Keywords, keyword phrases, long-tail keywords, and every other imaginable way to optimize your website for search engines have been covered extensively in countless articles, but many neglect one of the most essential features of a search engine – asking questions. While many people search for a particular topic they want to learn about, others have specific questions. These questions are asked seeking a specific answer, so optimizing for these questions can give an impressive boost to your page ranking if appropriately optimized.
Use the 5 W’s
Most questions start with “who, what, where, when, or why?” Take advantage of this by titling articles and pages using these words. “Why You Need Renters Insurance,” “When Should I Propose?” “What Kind of Dog is Best for an Apartment?” and “Who is the Best Financial Advisor?” are all questions that can be used to increase traffic because these are commonly asked questions in search engines.
Create Helpful Lists
Searches often focus on finding the best item or service in a category. By including listicles on your website, you’ll pull in people who want an overview of a topic or are looking for specific products or services. For instance, “The Top Ten Cleaning Services in Boston” or “Five Ways to Ace Your Next Job Interview” will show up well when people are looking for cleaning services in their area or tips for interviewing well.
Answer the “Or”
Sometimes people are looking for answers to a very specific question. This can help you optimize for precise phrases that others may not be focusing on to target a broader audience. This is a missed opportunity to garner hits from potential visitors who have already narrowed down their search parameters.
Questions like “Is it a pony or a horse?” can successfully rank for both horses and ponies. Phrases like “Are they bunions or corns?” are excellent because they cover both conditions and help patients determine what kind of treatment they need. More importantly, they can redirect people to the right website (yours!) if they have previously searched for the wrong term. Any page that clearly explains the difference between your product and another’s (“iPhone or Android?”) is also an excellent way to lure users away from a competitor’s site.
Create “How To” Guides
There are millions of searches every day for How To guides about everything from cleaning your gutters to designing an engagement ring. Make sure you’re answering the question “How do I…?” with a few How-To guides.
Improving your SEO by answering the right questions is one of the easiest ways to improve your page rankings and help people find your website.
