SEO Copywriting Tips for Awesome Content
Would you like your content to rank top ten on the Google search engine? Because you and all the other thousands of people who create new, unique content every day are in a battle for the same thing. SEO copywriting is a set of techniques that help you win by creating compelling content. In this highly competitive online space, you need more than just a set number of keywords and well-crafted meta descriptions. So, what can better help you add value to your content?
Focus on Creating an Attention-Grabbing Headline
When scanning online content on a topic of particular interest, many readers pick and choose what to focus on based on the type of headline they see. A headline, therefore, sets the expectation for the article and also acts as the most immediate way for new readers to discover you. Everything rides on the immediate impact of the headline and you can’t afford to publish a lacklustre lead.
When thinking through the headline, consider that you are crafting the billboard on which the rest of the article hangs. If you have done your audience research you already have the place to begin identifying what will captivate them on your chosen topic.
If you choose to go with a listicle, i.e., an article that lists the content, then you should immediately lead the reader into the material after the headline. The article should stay on message and be as direct as possible. When a reader opts for a listicle, they prioritise ease of access to core information, with scannable content winning out over secondary details.
Use your keyword in the headline as a means to increase its appeal to readers, this will communicate more directly what they are looking for. A reader will pick out an article where the headline speaks to the need for their search. A by-product of doing this is that it positively influences your search engine ranking as well.
When crafting long headlines be sure that you don’t exceed 70 characters, or there is the danger that part of your headline will be cut off when your content comes up in search engine results. This directly inhibits the potency of your headline to draw in readers.
Know Who You Are Writing For
When it comes to SEO copywriting you will need to know the target consumer. It means that you will need audience research before you sink significant time and resources into crafting your content.
Start by analysing the demographic information of those who read the particular type of content you want to create. Are they young people? Are they older? Do they have children or are they single? How do they apply the information contained in a typical sample of the content you are interested in creating? These are just some of the questions you ought to ask yourself. The goal here is to walk in the shoes of your would-be readers.
Check out other reputable content creators who have put out material touching on the topic you want to talk about. Read any comments to see how the readers interacted with the information, what they liked or didn’t like and any follow-up questions they may have. All this will help you develop an accurate feel of what will interest your target readers.
Understanding your reader base will help you:
- Learn what to communicate to them, how to meet their needs and solve a particular pain point for them.
- Understand how to convey your message to them so that they understand and gain value from it.
Effective audience research leads to creating highly relevant content for readers to engage with. The outcome of this is excellent search engine rankings based on the uniqueness of content and level of engagement.
Use Keywords Effectively
Keywords are words or phrases that readers use to search for content online. They are one of the most accurate indicators of the core desire of visitors to your site. SEO copywriting, therefore, places a high value on them. When used well, keywords can significantly improve your SEO efforts.
Different types of keywords generate streamed traffic to read your content. Informational keywords will drive traffic to your material, but readers using them primarily want to learn more about a topic. Commercial keywords are typically used when somebody is looking to make a purchase. You will need to know which type best serves your needs.
Be careful not to stuff your content with keywords as you will be penalised or even banned. Understand what makes the best keyword density for you, i.e., the ratio of your keywords to other words and the preferred keyword frequency, i.e., how many times your keyword appears in the content.
Reference your audience research to inform your keyword research for optimal results.
Link, Link, Link
Links in SEO copywriting add value to your content. To the search engine, your material will be considered as offering more value to the reader and potentially receive a higher ranking. To the reader, linking to authoritative sites provides more insight into the topic your content covers leading to better engagement.
Don’t just focus on external links but also internal ones. The latter improves how well the search engine can crawl your site, thereby increasing the value of your content and ranking.
Focus on Readability
Good content is useless if a reader finds it hard to consume. Your copy should be interesting and engaging, the most important thing is that the reader should enjoy reading the material and want more in the future. Ideas here include:
- Using sub-headings to let your readers know what to expect and also describe the content to the search engine.
- Use bulleted and numbered lists to make it more scannable.
- Employ small paragraphs to make it easier to read.
Conclusion
Top-notch content is the job of every copywriter. SEO copywriting strategies help craft content that adds value to the readers’ lives, and which finds a favourable reception with the search engine’s algorithms. By focusing on who you are talking to, what you are saying and how you are saying it you can produce content that is lively and interesting, you can literally put ideas into people’s heads.
