I like the term SEO-friendly copywriting. Often the industry just talks about SEO copywriting but then it makes it seem like all we are writing for is algorithms and not people.
SEO-friendly copywriting starts with the customer and their needs. From there, it involves researching relevant keywords that would fit that content and help more users find it. By sprinkling in keywords and phrases and writing clear content, you can create content that readers will enjoy as well as search engines.
So just how can you create content that ensures organic traffic to your site while also engaging your audience? Read these tips.
SEO-friendly Copywriting Tips
To rank for common search terms and queries, follow these SEO-friendly copywriting tips.
1. Incorporate Relevant Keywords
Keywords and phrases help you understand how people look for content. By using these words in your content you can build your organic search traffic.
The best strategy is to target low-competition keywords as those will be easier to rank for. Higher search volume can also increase the results that the content delivers for you because it ensures there is a large audience for the content.
Many tools will help you find related keywords to a master topic to help you find the best fit for a new page or piece of content.
2. Answer Questions People Frequently Ask
If you go to Google and enter your content topic, you’ll see a list of questions people commonly ask related to that keyword or term. For example, if I Google the overarching topic “copywriting” some of the questions people ask include:
- What exactly does a copywriter do?
- How do beginners get into copywriting?
- Do Copywriters make good money?
- Can I teach myself copywriting?
Interesting questions mostly all related to careers and getting started in the field. Perhaps that’s because Google knows some things about what I do for a living.
By answering those questions, you’re helping search engines provide fast and easy information quickly. Search engines will know that the content answers the question effectively.
3. Write Content Others Will Want to Link to
When others link to your content, it helps elevate it for search engines. Plus, it’s a great way to get referral traffic, which is another form of organic traffic.
As you consider your content, review whether the content should be something like a case study, guide or original research. This will help you earn more backlinks of high value and get the most from your content.
4. Use Strategic Headers and Meta Data
Maximize the value of your content with headers, title tags and meta descriptions that include your keywords and phrases strategically. You might use related keywords in these spaces as well to avoid keyword stuffing, which search engines don’t appreciate.
Consider the most attractive titles to help use the search engine results like an ad. You want to entice the reader to action so they click on your result while also showing search engines what the content is about.
Make sure you’re also meeting character count requirements so that the full title will show in results without getting truncated and impacting the viewer’s ability to understand what the content is about.
5. Consider Readability
The more readable your content, the more search engines will like it and the easier it will be to read for your customers. Short, simple sentences will ensure readability. But you don’t want them to be overly simplistic or your customers might not enjoy reading them.
Structure your content under headings and use bulleted and numbered lists when it makes sense. With a good hierarchy for your content, you’ll use H2, H3 and even sometimes H4 headings to help define how the content relates to one another. This also makes your content easy to skim for readers and search for the information they want to read about.
Include visuals that help make your content come to life. Avoid jargon or hard-to-read words so that the average person can understand the content.
If you’re looking for a way to create SEO-friendly content, contact Bridge the Gap Communication. Rebekah Brately will assist you in developing high-quality content that resonates with your audience and search engines.