SEO writing tips for amateur digital marketers

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Traditionally, in digital marketing, copywriters simply worked on developing high-quality content.

They were motivated by a number of goals, that may have been unrelated to website ranking.

This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) writing comes in handy.

SEO writing

SEO is the use of relevant keywords to create optimized content that answers the user's intent.

The goal of SEO writing is to improve your website’s organic online visibility as well as put your website ranking first in search engines like Google.

You see, according to HubSpot, Google alone receives?approximately, 5.6 billion searches per day, which is huge traffic that has the potential of being converted into revenue.

On the other hand, a showed, at least 28.5% of people will automatically click on the first organic Google Search Result, 15% others will click on the second result and another 11% would go for the third result.

Overall, users would barely go beyond the second page.

Google algorithms are keeping everyone on their toes, making SEO writing critical in any digital marketing strategy.

Companies or personal digital marketers use SEO writing to increase web traffic, and lead generation, and ultimately increase revenue.

SEO writing and SEO paid to advertise

One can use either of these two strategies to improve their website ranking, and the two are completely different.

While SEO writing focuses on organically increasing your website ranking, SEO-paid advertising is paying google to have your content rank top of the page. See below for paid advertising. ?

It all starts with a keyword search

In SEO writing the term “Keyword” refers to the words and phrases that an internet user keys into a search engine to find information that they're looking for.

For example, when I go online to search, and my keyword matches the keywords on your website, then your website will definitely rank in my search results.

Previously, people would just stuff keywords in their website content, and though their website pages would be ranked favorably on search engines, it became increasingly frustrating for the readers.

Today, thanks to updates on Google’s algorithm, SEO is more than just keywords.

To identify the best keywords for your audience, you have to conduct a keyword search.

There are various paid and unpaid keyword search tools available such as Google keyword planner, to help you identify what your target audience is searching for, how much traffic those keywords bring to your website etc.

Where to use keywords

To optimize your keyword, use them in your headings, URLs, meta description, content, internal links, and SEO titles.

Keywords in headings

Your headline is a short description of your subject content. Always, it is the first thing an internet user identifies with during a search.

When your headline marries the user intent, then they know they are in the right place.

Remember, Google also pays attention to your headlines, so throw in the keywords in your headlines to enhance their ranking.

Meta description

While Google does not pay any attention to your meta description, users do.

Even though your meta description doesn’t affect your web ranking, a well-written one will entice the user to click through your content, generating traffic to your website.

Here is the catch, Google does pay attention to your click-through rates (CTR).

A higher CRT will positively influence your ranking, making, that snippet content of your web page important for keyword use.

URLs

This is the unique web address that helps people locate it.

In strategic digital marketing, keywords are also incorporated into the URLs to tell Google that your website has the content that people are looking for.

So, use your keywords here intelligently.

The golden rule to keyword use in your content

As an SEO writer, you are encouraged to use many keywords as you can but then do not overuse them.

‘Over-optimizing’ or stuffing keywords in your webpage might end up hurting your website’s ranking.

You are also encouraged to sound natural in your keywords used, to avoid creating an uncomfortable read.

The golden rule is to aim for about 5-7 keyword phrases in a 400-word piece.

Internal links

Internal links connect different pages on the same website, usually, it connects related content.

Your internal links should be organically rooted in keywords.

Use your keywords naturally in your internal links because search engine algorithms take note of user intent.

There you have it!

Once you have incorporated keywords in your SEO writing, it is important to constantly check their performance.

Every day, new content is uploaded online, and this means that the performance of your keywords and perhaps your ranking is prone to change.

Tools such as Google Analytics will help you identify which sections in your website are generating traffic and the conversations they generate.

If your keywords are performing poorly, it may be that time when you need to update your content.

Regular keyword maintenance gives you a better ranking on Google, keeping you ahead of your competitors.

If you are being ghosted by Google, get in touch and I’ll help you optimize your content through SEO writing.

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This article is written by Judith Akoth, a Corporate Communications Specialist & Social Media Manager at the Technical University of Kenya.