I look at SEO copy all day long. Copy, copy, copy. Client copy, competitor copy, blog copy, video copy, services page copy, SERPS snippet copy, bad copy, good copy, downright awful copy.
But honestly, this is actually one of my favorite things I do as a former-copywriter-turned-SEO-consultant.
So it’s obvious to me within seconds of reading what is “quality” copy and what is not. Also – what will be successful at ranking and what won’t.
Of course, this skill isn’t unique – hundreds of thousands of marketers and copywriters and SEOs evaluate copy every single day. But while most can sense what quality copy is, knowing vs applying is very different. Especially once you start adding in all the other SEO factors that can impact the rank of that copy.
And that brings me to today’s point – just because your copy reads beautifully and inspires action doesn’t mean the clicks will start rolling in from Google searches or that you’ll even show up in the SERPs. Because now, more than ever, SEO extends far beyond the words visible on the page.
Remember that quality copy must serve multiple purposes: rank in Google, provide a great user experience, and is valuable to readers. Is your copy meeting the mark across the board? What mistakes might you be making? Read on for a list of negative and positive ranking factors you should consider when looking at a page or site through your SEO lens.
Now, let’s turn to Moz to look at their Search Engine Ranking Factors study.
Domain-level links: quantity, quality, etc.
Page-level links: trust, quantity, anchor text distribution, quality, etc.
Page-level keyword & content-based features: content relevance, keyword usage, quality, quantity, etc.
Page-level keyword features: content length, readability, uniqueness, page load speed, structured data, HTTPS, etc.
Engagement and Traffic: SERP engagement, traffic/usage signals, etc.
This sounds easy, right? Well, as I like to say: it’s simple, but not easy. Especially for extremely busy marketers who face limited resources.
However – those who are able to effectively translate their knowledge into practice will come out winning every time.