Content Editor

Master the rich text editor with full formatting, SEO optimization, media management, and real-time preview capabilities

The Forest SEO content editor is a powerful, Lexical-based rich text editor that lets you refine AI-generated content or create content from scratch. With full formatting controls, SEO optimization tools, and real-time preview, you have everything needed to publish perfect articles.

🎯 Editor Overview

Interface Layout

Components:

Area	Purpose	Key Features
Top Bar	Document controls	Save, Status, Locale, Settings
Toolbar	Text formatting	Bold, Headings, Lists, Alignment
Main Editor	Content writing	Rich text, Markdown shortcuts
Right Sidebar	Metadata & SEO	Title, Meta, Images, Tags

Text Formatting

Format	Button	Keyboard Shortcut	Use Case
Bold	B	Ctrl/Cmd + B	Emphasis, important points
Italic	I	Ctrl/Cmd + I	Subtle emphasis, definitions
Underline	U	Ctrl/Cmd + U	Links, highlights
Strikethrough	S	—	Corrections, deprecated info
Inline Code	`<>`	Ctrl/Cmd + E	Code snippets, tech terms

Block Types

Control content structure:

Block Type	Icon	Keyboard Shortcut	SEO Impact
Paragraph	¶	Default	Standard content
Heading 1	H1	`#` + Space	Page title (use once)
Heading 2	H2	`##` + Space	Section headers
Heading 3	H3	`###` + Space	Subsections
Quote	"	`>` + Space	Highlights, citations
Code Block	`</>`	```	Code examples
Bullet List	•	`*` or `-` + Space	Unordered lists
Numbered List	1.	`1.` + Space	Sequential steps

Alignment & Lists

Alignment Options:

Alignment	Button	Use Case
Left	⬅️	Default body text
Center	⬌	Titles, callouts
Right	➡️	Quotes, captions
Justify	⬌	Long-form content

List Types:

Bullet Lists — Unordered information
Numbered Lists — Step-by-step instructions
Nested Lists — Use Tab to indent, Shift+Tab to outdent

⌨️ Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential Shortcuts

Category	Action	Windows/Linux	macOS
Editing	Save	Ctrl + S	Cmd + S
	Undo	Ctrl + Z	Cmd + Z
	Redo	Ctrl + Y	Cmd + Y
	Select All	Ctrl + A	Cmd + A
Formatting	Bold	Ctrl + B	Cmd + B
	Italic	Ctrl + I	Cmd + I
	Underline	Ctrl + U	Cmd + U
	Inline Code	Ctrl + E	Cmd + E
	Link	Ctrl + K	Cmd + K
Navigation	Find	Ctrl + F	Cmd + F
	Replace	Ctrl + H	Cmd + H

Markdown Shortcuts

Type these patterns for instant formatting:

Type	Result	Example
`#` + Space	H1 Heading	`# Title`
`##` + Space	H2 Heading	`## Section`
`###` + Space	H3 Heading	`### Subsection`
`>` + Space	Quote Block	`> Quote text`
`*` + Space	Bullet List	`* List item`
`-` + Space	Bullet List	`- List item`
`1.` + Space	Numbered List	`1. First item`
```	Code Block	``` code ```
`text`	Bold	`important`
`text`	Italic	`emphasis`
`text`	Inline Code	`code`

🖼️ Media Management

Featured Image

Set the main article image:

Steps:

Click Featured Image in right sidebar
Upload file or paste URL
Add Alt Text (required for SEO)
Add Caption (optional)
Save changes

Image Best Practices:

Aspect	Recommendation	Why
Format	JPG for photos, PNG for graphics	Optimal quality & size
Dimensions	1200×630px minimum	Social media sharing
File Size	<500KB	Fast page loading
Alt Text	Descriptive, include keyword	SEO & accessibility
File Name	keyword-descriptive.jpg	Additional SEO signal

In-Content Images

Add images within article body:

Place cursor where image should appear
Click Image button in toolbar
Upload or paste URL
Set alignment (left, center, right)
Add alt text and caption

💡 SEO Tip

Use descriptive alt text for all images. Include target keywords naturally where relevant.

🎯 SEO Optimization

Right Sidebar Panel

Meta Title

The title that appears in search results:

Best Practices:

Guideline	Recommendation	Example
Length	50-60 characters	Includes spaces
Keyword	Include target keyword	Put keyword at start
Brand	Add brand name	"Topic - BrandName"
Unique	Don't duplicate H1	Optimize for search
Compelling	Encourage clicks	Use numbers, benefits

Examples:

❌ Bad: "Article about Email Marketing"
✅ Good: "Email Marketing Guide: 10 Strategies That Get Results"

❌ Bad: "How to Use Our Product for Maximum Results and Benefits"
✅ Good: "Product Guide: 5 Steps to 2x Productivity - Brand"

Meta Description

The snippet shown below title in search:

Guidelines:

Element	Recommendation	Impact
Length	150-160 characters	Avoid truncation
Keyword	Include target keyword	Search relevance
Value Prop	State clear benefit	Higher CTR
CTA	Include call-to-action	Drive clicks
Unique	Don't duplicate content	No penalties

Template:

[Problem/Question]? [Solution/Answer]. Learn [specific benefit]. 
[CTA: Read guide/Get started/Discover how].

Type	Quantity	Example
Primary Topics	2-3 tags	"Email Marketing", "SaaS"
Secondary Topics	2-4 tags	"Lead Generation", "Automation"
Long-tail Terms	1-2 tags	"B2B Email Automation"

Labels

Custom metadata for internal organization:

Use Case	Label Examples	Purpose
Campaign	"Q4-Launch", "Black-Friday"	Track campaigns
Stage	"Awareness", "Decision"	Buyer journey
Author	"John-Doe", "Marketing-Team"	Attribution
Priority	"High", "Featured"	Internal sorting
Status	"Reviewed", "Updated"	Workflow

📝 Content Tips

Writing for SEO

Content Structure

Optimal Article Structure:

H1: Main Title (once)
  └─ Intro paragraph (hook + value)

H2: First Major Section
  ├─ H3: Subsection 1
  │   └─ Content
  └─ H3: Subsection 2
      └─ Content

H2: Second Major Section
  ├─ H3: Subsection 1
  └─ H3: Subsection 2

H2: Conclusion
  └─ Summary + CTA

Best Practices:

Element	Guideline	Reason
H1	Use once, page title	SEO hierarchy
H2	3-7 per article	Section structure
H3	Under H2s only	Proper nesting
Paragraphs	2-4 sentences	Readability
Lists	Break up text	Scannability
Images	Every 300-500 words	Visual engagement

Readability

Make content easy to scan and read:

Techniques:

Method	Implementation	Impact
Short Paragraphs	2-4 sentences max	Easier scanning
Bullet Lists	Break up information	Quick consumption
Subheadings	Every 200-300 words	Navigation
Bold Text	Highlight key points	Draw attention
Images	Visual breaks	Engagement
White Space	Don't crowd content	Breathing room