When it comes to optimizing blog content, there’s a common misconception that there’s a magic number of keywords or certain keyword density percentage that should be included in each post in order to maximize exposure.  The belief is that there’s a sweet spot that you can hit that will have traffic flooding in. However, this isn’t really how it works.

In truth, keyword density is an unreliable metric for measuring traffic and conversions as a result of optimized content.  In fact, there are many myths surrounding keyword density and its effect on results, and we can tell you right now that no, there is no definitive correlation between keyword density and traffic generated.  Of course, this isn’t to say that keywords don’t matter; they do. But you have to think beyond that, and understand that there are many other factors that have a greater effect on results.

Reliable Strategies to Drive Conversion

The thing that SEOs and webmasters must keep in mind as they create content is that you have to stop writing with the sole purpose of enhancing SEO.  Your real focus should always be on what matters most – the user. Of course, traffic generation is a key goal, but your ultimate goal is to drive conversions, and you can only accomplish this by writing content that your target audience cares about.   So, let’s take a closer look at a few strategies that are actually useful when it comes to writing SEO-friendly content:

  • Know Who You Are Writing For – Once you truly know your audience and understand who you are writing for, then your content will drive success.  After all, if you don’t have the right message for the right audience, no matter what platform you post on or how many keywords you use, your content won’t be met with a successful response.  You can’t simply churn out content for SEO purposes. Your audience has to feel like you’re creating specifically with them in mind, otherwise you won’t see conversions.
  • Know Why You Are Creating – Content creation is useless if it doesn’t have a purpose.  Some blogs are written for the sole purpose of generating traffic.  But, your real goal then is to use that generated traffic to drive conversions, whether that’s in gaining subscribers, gathering leads or making sales.  So, what you should be doing is writing for both traffic and subscribers. This means creating two different types of content, as you not only need to create with SEO in mind; you also need to create with conversion rate optimization in mind.  Before you start writing, ask yourself what message will engage your audience and encourage them to share. Remember, a clear purpose will mold how you write for your users and ultimately how they choose to interact with your content.
  • Be Creative and Consistent – Your message should always be unique to your brand, as this is what helps you stand out among a sea of competitors and helps users better understand what your business is all about.  Being able to clearly understand your vision and convey that to your target audience through creative and consistent copy is a vital component to achieving success. If you can’t find your own unique voice, then your content will be as generic as the rest, and you won’t be able to drive conversions.  

Optimizing your content for search engines is an obviously important component of SEO content writing.  But, it’s not the most essential factor. Your best strategy will depend on what specific keywords you’re targeting as well as what ultimately makes sense for your target audience and your overall purpose.  Then, it’s all a matter of following SEO best practices, testing to see what makes for great SEO content in relation to your brand, and creating content that’s specific to your users. Together, mindful consideration of these factors will help drive traffic and conversions.