Website copywriting has changed. Most people in the industry would recognise that. Although keywords still count for something in the great Google casino, the SEO emphasis has shifted to off-page link building when it comes to significant ranking criteria.
Keywords remain important for inclusion in headline and title tags (after all, the search engine robots need to use something when matching the words typed into a search query). The function of keywords is now more about providing signposts along the way when it comes to setting out immediately what a web page is all about.
There’s a world of difference between what pertains now and what the keywords ‘norm’ was as recently as 12 months ago. Even to say ‘use keywords judiciously’ may be over-egging things as far as Google is concerned. It’s now more about achieving a natural flow of copy in an informative piece that is highly focused around a central theme as hinted at in the title and headline tags.
With omni-present social media sharing options featuring on most web pages nowadays, it suggests that web page copy should be written in a more engaging style that will encourage comment – more in the style of a blog post.
The page content can be made even more attractive by using visual images such as photos and charts, videos, infographics and many other aspects of content marketing that people use nowadays. One of the best exponents of this approach can be seen on the Social Media Examiner website where every page manages to combine multiple visuals in an interactive format.
This isn’t necessarily revolutionary, simply because the central message has to come across via the words on the page. The change lies in emphasis. Yes, well-written, free-flowing copy will win big votes of approval from Google. However, it’s the added-value that can be brought to the pages searchers alight upon that website copywriters should be looking to achieve, both now and into the foreseeable future.
To find out more visit the website copywriting page on Buzzwords’ website.