How to Properly Research, Plan, and Write an Article for Your Education Website

This guide provides a comprehensive framework for planning, researching, and creating content tailored specifically for your education website. The methods outlined here can be adapted to a range of topics and target markets, making them suitable for educational businesses of all sizes. This process isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, but it offers a strong foundation that can be customised according to the specific needs of your business. For illustrative purposes, we’ll use an example of a Spanish business targeting Spanish-speaking markets.

1 – SEO Writing Glossary

Understanding the terminology is crucial for navigating the complex world of SEO and content creation. Here are some key terms that every education marketer should be familiar with:

• Traffic: Refers to the number of visitors to your website. More traffic generally means more opportunities for engagement, but it’s important to focus on attracting the right kind of traffic—those visitors who are genuinely interested in your offerings.

• Lead: A lead is a potential customer who has shown interest in your services, often by making an inquiry. In the education sector, this could be a student interested in a course, a parent looking for a school, or a teacher seeking resources.

• Keywords: These are the search terms users type into search engines. Identifying the right keywords is the foundation of successful SEO. Keywords can range from single words to longer phrases, and they must align with your target audience’s search intent.

• Seed Keywords: These are the primary terms around which your content is centred. For example, if your goal is to attract students to study abroad, a seed keyword might be "Study in the UK."

• Semantically Related Keywords: These are keywords related to your main topic that help search engines understand the broader context of your content. For example, for the seed keyword "Study in the UK," semantically related keywords might include "UK student visa" or "best universities in the UK."

• Long-tail Keywords: These are more specific, longer phrases that often indicate a searcher is closer to making a decision. For example, "best affordable universities in London for international students" is a long-tail keyword that is more specific and may drive higher quality traffic.

• Keyword Research: This is the process of discovering what terms people are searching for and which keywords are performing well for your competitors. It’s a critical step that informs the rest of your content strategy.

• Keyword Planning: After researching, you’ll need to plan which keywords to target in your content. This involves selecting keywords that are relevant, have a good search volume, and aren’t too competitive.

• SERP (Search Engine Results Pages): These are the pages displayed by search engines in response to a user’s query. The goal of SEO is to have your content appear as high as possible on these pages.

• SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): SEO is the practice of optimising your content to rank higher on SERPs. This is an ongoing process that involves on-page elements like keywords and meta descriptions, as well as off-page factors like backlinks.

• Bounce Rate: This metric shows the percentage of visitors who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate can indicate that your content isn’t engaging or relevant to visitors.

• H Tags/Heading Tags: These are HTML tags used to define headings in your content, from H1 (the main heading) to H6 (the smallest subheading). Proper use of H tags can improve your content’s readability and SEO performance.

• Anchor Text: The clickable text in a hyperlink, often used to link to another page or section within the same document. Using relevant keywords as anchor text can boost your SEO.

• Images and ALT Text: Images add visual interest to your content, and ALT text describes these images for search engines and visually impaired users. Optimising your ALT text with keywords can further enhance your SEO.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI can significantly improve efficiency in SEO and content creation. Tools like SurferSEO can analyse your content against top-ranking pages to ensure you're hitting all the right SEO targets. Grammarly or ProWritingAid can streamline the editing process, ensuring your content is error-free and reads well. Canva can help create visually appealing images with appropriate ALT text, while AI-based platforms like Jasper can assist in generating content ideas or outlines, saving time during the planning phase.

Additional Tools

• Yoast SEO: This popular WordPress plugin helps with on-page SEO, guiding you through the optimisation of your content in real-time.
• Clearscope: An advanced tool for content optimisation, helping you use relevant terms that Google is likely to favour.
• BuzzSumo: Ideal for identifying top-performing content in your niche, offering insights that can shape your own content strategy.

2 – Keyword Research & Planning

Proper keyword research and planning are the cornerstones of a successful content strategy. The goal is to identify keywords that not only attract traffic but also align with your business objectives.

Defining a Starting Point

Begin by answering the following questions:

• What keywords are your competitors ranking for? This helps you understand the landscape and where opportunities might lie.
• What are potential customers searching for in your target markets? Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you identify these trends.
• What products or services do you need to promote more aggressively? This will guide your focus when selecting keywords.
• What content is currently missing from your website? Identifying gaps allows you to create content that fills those needs.

For example, if your focus is SEO for Course Creators aiming to attract students for online video courses, you would target keywords that reflect both course topics and the unique value propositions of your courses.

Conducting Keyword Research

Use tools like SEMrush for in-depth keyword research. These platforms offer insights into keyword difficulty, search volume, and competitive density. They also show which SERP features are associated with specific keywords, such as Featured Snippets or People Also Ask boxes, which you might want to optimise for. Ubersuggest and Wordze.com are also excellent free tools that provide valuable data, though not as comprehensive as paid platforms.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI-driven tools like Ahrefs or Moz Keyword Explorer can automate much of the keyword research process, offering keyword suggestions, evaluating keyword difficulty, and estimating potential traffic. BrightEdge is another AI-powered tool that provides real-time SEO recommendations based on current data, helping you stay ahead of the competition.

Additional Tools

• KeywordTool.io: Useful for finding long-tail keywords that are often less competitive.
• AnswerThePublic: Generates content ideas based on what real users are searching for, offering a wealth of long-tail keyword opportunities.
• SpyFu: This tool shows you which keywords your competitors are targeting, helping you identify gaps and opportunities.

3 – Manual Competitor Keyword Research

Manual competitor research involves a hands-on approach to understanding what works in your niche and how you can improve upon it.

Steps for Manual Competitor Research

1. Create a Spreadsheet: Start by listing your top 10 competitors. Use columns to track key information such as article titles, headings, subheadings, and word counts.

2. Inspect Competitor Pages: Use the inspect tool in your browser to examine the source code of competitor pages. Look for <H1>, <H2>, and <H3> tags to understand how they structure their content.

3. Analyse Content Structure: Document how competitors organise their content, noting the length and depth of each section. This will help you understand what Google is rewarding and where you can improve.

4. Skyscraper Technique: Aim to produce content that is more comprehensive than your competitors. For instance, if competitors’ articles are around 1,500 words, consider creating a well-structured 2,000-word article that provides more value.

By understanding your competitors' content strategy, you can identify opportunities to outdo them. This approach is particularly effective when focusing on niches like SEO for Publishers, where the quality and depth of content are crucial for success.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI tools like Frase or MarketMuse can analyse competitor content, suggesting improvements in structure, keyword usage, and content depth. Crayon is another tool that tracks competitor content strategies, providing insights that allow you to adapt and improve your own.

Additional Tools

• Screaming Frog: A powerful tool for conducting detailed competitor analysis, examining everything from H tags to meta descriptions.
• BuzzSumo: Identifies the most shared content in your niche, offering insights into what resonates with audiences and what doesn’t.

4 – Secondary and Long-Tail Keywords

Targeting secondary and long-tail keywords can help you reach a more specific audience, often with less competition than primary keywords.

Using Keyword Tools

Tools like SEMrush’s Keyword Magic Tool allow you to explore a vast database of keywords. You can filter results by search volume, keyword difficulty, and other factors to find those long-tail keywords that are less competitive but highly relevant.

For instance, SEO for Universities might involve targeting long-tail keywords related to international student enrolment or specific academic programmes, which can attract a more qualified audience.

Building and Refining Your Keyword List

As you gather potential keywords, it’s important to create a “master list” that includes not only your primary keywords but

also secondary and semantically linked terms. These should be incorporated naturally into your content, particularly in headings and subheadings.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI tools like SurferSEO or Clearscope can suggest secondary and long-tail keywords based on real-time analysis of top-performing content. Topic is another tool that uses AI to recommend related topics and keywords that can enhance the depth and relevance of your content.

Additional Tools

• Keywords Everywhere: A browser extension that shows keyword data directly on SERPs, useful for quick keyword analysis.
• LongTailPro: Specialises in finding long-tail keywords, making it easier to target niche audiences with specific needs.
• RankIQ: Uses AI to identify keyword opportunities in your niche, offering suggestions for content topics that are likely to rank well.

5 – Writing Your Article

Once you’ve completed your research and planning, it’s time to write your article. The goal is to create content that not only ranks well but also provides real value to your audience.

Section-by-Section Approach

Treat each section of your article as an individual piece of work. Before writing, conduct a quick search on the H2 or H3 term to understand what content already exists. Aim to produce content that’s not just good enough but better than what’s already out there.

For example, if your focus is SEO for Schools, your article sections might cover topics like "How to Attract More Local Students" or "The Role of Digital Marketing in Modern Education." Ensure that each section is thorough, well-researched, and directly addresses the needs of your audience.

Optimising as You Write

While writing, keep SEO in mind. This doesn’t mean stuffing keywords but rather integrating them naturally into your content. Tools like SEMrush’s Content Marketing Toolbox can help with this, offering real-time suggestions for improvement. You can also use the SEMrush Writing Assistant directly within Google Docs to get immediate feedback on readability, keyword usage, and overall SEO performance.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI tools like Jasper can assist in drafting content, providing suggestions based on the structure and keywords you’ve planned. Grammarly or ProWritingAid can improve readability and ensure your writing is polished and professional. SEMrush’s Writing Assistant can guide you through the optimisation process, helping you fine-tune your content for better SEO performance.

Additional Tools

• Hemingway App: This tool improves the readability of your content by highlighting complex sentences and suggesting simpler alternatives.
• Google Docs: With the SEMrush add-on, you can optimise your content directly as you write.
• Airstory: A writing tool that helps organise your research and ideas, making the writing process more efficient.

6 – Article Optimisation

Once your article is drafted, the next step is optimisation. This involves refining your content to ensure it meets all SEO criteria while also being engaging and informative for readers.

Optimising Content for SEO

Use the SEMrush Writing Assistant to check your article’s readability, keyword usage, and overall SEO score. Make sure your content is well-structured, with appropriate use of H tags. Ensure your target keywords are included in the headings, subheadings, and body text, but always in a way that feels natural and enhances the reader's experience.

For example, if you’re focusing on SEO for Study Abroad Agencies, ensure that your article addresses key concerns of potential students, such as visa requirements, study programmes, and living conditions in the host country.

Tone of Voice

Consistency in tone is essential. Depending on your audience, your tone could be formal, neutral, or slightly casual. Make sure that the tone aligns with your brand’s identity and is appropriate for your target audience. The SEMrush Writing Assistant can provide recommendations on tone, helping you strike the right balance.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI tools like MarketMuse can help refine your content, ensuring that it is comprehensive and aligns with the expectations of your target audience. Clearscope can offer additional keyword suggestions that might have been missed during the initial planning stage, further optimising your content for search engines.

Additional Tools

• Yoast SEO: This WordPress plugin is excellent for ensuring your content is fully optimised before publication.
• Grammarly: Beyond grammar, it helps refine your tone and clarity, making your content more engaging.
• CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer: A tool for improving your headlines, ensuring they are both SEO-friendly and compelling to readers.

7 – Linking and Supporting Content

Effective linking within your article and to other relevant content on your site can significantly improve SEO and user experience.

Internal and External Links

Internal links guide readers to other relevant content on your site, keeping them engaged and improving your site’s overall SEO. External links to high-authority sites can also boost your content’s credibility. Ensure your anchor text is descriptive and relevant to the linked content, rather than using generic phrases like “click here.”

For example, linking to SEO for Independent Schools within an article about education marketing strategies can guide readers to more detailed information, enhancing their experience and encouraging further engagement.

Optimising Anchor Text

Use keywords as anchor text where appropriate, but ensure it reads naturally within the context of your article. Overuse of exact-match keywords can be detrimental, so aim for a balance between SEO optimisation and readability.

Opportunities for AI Processes

AI tools like Link Whisper can help automate the internal linking process, suggesting relevant links as you write. SurferSEO can analyse your competitors’ link strategies and provide recommendations for both internal and external linking opportunities.

Additional Tools

• Ahrefs: Excellent for identifying linking opportunities, both internal and external.
• Moz Link Explorer: Provides insights into your site’s linking profile and helps identify potential improvements.
• Internal Link Juicer: A WordPress plugin that helps with internal link automation, ensuring that all relevant pages on your site are interconnected.

If you have any further questions or need more personalised advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us or explore our SEO Services for Education.