While it’s all well and good to say keywords are what make or break a website’s copy, it’s just as important to know how to implement them without affecting on-page content quality. Rankings and traffic drive a site’s success, but good SEO web copy also engages readers, builds authority and sells products or services. After all, what the point in bringing people to your site if there’s nothing useful there?
Simple SEO Web Copywriting Tips
Here are 20 quick and easy SEO web copywriting tips to get you started on satisfying search engines and audiences alike.
- Build a foundation. Determine the most strategic places for keywords and links first and it will be easier to create the content you need.
- Write irresistible headlines. They compel clicks and set the tone for what the reader will find once she or he reaches your sit. Don’t forget to throw some SEO into the mix.
- Craft catchy subheads. After you reel them in with your headline, use subheads to make your copy skimmable, particularly for mobile device.
- Embrace bolds and italics. No one knows for sure if the search engines care about this approach, but making valuable points jump off the page are something your readers will appreciate and keep them coming back for more.
- Keep talking. Longer content ranks better in search, and blog posts that are 1500 words or more help establish authority and expertise. Keep paragraphs just as short as you do for less wordy posts.
- Long tail keywords are essential for boosting traffic and conversions.
- Focus less on keyword density. Yes, it’s important to have strong keywords, but overdoing is boring for readers, and there’s no proof the search engines favor it.
- Understand Google’s Hummingbird. How do people search on Google? They type questions into the search bar. Give useful answers to those questions in your content and you’ll see your rankings rise.
- Think relationships. Replace keyword stuffing with LSI (latent semantic indexing) which uses math to determine the relationship between content terms and concepts. Sound complicated? Think of LSI as synonyms and you’re good to go.
- Follow forums and mega websites like Quora to find out the words people are using when they ask questions in search engines. Before publishing your content, insert some of the most popular phrases.
- Use Reddit for keyword research. It’s easy to do if you use the Reddit Keyword Research Tool. It’s another great way to find out the exact terms people use for searching.
- Stay on trend. Covering the latest news and information is an excellent way to get to the top of the SERPs.
- Don’t ignore meta descriptions. They do take time to write, but an attention-grabbing meta can greatly affect how much traffic your website receives.
- Link in, link out. Use outbound links to support key points and provide value to your readers. Inbound links add value as well, but also affect the “crawability” of your site.
- Use every tool available. Writing tools, many of them free, can greatly speed up your SEO web copy process. You work hard enough – accept help from these SEO copywriting tools!
- Quote influencers. While there’s been some backlash against the whole idea of “influencers,” there’s no denying that having someone who already commands a huge audience share your content can be a great way to attract attention.
- Structure lists for maximum effect. Put your two most important points as the top and bottom of the list. Make sure both contain keywords.
- Promote social sharing. It brings more traffic, earns more backlinks to your site and spreads your content far and wide.
- Don’t ramble. Longer posts may be better, but not if they’re of inferior quality. No one wants to read the same thought multiple times. Remember that quality matters just as much as quantity.
- Repeat as needed. It may sound contradictory to tip #24, but do remind people of the core message you want them to take away. Mention the value offered multiple times to increase awareness and improve conversion.
Related: Web Copywriting: The Art and Science of Marketing with Style
The Bottom Line
Keywords are a fundamental part of any SEO web copywriting strategy, but remember to write with the aim of improving conversions. Avoid overusing keywords, and make sure to target the right ones for the right pages. Search engines like to reward sites that know the proper use of keywords. Get your content – and keywords – right, and you’ll create a solid foundation to support all your SEO efforts. To learn more about different types of SEO content strategies, check out our white paper, "What is a Digital Content Strategy? And Why You Need One!"
