By Patrice Rhoades-Baum (used with permission)
Before you submit your articles to an online directory, place it on your website, or upload it to your blog—stop. Take time to slip in a few delectable keyword phrases that search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Ask gobble up.
When the content in your article matches someone’s search phrase—Bam! You’ve just reached a new reader or prospect, and possibly a new client.
How do you weave keyword phrases into your articles? Let’s say you’re a consultant who helps supervisors build effective teams. Your short article on experiential team-building exercises briefly:
- describes the concept,
- provides examples (e.g., small group builds a house of cards),
- discusses results (e.g., improves communication), and
- provides facilitation tips to ensure the activities are fun and effective.
Now put yourself in the shoes of your preferred clients—supervisors looking for team-building exercises. In their search, would they type “experiential team-building exercises”? Probably not. But they might use these search phrases: easy team-building activities, fun activities for teams, or exercises to improve team communication. It pays to take time to ensure these phrases appear in your article.
Tips to add keyword phrases to articles:
- Restructure headlines—Place the most important keywords at the beginning of the headline. Instead of “5 Fun Team-Building Exercises that Improve Communication,” adjust the headline to “Team-Building Exercises: 5 Activities that Improve Communication.”
- Look for opportunities in every sentence—For example, you could change the phrase “companies can present team-building programs” to “supervisors and managers can present team-building activities.” However, keyword possibilities are endless; don’t turn your short article into a beefy, jumbled stew.
- Put keywords in your bio and call to action—Don’t overlook your most powerful keywords; place your full name, title, company name, and website address in your bio. Plus, weave keywords into your call to action that encourages readers to visit your website for bonuses you offer.
Remember, search engines are like waiters delivering scrumptious desserts that customers order—people earnestly looking for advice. Serve up your helpful information on a silver platter!
Patrice Rhoades-Baum, Branding & Website Expert
A highly experienced marketing consultant and copywriter, Patrice Rhoades-Baum teams with small business owners and entrepreneurs to make their expertise shine with a crystal-clear brand and hardworking website. If you’re a business owner struggling to clarify your brand, Patrice will team with you to polish your brand, write copy for your website, and facilitate the creation of a new, strategic website – your most powerful marketing and sales tool. Learn more at www.BrandingAndWebsites.com.
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Fantastic advice Patrice, thank you so much! I love the way you provide useful information that’s easy to implement, even for those of us for whom “Hi Tech” still evokes the smell of carbon paper!!
As a military vet, I am always annoyed (not aggravated) when civilians misuse words in the news. Please enlighten them that “victim” is very different from “casualty.” Same with “killed” v. “died” and “wounded” v. “injured.”