Lay off on the butter … and the keywords

Chances are you have seen (and possibly used) spray butter. You know, the “butter” (and I use the term lightly) that is in liquid form, allowing you to spritz your food. This gives you the butter taste without the calories.

When I have used it, I may give it an extra spray or two, but for the most part, I use it as instructed. That doesn’t mean everyone does.

At dinner one night, I watched a family member (whom shall remain nameless) unscrew the top and pour the liquid on vegetables. It seemed to defeat the purpose to me – and it was a bit of overkill.

Keywords and spray butter: A little goes a long way

Are you using your keywords like a certain someone uses spray butter? Don’t just unscrew the lid on your terms and pour them into your copy.

Just like spray butter, keywords need to be used sparingly to be most effective.

“Writing for Google” isn’t about overkill (anymore)

There was a time that some SEO copywriters felt as though they needed to stuff their copy with keywords to make Google happy. It may have provided traffic at one time, but your conversion rate probably suffered.

After Hummingbird (and other Google updates), quality content is more important than ever. Stuffing keywords isn’t going to get you higher ranking in the SERPs.

The secret is simple

It’s really not a secret.

When it comes to SEO copywriting, you can make Google and your clients happy if you follow these techniques:

• Know who your ideal client is and create a customer persona
• Complete keyword research, including synonyms
• Write customer-focused direct response copy, highlighting benefits over features
• Use your keywords sparingly

Don’t overdo it. Use your keywords correctly and you can strike the right balance between ranking well and increased conversion.