How I Created a Top Performing Article in the Military Niche

Spending a lot on SEO or digital marketing can make you hear a lot of phrases like, “content is easier than ever now, we already have AI.” That part is actually true. There are many tools available now, and anyone can publish a lot of content.

What’s not true is that more content means you get better results. Most brands make this mistake. And frankly, you don’t get better results when you publish tons of content. It applies especially when it comes to editorial content, the kind that attracts organic traffic without sounding like you’ve written it for an algorithm. 

When writing, we don’t want to chase trends or lean on shortcuts. We have to approach the piece the same way an editor would. We start with the reader, and not the ranking.

I created the top-performing article for Military Brands, and today I will break down the process I used so you, as a business owner and SEO-curious readers, can understand what makes editorial content perform.

Editorial Content Needs More Careful Handling

It’s important to understand what editorial content is, as it is often the hardest type of content to get right. Editorial articles are usually read by people who already have the knowledge or personal experience with the topic. Take, for example, VeteranLife, a Military Brands sub-brand. As a Navy veteran, I already know the field of focus for VeteranLife’s topics.

In short, readers in military niches may have opinions, experiences, or even expectations about what they are reading, and, as a result, they are more sensitive to tone. As a writer, you have to be more careful. 

This matters especially for military-related niches, because topics usually connect to identity and lived experiences. Of course, you might have readers who are veterans and don’t want to feel like they are being taught by someone who doesn’t fully understand this niche. They want writing that feels familiar to them and is also respectful.

From an SEO standpoint, this affects performance. Come to think of it, if readers feel comfortable with what they are reading, they are more likely to finish the article and engage more. They are more open to it and might even read other articles. But when they don’t, they leave quickly. Bottom line: search engines pay attention to this kind of behavior over time. The trust you build with readers is what allows editorial content in the military-related niche to perform well organically.

Dos and Don’ts When Writing for SEO

SEO matters in every content you make, even in military blogs. They just have to work quietly in the background. You know, not too obvious to readers, so they can see and notice easily. In this section, I’ll give you tips on the Dos and Don’ts when writing editorial content in this niche. 

The Dos When Writing for Military-Related Niche

Small choices make a big difference when writing for a military audience. We are writing not to impress them, but to write in a way that feels familiar.

• Start with reader questions: As obvious as it sounds, you have to start with questions. You should be thinking about what a veteran or service member might already know and what they are genuinely curious about. That’s the way to pique their interest in continuing to read the article.

• Keep your statement clear and direct: This only means you have to write in a simple language that everyone can understand, especially if the topic is emotional or complex, because you don’t want to give the wrong impression to your reader. Again, you have to gain their trust.

• Make structured content: Starting with a clear heading and short paragraphs can help your readers scan without feeling too overwhelmed. With the content I write for the military niche, I keep only 4 lines per paragraph so that it’s easy to read, and it’s not going to be just a long block of text.

The Don’ts When Writing for the Military-Related Niche

At the same time, there are clear things to avoid when writing for this niche. These mistakes usually make your content hard to read, even if it’s backed with solid resources.

• Structure your keywords properly: Avoid forcing keywords into sentences where they don’t belong; this makes the content unnatural. Instead, put the keywords in sentences where you actually need them.

• Don’t prove expertise: Even if I am a Navy veteran, I don’t write trying to prove expertise. The credibility comes from accuracy and tone, not from sounding impressive. I use resources that can support what I’m writing about so that it’s not only a claim from what I know, but also the truth.

• Don’t treat editorial articles as generic SEO articles: Editorial articles are not generic SEO articles, and if you are writing in this niche, you have to keep in mind that your readers expect more care and context.

What I Did Differently with Top-Performing Topics

The biggest difference I made when writing the top-performing editorials was in how I framed the content.

I wrote the articles assuming readers already had experience, which, in truth, some of them do. My goal was to reflect on and clarify those articles, rather than approach them as explanations for beginners.

Take, for example, this article, which was a top performer with 33,952 page views: "The Funniest Military Stereotypes War Movies Keep Getting Right." I wrote this from a place of familiarity and acknowledged that these portrayals actually exist, ensuring it hit close to home.

Another article included as an honorable mention by MilitaryBrands is the one I wrote about, “Trump Administration’s Veteran Healthcare Bill: Private Care Focus.” This one included simple statements that are actual facts. I simply broke down what the bill actually meant for veterans, rather than relying on opinions.

Tone was always a priority. I avoided strong claims and used neutral, simple language. The topics I always provide already have a strong interest. It’s just a matter of writing in a way that keeps readers reading and trusting the content. With that strategy in mind, I was able to get these articles to rank as top performers.

Apply Allison’s Content Strategy and Use It on Your Own

Now, with all of those mentioned, the biggest takeaway when writing content in the military niche is that care matters more than speed. Again, you don’t need to publish more content to get better results. 

You have to publish content that reflects a real understanding of the niche. You don’t have to be a veteran to write for military niche businesses. You just have to make sure that you understand the niche. 

With a lot of resources on the internet, you can be successful with editorial writing, too. But don’t rely on it too much because yes, they help with efficiency, but they can’t replace your judgment, context, or the lived awareness, especially in this niche where trust is earned.

Now, if you’re a business owner or marketer creating content in a niche where trust matters, this is the process I bring to every piece I write. If you need the right content strategy for editorial writing, I’m here to help you take your digital presence to the next level.