Have you heard that you have to write in-depth articles so as to attract inbound links from your readers?
We have been told that in-depth articles are a sure way to get those backlinks naturally and rank higher in search engines.
Backlinks are still a strong Google or Search Engine ranking factor. We know of Content Quality and Rankbrain. Content Quality goes with Semantics and In-depthness (Which is what we want to deal with now)
What is in-depth by the way ?
In-depth means complete with regard to every detail; not superficial or partial. It’s comprehensive and thorough, including nearly or all elements or aspects of something.
In-depth articles may be long but does not necessarily refer to long articles. If you think because a blog post goes up to 3500 words it’s in-depth, you may be wrong. If you are just playing about words and phrases to fill the gabs, you are not doing any better.
How to write in-depth articles that trigger that attract incoming links!
1 – > Focus on the topic
I think the first step to come out with an in-depth content is to focus on the topic and bring the meat out of it. Do your proper research and try to cover every aspect. Tackle it from every angle making sure you leave no stone unturned.
2 -> Use examples
Show examples to backup your points. Examples are quick in painting a clearer image of any point you are trying to make. Try to get the most recent, most outstanding and most related examples. The more examples, the more the understanding.
3 – > Use images and graphics
It’s often said that images speak better than words. Related illustrative graphics and pictures will be another way to make clear your point. Don’t just fill up the spaces with images. Use relevant and top quality images.
How many images to use in a single post is up to you. However, the more the images, the more time it takes to load. You may use image optimization plugin like SmushId or Lazy Load to increase page speed.
Recommended: Free Stock photos for your blog
4 – > Link out to related materials
Linking out to external resources is not only a search engine strategy. It’s a way to offer more value to your readers and attract back links to your own blog. Don’t be a selfish blogger. If you have come across great content that’s related to the article you are writing, link back to it. That will add meat to the bone.
5 – > Use quotes
Another way to add value to your article and make it in-depth is to share what some others have said about the topic. Before you tackle the topic, someone else might have said something captivating and worth mentioning. Quote that person in your article and add more value to it. Again, don’t be selfish.
6 – > Define concepts and terms
Don’t think everyone reading that topic will understand those concepts or jaw breaking terms. Make things easy for your readers and breaking down into words the street man will understand.
What triggers a “wow” is when someone understands something he’s been struggling with for a long time. Don’t think your readers already know the concepts. Make them know the concepts. Write for the professionals and the layman.
7 – > Answer common questions
Every topic has common questions people ask here and there. Some of those questions come up over and over in forums, discussion boards, social media, etc. Bring out those questions and provide adequate answers. That will make your article shareable, bringing more traffic and attracting search engines.
8 – > Create your own questions and answer them
One excellent way to write in-depth articles and get something understood is to create questions and provide answers yourself. Readers might never think inline with your brain but your ingenious question and accurate answer will open more their understanding.
9 – > Show weak and strong points
Where appropriate, show the weak and the strong points of what you are writing about. Don’t write to flatter someone. Be very balanced and give your readers the right education.
Bringing out the disadvantages and advantages, pros and cons of a an object or topic will ignite the better side of your readers’ understanding.
10 – > Use videos/audios
These are important media objects on every web page. Some visitors may not want to go through your article word after word. They may prefer the video or audio. This will be an attractive addition to keep such visitors on your article.
11 – Use Statistics, bars and charts
Stats are generally proof of a well researched subject. They can be analysed relatively quickly and have a psychology that makes people to quickly want to share.
We know many writers are either lazy or don’t have the required resources to collect some critical data. If you do the job of collecting and publishing accurate statistics, many writers will simply use the data and link to your page as source of their information.
12 – > Make it fun
Don’t stress up your readers’ brains. Make your writing fun to read. Use simple language and words to make your readers to smile. Add excitement to your writings. Be natural and avoid appearing like a bot.
13 – > Update and re-post
Updating and re-posting evergreen content breaths new life to it and makes it always relevant. When I wrote this article, I had 11 points. But updating to 13 points makes it fresher and of course this is going to attract more attention.
Bottom line
Do your research and grab enough materials. Write in a more organized way and use the right formatting – bullet points, paragraphs, etc. It’s not that hard to write in-depth articles.
Yesterday, I saw a very attractive article title on my friend Erik’s content syndication platform. I was very eager to read that article but something happened when I got to that blog. The fonts were too small and hurting my eyes. The words appeared chucked up. The next thing was that I closed up the window.
That’s what happens if you don’t get the right theme for your blog. You loose visitors and business. Your articles never get read, commented or shared. Finally, you’ll think blogging is so hard. Treat blogging like a business and you’ll get the right results.
Share your thoughts in the comment box. What are other ways to write in-depth articles?
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