A major issue in copy writing is finding a workable balance between writing persuasive copy and keeping the keyword density to a minimum. Keywords are like spice, too little and the dish is bland, too much and dish is not pleasant. It’s the job of the copywriter to find a balance in their writing that is just right for the reader and client alike.
How Overusing Keywords is Counterproductive and Could Potentially Fatal to Your Message
Keywords are necessary in optimization but should not be overused. Overusing keywords causes copy to become more like spam, and search engines think so too. Copywriters must know to be persuasive but not overbearing. At the same time, the job of the copywriter is to get the point across. The easiest way to do this is through keywords. The reason for this is that the keyword is usually the word that suggests to the reader exactly what it is the copywriter is trying to say.
Overusing a keyword can make the copy almost unreadable and may scare potential readers away. True professionals know that to keep a reader’s attention, the copy should be legible and clear. Also, these days, people that go online have become extremely sensitive to anything that may potentially be spam. Scaring them away with the overuse of keywords is counterproductive and goes against everything that copywriting is for.
Suggestions for Keyword Placement in Copywriting
When writing copy, there are some things to keep in mind in regards to keywords and keyword density:
• Keywords should appear natural. If the keyword is just thrown into the text and shouldn’t be there, it will look artificial to the reader. Place keywords where they would normally appear. A keyword should not appear out of place. This will turn the reader off to what they are reading and possibly cause them to leave the page.
• Do not force keyword placements. If the keyword is relevant to the content then it will naturally come into the writing.
• Don’t sacrifice subject for sake of the keyword. The subject or niche of the writing should be sufficient to support the appearance of the keyword. Keywords should be added to support the subject; the subject should not be there to support keyword placements.
• A normal keyword density is somewhere between the 3% to 5% range. This is not a hard fact, just a general suggestion. The density can be higher as long as the writing does not suffer from it.
Being mindful of keyword usage will not only make the copy more easily readable, it will also keep it natural and therefore more persuasive to readers. Not everyone can achieve this important balance. This is why there are professional copywriting agencies and companies that utilize the talents of people that can write competent copy and achieve that balance.