When preparing to write for the web it can sometimes be a challenge as to which direction you should go. Should you take the route of SEO for better ranking? Should you take the route of educational, informational, clever or engaging?
The direction will typically depend on the purpose of the article and the needs of your business or your clients business. Regardless of business type, there are some factors you want to keep in mind and adhere to when preparing to write for the Web.
Search Engine Optimization
Typically the focus would be to attract visits to the site and for some persuade them to buy. With this in mind, remember search engine optimization (SEO) has come into radar at a rather large scale and will play a big part of the website traffic you are seeking to generate.
Keywords or Keyword Phrases
Often most website owners will create a list of keywords that is relevant to the nature of the business. For example, a health and wellness website owner might choose keywords like health, wellness, fitness, diet, nutrition and other of the same. And your job as writer is to figure out how to seamlessly integrate those words into the content in a manner that will still represent clear, concise, and compelling content that will engage the readers.
There’s a balancing act to maintain when writing content that is inclusively clever, informational, engaging, and SEO equipped. Keyword Phrases also known as long tail keywords have become the more popular solution because you can accomplish the task of your copy while inclusively keeping your keywords seamlessly a part of the writing conversation. Long tail keywords will often be the better choice of words that more closely represent words your reader may use while searching for your type of business or content. For example, a health and wellness website reader may search on keyword phrases or long tail keywords like (how to improve health, wellness for women, fitness training, how to diet safely, or nutrition tips for children). Each of these are keyword phrases that can be seamlessly integrated into the writing conversation all while accomplishing SEO goals for traffic generation to the site.
Fit and Trim
When adding keyword phrases to your content you want to keep it fit and trim so you don’t over do it. Adding too many keywords is called keyword stuffing which is frowned upon by the search engines and also reduces the quality of the writing as the repetitive words can lose the attention and copy value for your readers.
While attention to SEO and keywords are important, remember focus should still be on engaging the customer, keeping them interested, and ultimately persuade them to buy or partake of your website’s offer. Formality and clunky keywords can distract readers from the intent of your copy. With that said, you want to be that AllStar web writer by keeping it tight, keeping it concise, and engaging with the reader in mind.
Crystal Watts is a web publisher and writer for websites24seven.com – her expertise and passion includes web technology, marketing, and multimedia. You can follow her on twitter at @websites24seven
This is a clear and easy to follow article. The author is so right. It is very important to be organized and have a plan when preparing to write. There are many directions one can take when preparing for the direction of an article, but the most important rules for any article, regardless of nature, never change. Clarity, Continuity, and Usability… Great work and thank you for sharing!