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Keywords 101: SEO Copywriting Basics

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When it comes to SEO, there’s no shortage of misleading tropes and half-truths out there, and we’ve just about heard them all. Headlines declare that “SEO is dead,” that it’s just some kind of arcane trickery that modern search engines have been programmed to outsmart.

But don’t believe the hype surrounding SEO’s alleged demise. Far from being dead, the practice has matured with the times, and today SEO is still an essential component of any successful digital marketing strategy.

SEO got its checkered reputation in the early days of Web marketing, when simple search algorithms allowed content creators and web designers to “game the system” with strategies like keyword stuffing. The result was clunky, inorganic writing that was unpleasant to read, but scored high in search rankings nonetheless. Search engines today are equipped with much more sophisticated algorithms, making these cheap tactics ineffective.

But this doesn’t mean that keywords aren’t still used when tailoring content for search engines. You just need to be more nuanced and thoughtful in using them. Brute force tactics are no longer a workable solution for search engine optimization.

Here are a few basic concepts to keep in mind pertaining to keywords and their use in SEO today…

Broadly speaking, there are two types of keywords you should be concerned with. Head keywords are short, generic terms, one or two words in length, while long tail keywords are longer, more targeted phrases. For maximum effectiveness, your writing should include a mix of head and long tail keywords

Keywords aren’t just for body copy! When preparing a piece of content for the Web, use your number one keyword in as many places as you can. The page title, the headings and subheads, even the page URL and the image captions should all include your main keyword.

When deciding on your main keyword, be mindful of alternative keywords that your audience might also be searching for. This will provide insight into secondary topics you can incorporate into your writing to make it more useful and informative for the reader (and, more attractive to search engines!)

The bottom line is that today’s search engines are much more capable of anticipating the needs and interests of web users – making search results a more honest reflection of what real people are searching for. So, when writing search optimized copy today, be tactful and smart with how you use keywords and above all, write content that people will enjoy reading!

Need help with search optimized copywriting for your website? Then let’s get started – contact Rosie’s Creative today. Remember, with us your first consultation is always free.

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