You wouldn't put your shoes on before your Trousers, so why write web copy before you've considered search engine optimisation (SEO)?
By Carla Mateus, account executive at Stone Junction

Too many marketers wait until the end of content creation before desperately trying to force key words and phrases into their text. Instead, they should think about SEO in advance. Yes, you could scatter in a few key words here and there, but that is the equivalent of trying to squeeze your favourite trousers over muddy shoes — ineffective and crude.

Before putting pen to paper — or finger to keyboard — know what queries your potential customers have, what content they are looking for and use your pre-defined keywords throughout.

Ultimately, thriving in your online business means that you must go beyond simple writing content. Here’s a quick checklist to ensure you get it right:

• Write a captivating H1 heading that includes the title of the page
• Increase page readability with bullet points and short paragraphs
• Include external links to trusted blogs and websites to make your content appear more valuable in the eyes of the search engine
• Include internal links to add value and improve the reading experience. These links also affect the crawlability of your site, which search engines like to see

Of course, these SEO trousers are theoretical, and if you work from home, you are free to embrace the bare-legged lifestyle if you wish.

Stone Junction can analyse your SEO rankings and write web content to improve rankings for key words and phrases. Call us on +44 (0) 1785 225416 or e-mail [email protected] today to find out more.