SEO has always been about keywords, of course over the years search engine algorithms have become more sophisticated, and just "having the right keywords" in your content is no longer nearly enough to get you ranked good in Google. Be that as it may, these phrases and words remain the skeleton on which we base the entire site optimization process, as well as plan SEO Copywriting activity.
What is the role of keywords?
To understand how to properly promote a site, we need to know, to the bottom, how people search in the search engine. Typically, the standard procedure includes the following steps:
- You have a need, you are looking for an answer or a solution to your problem.
- You formulate the need in a string of words and phrases, known as a "query", and enter it into the search engine.
- Search through the obtained results, click on that result, and if you are satisfied come back or stay on the page.
So, in the SEO strategy, we must focus on the most important and representative words for a brand (in other words: those that sell and those that suggest the user's intention).
Keyword optimization based on intent
Google can now understand the intent behind a keyword. Intentions can be several: informational, purchasing, or exploring options. Always optimize for keyword groups and serve grouped content per page.
Where do we use the keywords?
- In the title tag (the title of a page must be an accurate and concise description of the content of that page). It is critical for user experience but also for search engine optimization. The length of the title should be 50-60 characters. SEO keywords must come first in the title.
- In Meta description (the meta description tag is a kind of summary of the content of a page). This description can also be seen as a source of "free Search Engine Advertising", you can get a much higher click-through rate (CTR) from users to your page if it sounds good. Length should be 150-160 characters.
- At least 2-3 times in the body of the page. Maybe, even a few more times, if the text is long enough. You will probably be tempted to use these SEO keywords more than once, but our experience shows that this does not benefit from an SEO perspective, quite the opposite. Keyword density should not exceed 3-5% of the text volume.
- In the Anchor on your main keyword (direct link to what you're selling).
- Use keywords in the headlines (subheadings) as well.
- In ALT to images (100-150 characters). This will not only help you increase traffic from web searches, but also from image searches.
- In the URLs.
Long read - good or not?
Yes, the long read keeps users on the page, but it needs to be very informative. The trends of recent years emphasize the creation of quality content. Google will show large texts with 1000 - 2000 words in the first search results.
Particular attention is paid to the elements: title, introduction, and conclusion
Do you have good text but no good title? Google promotion involves a maximum focus on the title. As I said above, people filter information, so the first detail that catches their eye is the title.
80% of articles are not read because of unattractive titles. The title must understand who the target audience is, highlight the usefulness, be current, have numbers, anticipate the search intent (the most searched formula online is "how to"), and have triggers or magic words (how such as: 'new', 'free', 'because', 'imagine', 'how to' and numbers).
The introduction is just as important, it must anticipate what problem you will solve in this text.
8% of readers read the end and if they like it they go back to the introduction and go through the text itself. So the bottom line is just as valuable. Web users don't read, they scan content. Use figures, and infographics, and structure the content into chapters and sub-chapters. The article should also contain a strong ending - a relevant conclusion or call to action.
Good luck in combining the 3 elements that bring success in promoting a website in search engines: the relationship between keywords, copywriting, and SEO!