SEO copywriting: the rules we check on every post
SEO copywriting is writing a web page so search engines can tell what it answers and readers trust it enough to call, book or buy. For a small business, that means a post that ranks for the question your customers ask and then gives them one clear next step. Below are the rules Draftly checks on every post it writes, with real before and after examples from our own tests.
Tested October 8, 2026 by Preston Vawdrey at Draftly.
Structure tells search engines what the page answers
The title, headings and meta tags tell a search engine what a page covers. These are the structure rules Draftly checks in code on each post.
- One H1. The post title is the only H1, and it carries the target keyword.
- Headings that make a point. Each H2 states a claim or asks the exact question a reader would type, in sentence case. Labels like Introduction, Overview and Conclusion get flagged.
- The keyword in four places, then stop. Put it in the first half of the title, the first 100 words, at least one H2 and the first 120 characters of the meta description. There is no density target, so nobody repeats the phrase to hit a number.
- Meta title of 50 to 60 characters and meta description of 150 to 160. Draftly counts spaces too, and a miss in either sends the post back for a fix.
- The answer comes first. The first one or two sentences answer the question the post exists to answer. Background comes after.
- Short paragraphs. No paragraph runs over 120 words, and most land between 40 and 80.
Readers trust copy that sounds like a person wrote it
A post can be perfectly structured and still read like a template. The voice rules catch the habits that give machine-written copy away.
No filler vocabulary
Draftly's default rules ban a list of filler words and phrases. When the model reaches for one, the rule asks it to write the literal thing it means. A sample of the list:
Adjectives
- seamless
- robust
- cutting-edge
- game-changing
- comprehensive
- holistic
- crucial
- pivotal
Verbs
- leverage
- elevate
- unlock
- empower
- streamline
- harness
- delve
- underscore
Nouns
- solutions
- ecosystem
- synergy
- landscape
- journey
- tapestry
- testament
- game-changer
Phrases
- let's dive in
- it's worth noting
- at the end of the day
- when it comes to
- look no further
- in today's fast-paced world
No invented statistics
Every number needs a source from the material Draftly was given, such as your website or the brief. If the figure is missing, it stays out of the post. Sources are named inline, so you will not see “experts say” or “studies show”. Quotes use a person's exact words or do not appear at all.
No contrast phrasing or hedges
“It's not X, it's Y”, “not just” and “more than just” all get flagged. Draftly also catches the quieter forms, “rather than” and “instead of”, and asks for the positive claim on its own. Hedges like “may help” and “is designed to” get the same treatment: say what the thing does.
Varied rhythm
A run of sentences that are all the same length lulls the reader. The rules ask for a short sentence after a long one. They also ban two sentences in a row that start with “You” and openers like Additionally or Furthermore.
One clear call to action closes the post
The last section adds something new, such as a checklist or a next step, and ends on a single call to action. A recap of what the reader just read gets flagged. When a website sets a default offer, Draftly checks that its link appears once, in the final paragraph, and nowhere else.
SEO copywriting examples: three fixes from our tests
These excerpts come from Draftly's benchmark run on October 8, 2026, where GPT 6 Luna wrote posts for 20 made-up small businesses. Each draft broke at least one rule, the automatic fix pass rewrote it, and the rewrite passed the check.
Rule broken: Keyword in the first 100 words
Summit Ridge Roofing, a made-up roofer in Boise. The target keyword, “roof replacement timeline”, was missing from the opening and from every H2.
Draft
On Summit Ridge Roofing crews, most single-family asphalt tear-offs take one to two working days.
After the fix pass
The roof replacement timeline for most single-family asphalt tear-offs on Summit Ridge Roofing crews is one to two working days.
Rule broken: Contrast phrasing
Sunny Side Pediatrics, a made-up pediatric practice. The checker flagged two uses of “rather than” in the draft.
Draft
If you’re unsure whether a reading counts as a fever, call your pediatrician and describe it rather than spending the night trying to compare readings from different methods.
After the fix pass
If you’re unsure how to interpret a reading, call your pediatrician and describe it. Comparing numbers taken with different methods can make the picture harder to interpret.
Rule broken: Two sentences in a row starting with “You”
ClearPath HVAC, a made-up heating and cooling company. Back-to-back “You” sentences read like a sales script.
Draft
You’re the one who lives with the cooling system and pays for the work. You deserve to understand the recommendation before you approve it.
After the fix pass
You live with the cooling system and pay for the work. The technician should explain the recommendation in terms you can follow before you approve it.
How Draftly enforces these rules automatically
Draftly's AI copywriterchecks each post against your website's writing rules before you see it. If the post breaks any, Draftly sends it back to the model once with every violation listed, and keeps the rewrite when it has fewer problems.
GPT 6 Luna is Draftly's default writer. In a 20-brief test against Draftly's production rules, its posts passed every hard rule 95% of the time after the fix pass. The previous default, GPT 5.4 Mini, passed 0% of the time.
You can switch most rules on or off for each website, so a brand that likes em dashes can keep them. To see how 14 AI models handled the same rules, read our test of which AI writes best. Plans and credit costs are on the Draftly pricing page. If you write in Claude or ChatGPT, the Draftly SEO MCP server gives your assistant the same brand voice and live keyword data.
Keep reading
- The AI copywriter for small-business blogsHow Draftly goes from your URL to a published post in your brand voice.
- Best AI for writing: 14 models testedWhich models write the most human-sounding posts, and what each one costs.
- SEO MCP server for Claude and ChatGPTBring your brand voice and live keyword data into the AI app you already use.
- AI SEO agency or AI SEO tool?What each one does, what it costs, and when a small business needs both.
Frequently asked questions
What is SEO copywriting?
SEO copywriting is writing a page or post so search engines can tell which question it answers and readers trust it enough to act. It pairs on-page structure, such as headings and meta tags, with plain and specific writing.
How long should a meta title and meta description be?
Draftly aims for a meta title of 50 to 60 characters and a meta description of 150 to 160, spaces included. The target keyword goes in the first 120 characters of the description.
How many times should I use my keyword?
Use it in the first half of the title, in the first 100 words, in at least one H2 and in the meta description. After that, write for the question. Draftly sets no keyword density target.
What words make writing sound like AI?
Filler words such as seamless, leverage, delve, landscape and game-changer are common tells. So are “it’s not X, it’s Y” phrasing and hedges like “may help”. Draftly bans them by default and checks each post for them.
Can AI write good SEO copy?
It can when the output is checked. In a 20-brief test, GPT 6 Luna posts passed every hard rule 95% of the time after one automatic fix pass, against 0% for GPT 5.4 Mini.
Get a post that passes these rules
Paste your website URL and Draftly writes your first post free, in your brand's voice, checked against the rules on this page.
