SEO copywriting: a step-by-step plan for better copy

Step 1: choose one main topic per page

Every page gets one main keyword and one goal. A page that tries to rank for 'hairdresser Haarlem', 'beard trimming' and 'hair colouring' all at once usually ranks well for none of them. Choose what matters most and create separate pages for the rest.

• Choose a main keyword, for example 'gutter replacement'.
• Collect a few related words and questions, such as 'gutter replacement cost' and 'zinc or PVC gutters'.
• Check that you don't already have another page on the same topic. If you do, it's better to improve that one.
• Not sure yet which words your customers use? Start with keyword research.

Step 2: understand search intent

Search intent is what someone actually wants when they type something in. Do they want to know something, compare something, buy something or find a particular website? Google shows in its results which kind of page works best. Your copy has to fit that.

• Search for your main keyword on Google yourself and look at the top results.
• If they're explainer articles, the searcher wants information. A sales page will struggle to rank there.
• If they're service pages or online shops, the searcher wants to arrange or buy something.
• Look at the 'People also ask' box. It often lists exactly the topics your copy should cover.

Step 3: outline your subheadings first

Don't write the whole text straight away. Start with the subheadings. They form the skeleton of your page. Visitors scan those headings to see whether they're in the right place, and Google uses them to understand the structure.

• One H1: the main title of the page, with your main keyword.
• Below it, H2s for the most important sub-questions.
• Phrase headings as questions or clear statements. 'How much does a new gutter cost?' works better than 'Prices'.
• Put your main keyword or a variation in two or three headings, not all of them.

Step 4: write your SEO copy for people

Now you start writing. Begin with the answer. The first two sentences should show the reader they're in the right place, with your main keyword in there naturally. Then work through one sub-question per subheading.

• Short sentences and short paragraphs. On a phone, a ten-line paragraph becomes a wall of text.
• Explain jargon the first time you use it.
• Use bullet lists for steps, benefits and checklists.
• Give concrete examples from your own work. That makes your copy unique and trustworthy.
• Mention prices or price ranges if you have them. People often search for those.
• End with a clear next step: call, request a quote or read on.

Keyword use and the length of SEO copy

There's no ideal percentage. The idea of a fixed keyword density is outdated. Google understands synonyms and related words perfectly well. Copy with 'gutter replacement Haarlem' in every sentence reads unnaturally and can actually work against you.

A handy rule of thumb: use the main keyword in your title, in the first sentence, in a few subheadings and a handful of other times where it makes sense. Use variations and related words as well. Read your copy aloud. If a sentence sounds odd, rewrite it.

And length? Write as much as you need to answer the question properly, and no more. A simple question deserves a short answer. A topic with lots of sub-questions, such as the costs and choices involved in a renovation, needs more space. Look at the pages currently at the top: how detailed are they, and which questions do they leave open? That's where you can make the difference. Padding with generic sentences doesn't help. Readers drop off, and Google also sees that your copy adds little. Length in itself is never the goal.

Step 5: the finishing touches around your copy

Good copy needs a few more things before it goes online:

• Its own meta title and description that invites people to click.
• Two to five internal links to related pages, with clear anchor text. More on that in our article on internal links for SEO.
• A short, readable URL, such as /gutter-replacement/.
• A relevant image with descriptive alt text.
• A final check on spelling and readability.

Not sure whether your copy is ready? Ask yourself three questions. Does the reader get an answer in the first paragraph? Do they know what to do after reading? And does it contain something they won't read at a competitor's? If the answer is yes three times, you can publish.

Updating existing copy: often the quickest win

Many business owners keep writing new copy while their old pages quietly go stale. Look in Google Search Console for pages with lots of impressions but few clicks, or ones sitting just outside the top ten. Those are your opportunities. Add missing questions, update prices and examples and improve the title. A round like that a few times a year often delivers more than a new article.

Using AI tools to write? That can help with a first draft. But the value lies in what only you know: your prices, your way of working, your experience with customers. Always add that yourself.

Help with SEO copywriting

At Violexa we write and improve SEO copy as part of our online marketing. We first look at what your customers search for, then make a plan per page together. Online marketing starts at €599 excl. VAT (€725 incl. VAT) per month, with no minimum term and cancellable monthly with one month's notice.

Want to know which pages have the most potential? Book a free quickscan. In 30 minutes we discuss your website, online or on site. You get short written advice with a price indication, no strings attached.

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