Read your web page content

For years it has been well known that unique, relevant content improves the number of people reaching your website from search engines. This is because it is the search engines job to index the text on your web page and provide that page to the searcher if your web page and website is relevant to the users search.

Your content is targeting two audiences. Primarily the user of your website, so the text has to be readable, whilst also being grammatically and semantically correct. It must also contain words which people search for. Search engines are clever, so they too will be looking at your grammar, semantics and the way in which you use your keywords.

The golden rule here is to write for the user. But, within your text, ensure that keywords and variants of those keywords (e.g. singles and plurals) are used to engage the user and the search engine. To make your keywords stand out to both the search engine and the user, emphasise them with either bold, italic or underlined style. Do not forget to hyperlink keywords relating to other pages with internal links.

The number of words on a page has always been a debatable point, but remember we want to engage and get a reaction from users. To do this we must understand the mentality and types of users visiting our website. Simply put there are four main types of users.

1. Competitive – want to read why you are better
2. Spontaneous – urged on by pertinent, focused content
3. Methodical – want details and specifications
4. Humanistic – want to know what others think

Each of these types are at one of four different stages

1. Ready to buy
2. Comparing
3. Browsing with preliminary intent
4. Came across you by mistake

So the trick to decide the right amount of content is to understand and target all of these user types at each of their various stages For example, taking one combinations of the above, how would you match, through your content a spontaneous user who is browsing with preliminary intent? We are now getting into the realms of users and usability, which we will be going into more detail in later newsletters.