How We Write a Surfer-Optimized
Blog Post [Human + Ai]
Content is king, but a kingdom must be well-structured to thrive. That’s why we have developed a systematic, meticulous process to craft SEO-optimized content that is better than your competitors at a super affordable price.
Sure, you can get a readable article with a single prompt in ChatGPT or Claude, but you certainly won’t be hitting the mark…not even close!
So how does what we do differ from that of the one-click blog post prompt from tools such as Jasper, Koala or even SurferSEO’s ready-to-rank Ai content?
Here’s how we do it:
1. Identify the search intent
of your keyword/topic
The first step in our process is about understanding your chosen topic/keyword and the INTENT behind that keyword.
The best way to determine what type of content to write for your keyword is Google.
Google puts a lot of effort into interpreting the intent behind a search query, so it’s IMPORTANT to give them what they are looking for…but better.
2. Building Your Blog Outline
Crafting your blog outline is the most crucial step in our process. This is where we add your H2/H3 headings, also perfect spots to tuck in your keywords.
Firstly, we compare the top three to four competing pages in Google with the same keyword/intent. Making note of their sub-headings (H2, H3s).
This makes up the first draft of your outline and gives us the foundations to build on.
Secondly, we scout through the “People also ask” section on Google. This will typically give you a couple more sections to include in your article or perhaps questions that will become part of our FAQ section.
Next up, a search with a couple of great keyword tools from our stack, just to ensure we haven’t missed anything; these include Ahrefs, LowFruits & AnswerThePublic.
Almost there, but now the crucial step: incorporating valuable content points, personal experiences, and opinions. Essentially, it’s about adding more substance to the discussion. This is where our team truly earns their money.
We have now completed the initial draft outline, and as we continue to develop the article, section-by-section we will further expand upon it.
3. Matching Your Perfect Tone of Voice
Do you have a specific STYLE and TONE in mind for your content? Or maybe there’s a competitor whose tone and personality inspire you?
No worries, with the help of ChatGPT (Not forgetting Jasper), we can fully understand the tone of voice you want for your website, and If you’ve already started using a certain style, we can take that and run with it too.
Our goal? To make sure your content tone and style are consistent across every article we write for you, both now and in the future.
We’re here to help your brand’s voice stand out and RESONATE with your audience in a way that’s authentically yours.
4. Choosing the Best Perspective: 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Person
As well as being consistent with the tone and style across your content production, perspective is also extremely important. Using 1st, 2nd, or 3rd person – can totally transform the feel of your article.
Writing in 1st person gives a PERSONAL TOUCH, like sharing a story. Using 2nd person makes your readers feel DIRECTLY spoken to, creating a connection.
While writing in 3rd person gives an OBJECTIVE, professional tone.
Depending on your goal, we carefully select the right perspective to make your content engaging, relatable, and just how you want it to be.
Typically, we tend to use second person as the default choice unless it is for something like a personal blog.
5. Optimising the Title
The title of your content is its first impression, and we know how to make it count.
By inputting your keywords, the tone you want to convey, and information about your target audience, our AI tool generates a variety of compelling click-worthy titles.
The result is an enticing and SEO-friendly title that CAPTURES ATTENTION and invites readers to dive into your content.
6. Crafting an Engaging Introduction
The introduction is your content’s opening act, the hook that encourages your readers to stay or go. We understand its importance and craft it with the right mix of elements.
At this stage, ChatGPT has a clear understanding of your desired tone of voice, the narrative perspective, and your TARGET AUDIENCE. We use this knowledge to shape an introduction that aligns with the right intent.
Our goal is to captivate your audience right from the start, piquing their interest while also aiming to secure the coveted featured snippet on Google.
We address your keyword-based question upfront without giving EVERYTHING away.
This strategy creates a sense of intrigue, making your readers eager to delve deeper into your content. It’s about striking the PERFECT BALANCE between satisfying curiosity and inviting further exploration.
7. Penning the Main Content
of Your Article
Using our custom Ai prompts, we start to build out the heart of your article, but unlike many who use a quick one-prompt approach, we carefully DEEP DIVE through each of our subheadings from the outline we created, ensuring that each section is not vague and meh!
This can be achieved by expanding each section further by including –
- Examples
- Real Life Experiences
- Sharing personal opinion
- Anecdotes
- Superlatives
- Case studies
- Statistics
- Quotes
- Linking to authoritative sources
- Pro/Top Tips
- Humor
The above back-and-forth MANUAL PROCESS is performed by our team of human writers and editors, though, of course, AI tools & plugins can certainly aid in the productivity and speed at which this can be completed.
Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
According to Google’s latest guidelines, it prioritizes high-quality content, regardless of whether humans or machines generate it.
Google also advises publishers to produce helpful, people-first content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T)
Fortunately, there are plenty of sources to find nuggets of information that we can include in our article that not only adds value but helps build on E-E-A-T. These include-
- Youtube (Great for finding first had experience, buzz words and lingo)
- Quora
- Published books on a subject
8. Formatting for Readability
Why does formatting matter? Readers SCAN they do not READ, so optimizing for readability will reduce the bounce rate and improve engagement.
In short, walls of text suck BIG TIME, so pattern interruption is VITAL. This we achieve by adding
- White Space
- CAPS
- Subheadings
- Parenthesis (brackets)
- Bullet Points
- Images
- Video
- Charts/Graphs
- Quotes
- Pro/Top Tips
9. Adding Frequently Asked Questions
To provide additional value and enhance the depth of your content, we incorporate a section of Frequently Asked Questions.
But we don’t rely on ChatGPT to generate these; we go the EXTRA MILE.
As well as using our premium keyword tool stack (Ahrefs, LowFruits, AnwserThePublic), Our team manually sifts through the “People also ask” section on Google, picking out the most relevant and common questions about your topic.
Then following the guidelines of Natural Language Processing (NLP), we craft clear, concise, and comprehensive answers that not only aid your readers but also put you in a great position to capture the coveted “featured snippet” in Google.
The FAQ section is also a great place to include additional keywords and terms that SurferSEO identifies; more on that in a minute.
10. Fact-Checking and Editing the Main Content Output
Once the main content is generated, it’s time for rigorous fact-checking and editing.
ChatGPT & Jasper are powerful tools, but it’s essential to VERIFY the information they provide. We ensure that EVERY FACT presented in your article is accurate because we understand the importance of delivering reliable content to your readers.
Editing plays an equally crucial role.
It’s not just about catching typos or correcting grammar; it’s a COMPREHENSIVE PROCESS to refine the flow, eliminate redundancy, and ensure clarity.
This process ensures that the final piece of content isn’t just accurate and readable but also ENGAGING and perfectly polished.
11. Leveraging Surfer SEO for Optimization
With your keyword topic in hand, we turn to Surfer SEO, a game-changing tool that helps us sculpt your content to absolute perfection.
By analyzing COMPETING CONTENT in Google, Surfer SEO aids us in identifying all the necessary keywords and terms your content needs to include.
The tool also provides guidance on the ideal word count to ensure your content hits the sweet spot of detail and digestibility.
Our aim is to have a similar word count to your competitors, but rest assured, we will NEVER add fluff content to hit a certain word count.
Our goal is to achieve a Surfer GREEN score of 80+ or surpass the Surfer score of our competitors.
12. Embedding External Links as Reliable Sources
The integrity of your content is solidified by credible sources, and we ensure this by including pertinent external links.
These outbound links aren’t random selections but carefully chosen references that strengthen your content’s validity and allow your readers to delve deeper into related topics.
Adding these links demonstrates your commitment to accuracy and strengthens your credibility.
It shows that your content isn’t a standalone entity but part of a larger, interconnected knowledge network. It’s a subtle yet powerful way to enhance your readers’ experience and build trust in your brand.
13. Meta Title & Descriptions (Optional)
To increase your Click Through Rate (CTR), we include a meta title and description that contains relevant keywords, and that’s written in an active voice.
This meta title and description can be simply copied over to your SEO plugin of choice, such as Yoast, Rank Math or SEO Press
14. Schema Markup (Optional)
Schema markup powers rich snippets in Google, which often have higher clickthrough rates than regular search results. That, of course, means more traffic to your article.
The primary function of the markup is to help search engines better understand your content; the good news is we provide you with HTML markup.
16. Ai Detection Check
This is a grey area, mainly because Google has already come out and stated that they do not penalize AI content, furthermore so many Ai detection tools are being peddled, trying to monetize and take advantage of this exploding trend.
In our opinion, and that of science, AI detection tools are generally unreliable. Therefore, the key is to produce unique content that enriches the reader’s experience and doesn’t get flagged as poorly produced AI content.
This can only be accomplished by going the extra mile, as this guide outlines.
17. Social Summaries (Optional)
We craft three tailored summaries of your content, each featuring an engaging hook designed to captivate your audience. Share them effortlessly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
These summaries are ideal for keeping your social channels active and relevant—because no one wants to see outdated profiles. Best of all, you only pay for the word count, making it a cost-effective way to keep your audience engaged.
18. Deliver your Article
We craft three tailored summaries of your content, each featuring an engaging hook designed to captivate your audience. Share them effortlessly on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, andOnce your article is complete, you’ll receive an email notification letting you know it’s ready. We can deliver it via Google Docs or upload it directly to your website. Our service includes adding media, crafting meta titles and descriptions, and implementing Schema markup to optimise your content for search engines. LinkedIn.
Now, you just need to click “publish.”
Ready to place an order? Check out our pricing here. We now offer a one-off sample so you can test the service before committing to a regular content package.
Have a Question?
Whether you are looking for a custom package or have a simple question, please feel free to drop us a message.