5 SEO Tips For Online Copywriters

By: Sean Mcpheat

published 1292932703

In the past we've spoken about copywriting and the art of developing great advertisement copy. Today, though, I'd like to take a few minutes to talk specifically about what you should be doing if you're managing an online marketing campaign. The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is a completely different animal and you'll need to keep that in mind as you develop web content - especially if you want to attract visitors and make sales.

Write Valuable Content

There's really no other way of putting it. On the web, content is king - but only if you're writing really valuable content. Don't think you're going to throw up a website with a few subpar articles stuffed inappropriately with keywords and still get results. Every single word you write needs to be valuable to your readers. It needs to be easy to understand and have a great, eye appealing format. If not, it's pure garbage.

Use Extra Formatting

When writing for the web, the shorter your pieces of information the better. This means you shouldn't write paragraphs that are a page long. That type of writing isn't easy for the eye to scan and read. Use bold faced type, italics, bullet point lists, and short paragraphs so that your reader can scan for pieces of information and take it in small bits at a time.

Don't Forget about Linking

On the web, writing an article is one thing but having it properly promoted is another. Internally, you'll want to make sure you use your chosen keywords to link back to other informative pages on your own site. Externally, you'll want to try to find some sites that are willing to link back to you and, at the same time, you'll occasionally want to link back out to other valuable resources. You need both incoming and outgoing links for the search engines to take you seriously.

Use Formatting Tags

When writing for the web, use the H1 tag to highlight your titles as often as possible. We're not sure why, but search engines take this type of title tag very seriously. Use your keywords in the title you're highlighting and make sure those keywords or title words are elsewhere in the article as well. Use the H2 tag on subheadings (like the ones in this article) and Google will love you even more.

Don't Stuff Keywords

The keywords you target in your writing are important - yes - but if you don't use them naturally your content will sound spammy. Use your keywords in the beginning of your article, a few times throughout the body, and once at the end. Maintaining a natural keyword denisty won't draw negative search engine attention and, in the end, your writing will be cleaner and easier to read.

Remember - writing for the web is a lot different than writing a book or print advertisement. Every word you write counts. The more focused you are, the more likely you are to get real results!