Adding Extra Content Just For Seo: Good Idea? Options

[1dmf]

don't forget mouth! after all you are allowed to 'dribble the ball'

And I think elbow is considered 'hand ball' , but i'm no expert !

[copywriter]

The word count on the page doesn't matter that much in copywriting. Keep in mind, the copy is only about 1/4 to 1/3 of the overall SEO equation. For a guideline, 250-350 is a good, round number that gives enough space to communicate your sales message and also work in the keyphrases without it sounding repetitive. However, with that said, you must also keep in mind that not all customers communicate in the same ways. Not all products are on equal standing in the marketplace.

If your target customers like or need longer copy, write longer copy. If they want shorter copy, write shorter copy. I've gotten content pages of 500+ words ranked well through the copy and also 60-word ecommerce product descriptions. The copy has to work within the constraints of the overall SEO framework and that can mean it's 1,000 words long or 50.

[1dmf]

How do you know when longer or shorter copy is required?

What triggers do you use when deciding on copy length?

[copywriter]

It's a combination of several factors.

What communication style does your target audience use primarily? Are they CEOs or accountants who typically prefer shorter, to-the-point communication? Are they stay-at-home moms who usually like longer communication?

Is your product/service new or well-established? If it's new, you'll need more copy in order to explain and educate your audience than if it is well-known.

Does your audience primarily consist or men or women? If it's men, they typically prefer shorter copy. Women typically prefer longer.

Many factors go into the decision. The medium you're using, the purpose of the copy (to encourage sign ups to a free ezine, to convince people they need a home security system.....), etc., etc.

Notice I've been saying "typically" a lot? That's because, like everything else in copywriting, there are few absolutes. These are research results based on a broad base. Obviously, individuals are not all the same just because they work in the same vocation. And, your target audience isn't going to consist of one type of person. It will have several types.

Creating personas is an excellent way to tap into the information you need regarding who your specific target audience consists of.

[Randy]

Notice how pretty much everything always comes back to understanding who your target audience is? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/giggle.gif) That's I coined the phrase Perfect Customer to describe them, because it really is incredibly important to every web site with a defined goal.

Seriously, everything Karon said is spot on. Great general rules. But as she said you really do need to test this stuff because each site is different. Heck, even the same site can be different, depending upon what other conversion affecting elements are on the page.

I've had situations where longer copy was the rule of thumb for the target audience, but I was able to improve conversions even further with shorter copy by utilizing a hero shot graphic on the landing page that visually communicated the benefits so well that the copy became a somewhat redundant supporting factor.

In this case longer copy without the image might convert better than shorter copy. But shorter copy that really drove home the point home quickly and effectively, combined with smart use of some great graphics can beat everything by several hundred percent.

[1dmf]

thanks Karon / Randy.

Looks like I've got some long and hard 'target audience' analysis before I crack on with the copytext - though for this new venture I got the old man to supply it.

Sometimes what's best for your visitor and what's best to keep the boss happy are two completely different things, and trying to teach an old dog new tricks can sometimes be more hasle / painful than it's worth.

Bar making no conversions / sales, then they have no choice but to try your suggestion (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol.gif)