
Far too often marketers use keywords to appeal to algorithms and bots rather than writing SEO for humans.
Let’s start with a quick statistic - on average, you have about two seconds to grab a reader’s attention.
As it turns out, goldfish, at eight seconds, have longer attention spans than humans. Who knew, huh?
This means, no matter how you optimize your SEO content, it is going to fall flat if people aren’t engaging because your SEO content bored them away in less than two seconds...
...Ouch.
I know, trust me.
I do this all the time and I even felt the sting of my own words here.
But what’s the alternative?
SEO for humans.
So How Do You Write SEO For Humans?
Whether you are trying to create SEO content for social media posts, blog posts, email marketing, Google My Business posts, etc., etc. the key in making great SEO content lies in your ability to write your SEO for humans.
Here are just a few things to help you shift how you write your SEO content. If you can keep all these few moving pieces in mind, then you are going to be killing it.
1. Remind yourself you are writing SEO for humans!
The first step when writing SEO for humans is to remember you are a human being, writing for other humans.
So never write anything you wouldn’t want to read or see yourself.
If your brand voice is informational, then write it in such a way that you would want to read it and learn about that information. If your tone is more business professional, then make your copy enticing for a business professional who also has a heartbeat and anxieties of their own.
Keep the human at the top of your mind.
2. Rethink how you generate SEO content
Normally, when you are working on SEO content, you are going to find a list of keywords that will be scattered throughout your content. You might have one singular keyword you are trying to gain traction on, so you use that one more than usual.
But…
...When you are writing SEO for humans, don’t worry about keywords quite so much. Not as many, anyway.
Cut your keyword list down to a small handful, two or three at max.
Then, take those keywords and start thinking about all the ways you might touch on that subject yourself. Think about all the ways your clients might come upon that subject. What about your neighbors?
Don’t think of keywords as a means to an end, but as the vehicle for your reader to come to know your brand.
Let the keywords generate your content by imagining how real life humans might think about them naturally.
3. Don’t neglect stories
Even the most dry, informational pieces of content have a story element to them. It’s only natural.
An article about Facebook Ads segmentation for Shopify ecommerce retailers selling CBD oils may be hyper-specific and it may be incredibly information-oriented, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t rooted in story.
Why would someone come across this article, though? What would even make them think to search for something like this?
Because they have a Shopify business selling CBD oils and want to know how to run Facebook ads for their business.
Where’s the story? How can you write SEO for humans in this instance?
Well, we all like to be the hero of our story. We all tell ourselves that everything we do is for some greater purpose in our life.
So even the most specific and detailed piece of content has room to empathize with the human on the other end of the scene and acknowledge the story they are living and telling.
All you have to do is call attention to it in a way fitting your tone and purpose with the SEO content.
SEO For Humans Means Better SEO Content
These are three simple mindset shifts and practical ways to rethink your SEO strategy and increase customer engagement without spending a single penny. The humans you call clients or customers will love you for it and will keep coming back for more.
Meet the author!

Dylan Scott Miller is a Columbus, OH-based human-centered content and copywriter (and author!) who has written in everything from drapes to AI, but with a fondness for technology. Word has it he writes for digital
marketing companies, small businesses, non-profits, and more to help increase client engagement by focusing on a human-centered digital marketing approach.
Check out his website using this link above!
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