How to use SERP to create blog content

Depending on the user’s search query, customers navigate through an entry page like your home page, or a specific product or service landing page, but many more could find your site through a specialized blog post or article.

Now you might be wondering why you should blog in the first place: Fortunately, I’ve already written why you should spend time blogging. Basically, you can improve search rank, trust, and brand recognition through consistent blogging.

Great! But now you have to brainstorm what you’ll write about. On the plus side, there is a free and accessible tool that can help: Learn how to use SERP to create blog content!

What is SERP?

Let’s get the acronym out of the way first: SERP stands for Search Engine Result Page.

And yes! The tool that people use to find your website, is the very same tool that YOU can use to brainstorm content ideas.

In the early days of SERP, we would simply see a page of website results, and pagination to view more. When the monetization of search was introduced, sponsored results were added to organic listings. 

Nowadays, SERPs are full of both sponsored and organic sites, local map listings, and e-commerce products.

But something else was introduced to searchers that can actually help them find what they’re looking for faster: Alternative search queries.

At the end of the day, the search engine is a company’s product, and perfecting it for their users is in their best interest!

Alternative Search Queries

Originally, SERP simply served web results for your chosen search term. 

Yes, it would try to correct any typos or guess at what you meant if the query wasn’t clear, but for the most part “googling” became a skill. (I myself used to get asked to search for things because I was able to find information faster – I just knew how to phrase my queries!)

Now, with the inclusion of alternative search queries, searching has become easier for everyone.

On top of our chosen search term, we see lists of similar queries that other people who were interested in the same topic also searched, or questions that they’ve asked.

People Also Ask

After seeing one or more organic search results, we get a list of similar queries people have also asked. The SERP is trying to assist the user in finding what they’re looking for by narrowing down the results.

How it works:

Let’s pretend we provide services to novelists or authors and consider my example search query “websites for novels authors books” as we’re brainstorming ideas for content that our clients would find useful…

People Also Ask:

1. What are good websites for writers?
2. What are the best novel websites?
3. What are writers authors websites?
4. What website is good for writing book?
5. Where do authors write their novels?
6. Do I really need an author website?

Considering the original query is quite general, the SERP immediately tries to help by providing questions with more context. Although we’re not actually trying to find the answer to original query, we can break down these questions to extract new content ideas:

• Aspiring writers are looking for free, helpful resources that they can use at different stages of their process. Research and prepare a blog post that either features a list of websites to bookmark, or create your own resources to share.

💡 Tip: When preparing ‘best of’ or ‘featured list’ blog posts, remember that your content should stand out from what else is already published online. Don’t include the same features that every other article does unless you’re including your own unique POV or review.

• Many writers are also readers. If your audience is searching for something to read it may be fun to break-up some of your “work” content with “life” content! You could show your personality with your own top 10 list, or focus on a topic and include books resonating with that content.

On the flip side of the same coin, the question could also mean your audience is looking for web design inspiration for their own website as a novelist. Use that to make a top 10 list of your favourite author websites, or a helpful tutorial on color contrast and online accessibility.

• Similarly, ‘where do authors write their novels’ could literally mean a feature of cozy and inspiring places to write, or, a list of online tools or software that assist with the writing process.

In all these cases, we have an opportunity to dig deeper into long-tail keywords, strengthen our focus keywords, and link to topical internal content throughout our websites.

Related Searches

Similar to People Also Ask, Related Searches offer additional search results based on your initial keyword intent. However, these aren’t limited to question-based queries.

Related Searches:

1. Free websites for novels author books
2. Best websites for novels author books
3. Self-published author websites
4. List of author websites
5. Children’s author websites
6. Fantasy author websites

This new breakdown of your general query can actually be really helpful in your keyword research strategy too, especially if you already have a niche.

When a query is too general, it needs specificity in order to display better results. The same goes for your website’s SEO.

If your author niche is in the children’s or fantasy genres, you’ll want to make use of those topics and keywords in your content.

If you work with self-published authors vs traditional, include those keywords. Break those industries down. So much content can be found if you start looking for the details!

Is creating blog content worth it?

Think about how you search or shop online. 

Do you do one simple “service near me” search, select the first company or product you see, and call it a day? (I could never, but I’m also the one with a working spreadsheet shopping for an office desk…)

Typically, us as consumers go through a customer journey, with multiple touch points leading up to a purchase or decision.

Customer touch points

Research shows that the average consumer goes through multiple touch points before confirming a decision or making a purchase.

A customer journey may have the following touch points:

• Seeing a logo in a social feed or search
• Reading a post in a feed, seeing an ad on YouTube
• Acknowledging print material (business cards, brochures, etc.)
• Following an account, subscribing to a newsletter, or wish-listing a product
• Revisiting a website, blog, or profile
• Research and competition comparisons
• Reading reviews, ratings, etc.
• Determining trust, brand recognition, and value

The earlier you enter the customer’s journey, the more impact you’re likely to have in their decision making or final purchase.

When your audience is in their research and gathering phases, you have a chance to provide solutions or insights to their current problems before they’ve concluded their journey.

When a customer has already been on their purchase journey, your website is competing with every other business in the industry, locally, (or online, depending on the product and service). 

What page they enter on, the content on your page, how you come across, what solutions you are offering – it’s all weighed against everyone else.

Whether you’re providing featured resources, writing how-to guides, best-ofs, or full tutorials, consider using your blog for other possible and viable ways to earn new website traffic and show people how hard you’re willing to work for them.

How to use SERP to create blog content

People Also Ask and Related Searches are great resources to find examples, prompts or ideas of topics to write and publish in your blog.

Using your initial keyword research or audience research can get you started with your alternative query querying… it all starts with that first search after-all. Get those ideas lighting up!💡