Choosing Content Over SEO

At Grafton Media, we understand that a lot of our client’s main focus is on SEO (search engine optimisation) to generate more traffic to their sites. However, if too much emphasis is put on SEO, you are in danger of losing the clarity of your original message to the audience. It is important to see the content from the perspective of potential clients. If you want to create leads, you will need to earn your audience’s trust, and that can only be done with content that has been written with the audience in mind.

The primary concern of most website owners is to achieve great rankings in search engine results. A lot of time and energy is being spent on getting web page content to fit with the magical formula that will benefit the site’s SEO (search engine optimisation). However, all this effort in aid of increasing the conversion rate of the site, may be having a negative impact on the clarity of the original message.

Instead of stuffing content with keywords targeted at search engines, web pages should engage with their audience because that is how you build trust in the online world, while repeating consistent messages targeted to the specific needs of your audience. Without trust there will be no leads and no conversion. The purpose of the content is to engage the audience and to help them to make a decision. What you should be aiming at first is to get a point of contact with SEO, like a foot in the door. Once the conversation is going, you will need to deliver messages that match what your potential client is looking for.

Do’s

1. Do write one web page at a time. That way you can focus on targeting the message to the specific page.
2. Do write all essential information first, and add background information or further explanations later on, where you still have some room left.
3. Do make sure the content reads coherently when moving from page to page.

Dont’s

1. Don’t be afraid to repeat certain items. Repetition of small items enhances the experience of consistency and clarity for the audience.
2. Don’t overload your web pages with too much content. Simplicity is key.
3. Don’t keep tinkering with your content. Prioritise your message, write it down clearly, and test your pages to see how they perform.

Simplicity is important. Too many distractions will keep your potential client from finding the right information. Three elements that every web page of a business’s website should contain are a description of what your product or service is or does, what the product or services will do for the client, and why the client should care about you or your product or even service. SEO is important too, but priority must be given to communication with your audience.

For further tips and tricks on your website, subscribe to our blog or find us on twitter, facebook and linked in. Remember, we’re experts in SEO and copy writing too! If you need a hand with your site, contact us today and talk to us about how we can help.