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3 ways to conquer your SEO copywriting fears

March 11, 2010 • posted by Heather

Is you fear holding you back from SEO copywriting success?

At first read, you may think, “Fear? My fear isn’t holding me back from success.”

I used to think that too. About a lot of things. But ask yourself if any of these statements ring true for you:

“Our home page copy is really spammy, but it’s ranking well. I don’t want to change it and cause our rankings to drop.”

“We hired a copywriter a few years ago. Her writing was horrible. I’ll never outsource again – it was a dreadful experience.”

“I know we need to do something with our site, but what if it doesn’t work? If I can’t show ROI, I may not have a job at the end of the quarter.”

Or if you’re a copywriter, you may think…

“I want to start freelancing, but what if I don’t make any money. Better to keep my horrible job than be forced to live under a bridge.”

Sound familiar?

You go through a couple bad vendors and think, “Nope, never again.” You think of revamping your site copy and think, “Nope, it may not work.”

So you do nothing. But unfortunately, even doing “nothing” causes stress. Because deep down, you know that doing nothing has less to do with the numbers and everything to do with your psychological wiring.

In short, your fear is messing with you. And it’s costing you money.

I get it. I really do. I’ve been self employed for over 20 years, and I’ve had my share of fear-based moments. I’ve launched businesses with a scant $1,000 to my name. I’ve had vendors who worked…and others who really haven’t. And yeah, I’ve felt the fear.

And yeah, it messed with me too. It messes with everyone.

Now, here’s how to get over it.

  • Know that fear is sometimes a good thing. Fear can be your mind’s way of saying, “Hey, we’re doing something outside of our comfort zone. We don’t like this.” If you want to build muscle, you have to train outside of your comfort zone. And if you want to build revenue, sometimes, that means doing something outside of your business comfort zone. Can you imagine what your business life would be like if you didn’t have the guts to buy a domain name – or build a Website – or take a chance on a risky project that netted you a lot of money. You’ve already conquered this fear already. You can do it again.
  • Outline a small, actionable step and do it.  How many things do you have on your “to-do” list like, “Talk to a copywriter,” or “Figure out how to handle our unoptimized pages.” Ack! With to-do’s like that, is it any wonder you’re stressed, overwhelmed and fearful? Focus your energies instead on one thing you can do to move the process forward.  For instance, ask your LinkedIn network for copywriter referrals. Divide your site into sections and list 10 unoptimized pages a day. Breaking up huge projects into small tasks helps you feel a sense of accomplishment. And before you know it, you’ll have completed what felt like an overwhelming task!
  • Understand that the past doesn’t dictate the present. Afraid to hire a new SEO copywriter because the last relationship was less than stellar. Guess what? Unless you’re still with your very first boyfriend (or girlfriend,) you’ve already conquered this fear. You dated again. You probably even had another long term relationship. You dealt with it. Just because you had a bad experience once doesn’t mean that it will repeat itself. Nor should a past experience (even if it just happened last week,) cause you to immediately reject a future one. Should you learn from your experience? Yes.  Should you take the lessons you learned and make more informed decisions? Yes. But the decision shouldn’t be “I’m too afraid to deal with this again.”

When you take action – even just a little bit – your taking control and meeting your fear dead-on. You don’t want the fear to win, do you? It doesn’t have to. And that’s something you can control.

Filed under Commentary, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house SEO copywriting, SEO Copywriting Tips

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The dark side of Facebook fan pages

March 4, 2010 • posted by Heather

Picture this: I’m working away in a cramped London hotel room. I’m there for SES London, along with many other of my geeky SEO friends.

Suddenly, I get a Facebook fan page request from a person who shall remain nameless.

And then I got another. And another. All from the same person.

At the end of the deluge, this person had sent out about eight “become a fan” requests (it could have been more, actually,) all within five minutes.

A few minutes later, I head downstairs for dinner. One person checks his iPhone and groans about all the “become a fan” requests. Another person checks his email and makes the same comment. We compare notes and realize, yup, these requests were:

  1. All from the same person, who was…
  2. In our industry, so he was probably…
  3. Setting up Facebook fan pages for his clients (most of which were local to this man, and therefore, we had never even heard of the companies)  and…
  4. Sending out bulk “become a fan” email requests to everyone in his Facebook network on behalf of his clients. You know, the companies that none of his Facebook friends had ever heard of.

Within five minutes, this person was “unfriended” by five people. Probably more – I’m sure we weren’t the only folks in his network to feel this way.

Folks, I am all for Facebook fan pages.  I think they offer businesses a fantastic way to reach customers and engage in a two-way dialogue. Heck, even I have a SEO copywriting Facebook page.

But when it comes to promoting your fan page (or your client’s), please, please use some common sense. Sending out client fan requests to everyone on your friend network is just plain irritating. How could I have any kind of “connection” to a company that’s across the U.S. from me? How is that targeted? It reflects poorly upon the marketer and poorly upon the company.

If you’re cringing a bit because you’ve done the same thing, I know you meant well. You really did.  Heck, I’m sure the guy who sent out all the Facebook notifications meant well.  I’m sure he wanted to build up his client’s fan network and show some initial success.  The thought was nice. But there are other ways to reach that goal.

So, before you send out “bulk-fan” notifications, ask yourself:

1. Does my friend have any connection to the company that I’m promoting? If you’re promoting your own company, it may be appropriate to email more folks within your network (although Kenny Hyder says no in this funny and spot-on post.) But if you know that your friend lives in California, and you’re asking them to become a fan of a small, local Vermont-based business, you probably aren’t going to get much play.

2. Do I have a page that’s worthy of fandom? If it’s a brand-new fan page without much interaction, consider bulking up your content before trolling for fans. Otherwise, you’re asking folks to fan (otherwise known as “recommend”) a page that’s not even ready for prime-time.

3. How would I feel if I received this fan request? Just because people can easily ignore a request doesn’t mean that you should make them spend the time to do so. If you’re on the fence, don’t send it.

Friends don’t let friends send spammy Facebook spam requests, m-kay? Think about it.

Filed under Commentary, Copywriting, SEO Copywriting Tips, Social Media, Working with clients

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Just hire a content marketing strategist, already!

February 25, 2010 • posted by Heather

So, I turned down a SEO copywriting job today.

No, the reason didn’t have anything to do with what the client would pay (the money was pretty good, actually.) Nor did it have anything to do with what I’d be writing about (the content was fairly interesting.)

The reason I turned down the gig was because there was no content strategy in place – and although I could easily write the copy and take the client’s money, I knew that what I’d be doing wouldn’t help them. Yes, I can write articles. Yes, those articles can easily have keyphrases. But to write 80 articles all focused around one keyword each…well…that’s not a content marketing strategy. That’s a step closer to Spamville.

What’s hard is explaining this to the client, who learned about this “content marketing strategy” from their marketing agency.  The agency explained to the client that if having one article on their site is good, 80 is better – especially when each article has a specific keyword density (can you SEE me rolling my eyes…argh!).  What’s more, the agency told the client that HOW the article was written really didn’t make much of a difference. It was all about focusing the article around one lone keyword.

Ouch.  What makes it worse is that I know the agency the prospect was working with. And I know that – every month – these poor folks are paying about 20K/month for advice like that. For some of us, 20K/month would mean a new car. Or a partial down payment on a house. You know, something that would be useful…

I’ve seen this same problem manifest in different ways, some more “SEO dangerous” than others.  Sometimes, the issue would qualify as a “stupid strategy” That is, it’s a strategy that won’t really help a client and shows that the SEO doesn’t know anything about content marketing (although they could be a fantastic technical SEO.) Other times, I hear of weird content interlinking and keyword-stuffing strategies that are painful to hear about – and would be even more painful to implement. During times like these, it’s hard to keep my mouth shut and not say, “Um, WTF is your agency thinking?” (And for folks who know me personally, you know that, yes, I DO ask that question. I can’t help it. It’s how I roll.)

Here’s the thing: Your content marketing strategy is crucial. You wouldn’t hire a SEO strategist who didn’t understand the technical ins-and-outs of a Website. Nor would you hire an affiliate marketing strategist who knew nothing about affiliate marketing.

But why, oh why, do agencies (and SEO companies) think that it’s not important to have a content marketing strategist on staff? And what’s more – why aren’t clients screaming for this type of expertise?

A content marketing strategist is more than a glorified copywriter who helps makes your content pretty for the search engines. This person is responsible for reviewing your existing content, noticing how it performs, reviewing your customer messaging, and helps build out value-added content your prospects want to read (and yes, helps them convert.) They may be expert SEO practitioners – but their focus is around your messaging and your opportunities. Not to mention, watch-dogging your existing content play to make sure that everything you do fits neatly into best practices.

So, here’s my call to action…

If you are an agency or a SEO company, for goodness sake, just hire a content marketing strategist already. You don’t have to bring them on full-time (although I’d recommend it.) Even having an outsourced content marketing strategist will help. If nothing else, your content marketing strategist may see opportunities that a more “technical” SEO wouldn’t see – and these opportunities can help increase the value of a contract (and more importantly, increase the value to the client.) This way, Mr. Technical SEO or Ms. Agency Marketer, you can focus on what you know and excel with – and the content strategist can do her thing.

If you are a client working with an agency or SEO, ask about their content strategy process. If the agency dances around the whole “content marketing strategist” talk, run. Run away. And run fast. For the most technically-savvy SEO’ed site doesn’t mean a thing without a good content marketing strategy. After all, are people buying from you because your site boasts elegant code and a slammin’ back end? Or because of your content and how it’s presented?

At the end of the day, as Seth Godin said, “The best SEO is great content.” When you work with a specialist, he can make your content great – and help you make content decisions that make sense for your site. It doesn’t get better than that.

Filed under Commentary, In-house SEO copywriting, Working with clients

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Does your content piss people off?

February 16, 2010 • posted by Heather

A few days ago, my husband and I were watching an ad for Teleflora. It was your typical Valentine’s Day ad – a woman received flowers at work – but they were brown and wilted. She was obviously disappointed. The lesson: If you don’t purchase your flowers from Teleflora, the love of your life may question how much you really care.

The ad made my husband angry. First, he said, why are all Valentine’s Day ads targeted towards men? Why aren’t there any targeted towards women? After all, they buy Valentine’s Day gifts too (good point.)

But what made him the most angry was what he felt was the subtext of the ad. In his words, “OK, so I’m a tool if I don’t send flowers – and I’m even more of a tool if I send flowers and they aren’t the right kind. Men can’t win.”

(Fair disclosure: My wonderful husband celebrates Valentine’s Day 365 days a year. His ad resistance had everything to do with the messaging, and nothing to do with the concept of celebrating your beloved.)

When you’re writing copy, it’s so important to consider how the target audience will feel about your content.  On the surface, the Teleflora ad was probably seen as witty and original. But since the target audience is men – and men are getting told yet again that their gifts had better measure up on Valentine’s Day – how effective was this ad, anyway?

This is especially important if you’re writing copy about “touchier” subjects. For instance, think of people who need high-risk car insurance and SR-22 forms. This population is already facing higher insurance fees, and are dealing with the stigma of needing a SR-22 in order to drive.  If you are part of this target audience, would you rather read:

“Accidents, violations = OK!” (The General Car Insurance) or…

“This is auto insurance for people that many insurance companies do not desire to insure or for people that have had a policy cancelled” (High Risk Auto Insurance Ontario.)

You see the difference? The General makes a positive statement (OK!) while the other site reminds the visitor that yes, they did mess up royally.

As I stated in “Do You Know What Your Prospects Are Really Thinking”, your target audience is looking for excuses to NOT buy from you. When you write content that disempowers, embarrasses or freezes prospects with fear, they won’t react well. In fact, the only reaction you may see are huge bounce rates.

The important takeaway from these examples is to always – and I mean always – put yourself in your target audience’s shoes. Ask yourself how you’d feel if you read the copy. Would you feel empowered and positive (OK!) Or would you feel like, no matter what you did, it wouldn’t be good enough (Teleflora.)

Focus on writing copy that’s empowering, exciting and informative. You won’t piss people off – and your site conversions will show it.

(Private note to ProFlowers – your site is still focused around Valentine’s Day – and it’s the 16th of February. Oops!)

Filed under Commentary, Content marketing, Copywriting, SEO Copywriting Tips

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Want to be a SEO copywriter? Check out these FAQs.

February 9, 2010 • posted by Heather

Ever since I launched my SEO Copywriting Certificate Program, I’ve heard from a number of people who want to dip their toes into the SEO copywriting waters – but they’re not sure if it’s the right career choice for them.

If you’re looking at SEO copywriting as a career choice, here are the 10 most frequent questions I hear…and the answers I provide:

1. I have zero copywriting experience. Can I still be a SEO copywriter?

Sure you can…after some training.

To be a successful SEO copywriter, it is very important to understand how the search engines work. I can’t emphasize this enough. You don’t have to be a technical wizard who enjoys coding sites in your spare time. But you do need to speak (and understand) “SEO geek.” Otherwise, you are doing your clients a huge disservice. Remember, clients rely on you to understand keyphrase strategy, hyperlink strategy and how content marketing dovetails with their entire marketing campaign. Not understanding SEO best practices means you’ll miss important opportunities (or make mistakes) that can cost your client money.

Additionally, you’ll also need to understand persuasive writing techniques – otherwise known as “understanding how people tick and make buy decisions.” At the end of the day, your clients look to you as a marketing expert. They may not have a good handle on how to boast their benefits or pinpoint their unique sales proposition. If you really want to help your clients succeed (and that means helping them make sales,) it’s crucial that you understand how to create conversion-oriented copy. It will help you write better Web pages, improve your email campaigns – and even help you “sell” yourself on your own site.

2.  Do I need to go back to school?

Nope.  In fact, I don’t know of any universities that incorporate SEO copywriting into their curriculum.

3.  So, if I can’t go to school to learn SEO copywriting…how will I learn the ropes?

Being a self-starter and taking the initiative to educate yourself is extremely important. Unlike some careers, don’t figure that you’ll “learn SEO copywriting” in a few months – and that’s all you’ll need to do. I’m still learning. I’m still researching. It’s a never-ending process.

Many of the top copywriters are self-taught, learning the art through reading books, combing blogs and trial and error. For folks who prefer more “formal” training,  there is my new SEO Copywriting Certificate Program (which is online and self-taught.) If you enjoy learning in a conference environment, Pubcon, Search Marketing Expo and Search Engine Strategies run SEO copywriting panels. AWAI runs Web Writing Workshops. And occasionally, there are local workshops too – you can always check with a SEO copywriter you like and see if he/she is running anything in your area.

4. My fav SEO copywriter isn’t planning a seminar in my area. Now what?

Some folks learn well in a mentor relationship, where the SEO copywriter reviews your work, answers your questions and helps you learn the art faster and easier. I’ve mentored a few folks, and it is a very powerful way to learn – especially for folks who prefer a one-on-one learning environment. Some mentors will work with folks for free, in exchange for you doing some writing. Other mentors will charge money. Although “free” is a great price, don’t reject a “paid” mentor relationship if you have the funds available. You’ll probably be able to work with a SEO copywriter faster (and receive more consistent feedback) if you’re able to pay.

If you can get hired as a marketing assistant, it’s possible that you can learn the SEO copywriting essentials on the job. Although most companies prefer to hire folks with at least a little experience, you can work as an assistant at first – and then gradually work on some writing projects as your skills improve.

5. Won’t what I learn be out of date in just a few months?

Nope.  SEO copywriting foundational strategies have been stable over time. Granted, there are always new opportunities (such as Twitter.) But the “writing with keywords” basics are tried and true. At the same time, it’s crucial to stay educated in this fast-moving field. If you love to learn, SEO (and SEO copywriting) is a great career choice.

6. How can I find SEO copywriting work?

That depends – do you want to work in-house or freelance?  If you want to freelance, think about business owners you personally know who have a Website – is there some way that you can help them? You can also work with advertising agencies,  SEO firms, online SEO copywriting agencies and even Web design companies.  In short, freelance SEO copywriters have lots of options.

If you prefer to work in-house, you can find a number of SEO copywriting and content marketing jobs online. The site Direct Response Jobs lists some great SEO copywriting gigs (registration required.)

7. How much should I charge for SEO copywriting services?

That depends on a lot of things, including your experience level, your local area (assuming that you are focusing locally,) and the types of clients you want to work with. If your heart is with small business owners, it makes sense to charge small business prices. If you love working with corporations – and you have some experience under your virtual belt – you can charge much more. I know SEO copywriters who have made 20K a year – and others who have made over 200K.

8.  Can I be a part-time SEO copywriter?

Yes. Many people when they are first starting out have a “real job” during the day – and work on SEO copywriting assignments at night. This can be a great way to build up a client base while having the security of a regular paycheck. Note that you’ll have to figure out how to communicate with your clients during your “regular” workday – even if your SEO copywriting day starts at 7pm, most of your clients will want to talk to you between 9-5. However, you can always answer emails and take calls on your lunch hour – and really focus on your clients the moment you get home.

9.  How can I get paid more money?

That’s up to you. Good – and I mean really good – SEO copywriters are SEO experts in their own right. They understand how the search engines work, and keep up on the latest and greatest algorithmic changes. At the same time, these savvy SEO copywriters are researching topics like NLP, neuromarketing, consumer psychology – anything that will help them write better copy faster. The more you know, the more you can get paid.

If you love learning and uncovering the latest search engine burp is fun for you, you can look at expanding your skills into link building, social media and even consulting and training. Some SEO copywriters even take on full-scale SEO projects, handling everything from technical to analytics and everything in between. If this is the route you plan to take, know that you’ll need to spend a lot of time educating yourself. As I mentioned earlier, your lack of knowledge can hurt a client – so be very honest in what you can do – and what you can’t provide.

10. The most important question of all: Is SEO copywriting a fun career choice?

For many people, yes, SEO copywriting is a darn fun career choice. Some folks choose to turn SEO copywriting into a lifestyle business, where they fit in copywriting gigs around family, fun and other responsibilities. Other people dream of having a full-fledged SEO copywriting and content marketing agency, complete with employees, downtown office and signage. While others would prefer to work in-house with a team of talented people. If SEO copywriting is your desired career choice, you have the freedom to create the work environment you’ve always wanted. And having that kind of freedom, combined with doing the work you want to do, is a great gig.

Filed under Commentary, Content marketing, Copywriting, Freelance SEO copywriting, In-house SEO copywriting

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Why some SEO firms don’t employ copywriters

February 2, 2010 • posted by Heather

Last week, I heard from a very frustrated prospect.

This nice man had been working with a SEO firm for a few months. The firm had been doing all the back-end stuff that needed to be done: Cleaning the code, creating new Titles, building links and generally sprucing up the site. In general, the company did an OK job making the site more visible to search engines.

But here’s the thing: The prospect comes from a marketing background. He knew his existing copy didn’t “pop.” And he knew that better writing would equate into higher conversion rates.

When he expressed his concern to the SEO firm, they handed him a list of “SEO copywriting best practice guidelines” and told him that they “didn’t do SEO copywriting – he’d have to write the copy himself.”

His question to me was: “Shouldn’t all SEO firms employ SEO copywriters? Isn’t it such an important part of SEO that they’d want to have that part covered?”

Well, yes and no. It depends on the SEO.

Many SEO firms are technically focused, meaning that they are masters at untangling the most ugly bits of code, making it easy (or easier) for search engines to access the site. A savvy technical SEO shop can work wonders with a site – and a few technical changes can unlock the positioning floodgates.

However, technical SEO firms aren’t filled with marketers. Their job isn’t to help your copy convert better. Their job is to make your site better for the search engines.

There’s a difference.

Other SEO firms work with copywriters, but the copywriters mostly add keyphrases into copy and create new Titles. Granted, keyphrase editing (or what some firms call “on-page optimization”) is very valuable to the SEO process. But the focus again is to make the existing copy “better for search engines.” They aren’t addressing the conversion aspects of the page. That’s not their job.

This is a challenge for clients who really need writing help. After all, if your copy wasn’t converting before it included keyphrases, adding keyphrases without changing the copy won’t magically help. It won’t make your writing “pop” to the user and entice them to read more (or buy more.) It’s just that the page is better for search engine positioning.

This is where asking the right questions before you sign with a SEO firm comes in…

If you know that your conversion rates are low (or maybe you’re not sure – but you know that your copy is dirt-dull boring,) ask the SEO firm about their approach to SEO copywriting. They may say that they don’t handle the copywriting. Or that they “edit” copy – but they don’t rewrite it. In that’s the case, you have some options:

1. Handle the writing in-house, and give the new copy to the SEO firm. If you have smart in-house copywriters, they can learn how to create top-converting and keyphrase-rich copy. There are also resources such as (shameless plug) the SEO Copywriting Certificate Program that will teach you the ropes.

2. Find a technical SEO firm that does employ SEO copywriters. They are out there – you just have to be very specific about what you need (content marketing services.) If you do go this route, it’s important to gain writing samples from the writer who will be handling your account. That way, you can request another writer if the original writer’s work doesn’t “speak to you” (and don’t worry – the original writer won’t take it personally. Different writers “click” with different clients, so it’s OK to be picky.)

3. Work with your “technical SEO” and hire a SEO copywriting and content marketing agency for your content creation. This may seem clunky at first, but it’s actually very workable. The technical SEO worries about your site architecture and links – and the SEO copywriter focuses on your customer persona and your conversions. Since good SEO copywriters are also SEOs in their own right, they can easily work with other SEO providers. Plus, both firms get to focus on what they do best.

Whatever option you choose, you can easily have the best of both worlds – a technically-savvy site and top-ranking copy that converts like crazy. Once your copy and site are top-notch, you’ll truly enjoy the power of “good SEO” – and you can start building on that success.

Filed under Commentary, Content marketing, In-house SEO copywriting

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8 ways to handle the haters

January 21, 2010 • posted by Heather

I remember it like it was yesterday.

15 years ago, I was working for a small-press publisher. After months of begging, I finally got my chance to write my first back-jacket blurb – you know, the promo paragraphs designed to snare you into buying the book? What’s more, it was for a well-known author in the self-help field. Needless to say, I sweated and slaved over every word.

A week after I turned in the copy, the publisher called me into her office. Apparently, not only did the client NOT like the copy, he felt compelled to break down why he didn’t like it on a line-by-line basis. The letter ended with (and no, I’m not making this up,) “I don’t know who this Heather Lloyd-Martin woman thinks she is…”

I was devastated. Looking back, I’m amazed I stayed in the industry. But I did – and this experience taught me a lot.

The reality is, some clients are going to hate what you write. They won’t be satisfied. And they will tell you in no uncertain terms.  Here’s how to handle it:

  • Calm your heart rate. I don’t care how many years you’ve been in the business, reading “I’m not happy with the copy” sends ice shivers down your spine. Immediately, self-doubt kicks in. “Was the writing that bad? Did I totally miss the point? What’s wrong with me?” Or sometimes, all you feel is anger. “Do they realize what I went through to write it? Those &*##@*^.” The more you panic, the less you’ll be able to appropriately react. And react you must do, for the next step is to immediately…
  • Email the client. The best step you can take after receiving a nastygram is immediately respond to the client. Don’t explain, don’t defend, don’t sound angry. Just tell them that you received their email and appreciate their comments. Keep in mind that most clients don’t like sending nastygrams. It’s as hard on them to write as it is on you to read. When you ignore their email because you’re freaked out, the only message you’re sending is “I don’t care about your email.” And that’s the last message you want to send to an unhappy client.  Remember, how you handle the situation is incredibly important, and can mean the difference between keeping the account and letting it go – so this is no time to hide.
  • Schedule a time to talk on the phone. Scheduling a phone chat gives you two advantages. One is you can talk through the copy changes rather than relying on email back-and-forth. Many times, a 10 minute conversation is all it takes to give the client exactly what she wants.  The other reason for a phone conversation is to assess how unhappy the client really is. Email won’t tell you if you need to tease out additional objections and do additional damage control – but a phone call will.
  • Own your mistakes. Did the client catch a mistake and that’s what’s making them cranky? For goodness sake, just own it. Don’t try to explain why it happened, or talk about how many deadlines you’re juggling. Guess what – the client doesn’t care. All they want to know is how you will fix the problem. (As a side note, if it is the client’s fault, it does no good to point out, “Hey buddy, this is your hit, not mine.” Handle situations like that with extreme care.)
  • Send an email immediately outlining the changes you agreed upon. Yes, this is a CYA move. But this also helps prevent “scope creep.” A quick email outlining the changes – and insisting on the client’s written agreement before you proceed – will make your life easier. Otherwise, you run the risk of the client saying after the second draft, “Oh yes, we didn’t like this part either…I know we didn’t mention it before, but we need you to change this” – and you’re stuck in a constant editing spiral.
  • Make the changes immediately. This is the time to clear your schedule, make the fixes, and turn the copy around fast. Don’t schedule it for “when you have time.” Do it right away. Quick action will impress your client and show that you care about the account. Taking your sweet time to turn around the copy will do nothing but alienate them further.
  • Follow-up again by phone. Once your client has your second draft, there is nothing that will impress them more than a quick call making sure that all is well. And if it’s not well, make their changes and send the copy through again.
  • If it’s not clicking – and both parties have tried – let the client go. This rarely happens if you’ve really listened to your client’s needs – but it happens for various reasons. Sometimes, it’s just not a good copywriting “click” and nothing you write will make the client happy. Sometimes, the client is facing behind-the-scenes political pressures and that’s why nothing is working. It’s OK. It’s not fun, but it’s OK. Just give them their money back, refer them to other smart SEO copywriters and wish them well. I’ve had this situation happen three times in 12 years. Two of the clients eventually came back because they liked the way I handled the situation. And guess what – there were no future client issues.

Dealing with unhappy clients can be scary, frustrating and maddening. But remember, if you handle the situation quickly  – and take the time to really hear your client’s needs – you can save the gig. Plus – like what happened to me 15 years ago – you may even get more work because the client likes the way you handled the situation. What a great way to transform a stressful problem into a profitable, happy client relationship!

Looking for low-cost SEO copywriting training? Learn more about the SuccessWorks SEO Copywriting Certificate Program, designed for in-house marketing professionals, agencies, SEO shops and copywriters.

Filed under Commentary, Copywriting, Freelance SEO copywriting, Working with clients

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Do you know what your prospects are really thinking?

January 19, 2010 • posted by Heather

Want to know a secret?

When prospective buyers visit your website, they are looking for more than just their desired product or service.

The secret is, they’re looking for reasons to NOT buy from you.

Yes, that’s right. Your prospects – no matter how motivated they are – are coming to the virtual table with a chip on their shoulder. Like the person burned by too many bad dates (you dated that person too?) they want you to prove to them how you’re not just like all the others.

But the problem is, just like in the dating example, you have no idea what the “others” did to your prospect. She’s not coming to you and saying, “Here’s what happened to me – and I’m expecting you to pull the same stuff.” But here’s what she could be thinking…

…The last PR company I worked with took my 10K and didn’t generate a dime in buzz. How can you help me?

…The last time I bought something online, the package arrived late – and the company overcharged me for shipping. Will you do the same thing?

…The last time I hired a writer, he copied an article from Wikipedia and tried to pass it off as original content. How do I know that I’ll get what I’m promised?

…These prices seem high. Are your services really worth it, or are you overpriced?

Think about your own buying behavior. Do you jump into a new purchase willy-nilly, buying from the first vendor in the search results? Or do you carefully compare Websites, send exploratory emails and check reviews so you can work with the right company?

(As a side note, that’s why well-written persuasive content is so important, It’s more than just “getting a good ranking.” It’s providing a fantastic customer experience through the power of the written word.)

Here’s what this means to your online content.

You have to overcome those objections within your copy and show the value of working with you. Rather than waiting for your prospect to bring up every objection they have (guess what – they won’t,) you have to face the known issues head-on and overcome them. No, that doesn’t mean hammering your prospect over the head with how cool you are. It means recognizing that your prospects need to be 100% assured of the value they’ll receive when they work with you.

Plus, if you don’t overcome these objections immediately in your Web copy, you may not get a second chance.

For instance, Domino Pizza’s old campaign of “Pizza in 30 minutes or less” was perfect for thousands of hungry pizza-lovers anxious for immediate-gratification food.

The U.S. Post Office’s campaign of “Celebrating a simpler way to ship” helps promote their online services and overcome the objection of “Will I have to stand in line for hours at the Post Office?”

Or FedEx’s, “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight…guaranteed” – which is important for businesses who need on-time, trackable shipping.

How do you “figure out the known issues” if you don’t know exactly what your prospect is thinking? Simple. Do your homework.

  • Talk to your sales team. These are the folks “in the trenches” who hear exactly what’s going on – and who overcome objections every time they talk to a new prospect. Learn what their clients are worried about, what’s important to them, and how your service has exceeded their expectations.
  • Talk to your customers. Often times, testimonials can help tease out what objections the person had before they worked with you. For instance, customers will tell stories like, “When I worked with XYZ company, it took one or two days before they would answer my email. When I work with you, I get an immediate response.” See there? A sentence like, “We’ll return your email within one business day, guaranteed” perfectly overcomes the objection.
  • Review competitng sites. Sometimes, your competition really does get it right. Comb through their copy and see if they’ve overcome objections that your site doesn’t address. Does your competition talk about how many years of experience their consultants have? Does your competition mention a “no hassle money back guarantee?”  Do they include customer reviews touting their superior service? Although it’s not a smart idea to copy your competition (after all, you can do better,) you can learn from them. And in doing so, give your prospects the exact information they need.

Wondering how to write persuasive content that gains top search engine positioning. Learn more about the new SEO Copywriting Certificate Program – perfect for SEO practitioners, online copywriters, marketing gurus and advertising professionals.

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What’s the one SEO copywriting step you should never, ever skip?

January 12, 2010 • posted by Heather

There is a lot of SEO copywriting information online. Some is good. Some is excellent, making me excitedly think, “They get it! They really really get it.”

And some advice makes me bang my head against the wall.

Why? Because the advice is confusing, only applicable in certain situations, or just plain wrong. Here’s an (unfortunate) example.

This post by Michel Fortin makes some good points. It really does. But there was one line that concerned me, which was:

“Personally, I don’t spend time on keyword optimization, keyword density, or things of that nature.”

Now, to some new SEO copywriters – or folks who don’t understand the medium well – it could sound like, “Hey, that’s an entire step that I don’t have to worry about! Now, I know if I just write good copy, I’ve covered my SEO copywriting bases.”

And that’s not true. SEO copywriting is both art and science. It’s figuring out how people search for what you have to offer, and wrapping that information up into a compelling package. If you haven’t done your keyphrase research – and you’re not including keyphrases in your copy and Titles – you are hurting your SEO campaign. Keyphrase research is a step you should never, ever (ever) skip. Ever.

For those who are interested in the “should I optimize for keywords” debate, here’s my response to Michel’s post. Enjoy!

I would agree with you on keyword density. I’ve been teaching audiences and copywriters how to write for the engines for over 12 years, and I have never once measured keyword density. That’s an old holdover from Alta Vista days (remember them?!?) when SEO experts knew that a 5.5 percent keyword density would gain a good ranking.

That’s not even close to being true anymore – there are way more ingredients in the algorithmic soup to make that relevant. However…

If you don’t research your keyphrases, how do you know what words to include in your copy? It’s more than just writing “good copy.” For example, print catalog marketers write fantastically compelling copy every day. But when those catalogs are brought online, the sites don’t position well. The reason why is because there are no keyphrases in the content.

I know of one big brand company that researches their keyphrases before they name a product. Why? Because they learned that no-one would search for “Tranquil Moments Companion” when the product was actually a white-noise machine to help people sleep. :)

Additionally, some marketing departments think about their products and services in a different way than their customers. What they call a “multilingual global communication system” may really be (in prospect-speak) “free IM chat.” If that company optimizes for “multilingual global communications systems – no matter how good the copy is – they probably won’t get many (if any) qualified leads.

Keyphrase research should always be the first step in a SEO copywriting campaign. Not only can copywriters make sure that they are targeting the phrases people really use, but they can find new keyphrases to target. They can create content for all phases of the buy cycle. They can use keyphrase research to answer questions. And most importantly, the copywriters can make sure that what they are writing is great for prospects – but also accomplishes their SEO campaign goals.

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The #1 Deadliest SEO Copywriting Sin

September 30, 2009 • posted by Heather

dreamstime_7297345Recently, a couple blog posts have focused on the “deadly sins” of SEO copywriting and content marketing.  Michelle Bowles from TopRank Marketing showcases five tips for avoiding deadly SEO copywriting sins. GrokDotCom reminds us that “Nobody wants to read your sh**! These articles are funny, informative and (for some) may hit very close to home.

Yet, I was surprised that no-one pointed out the #1 SEO copywriting sin. And that’s creating keyphrase-stuffed copy.

I’ve ranted about this SEO copywriting sin before. Somehow, people really do believe that SEO copywriting means seeing how many times you can force-feed a keyphrase into site copy. They aren’t worried about creating a customer persona. They aren’t worried about developing persuasive benefit statements. Heck, they aren’t even worrried about their online image (after all, keyphrase-stuffed copy tends to read like it was written by a third grader.) Instead, it’s all keyphrases – all the time. And as a result, conversions suffer.

If you’re guilty of this sin (and a lot of companies are, both big and small,) here’s how you can repent:

  • Locate your “most sinful” pages. They may be the articles you paid $15 for that repeat your main keyphrase over and over. It may be your home page that you made more “keyphrase heavy” in an attempt at a higher ranking. Simply start out by figuring out what pages could use a rewrite – and you can develop the editorial plan later.
  • Find a new writer (or train your existing one.) Some writers keyphrase-stuff their copy because they honestly don’t know any better. If you’re working with a in-house writer, it may make more sense to sign her up for a SEO copywriting training or conference to refine her skills. If the “sinful” writing was created by an outsourced professional, consider hiring someone else. If you’re paying good money for SEO copywriting services, you deserve to have a quality product.
  • Plan your writing/editing schedule. Rewriting Web pages just feels overwhelming, doesn’t it? After all, once you’ve created them, it seems frustrating that you’d have to create them again. The rewriting process goes much more smoothly if you figure on rewriting X pages a month, rather than thinking you have 50 pages to ravamp right now.
  • Review your keyphrases again before you start writing. Don’t assume that they keyphrases you currently have on the page are the “right” ones.  Depending on the person who did your keyphrase research and how long it’s been since you’ve done it, there could be a plethora of more targeted phrases you could use. Once you’ve chosen your per-page keyphrases, it’s always a good idea to spot-check them in Bing and Google to see the other results that come up. Sometimes, what seems like the “perfect” keyphrase may not be as relevant as you think.
  • Consider other SEO content marketing strategies to help reinforce your keyphrase relevancy. Once reason people keyphrase stuff is because they want a high ranking on that phrase – but they do that at the expense of what their copy sounds like. Remember that you can create blog posts, articles, press releases, FAQ pages and other Web page that contain your “money” keyphrases – and seeding the phrase throughout your site will help increase relevancy.
  • Always, always write copy for your customers -not the search engines. I guarantee you that neither Bing nor Google cares about the money you make from your Web site (unless it’s being moved to their side of the table.) But you do. You care a lot. If you want your Web pages to both position well and convert, take the time to write your pages right the first time (or hire a SEO copywriter who will.) Develop your competitive analysis. Figure out what’s in it for your customer. Work with your benefit statements. Develop an engaging tone and feel – whatever that means to your audience. The hardest part of SEO copywriting is preparing to write. Believe me, once you have this part down – the rest will flow easily. And you’ll have the perfect combination of well-written, keyphrase-rich content that converts like crazy.

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