Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) gets chucked around a lot these days. I remember the first time I was asked about it in an interview and could physically feel all thoughts leave my mind. As a writer, I can form a fictional story within seconds. But at that specific moment, my creativity abandoned me!
However, after spending the last 10 years understanding and working with SEO, it’s clear to see how important SEO is and the influence it holds within your choice of words. It’s an area that shouldn’t be dismissed but don’t worry, there are lots of easy ways to effectively include it into your digital copy.
What is SEO?
Let’s start with a little recap. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It refers to the keywords and phrases which we all type into search engines such as Google, Bing etc. Keywords can vary from broad, singular topics such as ‘flowers’, ‘fancy dress’ or ‘staycations’, to more specific phrases such as ‘long, pleated, pale blue skirt’, ‘dog-friendly road trips in Europe’ or ‘romantic date ideas in London’.
The idea is that you include these exact keywords or versions of them within your online copy. Search engines will scan your website and if your copy matches the keywords, your page will jump to the top of Google and customers will be directed to you. Ultimately increasing website traffic, improving sales and broadening brand awareness.
How does SEO work within copywriting?
The best way to optimise SEO is by picking the right words. That’s where copywriting plays a huge role. Clever SEO copywriting is crafted to smoothly incorporate relevant keywords which will improve webpage rankings on search engines. SEO copywriting also works towards a particular webpage’s purpose, i.e., converting more sales, attracting more subscriptions or gaining more followers etc. Understanding the purpose of a page will guide the tone of voice and vocabulary used.
7 ways you can implement SEO into your copy:
1. Select both short and long keywords
It’s natural to go straight for the SEO terms with high monthly search results. But that’s what everyone is doing! Let’s be realistic. If you’re a smaller business or just starting, you’ll be competing with the big brands that probably have a bigger marketing budget. By all means, don’t avoid these keywords but be clever with where you place them. Weave these into the bulk of your copy and use your
headers (H1s) and sub-headers (H2s) for those lower-searched terms or longtail keywords.
2. Maximise your copy layout
A clear structure is beneficial not only for your readers but for search engines too. Both can quickly suss out what you’re talking about and helps them easily navigate your content. Effective SEO-optimised copy includes a detailed header (H1), additional keywords in the sub-headers (H2) and further information within any extra headers (H3). Breaking your copy into sections allows readers to jump to the information they require. It also enables you to include relevant calls to action; linking customers directly to products or services.
3. Subtly add SEO words to your copy
Now, there’s one thing to be mindful of when it comes to including keywords and phrases – you can’t just cram them in. Google isn’t stupid! It’s important to ensure you embed them naturally within your copy. You can also use synonyms of words or phrases: words which refer to the same topic but are written differently. This is also a fun way to add some personality to create authentic copy – something AI can’t do!
4. Do your research and build purpose
As I said, SEO copywriting is crafted with a purpose in mind: targeting particular keywords to drive more traffic to a webpage, improve sales or increase brand awareness. But this is exactly what your competitors are doing (SEO isn’t a secret anymore!). This means you need to stalk what your competitors are talking about, look at which posts your audience is engaging with and what questions they’re asking. This information will help form the substance of your copy and provide the content your audience wants to read.
5. Don’t forget your alt text
When we talk about alt text, we’re referring to the descriptions attached to the images used within your content. Ultimately, these descriptions are there to support readers with visual impairment; helping them understand what the image is portraying. However, if you provide clear, detailed alt text, Google picks up on this information and if it links to relevant SEO keywords, then it will count towards your SEO optimisation.
6. Get creative with your CTAs
Call to action (CTAs) are an underused and undervalued tool of SEO. But they’re one of the most powerful ones! Again, you can’t just smother your website or blogs with CTAs. But by structuring your copy correctly, calls to action will naturally fit as hyperlinks or navigation buttons. You also have a chance to be creative with your copy; you can use short keywords or incorporate them within a longtail phrase to entice and encourage your customers to take action. For example, ‘Book tickets’ or ‘Follow this link to start your safari adventure!’.
7. Use your Title, Metadata and URL
One of the most obvious places to include SEO, but often forgotten, are your titles, metadata and URLs for each of your web pages. These are the first things Google will look for and if they don’t include your keywords, Google might skip past them. Often, metadata is pulled from the first paragraph of copy on that page. However, this is a wasted opportunity to add authentic copy and incorporate keyword varieties. It’s also dull for the reader who has to reread the same copy. Make sure your webpage title is clear and concise; informing your customer and Google, exactly what you’ll be heading to when you click on the link.
Use a copywriter to improve your SEO
Copywriters don’t just play with words. We do a lot of research and know a thing or two about SEO. A large percentage of our services involve SEO tools to help source the right keywords for your business, products and targets. So, if you’re struggling with time to deep dive into SEO, get in touch to find out how LM Copywriting can help.