Optimising Your Content with Keywords
Eiledon Solutions, 30 Nov 2009
Posted under News & Articles » Managing Your Website
The text used on your web pages is an important factor in your ranking in search engines and in attracting the right traffic to your website from search engines. Many businesses write their content in a very broad context, and could attract traffic of better quality by integrating more keywords into their text.
For instance, if you provide a service targeting customers in Cape Town specifically, and include the phrase “Cape Town” in your text, the chances of your website showing up in search engines for people who are searching for the name of your service with the phrase “Cape Town” in their search query are better, and you will be attracting a more qualified audience.
Integrating keywords into your content
A good place to start is to consider the keywords / search phrases you would like your page to appear for before writing the text. Another way is to write your text content first and when revising the page afterwards, consider where in the text you can integrate the keywords, while maintaining a good natural read.
What keywords to use
Always think from a customer’s perspective – what words or phrases would a customer use in a search engine to find what you offer? A very useful tool for brainstorming keywords is the Adwords Keyword Tool provided by Google. On looking up a keyword, the tool will list related keywords which people are actually using on Google.
Where to use your keywords
- Preferably keywords should appear high up in the beginning of your text.
- Try to use keywords in the headings and sub-headings of your text.
- If you use photos in your text, have your web designer use the keywords as the “alt text” for the photo, if the photo relates to the keyword. “Alt text” is the alternative text that appears for an image if for any reason it cannot be displayed. Search engines use alt text to determine what the image is about. If you use a content management system you should be able to add the alt text to the photo yourself.
- Using keywords in your domain name (website address) can be very effective.
- Your meta tags (especially your page title and page description) should include your keywords.
- When linking to the page from another page, try to link to it using a key phrase instead of “click here” or “more info”.
Struggling with ideas on content? Read our guide on creating content for your website.
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