Beyond SEO: copywriting for professionals

Beyond SEO: Copywriting for professionals

Joost de Valk Marieke van de Rakt

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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?