There are countless articles on the web. But many of them see few readers. If any.
That’s why we’re going to show you how to write articles that actually attract your target audience and help you reach your goals.
In fact, the process we’re about to outline is the same one we’ve used to grow our blog to over 1.6 million monthly readers.
But let’s first get the basics out of the way.
What Is an Article?
An article is a type of (typically nonfiction) writing on a specific topic that’s geared toward a particular audience. And is usually used to inform, persuade, and/or entertain.
While articles can be in print form, media outlets and brands tend to prioritize online content. Because it can more easily be discovered and distributed.
Plus, online content can be updated to extend shelf life. Or even correct mistakes.
For example, The New York Times and many other news publications routinely update articles to correct mistakes:
And when executed well, digital articles can help you:
- Appear high (i.e., “rank” well) in search engines
- Grow your readership
- Drive business goals
How to Write an Article
Following our seven-step process for article writing will put you on the right track.
1. Choose a Relevant Topic
A relevant topic is one that’s closely related to your business or your area of expertise. And it should ideally be something people are interested in reading about.
If you know your industry well, you likely have many ideas already.
But if you're short on inspiration or want to ensure you choose a topic that readers are especially interested in, look for topics people are entering into search engines.
Use Semrush’s Keyword Magic Tool to do this.
Enter a broad keyword related to your niche. For example, if you’re in the travel space, you might use the keyword “travel tips.”
Add your domain in the “AI-powered feature” field and click “Search.”
You’ll see a long list of topic ideas you could cover.
From here, look for terms that are particularly relevant to your business or publication.
One way to do this is to use the suggested keyword groups to the left of the main table. And you can select one to view only terms associated with that group.
For instance, let’s say you’re especially knowledgeable about international travel. So, you select the “international” group.
Now that you have a more focused list, pay attention to the following metrics:
- Search volume (Volume): The average number of monthly searches the keyword gets. Aim for a reasonable number of searches (at least 100 is a good rule of thumb) to ensure you cover a topic people care about.
- Personal Keyword Difficulty (PKD %): A measure of how likely your specific domain is to rank in search results for the term. Choosing a term with a score below 50% is a good idea.
- Search intent (Intent): A metric that indicates what users are trying to achieve by searching this term. For most articles, you’ll want to focus on a term with informational (I) intent—which indicates the searcher wants to learn about something.
In this case, “international travel tips” looks like a good option.
2. Learn About Your Audience
Now, it’s time to gather some detailed information about your target audience. Because that will inform the language you choose, the examples you use, your tone of voice, etc.
Use the One2Target tool for this.
Enter a few competitors’ domains and click “Analyze.”
You’ll first see a breakdown of their collective audience’s age, gender, and location.
Click the “Socioeconomics” tab to learn more about the audience’s lifestyle.
Then, visit the “Behavior” tab to learn about the audience’s interests and social media habits.
Based on what you see here, you might tailor your article to budget-conscious couples between the ages of 25 and 44 who have full-time jobs.
3. Do Research on Your Topic
When you’ve picked your topic and homed in on your audience, it’s time to prepare the information you need to start writing. Which could include speaking to subject matter experts, gathering data from online resources, etc.
If you’re unsure of where to begin, consider whether there are any notable organizations in your niche that publish reports or other useful resources.
For example, the World Travel & Tourism Council regularly publishes reports and insights on the state of tourism around the globe.
But your research also needs to include looking at the existing articles on the search engine results page (SERP) to understand what’s already been covered.
To get a sense of what content is already out there, use Keyword Overview.
Enter your chosen topic keyword and click “Search.”
Scroll down to the “SERP Analysis” section to see which pages appear at the top of search results.
Then, visit the individual pages by clicking the arrow icon next to each URL.
Study several pages to get a sense of how the content is formatted and presented.
And consider whether there are tangents that are underexplored or questions that remain unanswered in the existing content. Because including that information in your own article will allow you to offer additional value to your readers.
As you study this existing content, jot down important subtopics and ideas you’d like to cover. To prepare for the next step.
4. Create Your Outline
Putting together an outline gives you an overview that helps you plan your content (including subtopics), avoid writer’s block, and draft more efficiently.
One easy way to create an outline is to use AI tools like ChatGPT. By entering a prompt like this:
“Create an outline for an article on the best international travel tips. Mention places like Paris, Bali, Tokyo, New York City, and the Maldives. Cover budget-friendly tips related to packing, air travel, finding hotels, and navigating unfamiliar locations.”
It will generate an outline for you:
Of course, this is a rough outline. Feel free to add or remove any points based on your research.
To incorporate search engine visibility considerations, try the SEO Content Template.
Enter your topic keyword and click “Create content template.”
When the tool is done, you’ll see recommendations related to word count, semantically related terms to include, and more.
Use these insights to update your outline.
5. Write Your First Draft
Using your outline, it's time to start writing the actual article content by fleshing out your ideas.
To get started, go to the “Real-time Content Check” tab in SEO Content Template and select “Open in SEO Writing Assistant.”
This will take you to a blank document in the SEO Writing Assistant that’s primed for your topic. And you can start writing directly in the tool
Here are some key points to keep in mind as you write:
- Start with a strong introduction. Grab your readers' attention from the very beginning. Consider using an interesting fact, a thought-provoking question, or a compelling statement to draw them in.
- Follow your outline. Use the structure you've created as a guide, but don't be afraid to adjust as needed.
- Write in a clear, conversational tone. Unless you're writing for a highly technical audience, aim for a style that's easy to read and understand. Imagine you're explaining the topic to a friend.
- Use short paragraphs and sentences. This makes your content more digestible and less intimidating to readers.
- Use subheadings. Break up your content into logical sections with descriptive subheadings. This helps readers scan your article and find the information they're looking for.
- Incorporate visuals. Where appropriate, include images, infographics, and/or charts to illustrate your points and break up text.
- Write a compelling conclusion. Summarize your main points and leave the reader with something to think about or act upon.
And remember to use the audience research you conducted earlier.
In this case, that means focusing on affordability and time savings. And sticking to cultural references from no more than 20 years ago.
Keep in mind that your first draft doesn't have to be perfect. Because you can always refine and polish your writing during the editing phase.
6. Optimize Your Piece for SEO
Even if you're not predominantly focused on SEO, it's important to help search engines find and rank your articles. Because it helps put your content in front of even more potential readers.
Here are some simple ways to optimize your article for search engines:
- Include your keyword in the title. You’ve likely already included this. For instance, if you’re writing about "international travel tips," it’s natural to include that phrase in the title.
- Include the keyword in the title tag. The title tag is an HTML title that can appear in search engine results. And it should match or be very similar to your article title.
- Craft a compelling meta description. A meta description is a brief article summary that can show in search results. And while it doesn’t directly influence rankings, a good one can entice users to click on your article when it appears in search results.
- Use a short, descriptive URL. Clear URLs help readers understand what your post is about at a glance. The simplest approach is to make the URL slug reflect your topic.
- Add alt text to your images. Google relies on alt text to interpret images. Ensure each image has concise and accurate alt text.
The SEO Writing Assistant can help here.
It grades your content in real time as you write. And clicking the “SEO” tab will show you recommendations that ensure your article is search engine-friendly.
7. Get Feedback and Revise
It’s easy to make mistakes or miss some important details when writing an article. Which is why having someone else check your work is very helpful.
At Semrush, we have a team of editors who thoroughly review our content. And they give feedback on:
- Sections that could be restructured for better flow
- Grammar and usage mistakes
- Parts that could be removed to avoid redundancy
- Sentences that could be written more clearly
- Points that need more explanation
Here’s an example:
Feedback and input like this typically leads to improvements.
You should similarly collaborate with someone on your team to ensure you’re producing high-quality content.
Write Your First Article Today
Now that you know how to write articles from start to finish, you’re ready to put what you’ve learned into practice.
Find a topic using the Keyword Magic Tool. And then dive into the planning and writing process.
Get started today.