Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith

So we’ve discussed that you HAVE to know your keywords and that an effective SEO campaign without keywords is like rowing a boat without oars. (You know where you’re going but are stuck without the right tools.) Well, you have to know HOW to use your tools!

How do you write with your keywords?

Well, you DON’T fill a page with them. Anybody can copy and paste their keywords over and over, but that’s one way for search engines to drop you from their index.

You should try to work your keywords into your content. Use them the way you would in natural speech. Forcing yourself to use the same tense or plural form of a word is awkward to the reader and search engines notice.

Using “buy,” “buys,” and “buying” is more natural than just “buy.” In addition, using both “car” and “cars” is better than just “car.”

Try to use your keyword phrase together. Proximity matters. “Northern Virginia Hotels for the experienced traveler” is read better than “Hotels for the experienced traveler who is looking for a place to stay in the Northern Virginia area.”

Use synonyms. While most people may search for “Northern Virginia Hotels,” some may search for “Northern Virginia Motels.” If it is natural to interchange two words without affecting the quality or meaning of your content, you should do so.

Use your keywords in your page titles. A well-structured title tag is an important part of an optimized site.

The right words will bring qualified traffic to your site and answer searchers’ questions…but only if you use them!

– Stacey Morgan Smith