Professional SEO companies know how important copywriting is in the overall scheme of things when it comes to search engine optimization. While inbound links are an essential part of the equation, content is and will forever be the most important component of effective SEO. Maybe you’re not a good writer, and outsource the development of your content. Perhaps you write your own website copy, articles and blog posts. Regardless of who does the copywriting, there are a few things you should know to ensure your content does its job, which is attracting positive attention from search engines and your target audience.
- Research your keywords before you develop content. This is essential! You must have keywords that your potential customers are actually using when in search of your product/service. Create a list of strategic keywords and keyword phrases, and also check to see how competitive the market is. Naturally, it will be easier for you to rank for those that are less competitive, and long-tail keywords.
- Forget keyword density and focus on great content instead. Not too long ago, marketers (and even SEO companies) put a lot of effort into making sure keyword density (how many times a specific keyword was in a page of content) was “perfect”. Today, there’s no such thing. As long as your keyword is in the title of your document, page title and meta tags, you don’t have to worry about whether your keyword should show up in your content 4 times, 8 times or 12 times. Make sure your text is relevant to your keywords and write in a way that offers value to the reader.
- Structure your text and engage your visitor. A good title, along with content that is well-organized and structured is essential. The primary keyword or keywords you are targeting should appear in the first paragraph, but other than that just write naturally and let related keywords fall into place. Develop your content in segments, using sub-headers, numbered or bullet points to make it easy to read.
- Remember – NO duplicate content! Many people are misinformed about duplicate content, and believe if they have a page on their own website that has also been placed on another blog or article directory, it is duplicate content. In fact, duplicate content means the exact same content on two or more pages of your own website. Each page of your website should contain fresh, original content.
It may sound like a lot of work, and a lot to think about – and it is. However, considering your copy is the most important factor in attracting new customers and appeasing the search engines, isn’t it worth it? SEO copywriting really isn’t a science, but you do have to be smart about it.
