Digital content optimization is a topic of ongoing discussion. Online marketing experts and content creators alike have their own views on the matter.
Some say that the secret to good ranking lies in SEO’s technical side. Others veer towards creative, meaningful SEO copywriting based on their past experiences.
Studies have shown that 61% of marketers agree that SEO does prove beneficial in organic growth hacking and content marketing in general.
Jodi Wright, Trust My Paper senior copy editor, however, had this to say on the matter: “I do my best to combine both SEO and well-written content into my writing. I never trust one single method to carry my content forward. Just like the search engines themselves, we too need to evolve and adapt to popular trends.”
The art of SEO copywriting goes much deeper than meets the eye. Creating truly epic content which is SEO-friendly isn’t an easy task – and we are here to seek those answers today. Let’s take a look at what makes SEO tick, why copywriting matters and how you can make the most out of this digital phenomenon.
SEO copywriting 101
In order for us to unlock the secret to effective SEO in copywriting, we need to talk about these words in greater detail. Copywriting represents the literal process of content creation in digital marketing. Writers, content creators and other creatives do their utmost to create content that is attractive, original and relevant to their audience.
Copywriting is a very popular freelance niche since it allows individuals to work from home and earn a nice living. However, not everyone is an effective copywriter and trouble often rears its head – which is why SEO plays a large part in amending for that shortcoming later on.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) represents a pivotal part of digital marketing. For years, this technology has enabled content marketers to boost their site’s rankings with search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others. SEO works in many ways, most importantly as a means of technical optimization (hence the title). Content typically receives SEO at the end of the content creation cycle and just before it becomes published.
The two terms often go hand in hand. Copywriters are often required to SEO optimize their work due to publishing to online platforms. Company blogs, e-commerce storefronts and other websites use this fact to rank their sites higher than the competition.
As a result, this makes copywriting and SEO very lucrative callings.
Now that we have a clearer understanding of what copywriting and SEO really mean, let’s take a look at the benefits of using them before we talk about the big secret behind all of it.
Benefits of SEO in copywriting
As you can see, SEO without copywriting simply doesn’t work. The “hook” of content marketing is the content itself. Without it, people have very little reason to click on your link and boost your traffic.
Let’s take a look at several, highly beneficial reasons to implement SEO in your site’s copywriting efforts:
Low cost and high ROI
Return on Investment (ROI) always plays a huge role in digital marketing. Site owners are simply not prepared to spend four-figure sums on content marketing even if someone reassures them of the results.
However, SEO is very cheap and easy to implement. Tools such as Google Adwords and SEMrush can boost your site’s performance within a few short days of optimization. The low, low cost of SEO is minuscule compared to a paid advertisement; search engine boosted marketing and other forms of exposure.
Increase in traffic and conversion rates
Most site administrators would agree that traffic and conversion rates play a huge role in their content marketing. After all, the point of owning a website is to have people come and see what you have to say.
To that end, SEO can help you attract a much larger audience and convert them into your regular customers or followers. Exposure is the key word here since your site will rank much higher than before due to proper SEO copywriting.
Brand authority and loyalty
Chances are that your business is only one of several in the same niche. This unfortunate fact doesn’t have to discourage you, however. Adequate SEO and copywriting can help you rank higher than any other website in your niche if done correctly.
Brand authority plays a huge part in the way people see your site online. Trust and respect are very hard to earn, especially in the online world of fast information sharing and low attention spans. By introducing SEO into your copywriting, you will effectively show up in many more search result pages (SERPs) than you would otherwise.
A permanent presence
Lastly, copywriting and SEO will always remind your competition and customers that you are present. SEO can place a permanent mark on your content and ensure that your brand has a very long lifespan. This is a great opportunity to create a lasting marketing impression without recurring costs (which adds to the already-great ROI).
With numerous benefits and an obvious addition to your content marketing arsenal, SEO represents a logical step forward for any aspiring business. I may have given up some hints as to what the no-fail secret of SEO might be before. However, it’s time to pull the curtains back and talk about the thing that most people fail to implement in SEO.
The secret is in the keyword
The element that keeps SEO and copywriting together and helps so many businesses and content creators isn’t as elusive as it seems. One word is enough to define the secret of creating epic content with an SEO-friendly tone – keywords.
Studies have shown that keyword optimization can boost a company’s ranking up to 1.5 times the norm. Keyword optimization is more important than it seems at first glance.
- It helps people find content relevant to their search engine queries.
- It effectively helps sites such as Google rank content higher or lower compared to others in the same niche.
- Keyword optimization allows content managers to avoid registering as “spam”; thus eliminating the risk of ranking low.
- Most importantly, keywords make or break trends in certain niches, allowing vigilant copywriters to always be in touch with what is popular to write about.
Keywords are often monitored and optimized through specialized software or online platforms. One such example is Google’s own Keyword Planner, a tool built from the ground-up with copywriting in mind. Subsequent SEO is possible but it is far more effective if implemented at the beginning of the content creation cycle.
This allows copywriters to create content based on the keywords themselves. They, in turn, find their place in titles, subheadings and important Metadata information of each created content piece.
If you create content with keywords in mind from the get-go, there is no limit to the ranking you can acquire in time. Site-wide keyword and SEO optimization of your copywriting will benefit your site significantly if you let it. However, you can easily break the SEO by misunderstanding the keywords you discover, so let’s take a look at some no-go mistakes to keep in mind.
SEO mistakes to avoid in copywriting
One keyword only – Keywords often come in plural. There is no point in optimizing your content if you rely on a single word to carry your website. Instead, opt for several keywords which will show up throughout your copywriting. They will ensure that people of different mindsets find your content more easily.
Neglecting other SEO methods – Keyword optimization is the most important and well-kept secret of the trade. However, it is far from the only one you should consider. Multimedia content you post should pass optimization for fast load times and low server sizes. Formatting and tagging your content can effectively boost your SEO ranking even higher if you let it. These are only some of the other SEO methods you should try coupled with keyword optimization.
Quantity over quality – Spamming your site with irrelevant, keyword-stuffed content won’t do you any good. Search engines have evolved to a point where algorithms are able to detect shady content from far away. This means that you will bury your site under other websites willingly without even putting up an SEO fight. Focus on high-quality content and sprinkle it with keyword optimization of your copywriting for good measure.
A more practical example
While we have covered what keywords are and what they can do for your website, there’s no better way to bookend the discussion than through a practical example. Let’s assume that you are running a (general) design website of your own. You want to attract more traffic in order to generate ad revenue and get on SEO’s good side. However, with the numerous different design niches you cover on your site, the task isn’t easy.
A simple solution and a good start to your SEO copywriting activity is to fire up Google Adwords and Keyword Planner.
This tool is rudimentary compared to more sophisticated choices such as SEMrush. However, it is perfectly capable of helping you optimize your keyword research and density within each page. Searching for keywords related to “design”, brings us to a number of potential hits.
Based on your site’s niche, you should opt for several keywords which you will integrate into your content. That way, search engines will get a “ping” back from your website whenever someone searches for that particular keyword. If done correctly, your website should rank within the first search results and bring you much-needed exposure. Once users begin pouring in and clicking on your links, you will get the results based on the forecast generated from your selected keywords.
This is a basic example of how keywords work in the context of SEO and copywriting in the digital space. More complex strategies go further than that, however. In time, you will need to pay attention to things such as multimedia content optimization and site speed. For now, the key to understanding SEO and copywriting as a whole lies solely in keyword research.
Call them to action
It’s easy to see the importance of keywords in SEO and copywriting – as anticlimactic as it may seem at first glance. Couple your writing with effective calls to action which will ensure that your audience “acts” on the information they just acquired. If done correctly, this combination of copywriting techniques will be enough to convince people to convert no matter the niche you operate in.
Guest author: Marie Fincher