Have you ever wondered why radio stations use jingles? A mini-song (jingle) is played several times each hour. Listeners can get to the place where they know that jingle by heart and can sing it even when the radio is off. The jingle is used going into a weather break or back into music. The jingle seems ever present on radio, but why? The reason many radio stations use the jingle is the same reason online business conforms to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). The more you tastefully use either the jingle for radio or keywords for your business website the more visibility you generate. If done correctly the keywords that you use in the totality of your content will be very apparent if the reader is looking for it, but undetectable to most readers. That means that the content is not ‘stuffed’ with keywords or key phrases. The content should flow very naturally without feeling as though you are tripping over the same words over and over again.

It’s the same way with radio jingles, they are audibly present, but should mesh well with everything else that is offered on the airwaves to allow the repeated message to be absorbed in an acceptable way. SEO can be a bit like picking the best keyword to brand your site and utilizing them to your advantage while making sure the overall content of your site is worthwhile to your site visitor. We’ve all logged into sites that either overdo the keywords or have content that is less satisfying than it would be if they would stick to the primary directive. Not only is it no fun to try to read from these sites it is also a key motivator in deciding not to return. One of the secrets to SEO keyword phrasing is to write an article that conveys a thought. Structure your descriptions and company data to help the reader clearly understand what you do, while the infusion of keywords takes a necessary second place. Yes, keywords are vitally important, but not at the expense of losing prospects just when you get them to visit your site. In a best-case scenario the reader should have no ‘first blush’ clue as to what your keyword or phrase is. They begin reading your content because they believe it will assist them in understanding the product or topic better. The information should be sound enough that the consumer leaves satisfied that they found quality information. This can be a thin line to walk, but it is important to give search engines the keywords they need to rank you without making your website something that attempts only to cater to search engines. Real people will be reading your site as well. Many businesses that try to stuff keywords into their content are often losers on two fronts. First they do not appeal well to consumers that will actually be the ones making the buying decisions. Secondly as search engines continue to refine and advance their methods of selection they will often detect ‘stuffing’ and penalize the site accordingly.

Keywords can help consumers and search engines connect with your site, but just like jingles on radio there is a need for quality content in between.