Yes, content is king, but optimized content is even better. Crafting website copy may seem like a daunting task you’re eager to check off your list, but the degree to which you create relevant, optimized content can make or break the success of your site. If not done well, searchers can’t find your site organically, you’ll see low time-on-site with high bounce and exit rates, and you’ll miss opportunities to capture new leads actively looking for your type of solution. If done well, it can help your site rank organically in the SERPs, educate users, and convert leads.
Follow these 6 steps when writing copy to ensure your website is in the second camp.
#1. Start with keyword research
Start with keyword research to understand what users are actively searching for, ensuring that your website copy is relevant to your audience and majorly boosting organic SEO. Try a free keyword planning tool like Google Ads, Moz, or Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest.
#2. Include 2-3 keywords per page
Equipped with keyword research, narrow down your list of potential keywords based on a healthy balance of search volume (medium-high), relevancy (high), and competition (medium). Select 5-8 as your focus keywords: the most important search terms your website should be ranking for. Pick another 20-25 (depending on the number of pages on your website) to serve as secondary keywords. For a baby product manufacturer, a focus keyword might be “baby products” while secondary keywords may be “baby monitors”, “strollers”, and “car seats”. Based on relevancy, assign 2-3 keywords per page to be infused in copy and metadata (e.g. title tags, page descriptions, image file names, image alt text, etc.). This step also greatly helps with organic SEO.
#3. Mind your page length
While there is no hard and fast rule, each webpage should have at least 300 words for optimal SEO.
#4. Use 2-3 headers per page
Headers help with organic SEO and guide readers, allowing them to easily find the information they’re most interested in. Consider guiding headers like:
- Ex: “Key Benefits of X Solution” and “How to Get Started”
- Ex: “What Is X Solution?” and “How Does It Work?”
Be consistent in the approach you choose across pages (e.g. statements vs. questions, starting headers with verbs vs. nouns, etc.).
#5. Make copy skimmable
Like with guiding headers, use bullets, keep paragraphs short, and bold key phrases to help users skim content quickly, and land on what’s most relevant to them.
#6. Crosslink to relevant, on-site pages
To strengthen SEO, guide the user’s journey and keep users on your site longer, link body copy, and include buttons to other relevant, on-site pages.