SEO Copywriting for Business Owners: Balancing Keywords and Readability
By: Darrell Cuthbert
As a business owner, you want your website to rank high on search engines and attract more visitors. SEO copywriting (writing content optimised for search engines that is still engaging for human readers) is key to achieving that goal. Finding the balance between keywords and readability can be challenging though.
If you stuff your content with too many keywords, it may sound unnatural and turn readers away, but if you focus only on readability, you risk missing out on keyword-driven SEO benefits.
So how do you create SEO-friendly content that resonates with both search engines and users? Let’s explore some practical strategies for balancing keywords and readability in your copy.
If you stuff your content with too many keywords, it may sound unnatural and turn readers away, but if you focus only on readability, you risk missing out on keyword-driven SEO benefits.
So how do you create SEO-friendly content that resonates with both search engines and users? Let’s explore some practical strategies for balancing keywords and readability in your copy.
Start with Keyword Research
Before you start writing, you need to know which keywords your target audience is searching for.
These keywords help search engines understand what your content is about and determine when to display it in search results.
There are several tools you can use for keyword research, e.g. Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest.
Look for keywords that are:
Once you have a list of keywords, prioritise them based on relevance and search volume. These will form the foundation of your content.
These keywords help search engines understand what your content is about and determine when to display it in search results.
There are several tools you can use for keyword research, e.g. Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Ubersuggest.
Look for keywords that are:
- Relevant to your business and the content you’re creating.
- Frequently searched by your target audience (high search volume).
- Not too competitive, so you have a better chance of ranking.
Once you have a list of keywords, prioritise them based on relevance and search volume. These will form the foundation of your content.
Focus on Primary and Secondary Keywords
Not all keywords are created equal. Your primary keyword is the main term you want to rank for, while secondary (or related) keywords support the primary keyword and provide additional context.
For example, if you’re writing an article or blog post about time management tips for small business owners, your primary keyword might be “time management for small business,” while your secondary keywords could include phrases like “boost productivity” or “time management strategies.”
Here’s how you can strategically use both:
For example, if you’re writing an article or blog post about time management tips for small business owners, your primary keyword might be “time management for small business,” while your secondary keywords could include phrases like “boost productivity” or “time management strategies.”
Here’s how you can strategically use both:
- Include your primary keyword in the headline, URL, and meta description.
Write for Humans, Not Just Search Engines
Search engines like Google have become much better at understanding natural language, so there’s no need to stuff your content with keywords. Keyword stuffing can hurt your SEO efforts by making your content feel spammy and difficult to read.
Instead, focus on writing content that’s engaging and informative for your audience. Use your keywords naturally, weaving them into sentences without disrupting the flow. Write as if you’re speaking directly to your reader.
For example:
In the second version, the keyword is used more naturally, and the sentence reads better for the reader.
Instead, focus on writing content that’s engaging and informative for your audience. Use your keywords naturally, weaving them into sentences without disrupting the flow. Write as if you’re speaking directly to your reader.
For example:
- Before keyword optimisation:
"This article will provide time management for small business tips that will help small business owners manage time better." - After keyword optimisation:
"Struggling to find enough hours in the day? These time management tips for small business owners will help you work smarter, not harder."
In the second version, the keyword is used more naturally, and the sentence reads better for the reader.
