How many times have you opened an article and read it all? For me, it is quite rare, and I blame the readability of the writing. If I can’t understand it, how can I keep reading?
The Internet is full of this type of content. It does not only repel readers but also makes Search engine optimization (SEO) much more difficult.
High-quality content is not enough to rank well on the search engine. Many other factors are essential but readability plays a vital role in SEO.
Let’s have a look at how readability affects our SEO efforts.
How readability affects SEO
Readability impacts how users interact with your content and how search engines perceive the quality and relevance of your site.
Search engines are designed to rank better-quality content in higher positions. And what is good-quality content? Whatever your readers like to consume is good-quality content.
When users like your content, they spend more time on your website which reduces the bounce rate and increases dwell time. These are positive signs to search engines that your content is engaging and valuable.
Clear, concise, and well-organized content enhances user experience, which boosts your SEO efforts.
10 critical factors that rank your site
We were talking about the factors that impact the rank of a website on search engines. Let’s talk about them one by one.
Here are the 10 factors that critically affect the ranking of your site.
1. User experience and engagement
Readable content reduces bounce rates and increases the user time on the site which shows that the content is valuable and engaging for the readers.
Content that is seen as engaging by search engines, is ranked good on the SERPs. When your site is in the top ranks, it gets more traffic, which enhances the rank again. That is how good content starts a cycle that improves your site's rank eventually.
2. Content structure and organization
Your headings are the first impression of your writing, it should be good. Use headings to organize content and make it easier for readers to navigate.
Search engines understand the main topics of your page through the headings you use. So properly write your ideas in them.
Break your content into smaller paragraphs and properly space them to enhance readability and user experience. Each page should have only one H1 tag, which is used to highlight the title of the topic.
H2 tags are used for major sections of your content. It represents the key points or main sections of the article. H3 tags are used for subsections within an H2 section. It provides further detail on specific points related to the main section.
3. Sentence and paragraph length
The length of sentences and paragraphs matters a lot in the readability of content. The bulk of the text is irritating to the readers.
Users like short and predefined sentences which help them understand and read the content. The average length of the sentence is 15-20 words.
Paragraphs are the presentation of the content so keep the paragraphs short to an average of 3-4 sentences.
4. Vocabulary and word choice
Can you read the word “Floccinaucinihilipilification” in your first attempt? Imagine reading an article that has a lot of these tongue twisters. I don’t think you are gonna enjoy reading that.
Readability requires simple, easy, and concise words and sentences. Complex words are difficult to read and understand so the reader engages with easy vocabulary.
Blend keywords naturally into your content to maintain readability while optimizing for search engines.
Note: Use the Plagiarism scanner to find if you have any duplication in your content.
5. Reading level and target audience
It is your audience that will rank you higher on the search engines so keep them engaged with your content.
So create content that matches the reading level of the audience and ensures that your content is easily understandable and engaging for the readers.
Readability measuring scores are valuable for measuring the readability of the content. The common readability formulas include the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the Gunning Fog Index, and the SMOG Index.
These tools analyze factors like sentence length and word difficulty to assign a grade level to your content.
6. Mobile optimization
58.33% of global web traffic comes from mobile devices (Statista) so it is essential to keep this in notice while creating content. Ensure that your content is readable on small screens by using larger fonts, shorter paragraphs, and responsive design.
Improving the readability of your content on smaller screens boosts your SEO performance.
Make sure that the content on your mobile site is the same as on your desktop site. Differences in content can negatively impact your search rankings.
7. Use of visuals and multimedia
Humans get attracted to visual elements like images, audio, and videos. Multimedia and visuals help to keep users engaged with the content for a longer time.
It is easier for users to understand your point of view through visuals and visual memory is said to be stronger than other memories.
Use descriptive alt text for images and captions of videos to improve accessibility and SEO.
8. Formatting for scannability
Formatting is another important factor that highly impacts the readability of the content. The use of bullet points and numbered lists to break up information makes it easier for readers to scan and understand.
Correct use of heading tags and vocabulary enhances the fluency of the content. Font size and style improve the accessibility of the content.
To highlight the important information use formatting options i.e. bold, italic, and underline the text. It makes the key points more visible and highly optimized by search engines.
9. Page load speed
I get annoyed whenever a website loads slowly. Usually, I leave the site and look for another one. What about you? I am sure you get annoyed too and that is why page load speed is a critical factor for both user experience and SEO.
The fast-loading pages keep visitors engaged, reduce bounce rates, and contribute to higher search engine rankings.
Slow pages frustrate users and lead the site to low search rankings.
10. Internal and External Linking
Internal and external links enhance the readability of the content and improve SEO performance. They create a logical structure and make it easier for users to find related content on the site.
By providing links to relevant content, the reader spends more time on your site, which reduces bounce rates and increases time on the site.
External links provide additional resources and in-depth information on a topic. Use them strategically to improve the accessibility of content on the search engines.
Conclusion
The readability of your content is the measure of your writing ability. The more readable your content is, the better writer you are.
Every great writer has their own style of writing, but you will always find one thing in common, the content is easy to read. Because that is what makes them great.
Not only you attract a wider audience with good readability but also make it easier for search engines to rank your content.
Improve your readability along with other tactics that I have mentioned in the above sections. It will help your website rank and make you a better writer.