Best Proven Content Optimization Tips by 9 SEO Experts

Your search for the best and proven content optimization tips end here.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about content optimization, it’s that no matter how much you know, there’s always something new to learn and improve the process.

So, I did what I always do when I want to improve: I reached out to some of the smartest SEO minds I know — people I admire and follow (especially on LinkedIn). 

I asked them what works for them when it comes to content optimization. Not just in theory, but in practice.

And so, this post isn’t just a roundup. It’s a collection of tried-and-true insights from experts who live and breathe SEO. These are the people behind high-ranking content, innovative strategies, and results-driven frameworks.

I hope these content optimization tips help you or offer a fresh perspective (and probably a few ah-ha moments).

Let’s start! 👇

1. Segment Content by Journey and Type – Sara Taher

I reached out to Sara Taher who works as an organic search consultant and is great at what she does.

Here’s what she shared:

“My tip is to segment the content by buyer journey and type (e.g, listicle, comparison, etc) This way, you can know which is driving more clicks and impressions, what content we need more of, and what content we need less of. 

This has been very important to my content recommendations because it provides the insights I need to build a data-driven SEO content strategy. When executed correctly, more targeted results and metrics directly related to business goals can be achieved.”

Sara’s content optimization tips are a powerful reminder that content performance isn’t one-size-fits-all. When you map content types to the buyer journey like awareness listicles vs. bottom-of-funnel comparisons, you start to see clear patterns in what drives results.

2. Start With Search Intent, Not Keywords – Anastasia Muravitskaya

Anastasia Muravitskaya worked as a digital marketing consultant and in our conversation, she emphasized a point I deeply relate to: search intent is the foundation. 

Before optimizing anything like titles, headers, and internal links, you need to understand what the reader actually wants when they type that query.

Here’s what she said:

“Before I even touch the content outline or keywords, I dig into what the user really wants when they type a query – not just what Google says. Are they looking to buy? Compare options? Understand a concept? Often, aligning content format, tone and depth to that underlying intent can do more than any technical tweak or text optimization.”

She believes it helps her develop a clear plan for what to do and optimize for. It also shapes how we write titles, structure the content, and choose internal links — basically everything flows from that intent clarity.

What’s crazy is the impact she has seen by following these content optimization tips — a big content jump in rankings just by changing titles and updating the structure or CTA placement to match intent. In the long term, it builds trust — the content starts performing better across organic, newsletter, and even repurposed on social.

3. Get Your Structure Right – Marina Pregl

Marina Pregl co-founded Fortis Agency and actively works to fortify the best SEO practices.

She brings up a content crime I’ve seen (and committed in the past 😅): poor structure in the name of keyword stuffing. 

One of her go-to content optimization tips? Cut the fluff. Answer the reader’s question clearly and structure content around that — no SEO shortcuts.

“Focus on the structure of your article a lot. I’ve seen too many articles with horrible structures, repeating the same words in the name of SEO and keywords. So you get an article, say, about SCRUM with repetitive and unnecessary headings like “What is SCRUM” followed by “SCRUM MEANING”.

But that makes for such a bad user experience. UX definitely impacts your SEO results through user metrics. So don’t neglect your content structure. Make sure it answers the question a searcher had. Don’t delay providing it.”

4. Make It Readable, or Lose the Reader – Connor Gillivan

Connor, the founder of TrioSEO, is one of the first people I started following on LinkedIn. I’m absolutely in awe of his expertise and content.

His tip is all about readability – an underrated factor in content optimization. Short paragraphs, lots of white space, 16px font, and a conversational tone keep readers scrolling, not bouncing.

Here’s what he says about it:

“One of my biggest things with SEO content optimization is readability. People’s attention spans are shorter than ever right now. If they run into a big wall of text, they will struggle to read it.

To optimize content for readability, aim for shorter and punchier content where a paragraph is never longer than 3 lines. Make the writing conversational, make the font at least 16px, and include white space between sentences and paragraphs to optimize readability. This will keep visitors on your site for longer.”

5. Treat Optimization as Ongoing, Not One-and-Done – Lauren Funaro

Lauren is the Content Marketing Manager at Freed and treats content as “alive,” which I love. 

She optimizes based on performance data, not just post-publish rituals. Instead of obsessing over one piece, she looks at topics as a whole, boosting topical authority and rankings at scale.

She believes optimization is an ongoing process and says the following about it:

“I like to think of content as “alive,” and to tie my optimization to performance and rank. I’ll also focus on a topic vs. a singular article. If my top-performing article is faltering, how can I optimize a number of articles to boost my topical authority? That is the #1 question I think about, which helps me create better content.”

6. Go Deep, Then Deeper – Szymon Gorlak

Szymon is the co-founder of a leading SEO agency, Sembility.

I loved talking to him about his process because he had a lot to share.

His best tip? Write your content as thoroughly as possible and cover the topic in full. He stresses internal linking, conversational tone, and user-focused flow, even on complex topics.

Here’s what he believes:

“Creating SEO strategies for my clients daily, I know very well that optimization is an ongoing process that getting rankings in Google—high rankings—takes time and constant adjustments. It’s not simple; it’s a full-time job, no matter the niche. 

For years, great SEO has meant great content. This has become especially important after this year’s Core Update in March.

Exploring a subject in depth looks better in your reader’s eyes and, therefore, in the eyes of Google.

Some more practical tips:

• Use internal linking in every post on your blog and every subpage.
• Every blog post should be at least 1,500 words. The more, the better, although writing more than 5,000 words usually isn’t worth it.
• Write the way you speak – even when tackling difficult topics, you can write in a simple and pleasant way. This increases user session time on your site and lowers the bounce rate.

Of course, I could talk about SEO for hours, but I hope these three tips will help you get better results and rank higher in search engine results!”

7. Let AI Optimize, Not Just Write – Tom Winter

Tom is the co-founder of SEOWind and is someone I have always enjoyed discussing industry trends with.

He uses AI to draft, critique, and optimize his content. He prompts AI to review structure, clarity, and SEO alignment and then feeds that information into his system for scalable, consistent optimization.

Let’s look at his process more closely:

“Let AI audit, refine, and upgrade your content performance.

One of the most effective ways I’ve improved content performance is by using AI as a content optimization tool, not just a writing assistant.

Here’s how I approach it: I start by prompting AI to critique its draft. I ask it where the content lacks clarity, depth, structure, or SEO alignment. It flags thin sections, vague arguments, or missed keyword opportunities, just like a seasoned editor would.

Then I go deeper. AI can compare my content against top-ranking articles to surface gaps and suggest ways to strengthen EEAT. It helps rewrite weak sections, add internal links, optimize headings, and even distill complex ideas into something more accessible.

Eventually, I scaled this entire process using SEOwind – turning individual prompts into full workflows. Now, content optimization is no longer reactive or manual. It’s systematic, consistent, and scalable.

If you’re using AI only to draft, you’re underutilizing it. The real impact comes when you use it to refine and optimize.”

8. Keep It Structured, Simple, and Focused on E-E-A-T – Hibba Imran

Hibba is the CMO at Confidential and her approach perfectly balances SEO structure and content value. 

She builds content around what the audience is actually searching for, uses clear headings, includes FAQ sections, and follows E-E-A-T principles in everything from voice to sources.

Here are some of her go-to best content optimization tips:

• Use AnswerThePublic to find what your audience is genuinely searching for. It makes the content more intentional.
• Keep the writing simple, structured, and easy to skim. Think clearly about the H1 to H4 hierarchy and short paragraphs.
• Always include FAQs. One section for the core topic and another around the business itself help with both SEO and credibility.
• Link the piece to older, already-ranking blog posts to boost visibility and indexing speed.
• Follow E-E-A-T principles: real experience, trustworthy sources, actual results, and your name or business tied to it.
• Repurpose key insights into social content like Reels, carousels, infographics, or quote cards with engagement-focused CTAs.

9. Make Optimization Seamless and Real-Time – Alina Zahid

Okay yes, this one’s mine 😄

After hearing all these incredible content optimization tips, I couldn’t help but nod because I’ve learned (and borrowed) so much from each of these experts.

We all have different workflows, but the core idea remains the same: Content that performs is content that evolves.

So, I wanted to share how I approach optimization — the method creating the biggest ripple effect in my content strategy.

“For me, content optimization starts with identifying topics that align with search intent and delivering value fast. And to do that, I use SEOBoost to research topics and get real-time suggestions while writing.”

Here’s how I do it:

• After I’ve picked the focus keyword, I plug it into SEOBoost’s Topic Reports to get a complete analysis of content statistics, top competing pages, and suggestions for alt texts and outbound URLs.
• Using all that information and data from the report, I build my outline using the Content Brief feature.
• Then, as I write inside the Content Optimization editor, I get live feedback on whether I’m missing key phrases, if my H2s are weak, or if a sentence is too dense, helping me optimize the content perfectly.

Final Thoughts

There’s no one way to optimize content, and that’s exactly the point. 

These expert content optimization tips reflect different strategies, use cases, and workflows, but they all come back to one truth:

Content optimization is never finished. It’s always evolving.

So start by picking one or two of these tips and integrating them into your next piece. 

If you want to make it easier, tools like SEOBoost and the others mentioned in these processes can help you scale what’s working.

Which tip resonated with you the most? Drop it in the comments or tag an SEO expert you’ve learned from lately. 👇

Alina Zahid Content Writer

Alina is an SEO professional with specialized knowledge of content marketing. When she’s not busy researching and creating awesome content for SEOBoost, she can be found practicing piano, writing fiction and traveling.

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