Bye Bye Keyword Stuffing: Part 1
Kudos to the folks at Brandgfx, who authored an article on Google’s Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) and the more modern way to optimize websites. Here’s an excerpt that focuses on the former:
Thanks to Google’s LSI, you no longer have to worry about how many times you use a certain keyword or phrase. It’s more important to first, and foremostly, just write naturally. Overly simplified: Google looks at all the page copy, synonyms and related words, to establish relevancy of your content, not only individual keywords or keyword phrases.
And the reason why is more important than understanding Google’s algorithms (which are changing constantly anyway). The reason why is because Google wants you to provide valuable — readable — content to your readers. Information that educates, or inspires, or otherwise engages readers, rather than publishing page after page of nonsensical content simply to get your site to rank higher.
If your content is valuable to your readers, Google will know, and reward you for it. More importantly, you’ll be providing your existing and potential customers with content that helps nurture their desire to do business with you.
Next month, we’ll focus on taking the next step, optimizing copy for search engines using the most up-to-date techniques.
Which Spelling?
Sometimes, you have spelling options. For instance, judgment and judgement are both considered correct, as usage experts disagree on which form should be preferred. Why the photo of the adorable dog? That’s my new roommate, Cubbie (although I could have spelled it Cubby, too.)
Watch Out When Using Homonyms
Misusing homonyms — words that sound the same but have different meanings — can make you look less intelligent than you are. Take “principle” and “principal.” The former means “a rule of conduct” or “a fact of general truth,” while the latter means “the head of a school” or “main or most important.” Thus, the principal has his principles is correct.