Copywriting, in essence, is the process of writing content for various elements. Copywriters create the text that you see on a brochure for a trip to Jamaica, on a billboard for an injury lawyer, on websites, in Internet marketing campaigns, magazines, and more. Copywriting is everywhere and is a crucial tool in advertising. The content typically includes a “call to action” that gets the reader or the viewer to—you guessed it—take action. Those actions may include buying goods or services, signing up for digital or traditional newsletters, and engaging with the company, just to name a few. In an article about copywriting that American Writers & Artists Inc., they stated, “[…] A copywriter is often referred to as a ‘salesman in print.’” Now that you have the 411 on copywriting, do you know what SEO is? SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process in order to receive traffic to your website from free and organic listings (as opposed to paid search ads) via target keywords and phrases on search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. A more in-depth explanation on SEO can be read here on one of Chatter Buzz Media’s blog posts. When you add copywriting and SEO together, what do you get? SEO copywriting is taking the traditional method of copywriting, applying it to the creation of online content while including keywords and key phrases. Keywords and phrases are the specific terms that people use on search engines in order to find what they are looking for. When these are included in blog posts and webpages that are relevant to the user’s search, your website is more likely to rank higher and be found by a potential consumer. However, the simple addition of relevant key terms into your company’s blog post isn’t enough. For instance, say a potential client discovers a blog post your company published through a Google search. They become excited and click on your link, expecting dazzling and compelling content awaiting them. Instead of finding what they were searching for, they discover bland and tasteless content that has no relevant information. Even though you sprinkled your keywords throughout your blog post, your potential consumer was driven away because the content itself was flat and boring. Now, take the same problem and reverse it. Your company’s blog post may have the most amazing content in the entire Internet universe, but if you aren’t utilizing the keywords that people are searching for, the chances of your website being found are slim to none. How can you avoid these dangerous pitfalls? It’s simple; create interesting and engaging content with specific keywords inserted occasionally throughout each blog post/webpage. Tips for SEO Copywriting: Think Quality AND Quantity — Search engines tend to favor content that is compelling, interesting, and relevant. Your blog post cannot seem like it was written in haste without thought, nor as if it was written by someone with the writing skills of a fifth grader. Quality does matter. But so does quantity, too, in terms of how long your content (especially articles) is. a) Content length affects rankings on Google, according to a study by serpIQ, which revealed that pages with more than 2,000 words of text (quality text) rank higher than pages with short content. b) Quicksprout analyzed their blog posts and discovered the posts with more than 1,500 words received more Facebook likes and tweets as opposed to the posts that were shorter in length. c) Seomoz also performed a study and found that longer content typically generates more links. Don’t Go Overboard with Keywords — Although you need keywords in your content for SEO purposes, forcing those terms and phrases where they don’t belong will more than likely have a negative effect. Instead, fit them in where they naturally belong. If you’re not sure which keywords to include, try using Google Tilde. By adding a “~” (tilde) before a keyword and search, Google will show you various related keywords at the end of the page. Then, utilize those keywords to boost the relevance of your content. Optimize Titles and Descriptions — Your title should be relevant and optimized, but not bogged down with keywords. Furthermore, don’t settle for a generic title that’s overused. If your website is not well-known, using a title like Social Media Management that has already been used by high-ranking websites increases the chances of your website getting lost among the “big dogs” on Google’s first page. Instead, try using a title such as Tips for Managing Social Media or Social Media Management and Small Businesses. Your descriptions should also be optimized, because that is what a potential consumer will see on the results page. Having a description that motivates the user and has a selling point results in a higher CTR (click through rate). Search engines have different length limits, and may vary from 140 to 150 characters. They should have a keyword or two, but only if they fit in naturally and generate interest. Put the Spotlight on your Content — Promote your blog post and/or your website by sharing it. We were taught as kids, “sharing is caring.” In terms of SEO copywriting, sharing is how you can get your content noticed. Spread the word to the masses via appropriate platforms, e.g. forums, blogs, newsletters, and the big players in social media marketing like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. As your content receives more traffic and “shares,” your content’s relevance to Google will increase. Google Plus and Authorship — It’s no secret that Google—think back to high school—is the most popular kid on the block and was voted, “Most Likely to Succeed” right? If you want to rank high on search engines like Google, then you’ve got to make friends with Google+ and take advantage of one of its many features, Google Authorship. Once you set up your G+ profile, all it takes is a few simple steps to become a Google verified author. As a result, you will take ownership of the content you publish on your own website, or the content you contributed to another website (think guest blogging). Google+ plays a big part in SEO once Author Rank was introduced. Google connects the individual ranking factor of each author and their published work that appears on not only their own website, but on other sites as well. Fresh and Beautiful — I’m not talking about the newest campaign for a makeup company; I’m talking about your content. Keep your content fresh and up-to-date with the latest information (while staying relevant). In addition, be sure to publish high-quality content on a regular basis, which can increase the amount of followers you have on various social media platforms. Along with quality, take the extra time with your content to include keywords for SEO purposes, and make your post readable. Use text-beautifying techniques such as writing small paragraphs, picking a font that is easily read, and utilize bold/italics to emphasize important points. By utilizing these tips, your website will be closer and closer to landing on the first page of results on many search engines. If our Orlando Digital Marketing and SEO Company can help you with SEO copywriting, visit our website or give us a call at 321-236-BUZZ (2899)!
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