Modern SEO–Less is More

If you're also a technical writer, who happens to write API or online documentation, then you probably know SEO is something to consider. 

Though I've added SEO keywords in the past to my documentation, I'll be the first to admit it's not my strong suit. I would just add as many relevant keywords and hope for the best.

But recently, I've learned from very helpful people, who are far more versed in SEO, that adding a lot of keywords can hinder search results of your doc site.

I'm grateful for this advice on reducing the amount of keywords and how modern SEO practices work. Though I've been a technical writer for over 26 years, I still try to adopt a beginner's mindset. 

In the past, we were told to add plenty of keywords so search engines can pick them up. But that's not the case anymore. Search engines have become advanced and when you add AI to the mix, this has changed everything. In this case, all for the better.

Less is more. But the less must be meaningful. Since AI has entered the scene, it's looking for meaning rather than keywords. So what are we supposed to do now? 

Modern SEO Tips

Here's the advice I was given:

• Have one primary keyword (key phrase) on your page. This primary keyword must be descriptive and unique. You don't want something generic. Too many put similar keywords. You want yours to stand out to boost search results.
  
  
• If you want to add secondary keywords on your page, then you can add 1 or 2. Don't go beyond this. No keyword stuffing. This can hurt search results because it increase the chances being marked as a junk site.
  
  
• Don't add the same keywords on each page of your documentation. Your pages will end up competing against each other (aka keyword cannibalization). This too hurts search results.

I would to add to this list. Make sure you write your documentation in plain language, active voice, descriptive titles and headers. In other words, good technical writing. This is far more valuable than keywords. If AIs or search engines are looking for meaning of things, then this goes a long way. 

Adapt to SEO Changes

I was also told SEO practices are changing as search engines and AIs continue to advance. So we need to be humble, patient, and ready to adapt. Treat it as an art. Just remember–focus on writing well, the rest will take care of itself.