It's one of the worst things to ever happen in the search
engine copywriting field: the discovery of keyword density.
I won't venture off into a discussion about whether keyword
density is still a valid measure of search engine optimized
(SEO) copywriting success. I will say, however, that the
mere introduction of this concept led to the mutilation and
destruction of innocent copy all across the globe. Without
any regard to flow or customer experience, website owners
around the world began shoving keyphrases into their copy
like wild men. The results have been disastrous! Otherwise
wonderful content has been utterly destroyed. This slaughter
of innocent copy must stop!
All joking aside, the realization several years ago that
keyword density was a factor in search engine rankings
instantly transformed the landscape of copywriting for the
engines. That lone concept lit a fire under people who
absolutely butchered their copy for the sake of the engines.
A pity really because it doesn't have to be that way.
Keep It Sounding Natural
One primary goal is to write copy so that the keyphrases are
virtually undetectable when read by someone with no
knowledge of SEO. One vital step in making this happen is to
carefully research and select your keyphrases.
If you're writing a page about wedding gowns, it would be
complicated to include keyphrases such as "wedding reception
music" or "wedding caterers." The amount of traffic these
terms might bring would be offset by the awkward fit with
the focus of your page. Instead, opt for phrases that lend
themselves directly to the topic of wedding gowns.
One common mistake many site owners and newbie copywriters
make is to replace every single instance of a generic key
term with one of their chosen keyphrases. Doing this in
moderation is certainly acceptable, but frequently
copywriters get carried away with tragic results.
For example, you would not want to have the following copy
on your site:
Spanish Villas For Rent If you are
looking for Spanish villas vacations, search our site for
the best deals in Spanish villas. No other Spanish villas
site has the selection of premium Spanish villas with the
most sought after locations that we have. View some of our
Spanish villas pictures or take virtual tours of our Spanish
villas today.
Whew! I get tired just reading that! Not only is it
extremely annoying to read, but also many of the phrases are
used incorrectly, making it look as though there are typos
on the page. Not a pretty sight!
To keep your copy sounding as natural as possible, you need
to think outside the keyword box. Most often, people believe
that writing in a similar manner as the example above is the
only way to use keywords in copy. Not true! In fact, far
from it.
Let me share three of my favorite tips with you for creative
writing with keyphrases.
Don't Use Keyphrases To Describe Your Products/Services
That's right, I said DON'T use keyphrases to describe your
own products or services. Instead, use them to describe what
your product or service is not, or what it is similar to or
what it is better than.
An example of this is any keyphrase that begins with the
word "cheap." "Cheap insurance," "cheap sunglasses," "cheap
software" - the list is endless. It's simply not a good idea
to call your own product cheap. Yes, I understand that
people are looking for cheap things, but that is because
they don't want to pay a lot. When THEY call your product
cheap, it is in relation to price. When YOU call your own
product or service cheap, it degrades the product or
service's perceived value.
Instead, let others know that your product is NOT cheap. For
example:
Unlike cheap travel insurance offered by other
underwriters, our policies have provided long-standing,
publicly held companies with a history of exceptional
customer service. You get affordable coverage and peace of
mind.
The phrase is highly relevant to the page, you get to
attract lots of visitors, and the copy is set to convince
them that "cheap insurance" isn't what they really wanted
after all.
How about this one? I got an email from a student asking me
how to use the phrase "doggie litter box" in his copy even
though that was not what he was selling. His product was a
replacement for the doggie litter box, so I suggested he use
the phrase in exactly that way. Here's what I would have
done:
Here's a great solution for that messy doggie litter
box. Attractive, compact and easy to use even in the
smallest apartments, [Name of Product] is destined to
replace the doggie litter box forever!
See? You aren't calling your product a litter box; rather
you are positioning yourself against it to show how you are
better.
Add A Word
Another frequent stumbling block for SEO copywriters is the
use of phrases that seem to end abruptly. In these cases,
simply add a word to the end. Here are two examples.
The phrase "web design for small business" seems out of
place because, most often, we would use the plural term
(small businesses) when we were writing. To correct the
problem, just add a plural word to the end of the phrase.
Perhaps you might talk about web design for small business
startups or web design for small business owners. You get
the idea.
Break It Up
When the phrases get too long, it is often best to break
them up. Search engines don't pay attention to standard
punctuation marks or line breaks. They read right through
periods, commas, semi-colons and the like without
hesitation. That means you have a lot more flexibility than
you might think.
One keyphrase I had to work with was "Texas Hill Country
real estate." That would get pretty cumbersome if it were
left as it is seen there. But by breaking it up with some
punctuation, it sounds perfectly natural. Here's how it can
be done.
There is no more beautiful place than the Texas Hill
Country. Real estate listings in this area are filled with
stunning homes that.
Do you see what happened? I broke the phrase up using a
period. In the eyes of the search engines the phrase is
still intact. They don't even notice the period. That
period, however, causes the reader to take a mental pause
and helps alleviate any repetitive feel to the copy.
If you take the time to look at SEO copywriting as an art
rather than an assembly line task, your content will sound
more natural, will convert better and will help prevent
further additions to the already overcrowded collection of
tortured copy everywhere!
About The Author
Having trouble with natural keyword use in your copy?
Karon's guide "How To Increase Keyword Saturation (Without
Destroying the Flow of Your Copy" can help with 11 easy ways
to incorporate keywords. Find it at
http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword.
