That title caught you, didn’t it ?
And now you want to know more. That is what storytelling is all about.
Here is a brief checklist of things to take care while writing your story.
There are so many types and formats of stories, but they all have some essential elements. We will focus more on elements of short format stories, where SEO most comes into play.
After going through this checklist, it will be helpful to understanding the seo elements of storywriting ( << click to read article here)
Start with the characters and the plot
Compelling Characters:
Create characters that readers can connect with and root for.
Check: Do my characters have depth, flaws, and aspirations? Are they relatable and human?
Engaging Plot:
Craft a storyline that keeps readers hooked from beginning (the headline onwards) to the very end.
Checklist: Does my story have challenges, obstacles and conflict, that the characters must overcome?
Build some tension and suspense too.
Then, the style of writing
Emotional Resonance:
Stir emotions in your readers by exploring themes of resilience, hope, perseverance, and triumph over adversity.
Will my readers feel inspired and uplifted by the characters’ journeys ?
Vivid Descriptions:
Paint a vivid picture with your words; immerse readers in the story’s setting and atmosphere. Get all the details and research that you have to.
Are my readers getting evoked by sensory details, vivid life scenes and strong imagery?
Unexpected Twists:
Keep your story fresh and unpredictable by incorporating unexpected twists and turns.
Will the next twist surprise my readers with unexpected developments that challenge their assumptions, and keep them engaged?
The theme and the message
Universal Themes:
Address universal themes and truths that resonate with a wide audience.
Themes like love, friendship, courage, and the pursuit of dreams, are timeless and appeal to people from all walks of life.
Empowering Message and conclusion:
There is often a moral of the story, a lesson to learn and remember.
Deliver a powerful and uplifting message that leaves a lasting impact on your readers.
Inspire them to believe in themselves, pursue their dreams, and overcome obstacles with courage and resilience.
It is often also good to end in a way so that the readers want to come back for more !
Other Important points
Clear Structure:
Organize your story in a clear and coherent manner, with a well-defined beginning, middle, and end.
Ensure that the pacing is smooth and the narrative flows naturally.
This is not only an SEO requirement, it keeps your story well defined too.
Authenticity:
Unless you are writing a fantasy, or dream, authenticity is important.
Infuse your story with authenticity and sincerity. Draw from your own experiences and emotions to create genuine and heartfelt storytelling that resonates with readers on a personal level.
Shareability:
Craft your story in a way that makes it easy for readers to connect with and share with others.
Incorporate memorable quotes, poignant moments, and universal themes that people will want to pass along to friends and family.
Some Dont’s – Dont Do These !
- Avoid Keyword Stuffing: While it’s important to incorporate keywords into your story, avoid overusing them in a way that feels forced or unnatural. Keyword stuffing can negatively impact readability and user experience, as well as trigger penalties from search engines.
- Don’t Sacrifice Quality for Keywords: While SEO is important, prioritize creating high-quality, engaging content that provides value to your audience. Avoid sacrificing the integrity of your story or storytelling techniques just to include keywords.
- Don’t be Insincere or Dishonest: Write a story for the message of the story, and not for your own personal interest or personal gain or direct branding.
- Avoid Irrelevant Links: When linking to external sources or internal pages within your story, ensure that the links are relevant and add value to the reader’s experience. Avoid including excessive or irrelevant links solely for the purpose of SEO, as this can appear spammy to both users and search engines.
- Don’t Ignore Technical SEO: In addition to content optimization, pay attention to technical aspects of SEO such as page load speed, mobile-friendliness, and site structure. Ignoring technical SEO issues can hinder your story’s visibility and performance in online search results.
- Steer Clear of Plagiarism: Always create original content for your story and avoid plagiarism at all costs. Search engines penalize duplicate content, and it can harm your website’s reputation and authority.
Also see
- For online visibility, SEO is the story after the story.
See here the content and SEO elements of putting your story online, which is its next home.
