How to Rank Articles & Blogs

Want your articles to show up in search results and get shared? Write naturally, answer real questions, and organize for easy scanning. Here's how.

Quick Wins

Natural headline – answer a question people actually search
First paragraph delivers – who, what, when, result upfront
Use sub-headings – break content into scannable sections
Short paragraphs – 2-4 sentences max per paragraph
End with checklist or summary – helps readers take action

Write for Humans First

1. Start with a Question People Ask

Bad headline: "Trading Strategies Overview"
Good headline: "How to Backtest a Scalping EA on XAUUSD Without Losing Money"

The best headlines answer specific questions:

"Why Does My Grid EA Blow My Account After 3 Days?"
"How to Choose the Right Broker for MT5 EAs in 2025"
"EURUSD vs GBPUSD: Which Pair Works Better for Swing Trading?"

Think: What would someone type into Google?

2. Answer the Question Immediately

Don't bury your answer. First paragraph should include:

Who: Who this helps (beginners, EA developers, scalpers, etc.)
What: The main answer or solution
When: When to use this approach
Result: What outcome to expect

Example opening:

"If you're testing scalping EAs on XAUUSD (gold), backtesting on M1 charts without accounting for spread will give you fake results. Here's how to set up realistic backtests that predict live performance within 10% accuracy."

Reader now knows: who (EA testers), what (realistic backtesting), when (before live trading), result (10% accuracy).

3. Use Descriptive Sub-Headings

Break your article into clear sections with headings that tell the story:

Bad structure:

Introduction
Main Points
Conclusion

Good structure:

Why Most XAUUSD Backtests Fail
How to Set Realistic Spread and Slippage
The 3 Backtesting Settings That Matter Most
Testing on Demo vs Live: What Changes
Final Checklist Before Going Live

Each heading should work as a standalone search result. If someone only reads your headings, they should still understand your main points.

4. Keep Paragraphs Short

Long blocks of text scare readers away. Aim for 2-4 sentences per paragraph. One sentence paragraphs? Totally fine.

Like this.

Compare:

Bad (wall of text): "Backtesting is important because it helps you understand how your EA would have performed in the past, but you need to be careful about overfitting and data quality issues because if you use bad data or optimize too much, your EA will look amazing in backtests but fail in live trading, so always use quality tick data and avoid over-optimization by testing on out-of-sample data."

Good (short paragraphs): "Backtesting shows how your EA would have performed in the past. But be careful—garbage in, garbage out.

If you use low-quality data or over-optimize, your EA will look perfect in tests but crash in live trading.

Solution: Use quality tick data. Test on out-of-sample periods. Keep it simple."

5. Add Lists and Bullet Points

Whenever you have 3+ related items, use a list:

Examples:

Steps to follow
Things to avoid
Required tools or settings
Common mistakes

Lists are easy to scan. Readers appreciate them.

6. Include Real Numbers and Examples

Vague: "This EA works well on most pairs"
Specific: "Tested on EURUSD, GBPUSD, and USDJPY with 73% win rate over 6 months"

Vague: "Reduce risk to stay safe"
Specific: "Risk 0.5% per trade max. On a $10,000 account, that's $50 per trade"

Numbers make your content credible and useful.

7. End with a Checklist or Action Summary

After reading your article, what should they do? Make it obvious.

Example:

Quick Action Checklist:

Download MT5 strategy tester
Import quality tick data for XAUUSD
Set spread to 20 points minimum
Run 3-month backtest on each EA
Compare results with 1-month forward test
Only go live if forward test matches backtest within 10%

Checklists get bookmarked and shared.

SEO That Actually Works

1. Use the Main Topic in First 100 Words

If your article is about "backtesting grid EAs on XAUUSD," use that exact phrase early. Don't wait until paragraph 5.

2. Include Variations Naturally

Don't keyword-stuff. Just mention related terms naturally:

"backtesting grid EAs"
"testing grid strategies on gold"
"XAUUSD EA backtest settings"

Search engines understand context. Write for humans, and SEO follows.

3. Link to Related Threads and Articles

Internal links help:

"We covered broker selection in [this guide]"
"For MQL5 coding basics, see [this thread]"
"Compare these results to [this EA review]"

Links show depth and keep readers on the platform longer.

4. Add Alt Text to Images

When uploading screenshots or charts, add brief descriptions:

"XAUUSD M5 grid EA backtest results showing 23% gain"
"MT5 strategy tester settings for realistic spread"

Alt text helps search engines and visually impaired readers.

What Makes Articles Shareable

People share articles that:

Solve a specific problem: "How to fix MT5 'common error' message"
Save time: "5-minute EA optimization checklist"
Reveal insider knowledge: "What brokers don't tell you about slippage"
Include visuals: Screenshots, charts, comparison tables
Are easy to reference: Checklists, step-by-step guides, templates

Mini-FAQ

Q: How long should my article be?
A: Long enough to answer the question completely. Usually 500-1,500 words. Don't pad for word count—add value.

Q: Should I include code snippets?
A: Yes, if relevant. Format them properly with code blocks. Explain what each section does.

Q: Can I repost my article from another site?
A: Only if you own it and it's not copy-pasted spam. Original content ranks better. If reposting, add new insights or updates.

Q: How often should I publish?
A: Quality beats frequency. One great article per month beats four mediocre ones. But consistency helps build audience.

Q: What if my article doesn't rank?
A: Give it time (2-4 weeks). Promote it in relevant forum threads. Update it with new information. Good content eventually gets discovered.

End Note

If you want feedback on your article draft before publishing, post it in Education & Resources → Article Reviews and ask for constructive criticism. The community will help you polish it.