Here’s a joke—how many copywriters does it take to maximize a website’s search engine optimization, SEO, search results, and Google search engine rankings without making site visitors flee, scram, and skedaddle far, far away to a more sane land?

We’ve all seen websites that—instead of smart, subtle web content that responds intuitively to customer desires, frustrations and needs—seem to be instead bluntly written by a robot flipping through a book full of SEO Mad Libs.

It’s actually a common criticism of those in the SEO game, and makes the industry an easy target for light-hearted ribbing (especially on meme-loving Twitter):

An SEO copywriter walks into a bar, grill, pub, public house, Irish, bartender, drinks, beer, wine, liquor…

How many SEO copywriters does it take to change a lightbulb, light bulb, light, bulb, lamp, bulbs, flowers, flour…?

@hotdogsladies: That was cynical. I apologize, SEOs. apologies, apology, sorry, best apology, cheap apology

The basic idea of SEO, after all, is that the major search engines carefully scan web pages, and then plug what’s written in the web content into a logarithm aimed at returning the most accurate search results possible. In other words, the search engines try to match what’s on the site with the terms and keywords used by searchers.

Naturally, the strategy for some is simply to pack as many terms and keywords into their page as possible, without much concern for readability, functionality, or message efficacy.

This strategy, as you can imagine, can backfire. Because let’s face it—the job of your web content is to sell—to hook, inform, and encourage site visitors to become customers. So if the keyword-infused content is so cumbersome that—while effective at getting folks to come to your site—it muddles or undermines your message, it won’t be effective at getting visitors to do the things that actually matter to your bottom line.

At best, this sort of strategy will merely annoy visitors. At worst, it will scar your company’s reputation and keep visitors from returning in the future. And since the search engines greatly value the respectability of a website (measured by how many other sites out there are linking to it) — a site that no one else shares or recommends won’t earn a high search ranking anyway.

At Masterlink, we can provide content and web design that’s both compelling, effective, and SEO-friendly. We know which phrases and keywords searchers are looking for, but also know how to fit them seamlessly into content that connects with visitors and ultimately sells your products and services.

And while keywords and phrases matter, they’re only a small part of the comprehensive SEO strategy we employ for our clients. We also highly recommend SEO-boosting elements like a robust, compelling corporate blog.

Contact our Dallas SEO specialists for more information.