Writing quality content that is optimized for SEO can seem like your juggling contradictions, writing not only for people but for the search engines as well. Knowing that search engines base their rankings partly on keyword usage and the link structure of your website, it is important that you properly incorporate targeted keywords into your website content. The big question is how to effectively write website content that is both useful for your website visitors as well as the search engines.

The first step is to find out what keywords your users are searching for. While there are numerous tools and programs to help you, Google has a great free keyword tool that can be used for some very basic keyword research. When searching for keywords, keep in mind that you want keyword phrases rather than single keywords. There’s simply too much competition for a single word, and the more specific a phrase you use, the more relevant and targeted the traffic will be to your website. Keep your focus on the important keywords, dedicating each page for a particular set of related phrases. Don’t spread yourself out too thin by hitting every keyword phrase in the same page, but rather focus on two or three keywords per page. Be as specific as you can to your market without hindering the readability of the page.

Here are a few tips for writing quality SEO content,

• Include keyword phrases right in the beginning of your page, as long as it can be done naturally in a way that’s readable. Utilizing the keyword phrase at the very beginning of your content will improve the relevancy and importance of that keyword in the eyes of the search engines.
• Make sure not to overuse keyword phrases in your content as it will make your site seem “spammy” in the eyes of search engines as well as deter your readers if the content doesn’t seem natural or read well.
• Keep your content natural by using plenty of synonyms for the keyword phrases you are targeting. It makes the copy more interesting for your readers and also has benefits for the search engines as well. Most search engines these days are sophisticated enough to scan your content for similar keywords to improve relevancy.
• Make sure the copy is descriptive and specific. There’s nothing worse than generic text and generalizations. Content is usually bland when the language you use doesn’t get down to the specifics. Using descriptive words will increase the relevancy of the copy, proving that the copy itself is specific to the users search.
• Use keyword phrases in links as well as headings. Using keywords to link your pages together helps the search engine spiders to understand what’s relevant and related. Just as headings are important to readers, they’re important to search engines as well. Put your primary keyword into the heading. It often helps to have subheadings as well, so you can include several keywords in the primary heading and subheadings while still being readable and natural.
• Above all, make sure there is a call to action. This is more for the reader than the search engine, but is extremely important nonetheless. While you want high search engine rankings to increase traffic, all the traffic in the world is useless if it doesn’t result in conversions. This may be a contact, lead or sale depending on your specific business. Make sure the copy reaches out to the reader and compels them to fulfill the purpose of the website, whether that is selling product, building contacts, or inspiring people into action.

Write not only for the search engines, but human beings as well. Keywords can be included naturally without weighing down the copy. Good sites appeal to the human element, proving to add value not only in the eyes of search engines but in the eyes of the people who use the site.

This guest post was written by Ryan Frank, an avid blogger and Internet marketing enthusiast living in San Diego, CA. Ryan currently works for BestRank.com, a San Diego based SEO firm specializing in search engine and social media marketing.