How to Write SEO Optimized Page Content

When it comes to writing SEO optimized page content, the advice of filling out the meta descriptions and sprinkling relevant keywords throughout the page still stands true.

However, there is more to building SEO optimized page content than the advice above. In this post, we’ll go over tips for content marketing with SEO in mind and share advice on choosing your keywords properly.

How to Create SEO Optimized Page Content

If you want to build an SEO optimized page, using a plugin like Yoast SEO is a good starting point. The plugin gives you a handy checklist that helps you make sure your content ticks all the appropriate SEO checkboxes.

However, if you don’t want to install a plugin, you can optimize your content for SEO manually. Here are the most important guidelines to keep in mind and implement.

1. Decide on a keyword phrase you are targeting for this page or post

The keyword phrase you want to target on your page or post should be related to your business as well as to your services or products that you offer. It’s a good idea to keep a list of your desired keyword phrases as well as any variations that include modifiers such as location or plural nouns of the original phrase.

2. Optimize page name, title, URL, and description

Once you’ve chosen your keyword phrase, start optimizing your page by following these tips:

  • Make sure the keyword appears in the page name and title
  • Use the keyword in URL
  • Specify a meta description with the keyword

3. Make Use of Headings

One way to write SEO-optimized content is to format the text properly so your visitors have an easy time browsing your posts and pages. A great way to do this is to use headings and subheadings to break up your text. As you write your headings and subheadings, make sure to include your keyword phrases.

4. Write the page content without overusing the keyword

When writing the main content of your page, keep in mind that your keyword should appear in the first paragraph of your page as well as in the page URL. It should also be used in the content of your page, however, there are a few things to be aware of:

  • Avoid overusing the keyword as this is seen as “keyword stuffing” and it has a negative impact on your SEO rank. Generally speaking, you’ll want to aim for keyword density between .5-2.5%.
  • Include related keywords and key phrases throughout the content
  • Ensure your page has more than 300 words
  • Make sure the content is written for humans first, search engines like Google and Bing second

5. Optimize Your Images and Links

Lastly, don’t forget to use your keyword in image alt tags. You should also make sure that your content includes 2-3 external links that point to relevant and related resources on other websites as well as 2-3 internal links that point to other pages on your site.

Real Examples of SEO Page Optimization in Action

The first example is Simply Elegant, a client of ours and a catering company in Reston, VA with different pages for different services and towns in the Northern Virginia area. You can see how they are using their chosen keywords on different pages and already ranking well for them, even though they are still building out their SEO pages. A couple of their keywords include “reston catering” and “Herndon catering services”.

Reston Catering

Reston catering

 

Herndon Catering

Herndon catering

 

Another example comes from Tasty Catering, a catering company in Chicago with different pages for different services and different towns in the Chicago area.

Oakbrook Catering

Oak Brook catering services

Elmhurst Catering

Elmhurst catering services

Chicago Birthday Catering

Chicago birthday party catering

Chicago Holiday Party

Chicago holiday party catering

 

Not surprising they rank really well in Google for keywords like “elmhurst catering” “oak brook catering” and similar keywords.

How to Decide on the Right Keywords for Your Page

Here are a few tips that will help you find the right keywords for your site pages.

Focus on Specific Keyword Phrases

Specific keyword phrases are better than generic ones because they have fewer competitors. As you can see in the example above, “reston catering” is better than “catering” and “Reston corporate catering” is even better than “Reston catering” because it’s specific. Keep in mind that a phrase like “reston catering” probably gets more searches than “reston corporate catering”, but if you start ranking for several similar keywords then it will be easier to rank for the more generic or difficult keywords like “reston catering”.

Use similar keywords all on one page

Let’s say you have a roofing company. You could, for example, target all of the terms similar to “roofing company” on the same page. This includes terms such as:

  • Roofing Company
  • Roofing Companies
  • Local Roofing Companies
  • Roof Company

You could then group together all of the “roofing contractor” terms:

  • Roofing Contractors
  • Roofing Contractor
  • Roof Contractors
  • Roof Contractor
  • Home Roofing Contractors
  • Home Roofing Contractor

3. Take Advantage of Local SEO

Most roofing companies serve a local market which should be reflected in your keywords. For example, if your business is located in Haymarket, VA, you should include the “Haymarket” location in your target keywords.

You could make a page focused on targeting these keywords:

  • Haymarket Roofing
  • Roofing Companies Haymarket
  • Roofing Haymarket
  • Roofing Haymarket VA
  • Haymarket Roofing Companies
  • Haymarket Roofing Contractors
  • Haymarket VA Roofing Companies
  • Haymarket VA Roofing Contractors

These phrases could all be on one page talking about roofing in Haymarket.

Then you could repeat this for another town name nearby and create a page focusing on that town’s name, in this case, maybe “Gainesville, VA”

What’s Next

Stop putting off that writing. Use the guidelines above and just jot down some ideas… you’ll have 300 words before you know it.

Need help? Not a writer? Too busy? We’re here to help. We have an SEO add-on package where we will write regularly SEO optimized content for your website and build links to your website. Contact us to learn more.

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Are you looking for more traffic, leads and customers? We provide on-going digital marketing to help you reach more customers and grow revenue.

About Us

Johnny Flash Productions

Johnny Flash Productions is a creative agency based outside of Washington D.C. that focuses on digital strategy, web design and development, graphic design and event production that helps businesses get better results from their marketing.