Tag Archives: seo copywriting

SEO guidelines for content writers

SEO content writer guidelines

You can find thousands of content writers on the Internet vying for your business and some of them are actually brilliant.

But your business website, or even your blog, doesn’t just need a content writer, it needs a content writer that can take care of your SEO needs.

What am I talking about?

The performance of your content writer can be gauged from the following two indicators:

How much search engine traffic your content attracts.
How much of that traffic actually converts.

Successful content writers know how to draw a balance between both the requirements.

What does an SEO content writer do?

What does an SEO content writer do

An SEO content writer writes search engine friendly content but more than that, he writes content that helps your visitors.

What does Google want to do? Does it want to crawl, index and rank your content or does it want to provide the best possible information to its search engine users?

It’s a mix of both.

It wants to provide the best possible information for the search being done.

The information cannot be found unless Google crawls, indexes and ranks your content (or content from other websites and Internet sources).

An SEO content writer knows what Google wants, from the inside out.

He knows that the content quality and the content relevance triumphs everything else.

Then, when quality and relevance are taken care of, the SEO content writer focuses on the keyword optimization aspect of your content.

Does he need to be a better writer? Obviously. He should be a great writer. He should be a great copywriter. He should be able to write convincingly and engagingly.

Your SEO content writer must also know how to format and organize your content in such a manner that Google can easily make sense of it.

Can any writer achieve that? Not without experience.

There are millions of webpages and blog posts on the Internet.

And when there are millions of webpages and blog posts to compete with, only the subtle things, things that cannot be directly observed by the eye, can make a big difference.

Hence, an SEO content writer

Develops a complete understanding of your topic/subject before beginning to write.
Completely understands what your audience is looking for.
Writes your content impeccably.
Knows where to use your keywords and where not to use them.
Knows how to organize your content under various sections so that it’s easier for search engines to make sense of it.
Write simple yet professional sentences that are easier to interpret both for search engine algorithms as well as human readers.

Does an SEO content writer just write content to improve search engine rankings?

It depends on in what capacity your SEO content writer is working with you. An experienced SEO content writer like me can provide both consulting as well as writing.

What does consulting mean? It means advising you with the topics that you must cover to improve your search engine rankings.

The sort of topics that you choose to cover is as important as writing the content itself. To create content that genuinely improves your search engine rankings you must know what information people are looking for and then write content accordingly.

You should also be able to write and publish unique information. Preferably, information that is not existing anywhere else. The more unique your information is, the better are going to be your search engine rankings.

The conversion rate of your content is as important as your search engine rankings. In fact, if you enjoy higher search engine rankings but your conversion rate is low, your rankings are of no use.

Hence, an SEO content writer must also be a good copywriter because only then he is going to be able to convince your visitors into turning your paying customers and clients.

Does an SEO content writer really improve your search engine rankings?

Well, this is the intention of working with an SEO content writer – your search engine rankings must experience a significant improvement once optimized content begins to appear on your website/blog on an ongoing basis.

“On an ongoing basis” is the key here. Publishing SEO content on your website or blog is not a one-time affair. Just like you continuously need to host your website, you continuously need to publish content.

The reason is, all your competitors are continuously publishing SEO content. They all want to outdo each other. Every competitor who is ranked below you, wants to rank above you, and he or she is not going to rest unless that objective is achieved.

Hence, you need to outdo his or her effort and for that, you need to publish SEO content on an ongoing basis.

Hence, provided

Your content writer is well-versed with writing SEO content.
You publish content regularly at set intervals.
You focus on publishing high-quality content that delivers value.

Your SEO content writer is definitely going to improve your search engine rankings.

Your SEO content writer must strike a balance between higher search engine rankings and conversion rate

Balance between SEO and conversion rate

Your website needs targeted traffic from all over the web in general, and search engines in particular.

After that, it isn’t just search engine traffic that does the job, you also need business, you need paying customers and clients.

When I say content writers, I mean people who totally understand the need of a business to convert traffic into customers and clients.

Add SEO abilities and you have the killer combination. So here are a few SEO guidelines for content writers that may help you as a content writer, and as also as a business owner looking for an SEO-proficient content writer.

Write for the target audience
Use the language your target audience uses on day-to-day basis as well as on search engines
Avoid using more than two keywords for a webpage, an article or a blog post
Stick to the main topic and try to remain as vertical as possible
Be original; search engines like Google dislike duplicate content
Use the primary keyword in the title
Write for your audience first, make sure your content is convincing and would convert well, and only then think about SEO
Use your primary as well as longtail keyword in the description
Write in a conversational style
Use appropriate images whenever possible because this can get you extra traffic from image searches as well as social networking websites like Pinterest
Solve a problem, or provide a solution
Use primary keywords and longtail keywords within headline tags (for instance, <h1>, <h2>, etc.)

While preparing content for these SEO guidelines for content writers I discovered that lots of points that I have mentioned above already exist, or rather, appear in regurgitated form on other websites. Since the language is almost similar it shows that most of these writers don’t actually understand what it takes to create SEO-friendly content that also converts well, and they have simply taken the content off other websites and blogs. Some have even copied the bulleted lists straightaway. Well, this is the first sign that shows that where you stand.

Why SEO guidelines for content writers

Every good, experienced content writer by default is also a good SEO content writer.

Amidst daily professional and personal grinds we forget these points so it is always better to keep revising them on a regular basis so that they get embedded into our subconscious. For instance, creating a title that contains the primary keyword should be done as a usability benefit even if you are not specifically writing for SEO. Similarly, highlighting important point with the help of the main keywords helps your readers quickly understand the gist of your webpage or the blog post.

SEO copywriting – what it really means

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What does SEO copywriting mean?

In this post I’m going to talk about what is SEO copywriting and how, when properly done, it can improve your search engine visibility.

I was just going through this interesting blog post titled SEO Copywriting is dead! Here’s Proof….

I often come across articles and blog posts bashing up terminologies and work-related phrases.

For instance recently I came across a report that tried to prove that outsourcing could be disastrous for your work, despite the fact that more and more work is being outsourced to save time and money.

Anyway, since I provide SEO copywriting services I thought I should write a quick post on what SEO copywriting actually means and what are its benefits.

So what exactly is SEO copywriting?

What is SEO copywriting?

SEO copywriting is the process of creating website content that is both engaging for readers and optimized for search engines.

It involves writing and publishing high-quality, relevant text that incorporates specific keywords and phrases strategically.

What is SEO copywriting all about?

It’s about writing compelling content that attracts organic traffic from search engine results pages (SERPs) by improving a website’s visibility and ranking.

SEO copywriters research and incorporate relevant keywords to make sure that the content is easily discoverable by search engines, while still providing value to readers.

The goal is to strike a balance between user-friendly content and search engine optimization techniques to drive traffic and enhance a website’s online presence.

It is definitely not repeating keywords and key phrases umpteen times, as many clients mistakenly understand.

As I’ve previous explained in a blog post titled SEO tips you should know as an online copywriter, every well-written copy that properly handles the topic can qualify as an SEO copy.

Keywords? Yes, they are important, and if you totally ignore them in your copy, then definitely the search engines are going to find it difficult to rank it well for those keywords.

For example, if I want to optimize this blog post for SEO copywriting, but I write about SEO content writing and SEO writing, then definitely the search engines will not show this blog post when people search for SEO copywriting.

That is why it is very important that when you’re writing about a subject on a particular page or blog post, stick to it.

If I want to get traffic for SEO copywriting, then I should better focus on this particular phrase, rather than trying to be esoteric and cryptic.

SEO copywriting involves writing the copy in such a manner that it judiciously talks about the subject, while taking care that the keyword or the key phrase appears sufficient number of times, at appropriate places, without sounding silly or repetitive.

There is no point getting the first position on Google by creating content that means nothing to your visitors.

Does SEO copywriting improve your search engine rankings?

It definitely should.

Even if you don’t immediately improve your search engine rankings (it depends on lots of factors, not just the copy), it is a step in the right direction.

It’s like, if you require n steps to reach B from A, then a well-written page by an experienced SEO copywriter definitely makes the number of needed steps n-1.

Unique benefits of search engine optimization copywriting

Benefits of SEO copywriting

Increased Organic Traffic

Optimized content attracts more organic traffic from search engines.
Higher rankings lead to increased visibility and click-through rates.

Improved User Experience

Well-structured and optimized content enhances user experience.
Clear and relevant information keeps users engaged.

Enhanced Relevance

Copywriting for search engines aligns content with target keywords and search intent.
Relevant content increases the chances of ranking for desired keywords.

Higher Conversion Rates

Persuasive copywriting techniques can boost conversion rates.
Optimized content guides users towards desired actions.

Better Targeting

SEO copywriting helps target specific keywords and audience segments.
Tailored content attracts the right audience and improves engagement.

Increased Brand Visibility

Improved rankings increase brand exposure to a wider audience.
Greater visibility establishes brand authority and credibility.

Long-Term Results

Writing for search engines is a long-term strategy with lasting benefits.
Consistent optimization leads to sustained rankings and traffic.

Mobile Optimization

Search engine optimization copywriting ensures content is optimized for mobile devices.
Mobile-friendly content improves user experience and search rankings.

Competitive Advantage

Well-optimized content helps outrank competitors in search results.
Higher visibility and better rankings give an edge in the market.

Content Discoverability

SEO writing makes content more discoverable by search engines.
Proper optimization increases the chances of appearing in relevant searches.

Improved Site Structure

SEO writing practices encourage proper site structure and organization.
Clear navigation and hierarchy facilitate search engine crawling.

Backlink Opportunities

High-quality and optimized content attracts natural backlinks.
Backlinks from reputable sources improve search engine rankings.

Social Sharing

Optimized writing creates content that is shareable on social media.
Increased social sharing can drive more traffic and improve visibility.

Local SEO Advantage

Local optimization techniques in copywriting improve local search rankings.
Local businesses gain visibility among geographically targeted audiences.

Voice Search Optimization

You also optimize your website and blog content for voice search queries.
Voice-friendly content improves chances of appearing in voice search results.

Better User Engagement Metrics

Optimized content increases time spent on site and reduces bounce rates.
Positive engagement metrics signal quality content to search engines.

Targeted Metadata

Copywriting for search engines optimizes title tags and meta descriptions.
Compelling metadata attracts clicks and improves search visibility.

Multilingual Optimization

Optimized writing facilitates optimization for different languages.
Multilingual content expands reach and improves international SEO.

Continuous Improvement

Writing for SEO involves ongoing monitoring and optimization.
Iterative improvements lead to better search rankings over time.

Measurable Results

SEO copywriting allows for tracking and measurement of performance.
Analytics provide insights for further optimization and ROI evaluation.

Unique features of SEO copywriting

Unique features of SEO copywriting.

What helps you create content that improves your search engine rankings. What attributes and features define SEO copywriting?

Keyword Research

Thorough keyword research to identify the most relevant and valuable keywords and phrases to target in the content.

Keyword Optimization

Strategically incorporate keywords into the content to enhance its visibility in search engine rankings without sacrificing readability.

User Intent Focus

Understand user intent and create content that aligns with what users are searching for and provide them with valuable and relevant information.

Search Engine Guidelines

SEO copywriters adhere to search engine guidelines and best practices to ensure the content is well-structured, properly formatted, and meets technical requirements for optimal indexing.

Unique and Engaging Content

SEO copywriting emphasizes creating original, informative, and engaging content that stands out from competitors, attracts readers, and encourages them to stay on the page.

Content Formatting

Use proper formatting techniques such as headings, subheadings, bullet points, and paragraphs to enhance readability and make the content more scannable for both readers and search engines.

Internal Linking

Strategically incorporate internal links within the content to improve website navigation, enhance user experience, and help search engines understand the website’s structure and relevance.

Meta Tags Optimization

SEO copywriters optimize meta tags, including meta titles and meta descriptions, to provide concise and compelling summaries of the content, attracting users and improving click-through rates in search engine results.

Mobile-Friendly Approach

Ensure that the content is optimized for mobile devices, as mobile-friendliness is a crucial factor in search engine rankings and user experience.

Ongoing Optimization

SEO copywriting is an iterative process that involves continuously monitoring and analyzing performance metrics, making adjustments, and optimizing the content based on user feedback and changing search engine algorithms.

These unique features make SEO copywriting a specialized skill set that combines writing expertise, keyword research, technical knowledge, and a deep understanding of search engine optimization principles.

How much time does it take for SEO copywriting to improve your search engine visibility?

How much time does it take to improve search visibility with SEO copywriting?

The time it takes for SEO copywriting to improve search engine visibility can vary significantly depending on various factors.

While there is no fixed timeline, it’s important to consider the following aspects:

Competition Level

How competitive are the keywords you are targeting within the industry you’re trying to improve your SEO content writing?

High competition keywords (lots of companies and individuals already ranking for them) may take longer to see noticeable improvements in search engine visibility.

Target less competitive keywords.

Focusing on longtail keywords will lower competition and yield quicker results.

Website Authority

The existing authority and trustworthiness of your website also has a bearing on your search engine visibility.

New websites or those with minimal domain authority may require more time to establish credibility and gain higher rankings.

Content Quality and Quantity

The quality and quantity of the content or copy that your website has also influences how fast or slow your SEO improves.

Consistently publishing high-quality, optimized content that aligns with user intent and addresses relevant topics can help expedite improvements in search engine visibility.

Technical SEO Factors

Technical SEO factors also play a role.

Optimizing website structure, improving page load speed, ensuring mobile-friendliness, and implementing proper meta tags are essential elements that contribute to search engine visibility.

Addressing these technical aspects alongside the copywriting efforts can impact how quickly the visibility improves.

Backlinks and Social Signals

Build a strong backlink profile, that is, get quality backlinks from reputed websites and blogs.

Become active on relevant social media platforms.

For example, since my business is mostly B2B (I provide content writing and copywriting services to businesses and individuals doing businesses) the ideal social platform for me is LinkedIn.

Yours might be Instagram, YouTube, or even Twitter.

Getting backlinks and creating a vibrant social media presence takes time.

The more authoritative and relevant backlinks your website earns, the higher are the chances of improving visibility in search results.

Search Engine Algorithm Updates

Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving.

Major updates can impact search engine visibility.

Algorithm updates may require adjustments to the SEO copywriting strategies and can influence the timeline for improvements in visibility.

Main highlights of the above points:

SEO copywriting is a long-term strategy.
Quick improvements can be seen, but significant changes take several months to a year or more.
Consistent and strategic efforts are necessary for improved visibility.
Ongoing optimization and monitoring are crucial.
Patience, persistence, and a holistic approach to SEO are key.

Quick list of 20 SEO copywriting mistakes to avoid

20 SEO copywriting mistakes to avoid.

Keyword stuffing.
Ignoring target audience needs.
Writing for search engines instead of users.
Poorly crafted title tags and meta descriptions.
Neglecting to optimize URLs.
Lack of internal linking.
Ignoring the importance of mobile optimization.
Duplicate content.
Overlooking header tags (H1, H2, etc.).
Failing to optimize images with alt tags.
Not incorporating relevant and high-quality external links.
Neglecting to update and refresh content regularly.
Poor grammar and spelling mistakes.
Disregarding the importance of user experience (UX).
Ignoring local SEO optimization.
Neglecting to optimize for voice search.
Using excessive jargon and technical language.
Neglecting to optimize for featured snippets.
Not leveraging social media for content promotion.
Neglecting to track and analyze SEO performance.

Different types of content that can be created for SEO copywriting

Different types of content that can be created for SEO copywriting.

Blog Posts: Blog posts that cover relevant topics in your related industry or niche. This draws target audience to your blog or website.
Product Descriptions: Compelling and persuasive descriptions of products or services that highlight their unique features, benefits, and value to the customer.
Landing Pages: Specifically designed pages that focus on converting visitors into leads or customers. They provide relevant information and a clear call-to-action.
Infographics: Infographics are good for shareability. They are easy to understand. They are visually appealing. They generate a ton of backlinks. A picture is more than a thousand words.
Case Studies: In-depth analyses of how your products or services have solved specific problems for your customers. They showcase real-life examples and provide social proof.
Guides and Tutorials: Step-by-step instructions or comprehensive guides that help users understand a process, learn a skill, or solve a problem.
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions pages that address common queries and provide valuable answers, improving user experience and SEO rankings.
Whitepapers: In-depth and authoritative reports or studies that offer valuable insights into industry trends, research findings, or best practices.
Videos: Engaging and shareable video content that can be optimized for SEO. Videos can enhance user experience and increase time spent on your website.
User-generated Content: Content generated by users, such as reviews, testimonials, or social media posts. It adds credibility, authenticity, and encourages engagement.

These various types of content can be optimized through SEO copywriting for search engines while providing value to users, improving visibility, and driving organic traffic to your website.

Can you over optimize during SEO copywriting?

Can you over optimize SEO copywriting?

Yes, it is possible to over-optimize.

Over-optimization, also known as “keyword stuffing” or “spamming,” refers to the excessive and unnatural use of keywords or optimization techniques that violate search engine guidelines.

This practice can harm your search engine rankings. It is also bad for user experience.

When you needlessly use keywords with no regard to readability and relevance, your content becomes unappealing to the users.

Google can penalise your content. It can lower your rankings. It can also remove your links from search results altogether.

Although, sometimes, for writing effect, you may need to repeat certain keywords. Search engine algorithms are smart enough to recognize whether a keyword is being repeated for an effect, or for over optimization, and then decide accordingly.

Does SEO copywriting improve your conversion rate?

SEO copywriting and conversion.

It definitely does. It achieves this by optimizing website content.

It attracts targeted organic traffic.

It engages visitors effectively.

How does it drive more conversions?

It encourages you to incorporate relevant keywords strategically.

This in turn enhances user experience and helps you create a persuasive copy.

Listed below are some ways SEO copywriting contributes to improve your conversion rate.

Targeted keywords and content relevance

When you organically optimize your content, you use keywords and search queries that your potential customers use.

You conduct thorough keyword research consequently, and then incorporate relevant keywords that appear naturally in your copy.

This way, as an SEO copywriter, your highly targeted content aligns with user intent.

This increases the chances of attracting qualified visitors who are more likely to convert.

Compelling and persuasive copywriting

Effective copywriting techniques are directed towards encouraging visitors to take desired actions.

When writing SEO content, you use persuasive language, compelling headlines, and enticing call-to-action.

They guide visitors through your conversion funnel.

The SEO copywriting craft clearly communicates the inherent goodness of your products and services.

You highlight the benefits.

You address all concerns and objections.

You can also use emotional triggers, storytelling, and appealing language during SEO copywriting to effectively influence the decision-making process of your business.

You motivate them to complete desired actions and this improves your conversion rate.

Improved user experience

Making sure users have a good experience is important for turning visitors into customers.

SEO copywriting aims to create content that is easy for users to understand, organized well, and simple to move around.

The readability is better. The text is arranged logically using headings, bullet points, and shorter paragraphs.

Ensuring that the website loads fast and seamlessly works on all mobile devices is an integral part of creating an improved user experience.

When they enjoy staying on your website, they are less likely to leave without taking action.

They are more likely to become your customers.

Enhanced trust and credibility

Truly search engine optimized content establishes trust and credibility among your visitors.

You provide informative and valuable content.

Your website becomes an authoritative source in your industry.

As an SEO copywriter you incorporate statistics, data, customer testimonials, and case studies to back up claims and build credibility.

Answering common questions and concerns and addressing objections that your potential customers may have, is an integral part of SEO copywriting.

This further builds trust and reassures your visitors.

When they trust you, when they are informed, it improves your conversion rate.

Optimization for local and voice search

Is your business location-dependent (mine is not)?

If your business is localised – providing accounting services to a particular region, for example – your SEO writing must incorporate local keywords.

You must make sure that your content is optimized for local searches (accountant based in Calgary).

The same goes with voice search. One-third of the US population uses voice search.

According to Google, 27% of the global population with access to the Internet uses voice search.

If you’re optimizing your content for voice search it further improves your search engine rankings, which further improves your conversion rate.

Do you need tools for online copywriting?

Do you need different online copywriting tools?

Online copywriting tools?

Not necessarily. Use a word processor. You can even write good copy on your mobile phone for that matter.

ChatGPT definitely helps you work faster but it is not a long-term solution because as a copywriter you need to own your own writing skills and too much dependence on ChatGPT breeds mediocrity and laziness.