Body description, headlines, title & description tags

Creating compelling body descriptions, effective headlines,
correct description tag and title tag

QUICK TIPS about placing your keywords in the body description:

Always use your primary keywords in the body tag area at least one or more times

Try to place your primary keywords at the start of the tag (keyword prominence)

Try to repeat the keyword near the end of each paragraph in the body and near the end of the body area itself

Some search engines such as Lycos are claiming that they look for themes on a page and will rank pages higher that use the keyword throughout the page, rather than only at the top of the page.

Avoid listing the same word multiple times in a row since some engines may penalize for this

Instead, use the keyword multiple times, but separate them by other words in your text.

Use the longer form and the plural form of a keyword when possible

For example, if you use marketing in your Title tag, a search on marketing or market will yield a match on most engines. However, words like companies will not always yield a match on company since company is not an exact "substring" of companies. In these cases you'll want to try and use both forms of the word.

The body description you enter will be used both for the <BODY> tag area of the page (as a Comment Tag), and the META Description Tag for the page. The text found in the META Description tag will be displayed to the user in the search results for many engines. Therefore, it pays to craft a good description so that you not only rank well, but so people will actually click on your link once they see it.

How to Write a Compelling Body Description:

The following title and description may get you a high ranking for a keyword search on the word "mortgage":

! AAA Mortgage banking, the Mortgage money lenders - Mortgage, lenders, money, mortgages, mortgage money, mortgage loans, home equity loans, mortgage money,

What it says, however, is unappealing. Instead, look at another site description, that would also be ranked high, and see which site you would be more likely to visit:

Mortgages Applications Approved Overnight!! - Mortgages and mortgage financing techniques that the larger banks just can't offer. Learn the 8 important things to include on your application so that your mortgage can be approved in 24 hours, even if you have poor credit.

The listing above has the word "mortgage" as the first word of the title, the first word of the description and repeats the word "mortgage" 4 times. The difference is that this description is compelling, solves a problem and offers "8 important things" or pieces of information that could be valuable to consumers who visit the site.

Tips about writing effective headlines

The direct response business, you know, those companies that make infomercials and run classified ads in papers across the country, have studied and mastered the art of writing headlines. What they learned is that headlines are most effective when they accomplish 4 things:

Solve a problem
Solve that problem quickly
Solve that problem for what appears to be a small or reasonable amount of money
Make the reader curious to learn more...

With that in mind, the following headline is acceptable, but not as effective as it could be:

"I can help you to get out of debt and get a good credit rating - I've done it for others I can do it for you!"

A better approach, and, a headline that usually draws more inquiries reads:

"Correct your bad credit in under a week for less than $49!"

It solves a problem, does so quickly and shows how much money is involved. People relate to this appeal because it has a fundamental basis. Remember the many adages about goal setting, "A goal without a deadline is a wish!" Or, how about what they teach you in business school about proposal writing, "Never offer a plan that does not include both time and money."

How to write the correct description tag and title tag

The direct response model is effective because it addresses these things, especially time and money. Think about this when writing your description tag and title tag before you submit them to the search engines. Ask yourself:

Is my headline compelling?
Is it interesting?
Will it make someone curious to learn more?
Would I read it and want to visit the site?
Does it include time and money?
Does it solve a problem?
Does it suggest that it solves that problem quickly?
Does it show a price? (Only emphasize the price if yours is very attractive.)

Be careful, you don't want to offend anyone's intelligence - and many direct marketers write headlines that underestimate readers. Read it yourself and determine if you find the title interesting - if you don't, others won't.

This direct response model does not apply universally in its purist form as many web sites are not selling things directly or are informational in nature or support what ad execs would call image advertising. However, do not overlook the fundamental truth:

Being first in the search engines is great! Being first and compelling is better

Your listing in the search engine should be compelling. If the description of the site right below yours is more compelling, you lose - that prospect just passed over your site.

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Creating compelling body descriptions, effective headlines, correct description tag and title tag

How to Write a Compelling Body Description:

Tips about writing effective headlines

How to write the correct description tag and title tag

Creating compelling body descriptions, effective headlines,
correct description tag and title tag