SEO-copywriting: how to write texts that will get to the top of the search results

What is SEO copywriting and why it is not “texts for robots”

Over the past 15 years in digital, I’ve written hundreds of articles that have attracted millions of visitors from search. But I still often hear that SEO-texts are “soulless articles for robots”. In fact, this is another myth from those who did not find it necessary to understand the subject and supporters of the policy of “I did not watch, but I condemn”.

SEO copywriting is the art of creating texts that both humans and algorithms like. Yes, search engines don’t read content like we do, but they evaluate how much your content solves a user’s problem. If the text is useful, its dwell time increases and its position in the search engine rankings improves.

Case Study:

One of my clients, a refrigerator repairman, had been unable to get to the top for years for the query “refrigerator not working”. We rewrote the text: instead of a dry list of services, we added step-by-step instructions on what to do before the master arrives. In 3 months the page became the first in Google. Why? Because people lingered on the site, reading the advice rather than leaving immediately.

Tip:

Don’t write for robots. Write for live people who are looking for answers. Algorithms will appreciate that.

Keywords are not enemies, but allies. How to use them without overspamming

Many novice copywriters are afraid of keywords like fire. It seems that if you type in a query a couple of times, the text will turn into a set of incoherent phrases. But the problem is not the words themselves, but how to use them.

What are keywords?

These are phrases that users type into a search engine. For example:

• Informational: “how to fix a refrigerator yourself”;
• Commercial: “buy a used refrigerator inexpensively”;
• Navigational: “official Bosch website”.

Your task is to speak to your audience in their language. If you are selling English courses and people are looking for “how to learn verb tenses in a week”, this is the phrase you need to put into the text. But not mechanically, but in such a way that it sounds natural.

Rookie mistake:

“Our English courses will help you learn verb tenses in a week. Verb tenses are important. Enroll in a verb tenses course!”

The right approach:

“Imagine: in 7 days you will be able to compose sentences in Past Perfect on your own and explain to your friends the difference between Present Continuous and Present Simple. During the course, we learn verb tenses in real dialogues – without rote learning and stress.

How do you select keywords?

1. Semantic core — a database of all queries on your topic. Collect it via Yandex.Wordstat, Google Keyword Planner or services like Ahrefs.
2. Frequency — don’t chase high-frequency queries like “buy a refrigerator”. For a small business, it is more profitable to “break through” low-frequency ones: “repair refrigerators in Moscow inexpensively”.
3. Intents — analyze what the user wants: to get information, buy a product, or find a specific site.

Tip:

Use LSI-words (semantic associations). If you are writing about refrigerator repair, add: “seal replacement”, “leak repair”, “compressor diagnosis”. This helps search engines understand the context more accurately.

Text structure is your secret to holding attention

Imagine: you enter a page and see a continuous “sheet” of text without paragraphs and subheadings. Most likely, you will close it after 5 seconds. Search engines do the same thing – they “love” structured content.

How to make text easy to read:

1. H2-H4 headings — break the material into logical blocks.
   • Bad: “Advantages of our courses: time saving, low price, experienced instructors”.
   • Good:
     “3 reasons to choose our course
     ▪ Save time: learn at your own pace;
     ▪ Lower price than the market: pay only for practice;
     ▪ Teachers with 10 years of experience”.
2. Short paragraphs — no more than 3-4 sentences. Long paragraphs intimidate readers.
3. Lists and Highlights — use bulleted lists for enumerations, bold for key theses.

Case Study:

For an online store of children’s goods we redesigned the description of the stroller: instead of technical specifications we added sections “Safety”, “Comfort for the baby”, “Convenience for parents” with subheadings and icons. The time on the page grew from 40 seconds to 3 minutes.

Tip:

Write as if you were explaining the topic to a friend over a cup of coffee. If you feel that a paragraph has become too long, break it up.

Meta tags and micropropagation — invisible SEO helpers

Even perfect text will not get to the top if search engines don’t understand what it’s about. This is where technical elements that remain “behind the scenes” for users come in handy.

What’s important:

1. Title (page title) is what users see in the search engine.
   • Maximum 60 characters.
   • Be sure to include the main keyword query.
   • Example of a bad title: “Home | Company Romashka”.
   • Example of a good: “Repair of refrigerators in Moscow — we will be in 30 min.”
2. Description (page description) — a brief summary of the text. Does not directly affect ranking, but increases CTR.
   • Example: “Freezing refrigerator? Free diagnosis + warranty 1 year. We work 24/7. Call a master in 5 minutes”.
3. Schema.org micro markup — helps search engines understand the structure of data (prices, reviews, ratings). For example, for an online store you can add product markup: price, availability, brand.

How to check:

Use tools like Yandex.Webmaster or Google’s Rich Results Test. They will show you errors in micro markup and suggest how to fix them.

Tip:

Do not ignore “breadcrumbs” (navigation chain). They not only help users navigate the site, but also improve internal linking.

Practical examples — how to turn boring text into a search magnet

Let’s look at two real cases from my practice. The names of the clients have been changed, but the essence remains.

Case 1: Website of a car service center

Source text:

“We repair all makes of automobiles. Low prices. Quality guarantee.”

Problem:

Dry text, no answers to customer questions (“How much does an oil change cost?”, “How long does it take to repair?”).

Solution:

• We added subheadings: “Why customers choose us”, “How much does it cost to repair?”, “How is diagnostics done”.
• We implemented LSI-words: “filter replacement”, “suspension repair”, “electronics diagnostics”.
• We added a “Question and Answer” block with real queries from Yandex.Webmaster.

Result:

After 4 months, traffic has increased by almost 70%.

Case 2: Online cosmetics store

Source text:

“Natural cosmetics for the face. Delivery across Russia.”

Problem:

No uniqueness — all competitors have such phrases.

Solution:

• We created a section with articles: “How to choose a cream for dry skin”, “Top 5 mistakes in face care” and so on.
• We added micro markup for products (price, composition, volume).
• We used geo-referenced queries: “natural cosmetics in St. Petersburg”.

Result:

The share of organic search traffic almost doubled, and the average time on site went from 1 to 3+ minutes.

Tip:

Do not be afraid to experiment. Sometimes even a small change (for example, adding a travel scheme to the “Contacts” section) can give a noticeable increase in positions.

3 mistakes that kill your SEO text

Even experienced authors sometimes “stumble” over little things. That’s what most often spoils content:

1. Keyword over-spamming
   Example: “Buy a refrigerator in Moscow inexpensively. Inexpensive refrigerators to buy in Moscow”.
   How to fix: replace repeated phrases with synonyms (“bargain prices”, “budget models”) or use pronouns.
2. Ignoring the mobile version
   If the text is not readable on a smartphone (small font, long paragraphs), users will quickly leave. Check adaptability via Google Mobile-Friendly Test.
3. No call to action (CTA)
   Example: the article ends abruptly, with no offer to “Book a consultation” or “Download a checklist”.
   How to fix: add a CTA that matches the page’s objective: “Sign up for a free class”, “Get 20% off”.

Tip:

Every six months, audit old texts. Remove outdated information, update statistics and add relevant keywords.

---

Conclusion: SEO copywriting is not magic, but a system

The main secret of top texts is simple: they solve the problems of real people. Search engines only help to find these solutions. Don’t chase algorithms — think about your readers.

If you want to dig deeper into the topic, I recommend my book Digital Marketing for Small Business.

And if you need help with promotion, please contact us. My team will create texts that will bring customers from search.

P.S. Remember: even the best SEO text will not work if the site is slow to load or displays poorly on your phone. Optimization is always a complex.