This blog post explains the writing process for creating an article optimised to be easy to find via search engines (SEO) using an interview. It also discusses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in content creation.
As an SEO specialist and consultant, I often notice that my clients are surprised by how search engine optimisation (SEO) works. Since SEO is a constantly evolving practice, it’s natural to have doubts and questions, especially if this is your first time working with an SEO Consultant. Through this article, I hope to clarify expectations and contribute to transparent communication. In this article, you will discover the key steps I take to deliver an article optimised for search engines..
Content creation goes beyond simple writing. It involves multiple tasks, such as research, editing, and selecting additional resources. This article outlines those steps, which enable me to produce content that can be easily found via search engines.
I also discuss the use of artificial intelligence to streamline and speed up certain stages of the process. In this regard, this article complements the AI Guidelines for SEO and Web Copywriting.
Note: Deepl and ChatGPT translated this article originally written in French. In case of doubt, check the French version or ask Isaline Muelhauser.
Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) for writing an article
I refer to the steps described in this article as SOP for writing an article: Standard Operational Procedure. This is the standard process I follow to ensure the quality of my deliverable.
Search Engine Optimisation for Textual Content (On-Page SEO)
Let’s start with the key points of a high-performing article. To achieve optimal results, the textual content must:
Be accessible to crawlers:
This involves checking the page template where the article will be published. For example:
Are all elements easily accessible to crawlers?
Pay particular attention to the use of JavaScript. Any content that is not part of the page’s HTML and requires user interaction to become visible may be invisible to a crawler.
Use an SEO plugin (see the SEO tools article) to check the rendered HTML via Google Search Console or inspect the text content using the “Inspect” feature (right-click).
Ensure that elements unrelated to the page’s textual content, such as footer or sidebar headings, are excluded from HTML headings. The content must be relevant and coherent.
Answer a search intent in a correct, complete, unique, and useful way:
In general, long-form articles of at least 2,000 words based on the company’s internal expertise are preferred.
Leverage on-page SEO techniques:
This includes selecting primary and secondary keywords, using internal and external links, optimising headings, and ensuring assets (images, videos, etc.) are well-optimised.
Facilitate a call to action toward a commercial page:
The article should make it easy for users to move to a product or service page with a commercial intent.
Demonstrate authority on the discussed topic:
Ideally, the website should show authority in the topic covered by the optimised article. Authority can be built through other related articles, mentions on external websites, or engagement on social networks.
Understanding the Business and its objectives
Starting a project requires a thorough understanding of the company’s activity, goals, competitors, and target audience. I complement the information provided by the company about its operations, values, brand image, market, and clientele with my own research.
Step One: Identify Search Intent and Semantic Field
To identify search intent, I start with a manual search using an incognito browser page localised to the geographic area targeted by the business. If necessary, I use a VPN. Starting with a few basic keywords, I take screenshots of Google’s suggestions as I type. I capture the top search results, available rich snippets, frequently asked questions, and related searches. Everything displayed on the search results page and Google’s suggestions provides valuable insight into how the target audience structures information and needs in their minds. I enjoy this step for its sociological aspect.
I repeat this manual search process with various related keywords. I create a folder with the screenshots and record each keyword I test in a Google Sheet or Excel file.
Sometimes, I dig deeper into forums or social networks (such as Reddit or social media platforms) to better understand the audience’s questions and challenges. I explore how the target audience consumes content related to the topic in question.
I complement this qualitative research with quantitative data using Ahrefs. I look at matching keywords and frequently asked questions. If there aren’t enough visible results for Switzerland (because the niche volume falls below Ahrefs’ radar), I check in other French-speaking countries or in German within Switzerland.
Next, I compare the content on websites that rank for the keywords I want to target. I analyse the sites displayed by Ahrefs as well as those visible in my incognito searches.
What types of content do these pages offer?
Does their search intent match the intent I am aiming for?
How can I do better than the competition?
I take notes on my competitive analysis in an Excel document.
Steps One and Two can be done in parallel.
Sometimes, I start with Step Two: Keyword Research to assess the traffic potential that can be captured. This depends on the brief I receive from my client.
Step Two: Keyword Research and Selection
After analysing search intent, I already have a list of relevant keywords. The next step is to evaluate the traffic potential of these keywords. I use Ahrefs to export key data for each keyword, including the monthly search volume for Switzerland and the ranking difficulty.
If the company invests in ads, such as Google Ads, I also include the keywords targeted by those campaigns. I assess the potential of the keywords the company is paying for. Making the business visible without paying for every click is a winning strategy. In this sense, SEO and SEA complement each other and work together effectively.
For article writing, I organise the keywords into “primary” and “priority” categories. The result of this step is a structured keyword selection with search volume and keyword difficulty metrics.
Step Three: Prepare the Content Brief and Article Outline/Structure
A content brief (also referred to as a writing brief) contains comprehensive and relevant information about the company’s brand strategy, the article’s strategy, and SEO requirements (both for writing and content).
As soon as possible, I will write a detailed article about how to create a content brief. In the meantime, you can watch this presentation where I explain my writing process: Isaline Muelhauser at Turn Digi. In this session, I outline the key elements of a content brief (in French).
In addition to a content brief, I sometimes provide an article structure or content outline, which includes the types of content, headings, and how the information is organised into paragraphs.
If the deliverable for an SEO project is a content brief, my work ends here. For example, some companies have internal writing teams but lack an SEO specialist. In such cases, I provide content briefs for the internal writing team, who then handle the content creation. I also review the articles as part of an SEO coaching process, which allows the writing team to improve their SEO skills.
If my SEO project deliverable includes writing the article, I prefer to have the content brief and article structure validated before I begin writing. This approach saves valuable time during the review process and avoids back-and-forth corrections when the article is delivered. Once the content brief and outline are approved, writing the article becomes a straightforward task, especially if the company has a clear editorial guideline in place.
Step Four: Content Research and Interview
To gather the necessary content for writing, I conduct interviews to highlight the company’s internal expertise. I complement these interviews with fact-checking using reliable sources.
Examples of Reliable Sources
For example, when writing articles about automotive mobility, I supplement interviews with press releases from car manufacturers, information from automotive associations, or data from the Federal Statistical Office, the Federal Roads Office, or the local motor vehicle registry office (SAN).
Preparing the Interview
Based on the article outline, I prepare the questions I will ask during the interview. These questions may include:
Fact-checking questions, such as “Is it correct that…?”
Opinion-based questions, such as “Given XYZ, what is your advice?” or “We saw in the press that XYZ, what is your opinion?”
Open-ended questions, starting with “Why?” or “How?”
I usually share the questions in advance with the interviewees. This allows them to prepare, gather relevant information, or bring useful documents to the discussion.
Conducting the Interview
I record interviews using a Blue Yeti microphone and the Descript software (paid version). Descript records audio only. When the language settings are correctly configured, Descript transcribes the interview into French once the recording is finished. Descript is a licensed software included in my hourly rate.
For video or remote interviews, I use Riverside, a podcast software. Riverside also offers a transcription feature under license.
Transcript Quality and Usability
I use transcripts to avoid taking notes during an interview. This allows me to focus on the speaker and ask the right questions to gather useful content, rather than being distracted by note-taking.
However, it is not possible to use a raw interview transcript without editing. Even transcripts from SEOnerdSwitzerland meetups that I organise are manually edited before being published. Although editing is required, transcription tools like Descript or Riverside significantly simplify this process.
Factors Affecting Transcript Quality
The quality and usability of a transcript depend partly on the quality of the recording and the microphone used by the interviewee. This is why I generally prefer in-person interviews, where I can bring my own equipment to ensure a good recording.
Transcript quality also depends on the interviewee’s speech patterns and accent. For example, someone with media training or public speaking experience may produce more complete sentences and fewer unnecessary filler words.
Conversely, for someone who is not accustomed to speaking publicly, the transcript may be harder to use. Additionally, the more pronounced an accent is — for example, a non-standard English accent that differs from BBC English — the more likely the transcript will contain errors. This is because transcription software is often trained on standard language models that don’t fully reflect everyday spoken language.
Step Five: Writing the Article
Based on the article outline, I incorporate relevant excerpts from the interview transcript, along with useful facts or references. I rephrase the content according to the language level and editorial guidelines required by the company I’m working for.
To optimise the reading experience on a screen, I apply web writing principles and use a conversational tone, which mimics spoken language.
I prefer to start writing as soon as the interviews are completed. The deliverable is more effective when there is minimal time between the validation of the outline, the interviews, and the first draft of the text. It is easier to improve an existing text once it has produced some measurable results, rather than trying to make a text perfect on the first attempt.
Step Six: Final Touch of On-Page and Conversion Optimisation
Using a checklist, I verify that the text follows on-page SEO best practices. I pay special attention to internal links and calls to action (CTAs) to maximise engagement and conversions.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Since content creation involves more than just writing, it is possible to use AI tools to facilitate certain steps, save time, improve comfort, or enhance the content. In my process, I particularly appreciate interview transcription tools and sometimes use ChatGPT to test title ideas. For certain projects, I’ve also used ReWord, and I’ve found its suggested content features helpful for improving existing articles.
Each AI tool has its own advantages and limitations. Testing a tool and, if necessary, training its algorithm to deliver relevant results for a specific project or activity requires time. Most tools are also paid services, meaning there’s not only a time investment but also a subscription cost (although some offer limited free trials).
From my perspective, beyond the fun of experimenting with new tools, they must be scalable to justify the time and financial investment needed for efficient and appropriate use.
Good to Know
For more information about using ReWord and the ethical and data protection aspects of AI, check out this interview with Majestic: “Use AI to Save Time with Your Content Creation.”
Example of Using ChatGPT for a Title
The original title of this article in French was too long: “Writing an SEO-Optimised Article Based on an Interview.” I used ChatGPT to generate title options. While I didn’t use any of its suggestions word for word, the ideas provided helped me quickly find a suitable title. Check my article in French for more information.
Key Takeaways
Writing an article optimised for search engines = writing an article perfectly tailored for humans within your target audience.
A search engine is an algorithm continuously trained by human actions. By definition, a search engine simply reflects human minds — their way of searching and understanding a topic. In discussions about search engine optimisation, we often forget that it is humans who train the algorithm.
Useful, complete, unique, and high-quality information is one of the essential components of SEO and the connection between a brand and its audience. SEO writing aims to respond appropriately to human concerns and preferences. It involves both the content and the structure of an article.
To share my process, I’ve formalised it here. In most cases, I write more than one article for a brand, and part of the research described in this process can be used across multiple articles. The process outlined here is flexible and adapts to the specific work required.