If you want your website to perform well in the search engines, you need good quality content. There are no shortcuts on this one I’m afraid, but there are some things you can do to make sure that your copy is working for the search gods…
1. Keyword Density & Placement
I’ve been writing SEO copy since there was a keywords meta tag and the world still used Dreamweaver and Frontpage… Even back then, keywords were the backbone of SEO. Good copy seamlessly integrates the relevant target keywords into the sentences, so you hardly even notice them. Overstuffing your content with keywords will harm readability and may lead to your content be flagged by search engines as spam.
Keywords need to be sprinkled throughout your copy, and across your headings, title, meta descriptions, and even images if you have control over them.
2. Quality, Originality, & Readability
High-quality content is not only appreciated by readers but is also favoured by search engines. Your copy needs to be clear, coherent, and relevant. Break down complex ideas into digestible chunks, use subheadings to organise content, and maintain a consistent tone.
To improve the readability of your copy, use short sentences and paragraphs, incorporate bullet points for easy scanning, and choose a font and size that helps readability. Remember, the more accessible your content, the better the user experience, and the better results in the search engines.
3. Link In & Link Out
You need both internal and external links in web copy to score maximum points with the search engines. Internal links connect to other pages within your website, providing a roadmap for search engine crawlers and enhancing user experience. External links to reputable websites not only add credibility to your content but also signal to search engines that your content is well-researched and contributes to a broader context.
When adding links, ensure they are contextually relevant and integrated into your copy. This not only benefits your SEO efforts but also improves the overall user experience.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll no doubt say it another hundred times – write for people, not Google. The key to well SEO’d copy is to find the sweet spot where search engines are happy, and your readers are engaged.
Get in touch if you’d like to find out more about our SEO writing and copy editing services (see how I integrated that link, nice huh?).
