Internet businesses experience low ranking at one time or another. The cause is unclear, but there is a solution. With a little brush up, our websites can generate the traffic they once did. All it takes is an understanding of how search engines work, and the creation of words that drive target traffic to your site.



It is almost to the point where companies need a full-time writer with a firm understanding of SEO (search engine optimization) to draft the content necessary to promote your business. But, if you have a creative streak, there is no reason why you cannot do this yourself. You just have to be careful to have enough keywords, but not too many throughout the copy.

Some tips to remember are:

Forget everything you learned about writing, to put yourself in the right frame of mind. The web copy you write should be in a conversational tone. That means 'fragments' and sentences that end with 'prepositions' are ok.

Use a font that isn't an eye sore. Most webmasters use Times New Roman, Arial, or Verdana. Finally, keep content flowing.

Search Engine Optimization Friendly

A good thing to remember when writing SEO copy is that it is better to use less to say more. Many surfers merely scan the content for important points so there is no need for long paragraphs. Leave out any language that makes you sound like an intellectual and just use the basic commands of the English Language.

Headings:6 to 8 words Sentences:15 to 20 words Paragraphs:no less then 3 lines, no more then 5 lines Web page word count: 350 words

The keyword problem seems like an unending vicious cycle that can make you ill at times. What are keywords anyway? Who uses these keywords and what search engines would it be best for me to use. And on, and on....

Yahoo and Google are search engines that employ text (keyword/keyword phrase) that is entered into a search box to find web addresses. So, if you are looking for a gardener, you would enter "gardening service" or perhaps "lawn care provider" into the search engine. The search engine will then scour the web and find all websites associated with those phrases. Keyword positioning on your pages are used to determine how quickly the search engines find your site.

So before beginning, create a list of words that could be associated with the services or products you offer. These words or phrases need to be realistic. An experienced content writer can work in the keywords and phrases with the greatest of ease.

Your focus is your home page. Headers should consist of no more than 8 words and no less than 6. Strategically place your keywords within the headline. This will increase your odds.

Remember, the home page is just a glorified sales letter so you want the copy to flow but get straight to the point. A conversational tone is important here so write just like you were talking with an old friend. Still, be sure that the content has those keywords placed throughout it so that the information still flows.

Big Mistakes

Crafting effective web copy takes time and a lot of practice. It is a huge mistake to take a stab at writing web copy without an understanding of how keywords actually work. Your pages will have a lot of keywords but make no sense and people will not visit your site.

Selling is about educating customers about the benefits of buying from you. Don't waste time on the features, they can learn about them in later pages. People always want to know what is in it for them should they buy from you so this is what you need to concentrate on telling them.

Always remember to edit your copy because things like grammatical or spelling errors make you seem unprofessional. It is a good idea to have someone else look over your work.

Web pages are little more than a connected chain of information. Every page prods visitors into probing deeper into your site with the ultimate goal being to convince them to buy from you. If the search engines are not directing people to your site, you will never have a chance to tell people about your great company and what it has to offer them.