for yourself is good but you must first consider your audience. The more it relates them, more shares you get.

    Thanks for your post.. :D


  36. Twitter:
    Thanks for the feedback Gel, much appreciated :)

    Yeah, agreed. If you can relate your content to what your readers are all about it will help no end. Doing this consistently will build up lots of trust and you will be able to become and AUTHORITY in your own niche! :)

    Thanks again,
    Glenn C recently posted..How to Bore your Blog Post Readers to DeathMy Profile

  37. Hi Glenn,

    Great post! People who do spamming will surely be demoted by Google as it was done by panda and penguin updates.
    Jamiee recently posted..Important Ethics in Internet MarketingMy Profile

  38. Glenn,

    Great insight. I think we as bloggers should always be mindful of our audience as well as ourselves…if it is not interesting for the writer, then the reader will struggle because he or she will pick up on the fact that the writer’s heart is not really invested. But if it is not interesting or relevant to the reader, then there is nothing to be had in the first place!

    Australian blogger Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) recommends, as many other writers do, creating two or three imaginary individuals at whom the blog will be directed. This helps the writer to better consider the age, gender etc of his target audience and then in writing the articles to craft the content in a way that will better resonate with his or her niche.

    Just a couple thoughts to add to your breakdown. Thanks for the contribution!


  39. Twitter:
    Thanks Evo,

    Your thoughtful comments are very well received.

    You are 100% correct of course, by following the idea you mention it can help greatly to target the material.

    There is simply no substitute to being enthused or interested in the subject. If you are to be a successful blogger then you must bring your niche to life.

    Thank you so much for sharing! :)


  40. Twitter:
    Your post suggests and emphasizes the importance of content for “real readers” and I couldn’t agree more. This implies that QUALITY is everything. Often, I come across a blog post full of stuffed keywords. It hurts my eyes, and wastes my time.

    Your post is simple, yet insightful and straight to the point. Thanks for delivering it to us :)
    Ahmad Khoirul Azmi recently posted..Apa itu Google AuthorRank & Apa Efeknya?My Profile


  41. Twitter:
    I Think Blog Writing is Not that easy task where you can write anything which can be qualified by google search engine but not for readers. Such articles may give High traffic from search engines but High bounce rate from readers also. So it is very important to write smart for both readers and Search engines
    Ravi recently posted..Basic Methods to Find Blogs for CommentingMy Profile


  42. Twitter:
    I really do try to write for my readers. I try to come up with solutions for their problems and find unique items that I can review for them. I’m still working on SEO and what keywords are best.
    Janet recently posted..The Earliest Sports FansMy Profile


  43. Twitter:
    demotion will always get spammers dowmn by google . i think all should know that and adding the page rank will also be dcreased !
    harshi recently posted..Delete Personal Information From Internet Using DeleteMobile AppMy Profile


  44. Twitter:
    Posts like these from the old heads of copywriting, make me feel good about what I’m doing with my website. Based on what you’ve said here, my content is doing it’s job. I do try to think of a specific type of person before I write. Mostly because my content comes from questions that I’ve seen people ask in forums and/or related to my blog’s niche. Great way to gather ideas, by the way.

    Thanks for sharing your insight. :)

    Best,
    Nikki
    Nikki recently posted..Building a PowerPoint Presentation: Outline for SuccessMy Profile


  45. Twitter:
    We should write for our audience and for this we must have the complete idea about the interest of our audience.
    Prakash recently posted..Download Subway Surfers for PC, Android FreeMy Profile

  46. Hey Glenn,
    Nice post and Thanks for sharing this post with us. We have to write our blog content for our readers as readers are everything for us. We have to write for our readers interest and make sure that they got their answer after reading the content.
    Sudipto recently posted..Best Android Phone Under 20000My Profile

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