Five Slide Guideâ„¢ SEO Copywriting

Select keywords & key phrases Keywords are what people type into a search engine when they look for products and services like yours. Keywords aren’t necessarily how you like to describe what you do. A ‘vehicle valeter’ might be better off targeting ‘car cleaning’. Sites such as Wordtracker and Google AdWords can help you find out how many people search for particular keywords. Discard keywords where competition is intense and be more specific (‘car cleaning services’ or ‘car cleaning London’). Build a list of keywords and phrases you can realistically target. 1

Keywords are what people type into a search engine when they look for products and services like yours.

Keywords aren’t necessarily how you like to describe what you do. A ‘vehicle valeter’ might be better off targeting ‘car cleaning’.

Sites such as Wordtracker and Google AdWords can help you find out how many people search for particular keywords.

Discard keywords where competition is intense and be more specific (‘car cleaning services’ or ‘car cleaning London’).

Build a list of keywords and phrases you can realistically target.

Structure your site As far as possible, create pages or areas devoted to each keyword. Assign top keywords to your home page. Pages for different products or services are a good idea. If you’re targeting multiple locations, create a page for each one. If you can, create additional pages offering useful information where you can include your keywords again. Think about content you could easily provide that people would really value. Remember, people can arrive anywhere (not just at the home page) and each page stands alone for SEO purposes. Your site’s structure needs to work for people too - ensure it makes sense to humans as well as search engines! 2

As far as possible, create pages or areas devoted to each keyword. Assign top keywords to your home page.

Pages for different products or services are a good idea.

If you’re targeting multiple locations, create a page for each one.

If you can, create additional pages offering useful information where you can include your keywords again. Think about content you could easily provide that people would really value.

Remember, people can arrive anywhere (not just at the home page) and each page stands alone for SEO purposes.

Your site’s structure needs to work for people too - ensure it makes sense to humans as well as search engines!

Write the text Write text that flows naturally and meets readers’ needs. Aim for a keyword density of 3–8%. At 5% keyword density, the keyword or key phrase occurs every 20 words on average. Keyword density above 10% (‘keyword stuffing’) may be penalised and is unlikely to read naturally anyway. Search engine ‘stemming’ means that words with the same root (copywriting, copywriter) are usually regarded as the same. If it’s hard to achieve keyword density in the space available, create some extra text to be included elsewhere on the page. Don’t repeat text across multiple pages. 3

Write text that flows naturally and meets readers’ needs.

Aim for a keyword density of 3–8%. At 5% keyword density, the keyword or key phrase occurs every 20 words on average.

Keyword density above 10% (‘keyword stuffing’) may be penalised and is unlikely to read naturally anyway.

Search engine ‘stemming’ means that words with the same root (copywriting, copywriter) are usually regarded as the same.

If it’s hard to achieve keyword density in the space available, create some extra text to be included elsewhere on the page.

Don’t repeat text across multiple pages.

Build the pages Use keywords (once or twice) in HTML page titles, but remember that people read and click on titles in search results, so keep them clear. Meta descriptions may also appear in search results, but have no weight for SEO. Use them to send a more expressive message to searchers. Use keywords in navigation text links. Don’t use graphics for navigation; use CSS to make links attractive. Use keywords for the anchor text of internal links; this helps search engines work out what each page is about. Use keywords in headings (tagged with <h1>, <h2> etc). Use keywords in subdirectory names and file names wherever possible (Yahoo, in particular, likes keywords in URLs). 4

Use keywords (once or twice) in HTML page titles, but remember that people read and click on titles in search results, so keep them clear.

Meta descriptions may also appear in search results, but have no weight for SEO. Use them to send a more expressive message to searchers.

Use keywords in navigation text links. Don’t use graphics for navigation; use CSS to make links attractive.

Use keywords for the anchor text of internal links; this helps search engines work out what each page is about.

Use keywords in headings (tagged with <h1>, <h2> etc).

Use keywords in subdirectory names and file names wherever possible (Yahoo, in particular, likes keywords in URLs).

Tracking and link-building Keep a spreadsheet tracking your position in the major search engines for each keyword. Look at your web statistics (from your hosting provider) to confirm that visitors are searching for your keywords. Build links to your site by submitting it to directories and publishing press releases at reputable online PR sites. Consider creating a blog that links back to your site. Getting up the rankings takes time. Don’t be tempted to change your site before it’s had a chance to shine. 5

Keep a spreadsheet tracking your position in the major search engines for each keyword.

Look at your web statistics (from your hosting provider) to confirm that visitors are searching for your keywords.

Build links to your site by submitting it to directories and publishing press releases at reputable online PR sites.

Consider creating a blog that links back to your site.

Getting up the rankings takes time. Don’t be tempted to change your site before it’s had a chance to shine.

Marketing and advertisement copywriting Copywriting for leaflets, brochures and printed marketing SEO, website copywriting and digital marketing Presentations, proposals and internal documents Interviewing and researching Freelance support for PR, graphic and digital agencies Academic and public sector content We’ll choose your words carefully. www. abccopywriting .com

Marketing and advertisement copywriting

Copywriting for leaflets, brochures and printed marketing

SEO, website copywriting and digital marketing

Presentations, proposals and internal documents

Interviewing and researching

Freelance support for PR, graphic and digital agencies

Academic and public sector content