Are you going to write an SEO copy? Read these 7 tips!

Tip 1 Do keyword research 

Keyword research forms the basis of good SEO texts. By keyword research you know which keywords are search volume and you can set priorities. Google Search Console is a good starting point for this. In Google Search Console you will find on which keywords you are currently displayed, so you can easily and quickly spot opportunities for improvement.

In addition, at ISM eCompany we do keyword research with the paid tool Ahrefs . Would you rather use a free tool? Which can! Just keep in mind that these show less information than paid tools. For example, free tools do not show how much competition there is for a specific keyword.

Tip 2: Determine which keywords you want to be found for

Based on the keyword research, you determine per page on which keywords you want to be found. Distinguish between category and filter pages. With category pages you respond to generic searches from potential customers. Generic search terms often contain high search volumes.

Filter combinations have little or no search volume in most cases. However, it can sometimes happen that certain filter combinations do contain search volume. For example, do you see a lot of search volume for the search term 'black Adidas sneakers'? Then you create a separate page for this combination in order to rank for this search term. You cannot add unique content to a normal filter page. Do you have an online store on Magento? Then you can easily create filter pages using the Amasty plug-in .

Tip 3: Keep the right length for your SEO text

How long an SEO text should be depends on the type of page. Use the following guidelines:

• Text at the top of category pages: 50-150 words
• Text at the bottom of category pages: 300-1000 words. Whether the text should be 300 or 1000 words long depends on the category for which you are writing the text. Is it a complex product, such as a rowing machine? Then the text will be longer than when it comes to a dress page. You always want to provide the consumer with enough information to make the right choice.
• Product detail pages: 50-150 words

https://ioby.org/users/infocarloszueck649577

https://myspace.com/carlos_zueck

https://www.bimcommunity.com/profile/user/saasbery/view_original

https://www.indiegogo.com/individuals/29657454

http://www.redbubble.com/people/carloszueck

https://www.tripadvisor.in/Profile/Camper18844668897

https://www.filmaffinity.com/us/userratings.php?user_id=1018801

https://www.domestika.org/en/carloszueck

https://www.awwwards.com/carloszueck/favorites

https://recordsetter.com/user/carloszueck

Tip 4: Keep the right keyword density

A question we often get is how often a keyword should appear in the text. A keyword density of two to four percent is a good starting point for an SEO copy. There is no need to panic if you go above or below 4 percent. This is only an indication. In practice, the keyword density differs per keyword. Therefore, always check the keyword you want to rank for in Google and see how often the top-3 processes the keyword in the text. This gives you a good indication for your own SEO texts.

In addition to the primary keyword, include secondary keywords in the text. These are synonyms of the primary keyword. Google attaches great importance to the user experience. Is a sentence not easy to read because all kinds of keywords have been processed in an unnatural way? Then Google will penalize this. So natural sentences are always preferable to unnatural sentences. For example, use subheadings (H1, H2) to make the text easier to read.

Tip 5: Use internal links 

I can't say it often enough: incorporate internal links into your text. Not only do you pass on link value to important pages, it is also user-friendly. The same applies here: only add links where this makes sense. There are three methods in which you can use internal links on category pages:

Place internal links on category pages, to deeper category pages with high traffic. Below you see an example of Woonbouleverd Poortvliet. In the main category of sofas, they link to deeper category pages, such as sofas and corner sofas. Does this mean you should only link to a high traffic category page? No, definitely not. Is a page important to your organization, but is there little traffic because the search volume is low? Then you can still post an internal link to it. This way you ensure that this page eventually gets more traffic.

Tip 6: Optimize the page title

Do you want to be easily found in Google search results? Then a good title for your page (page title) is essential. For example, I saw a significant increase in their positions with various customers by only optimizing the page title. A quick win if you ask me.

Make the page title a maximum of 55 characters long. This prevents Google from showing only a part of this in the search results, as you can see in image 4. Keep this in mind, because Google regularly changes the allowed length for the page title.

A good page title consists of three parts:

• The primary keyword (preferably at the beginning of the page title)
• A USP, such as 'free shipping' or 'ordered before 10 p.m., delivered tomorrow'. Does your webshop have no strong USPs? Then incorporate a synonym of the primary keyword in the page title
• The name of your organization

Always type the most important keyword in Google on which you want to rank and see what page title competitors have that are in the Google top 5. With the page title you want to distinguish yourself from the competition, so the last thing you want is to end up with the same page title as your competitors. 

Tip 7: Optimize the meta description

Optimizing the meta description does not directly ensure that your page ranks better in the search results, but it is important. A well-written and optimized meta description increases the click-through rate (CTR) to your webshop. And that is not only positive for your visitor numbers.

Google loves pages with good user statistics and certainly makes them rank better in search results. The more often your page is viewed and the longer visitors stay on this page, the better this is for your position in the search results. Does your webshop have a strong USP, such as free shipping? Then incorporate this in the meta description.

Also use punctuation marks, such as check marks. This way you stand out more in the search results. Use a maximum of 160 characters to prevent Google from showing the meta description in full.

Tip 8: Optimize the images and URL

In addition to the above components, there are two other components that you can optimize:

From URL

Use URLs in which the keyword is clearly visible. Avoid strange characters in the URL. An example of a good URL, also known as a 'clean' URL is:

https://www.jeroenbeekman.nl/broeken/cambio/

Optimize the images

Optimize the images using the alt text. The alt text is the text that appears when you hover your mouse over an image on a page. If you optimize this text, you can rank not only in the regular search results, but also in Google Images. In other words, a simple way to be found even more often in the search results. This is especially important for webshops that sell products where images/inspiration is important, such as a webshop that sells clothing or interior.

Writing SEO texts is certainly not difficult, but it is important. Do you want even more tips for writing SEO-proof texts? Then download our SEO cheat sheet and conquer those number one positions in Google.