The modern copywriting landscape has rapidly evolved in the past few years. As more writers and businesses opt for digital platforms, engaging with readers has become trickier. From a blog post to a product page, page rankings matter a lot more these days.
The Search Engine Optimization – or SEO – framework ensures that content and webpages rank higher on search engines and are more accessible. This is done by using relevant keywords or writing about topics that people are likely to search up on search engines – like Google or Bing. Copywriting needs SEO to survive the digital age.
Now, 2023 has brought an array of innovations, ideas, and technologies to life and the copywriting needs to adapt to stay ahead. SEO copywriting is a dynamic field that observes patterns, trends, and behavior to create compelling content that genuinely sways readers. For this reason, we’ve rounded up the top SEO best practices 2023 edition to improve your copywriting in an ever-changing world.
One of the main elements of any SEO task is the use of the right keywords. These are the building blocks for content that ranks higher and gains more traction. It’s important to identify the right keywords within your industry and for your specific content. Use a keyword research tool to find the relevant search term that will drive organic traffic to your content.
These are the words your potential readers will be typing into the search bar and your goal is to ensure your webpage shows up in the results. However, some businesses might go overboard and stuff content with high-traffic keywords that are not entirely relevant at all. This attracts junk traffic and does nothing to boost your content’s engagement.
Your primary keyword needs to represent your niche and needs to be relevant to your content. Your primary keyword should also be used in:
The title tag and meta description are essential parts of ranking higher on a search engine. A title tag is a clickable headline that appears on the Search Engine Results Page – or SERP. These are typically 50 to 60 characters long and need to be short, catchy, and include your primary keyword.
The meta description is the short description of the content often displayed underneath the title and URL. This provides a small glimpse into the post and is essentially the first impression for most readers. Google typically truncates meta descriptions on desktop at 155 to 160 characters. As such, it should include your primary keyword while still being concise, accurate, and persuasive.
Another key element of SEO copywriting is understanding search intent. This is the reason behind most organic searches. A search engine’s job is to analyze and understand search intent to offer the most relevant results for users. Copywriters can use this to tailor content that also understands these intentions.
There are four common types of search intent:
In copywriting, the use of internal links between pages on your website will improve your search engine rankings. These links make it easier for the search engine to map out the hierarchy of your site and users can users can find information better. Always use the correct links and
The Google Discover feed appears on Google’s home page for cellphone users. This is an algorithm that offers users relevant search queries based on their interests and preferences. Most people use their phones to search for content these days and optimizing your content for Google Discover widens your targeted audience and improves your search rankings.
Google’s new AI algorithm, BERT, impacts almost 10% of search queries. The AI system focuses on user intentions and topics rather than specific words. This means that content is ranked based on relevance and genuine appeal. Optimizing your content for BERT includes:
Now, words are the main course on any SEO copywriter’s menu, but images can be helpful additions as well. The use of the right images can attract more traffic and boost your search rankings. Try to search for relevant images and add titles that include your primary keyword.
Images should also include alt text to provide context for search engine crawlers. The alt text is included in the HTML code used to describe an image on a webpage. This means that Google can quickly associate your content with your keyword if it’s included in the alt text and that your content is more accessible for those using screen readers.
Try to use high-resolution images as well but be weary of image sizes. Larger images may slow down the loading of your web page. You can use image compression to minimize image sizes without lowering the quality. Some image compression tools include:
Another aspect of SEO copywriting in 2023 that is surprisingly overlooked is the generation of quality content. Traffic needs to be organic which means that your content needs to be genuinely informative, engaging, and relevant. Consider what your readers want and how you can meet their needs when they click on your piece of content.
Ensuring high-quality content attracts more traffic and catches the attention of search engine algorithms. Your content needs to be simple, accessible, and user-friendly – without sounding stifled in SEO keywords and tactics.
For effective SEO writing, you need to build up quality backlinks. These are the links that other websites will use to link back to your content. Google – and most search engines – consider backlinks as the most reliable vote of confidence for any content. Establishing quality backlinks means that others now consider your work a reputable and trustworthy source.
To build up your backlinks, you need to connect with businesses in your industry and establish your website as a source of accurate, relevant, and fresh information. This can also be done by:
A URL might seem like a more technical aspect but it does matter when considering Search Engine Optimization. The construction of your URL will affect the ranking of your content and how users respond to your links. A well-optimized URL is concise, logically structured, and includes your primary keyword.
Optimizing content for SEO can be challenging for anyone in such a dynamic landscape. This is why TMG Global is here to help you out in creating content that ranks higher and gains more traction. Make the most out of your SEO content and contact TMG Global today for a free content audit or to learn more about how we can help your brand grow.
