COPYWRITING FOR SEARCH ENGINES
Would you like your "make a difference" article to inspire action from 10,000 readers? More?
To achieve high levels of readership and action, the key is to get your article ranked in the top 10 search results at Google and Yahoo. This guide shows you how.
Higher Ranking = More Acts of Kindness Inspired
In your article, strategic placement of keywords will directly impact your ranking in the search results at Google and Yahoo.
Simply put: Higher Ranking = More Readers = More Acts of Kindness Inspired
So, as you write your articles, please keep two kinds of audiences in mind:
1. humans
2. computer search engines
To be a good internet copywriter, you need to adjust your writing style to insert important keyword phrases where search engines will look for them.
Keyword-Phrase Targeting
Which keyword phrases should you insert? To answer that question, put yourself in the mind of the target audience of your article. Ask yourself: "To find my article via a Google search, which keyword phrases might an internet-surfer use?"
The goal is to include relevant keyword-phrases in your article that receive a moderate amount of searches at Google and Yahoo. Steer clear of the extremes:
• Avoid keyword phrases that generate < 1,000 monthly searches, because too few people will seek your article
• Avoid keyword phrases that generate > 100,000 monthly searches, because these keywords will attract intense, commercially-oriented competition. Against commercial competition, your article would be unlikely to get ranked highly enough on Google and Yahoo to break through the clutter.
Fortunately, Yahoo offers a free tool that writers can use to calculate searches per month through its search engine: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/?mkt=us&lang=en_US
Using this search-traffic tool, type your possible keyword phrases into the search bar to determine which phrases generate the highest number of searches. For example, you'll find that "blood donation" generates more than twice as many potential readers as "donating blood". So, if you were writing an article on this topic, you would be wise to include both phrases in your article, but give more prominence to "blood donation."
* Note that the search volumes reported by this tool account for approximately 40% of the total search traffic at US websites.
The next targeting factor to consider is relevance. It's tempting to get excited about terms that get lots of searches, but sometimes these terms are too general to use. This is especially true for single words.
For example, the word "charities" receives a lot of searches each month, but the intent of such a general search term varies too widely. For instance, an internet surfer searching for "charities" might be seeking to donate money to a charity, or to volunteer for a charity, or to receive assistance from a charity, or to gather leads for sales of volunteer-management software to charities.
"Insert" Keyword Phrases in Your Article
To determine the ranking of your article, search engines won't literally "read" it. Instead, search engines will look at the patterns of your words, how often they appear, and where they appear.
So, it's critical to insert keyword phrases into your headline and into any subheadings. This is not only a good idea for search engines, but also helps readers quickly find what they are looking for on a webpage.
As well, use your keyword phrases very densely in the first paragraph. An ideal article will have 250-500 words of text, and your text should have a keyword density of 5% to 10%, meaning that your keyword phrase shows up 5 to 10 times for every 100 words of copy, with the highest density in the first paragraph. Here is an example:
Each blood donation saves three lives. While 60% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood -- only 5% do. When asked, the #1 reason for not giving blood is because "no one asked me." Unless you're a multi-millionaire or a medical professional, blood donation probably represents the easiest way for you to save the most lives, every 42 days.
Blood banks often run short of blood-types O and B, particularly during the summer months and winter holidays when regular blood donors are on vacation. Blood shortages cause cancellation of surgery -- or worse.
So, if you've got a few hours to help, rather than just donating blood yourself, how about saving even more lives by organizing a blood drive at your office, apartment, or dorm?
To give blood, or to organize a blood donation drive, you can contact The Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
For articles with subheadlines, be sure to place keywords in the subheads and related keywords in the copy under each subhead. For example, your article might be on "blood donation" (included in your article heading), but you have one subhead and keyword rich section focused on where to go to "donate blood" and another subhead and keyword-rich section focused on organizing your own "blood drive".
Keyword Placement and Writing Quality
Even though you want to be mindful of keyword phrases and placement, avoid allowing readability of the article to suffer. Utilize your keywords naturally as you write rather than letting keywords drive your creativity, especially on a first draft. You can always go back and consider keyword placement more closely on subsequent edits.
Descriptive Words
Be as descriptive as possible when you write. Replacing generic words with descriptive words is a great way to use important keyword phrases in your copy. Words like "it" or "this" are not picked-up by search engines. Instead, replace "it" with descriptive phrases such as "blood donation center" or "blood drive posters."
It's especially important when working on the final draft of your article to focus on spotting generic words that could be replaced with keyword-rich phrases that will generate higher rankings at Google and Yahoo.
As well, look for places in your article where descriptive language can fill voids in your copy. For example, web pages often contain links that say "click here for more information," or "contact us." This is a great place to add your keyword-rich phases, such as: "click here for more information about blood donation" and "contact The Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE to plan a blood drive."
Common Variations of Your Keyword Phrases
While the most popular keyword phrase for your topic might be "drunk driving", you'll want the search engines to also find common variations within your copy to ensure that you have covered all the ways in which people might search for your topic. In addition to "drunk driving", also include "driving drunk", "driving under the influence", "DUI", "driving while intoxicated", "DWI", etc.
Using common variations of your keyword phrases (plurals, -ings, and -ed) will also improve your search engine rankings as well as avoid repetition in your copy.
In addition to common variations, also consider differences in spelling. For instance, "volunteerism" is sometimes spelled "voluntarism". If your keywords have potential to be spelled in two or more ways, then include the different spellings in your copy.
Dedicate Your Final Draft to Keyword Optimization
Keyword optimization is important enough to dedicate an entire draft to it. If you've already done a first and second draft getting your copy and ideas just right, take the time in a final draft to focus your attention solely on keyword optimization.
As you look over your article, remember:
• Include keyword phrases in your article that receive a moderate amount of monthly traffic.
• Optimize for specific keyword-phrases that match your topic, and avoid using single-words.
• Place your most important keyword phrase in the headline and in subheadings.
• Use your keyword phrase very densely in the first paragraph.
• Replace generic words with descriptive, keyword-rich phrases.
• Include common variations of your keyword phrases (plurals, -ings, and –eds).
• If applicable, use possible spelling variations in your copy.
Success!
Taking the time to follow these guidelines will help your article to appeal both to search engines and potential volunteers. The end result will be more internet surfers finding your article and more acts of kindness inspired.
Would you like your "make a difference" article to inspire action from 10,000 readers? More?
To achieve high levels of readership and action, the key is to get your article ranked in the top 10 search results at Google and Yahoo. This guide shows you how.
Higher Ranking = More Acts of Kindness Inspired
In your article, strategic placement of keywords will directly impact your ranking in the search results at Google and Yahoo.
Simply put: Higher Ranking = More Readers = More Acts of Kindness Inspired
So, as you write your articles, please keep two kinds of audiences in mind:
1. humans
2. computer search engines
To be a good internet copywriter, you need to adjust your writing style to insert important keyword phrases where search engines will look for them.
Keyword-Phrase Targeting
Which keyword phrases should you insert? To answer that question, put yourself in the mind of the target audience of your article. Ask yourself: "To find my article via a Google search, which keyword phrases might an internet-surfer use?"
The goal is to include relevant keyword-phrases in your article that receive a moderate amount of searches at Google and Yahoo. Steer clear of the extremes:
• Avoid keyword phrases that generate < 1,000 monthly searches, because too few people will seek your article
• Avoid keyword phrases that generate > 100,000 monthly searches, because these keywords will attract intense, commercially-oriented competition. Against commercial competition, your article would be unlikely to get ranked highly enough on Google and Yahoo to break through the clutter.
Fortunately, Yahoo offers a free tool that writers can use to calculate searches per month through its search engine: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/?mkt=us&lang=en_US
Using this search-traffic tool, type your possible keyword phrases into the search bar to determine which phrases generate the highest number of searches. For example, you'll find that "blood donation" generates more than twice as many potential readers as "donating blood". So, if you were writing an article on this topic, you would be wise to include both phrases in your article, but give more prominence to "blood donation."
* Note that the search volumes reported by this tool account for approximately 40% of the total search traffic at US websites.
The next targeting factor to consider is relevance. It's tempting to get excited about terms that get lots of searches, but sometimes these terms are too general to use. This is especially true for single words.
For example, the word "charities" receives a lot of searches each month, but the intent of such a general search term varies too widely. For instance, an internet surfer searching for "charities" might be seeking to donate money to a charity, or to volunteer for a charity, or to receive assistance from a charity, or to gather leads for sales of volunteer-management software to charities.
"Insert" Keyword Phrases in Your Article
To determine the ranking of your article, search engines won't literally "read" it. Instead, search engines will look at the patterns of your words, how often they appear, and where they appear.
So, it's critical to insert keyword phrases into your headline and into any subheadings. This is not only a good idea for search engines, but also helps readers quickly find what they are looking for on a webpage.
As well, use your keyword phrases very densely in the first paragraph. An ideal article will have 250-500 words of text, and your text should have a keyword density of 5% to 10%, meaning that your keyword phrase shows up 5 to 10 times for every 100 words of copy, with the highest density in the first paragraph. Here is an example:
Each blood donation saves three lives. While 60% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood -- only 5% do. When asked, the #1 reason for not giving blood is because "no one asked me." Unless you're a multi-millionaire or a medical professional, blood donation probably represents the easiest way for you to save the most lives, every 42 days.
Blood banks often run short of blood-types O and B, particularly during the summer months and winter holidays when regular blood donors are on vacation. Blood shortages cause cancellation of surgery -- or worse.
So, if you've got a few hours to help, rather than just donating blood yourself, how about saving even more lives by organizing a blood drive at your office, apartment, or dorm?
To give blood, or to organize a blood donation drive, you can contact The Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
For articles with subheadlines, be sure to place keywords in the subheads and related keywords in the copy under each subhead. For example, your article might be on "blood donation" (included in your article heading), but you have one subhead and keyword rich section focused on where to go to "donate blood" and another subhead and keyword-rich section focused on organizing your own "blood drive".
Keyword Placement and Writing Quality
Even though you want to be mindful of keyword phrases and placement, avoid allowing readability of the article to suffer. Utilize your keywords naturally as you write rather than letting keywords drive your creativity, especially on a first draft. You can always go back and consider keyword placement more closely on subsequent edits.
Descriptive Words
Be as descriptive as possible when you write. Replacing generic words with descriptive words is a great way to use important keyword phrases in your copy. Words like "it" or "this" are not picked-up by search engines. Instead, replace "it" with descriptive phrases such as "blood donation center" or "blood drive posters."
It's especially important when working on the final draft of your article to focus on spotting generic words that could be replaced with keyword-rich phrases that will generate higher rankings at Google and Yahoo.
As well, look for places in your article where descriptive language can fill voids in your copy. For example, web pages often contain links that say "click here for more information," or "contact us." This is a great place to add your keyword-rich phases, such as: "click here for more information about blood donation" and "contact The Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE-LIFE to plan a blood drive."
Common Variations of Your Keyword Phrases
While the most popular keyword phrase for your topic might be "drunk driving", you'll want the search engines to also find common variations within your copy to ensure that you have covered all the ways in which people might search for your topic. In addition to "drunk driving", also include "driving drunk", "driving under the influence", "DUI", "driving while intoxicated", "DWI", etc.
Using common variations of your keyword phrases (plurals, -ings, and -ed) will also improve your search engine rankings as well as avoid repetition in your copy.
In addition to common variations, also consider differences in spelling. For instance, "volunteerism" is sometimes spelled "voluntarism". If your keywords have potential to be spelled in two or more ways, then include the different spellings in your copy.
Dedicate Your Final Draft to Keyword Optimization
Keyword optimization is important enough to dedicate an entire draft to it. If you've already done a first and second draft getting your copy and ideas just right, take the time in a final draft to focus your attention solely on keyword optimization.
As you look over your article, remember:
• Include keyword phrases in your article that receive a moderate amount of monthly traffic.
• Optimize for specific keyword-phrases that match your topic, and avoid using single-words.
• Place your most important keyword phrase in the headline and in subheadings.
• Use your keyword phrase very densely in the first paragraph.
• Replace generic words with descriptive, keyword-rich phrases.
• Include common variations of your keyword phrases (plurals, -ings, and –eds).
• If applicable, use possible spelling variations in your copy.
Success!
Taking the time to follow these guidelines will help your article to appeal both to search engines and potential volunteers. The end result will be more internet surfers finding your article and more acts of kindness inspired.