Have you ever thought, “Wow, that headline could be better” after you turned in your final draft?
Or worse, your boss (or client) redlined your copy–and she sent you a nastygram to let you know?
Ouch.
I’ve reviewed a lot of SEO writing over the years and there is one big constant: so-so copy happens. Maybe it’s a headline that falls flat. Or maybe the writer missed some keyphrase opportunities.
Although the mistakes may be minor, they’re a red flag to your boss (or client) that you’re “working sloppy.”
That’s never good.
Make sure your content hits the mark the first time. Ready to evaluate your writing? Here are six things to check:
– How is your keyphrase usage?
Some people were trained that you have to include the keyphrases X times each on the page. I feel sorry for those people. They end up hating SEO writing because they were given incorrect information. Or, if a someone is new to SEO writing, they’ll often go nuts with their keyphrases and put them everywhere. Why? Because they think that they “have to do it this way.”
News flash: You don’t have to do it this way (whew!).
Yes, include keyphrases. However, focus your attention more on “how will my reader enjoy this,” instead of, “how many times should I repeat this keyphrase?”
Remember, Google is looking for informative pages that are centered around a theme, not how many times you repeat some words. It’s OK to use synonyms. It’s OK to not exact match your keyphrase every time. And it’s OK to write like a human rather than feeling you have to serve Google (in fact, this kind of writing is rewarded!).
