For some reason, people think that they have to repeat words to rank the best for search engine optimization (SEO). To those people, here’s what we have to say:
Repeating the same thing over and over is super annoying. No one wants to read the same thing over and over again, because it’s super annoying when you repeat the same thing. That’s why we believe that when you repeat the same thing, especially over and over, it’s super annoying.
See our point?
Basically we’re saying that your web content does not need to repeat words to become successful. There’s a difference between optimizing your content with keywords and sounding straight up repetitive. At the end of the day, search engines are looking for quality content to pull for their users. If your content reads like a robot on a loop, that’s not quality. That’s just bad writing.
Keyword optimization done right
If you’re trying to rank for a keyword or phrase, you don’t have to keep shoveling the words into your content. Actually, that’s called keyword stuffing, and search engines penalize that.
Your best bet is to sprinkle your keywords in when they fit naturally and use synonyms if possible. That way you can optimize your content without forcing the phrase “uses for fresh strawberries” verbatim multiple times within a short period.
When drafting web or blog content with SEO mind, try to first select a keyphrase that fits the user intent of that post. Then, create a list of variations of that keyphrase you can use throughout your content.
Here’s an example.
Lifted Logic is writing a 3,000 word blog to target the keyphrase “best web developer.”
Our list of variations for this keyphrase may include:
- Best web developer near me
- Best Kansas City web developer
- Best web development
- Web development in Kansas City
Make sure to keep this tight—don’t stray too far away from your core keyphrase. And always, always, always keep in mind user intent. “Developing websites” is a semantically similar phrase to the example above, but carries an entirely different meaning to the user who’s searching with that term. She’s probably looking for coding classes or resources to learn how to develop a website; not someone else to do it for her.
Having this awareness before you begin writing may help you understand how to seamlessly integrate it into your content without feeling overly repetitive.
When repeating words may be okay
Stylistically, there may be times when you want to repeat words. That’s much different than simply overusing keyphrases. Just because you’re writing web or blog content doesn’t mean you can’t pull out those techniques you’ve been dying to try since that creative writing class. It’s sometimes okay to break the rules (as long as you know which rules you’re breaking).
Here are some reasons why you may want to repeat words over again.
- To clarify a point
- To create comedic relief
- To build uniformity (i.e. this list)
- To add rhythm or a poetic effect
Need more help with your content questions? Lifted Logic has your answers.
Lifted Logic has a full content team ready to help you get the most out of your writing. We are a small-but-mighty digital agency in Kansas City, and we serve a small number of new clients each year so we can dedicate our time and effort toward each project.
No matter the size, we can create eye-catching web content, informative blogs, click-worthy newsletters, and engaging social media copy to help your business grow to the next level.
To get started, feel free to contact us or you can use our free cost calculator tool.
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Lifted Logic
Lifted Logic is a team of creative writers, designers, developers, and photographers who specialize in digital storytelling. As a leading web design company in Kansas City, Lifted Logic works with hundreds of small, medium, and large businesses across the country every year.
