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Writing content is tough! You want to create stuff that resonates with your audience but also gets picked up by search engines like Google and Bing and indexes against relevant keywords.
Finding a balance between SEO optimization and maintaining your brand's unique voice that resonates with your audience can feel like trying to write a love letter on a calculator.
Let me share a little story to kick things off. Once, I decided to fully embrace SEO for my blog. Keywords were my new best friends. I was determined. My blog post ended up sounding like it was written by a robot with a terrible thesaurus addiction. My friends texted me concerned, "Are you feeling okay? You sound like you hit your head on a dictionary."
I had lost my voice in the maze of SEO. I'm sure you've found yourself in similar situations!
We all realise the importance of SEO for visibility but we are struggling to infuse it without turning our pages into a keyword-stuffed turkey.
Some suggestions
So how do we solve this? It's all about harmony and strategy.
We'll outline a few tricks you can incorporate in your writing process:
- keyword research;
- keeping it real;
- long-tail keywords;
- matching meta tags to your content;
- balancing.
Keyword Research is Your Foundation
Start by using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to discover what your audience is actually searching for. This is about getting into the minds of your customers. If they're searching for "cozy winter boots for city walking," those are the words that should find their way into your content, as naturally as if you were recommending a pair to a friend over coffee.
Keep It Real
Your brand's personality is what makes you stand out to your customers (your audience). If your site is playful and quirky, your SEO content shouldn't suddenly sound like a dry textbook. Remember, you're talking to humans who appreciate consistency and authenticity. As we have discussed before, knowing your audience is key to a consistent and powerful content strategy.
Long-Tail Keywords are Your Secret Weapon
Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific keyword phrases. They're your niche's language. Instead of "boots," think "vegan leather ankle boots for women." These not only improve your chances of ranking higher but also match your specific audience's search intent.
This relates to the large amount of people that swear by "finding your niche" and getting really great at that. Long-tail keywords conceptually neatly sit at the intersection of consumer behavior and search engine optimization (SEO) strategy.
Meta Matters, But So Does Match
When crafting meta descriptions and title tags, include your keywords, but ensure they're also catchy and informative. The trick is to make them irresistible to click on and aligned with the content's style and target audience. Remember, content relevance often trumps keyword density in the SEO world.
Balance Is Key
Finally, while weaving keywords into your content, your primary goal is to keep it readable and engaging. If a sentence becomes awkward with a keyword, it's probably best left alone.
Some examples
Let's have a look at a few examples of how keywords could be best integrated:
Example 1: Title Tags
Poor: "Buy Boots Online"
Better: "Stylish Winter Boots for City Walkers | BrandName"
Why? The second option is specific, includes keywords, and captures the brand's essence.
Example 2: Content writing
Poor: "Our boots are waterproof, durable, and versatile."
Better: "Step into comfort with our vegan leather ankle boots, perfect for city adventures, rain or shine."
Why? The second is more descriptive, uses long-tail keywords ("boots" vs "vegan leather ankle boots"), and speaks directly to the reader's interests.
Example 3: Meta Descriptions
Poor: "Best boots online."
Better: "Discover our cozy, eco-friendly winter boots designed for city walkers who refuse to compromise on style."
Why? The better example is engaging, informative, and keyword-rich without sounding forced.
The Better Content Challenge
All that being said, here's a challenge for you!
Start integrating SEO into your brand's narrative using the tips and tricks above. The goal isn't just to be seen, it's to be heard using your own unmistakable voice.
