beyond seo: copywriting for professionals
TRANSCRIPT
Beyond SEO: Copywriting for professionals
Joost de Valk Marieke van de Rakt
Today: SEO copywriting
Google’s mission
To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.
What is SEO?
SEO aims to improve a website’s position in the free (or “organic”) search results.
No scorched earth tactics
We prefer sustainable SEO
Focus on all aspects of website optimization.
Be the best result.
Holistic SEO
Quality content
Holistic SEO
Technicalexcellence
GoodUX & UI
Flawless security
Awesome PR & Social
Why does quality content matter for SEO?
What does Google do with text?
Why doesn’t this work (anymore)?
Hummingbird
Quality content is also important, because:
1. People understand your message
2. Lower bounce rate
3. More trust
4. More attention on social media
So, how do you write quality content?
Research at Yoast
Read about in our
Come grab it at our booth!
1. Focus on the structure of your text
Clear paragraphs• One idea per paragraph
• One core sentence
• Not too long
• Never randomly add whitespace within paragraphs!
Transition words
Relation Examples of signal words
Enumeration first of all, also, another, furthermore, finally
Cause because, so, due to, for the reason that
Comparison/contrast similarly, likewise, rather, while, in contrast
Conclusion as a result, hence, consequently, therefore
Fuzzy signals seems like, maybe, probably, almost
Emphasis above all, most noteworthy, certainly, even more
2. Use clear headings
3. Make sure your text is easy to read
Short sentences, simple words• No longer than 20 words per sentence
• Use simple words
• ≤ 3 syllables
• Keep your audience in mind: developers understand ‘pull request’
4. Make sure your text is nice to read
Passive voiceAvoid when possible!
Passive voice Better alternative
This product can be bought in our webshop.
Customers can buy this product in our webshop.
The employees are informed about their financial contribution.
The manager informs his employees about their financial contribution.
All our posts are checked by a colleague.
A colleague checks all our posts.
Mix it up!• Use synonyms and don’t over-optimize!
• Mix sentence length
• Short and somewhat longer paragraphs
• Variation in word order
Yoast 3.3
We added readability analysis to our plugin.
(In our free plugin too!)
Yoast helps
Yoast highlights
Do you have questions?