5 Copywriting Techniques That Help Optimize Your SEO

You’ve probably heard of the term Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and wondered what it could possibly do for your company. Ultimately, the goal of SEO is to help your website rank higher in Google searches, leading to more clicks, engagements and sales. Sounds simple, right? Well, it may require more planning than one might think, with some best practice ways to help you get the best ROI. Here are 5 tips and tricks to get you started on improving your SEO copywriting process.

1. Start with keyword research

Crawlers will scan your website and its keywords, so creating relevant keywords will help Google understand how to best prioritize and promote it. That’s why it’s important to choose the most realistic keywords with the end user in mind.

Take Google by SEO storm

According to Search Engine Journal, industry keywords with a higher search volume are typically extremely competitive, meaning there’s less of a chance you’ll rank high. Therefore, it’s recommended to use keywords with difficulty scores that are less than or equal to your site’s domain authority (DA).

2. Use top-ranking content to know what types of information your ideal audience is looking for

You’ll also want to analyze top-ranking content to help you determine the type of content you want and need. More than likely, you’ll want to create similar content as your competitors, so looking at their current site can be helpful. In these examples, you’ll want to study:

• Content length
• Page titles
• Meta descriptions

Now, based on this top-ranking content, you’ll be able to better build content and a user experience that Google—and your audience—will appreciate.

It’s the intent that matters

Writing for search intent can be broken down into 4 categories:

1. Navigational – helps users find specific pages
2. Informational – often blogs or educational content
3. Transactional – promoted because the user wants to make a purchase
4. Commercial –  supports users who want to do research before buying

3. To optimize key copy areas, keep your content structure and organization clear

Google wants quality, so what’s most important to these “crawlers?” They seek relevant or comprehensive content that shows thought leadership, expertise or other useful information for users. In-depth content tends to do better overall, but also be sure to keep an organized approach with easy-to-read content. Optimizing headers, title tags and meta descriptions where applicable will also give your SEO a boost.

Additionally, it’s important to have a fast load time for any pages, links or embedded content. Include backlinks or hyperlinks to both external and internal pages and blog articles to increase overall engagement. For all content, proper grammar and spelling is a must. Crawlers can catch those typos if you don’t!

And don’t forget: Your content should still be readable, exciting and fresh for users. Use storytelling to keep your readers engaged with what you have to offer them.

You have the last say

Another crucial area to focus on when writing SEO copy includes the CTAs. If you’re wondering what CTA to add, ask yourself this question: What is the next step you want your audience to take? CTAs come in many shapes and sizes, such as:

• Embedded links
• Buttons
• Images and more

 CTAs keep the customer journey going by providing your reader with valuable and insightful content along the way, which can improve engagement and decrease the bounce rate.

4. Use tools to your advantage

While not necessary to get started, content optimization tools can help eliminate the mystery of what really works and what doesn’t—and save you time in the long run.

A few examples of the top tools today include:

• Google Search Console (GSC)
• Ahrefs
• Clearscope

Tools like these can also help you find common questions that searchers are asking. This is crucial to determine what keywords will be effective.

5. Edit, fine-tune and simplify

Writing SEO-first copy usually doesn’t happen in the first draft. Be sure to return to your keywords and SEO goals to ensure you’re headed in the right direction. Avoid jargon, especially if you’re writing about a technical topic, and focus on simpler words that will be easier for your readers to understand. Remove long and clunky sentences that may be difficult to read, and make sure your copy aligns with your brand voice.

SEO is an ever-evolving strategy—and it has the power to make or break your digital marketing efforts. If you’re looking for ways to utilize the best copywriting techniques for your business or to improve your SEO, reach out to Mitch@colinkurtis.com or call 815-965-6657 EXT. 1 to learn more about ColinKurtis Advertising’s SEO process.

 

Blog post from:

Debra Tucker
Vice President, Creative Director