This particular firm (one that is well known in the industry…and no, I will not name them) contacted me because they wanted to outsource their SEO copywriting. This isn’t uncommon  – in fact, many SEO firms offer SEO copywriting services but don’t keep that particular skill set in house.

The exchange was pleasant, nice and positive. I sent over my prices. My contact wrote back and said that the price was too high. I responded that I work with a number of Certified SEO Copywriters – perhaps I could refer them? I then asked how much they were willing to pay per page.

The answer: $20 per page. And their old writer spent about 30 minutes per page.

I was floored. Literally floored. It takes a lot to shock me (as my friends know.) This was…shocking.  Let me explain the reasons why:

Quality SEO copywriting (or any type of quality writing) takes time. I’ve been a full-time writer for most of my adult life, and I would never – ever – spend 30 minutes on a sales page and call it good. That’s barely enough time to write a rough draft (and that’s on a short-copy page.) In order to write a good sales page (and not crap) you have to:

• Research the competition and know how to differentiate your client
• Create the best tone and feel for the page (or know how to replicate your client’s preferred tone and feel)
• Understand the micro and macro sales focus on the page
• Highlight the main benefits (both company and product/service)
• Write a headline (by itself, this could take 30 minutes or more)
• Create a rough draft
• Edit the draft mercilessly until it’s “right” (and this can also be highly time consuming)
• And then…finally…you’re ready to submit your draft.

You see what I mean? No matter how many efficiencies that you’ve built into your writing (and I’ve built in a number of them over the years,) writing quality content takes more time than 30 minutes. Much, much more time.

And then I started wondering, “I wonder if their clients – many of them big-brand clients – know that this SEO is paying their writer $20/page, marking it up to who-knows-what and selling it as quality content.”

(Mind you, I have no problems with a company marking up the cost – that’s just good business. But if you’re working with large brand companies and promising “quality SEO copywriting services,” shouldn’t you WANT the best for your clients?)

This situation puts the client (you) in a buyer beware position. It’s easy to trust a SEO firm when they say, “Don’t worry about the SEO copywriting. We have people who can help you.” It sounds all warm and fuzzy and nice and comforting – and you’d figure that of course the company would have good, experienced, whip-smart writers on staff.

But don’t count on it.

So here’s what to do if you’re thinking about having your SEO firm write your content.

1. Ask about their writers. Are they Certified in SEO copywriting? How many years experience do they have? How does the SEO company vet their writers before they hire them/ outsource to them? The last thing you want is to find out that their “experienced SEO copywriter” is someone fresh out of college who (as my father used to eloquently say) “doesn’t know their ass from third base.”
2. Ask about the company’s writing process. Can you have direct contact with the copywriter (highly recommended – otherwise, your information is being filtered through multiple people.) What’s the average time the writer spends on every page? Will the same writer be working on all of your pages, or will your pages be written by multiple writers?
3. Ask what kind of continuing education the SEO firm provides their writers. The SEO/social media world is constantly changing – and if the writer hasn’t updated their knowledge for a couple years, that can negatively impact your results.
4. Ask for writing samples from the writer assigned to your account. Always. If you don’t like the samples, request another writer.
5. Consider chatting with a SEO copywriting agency at the same time. It doesn’t mean that you have to use a copywriting agency over your SEO. But you may find that the prices are similar (often less) than what the SEO firm is charging – and you’ll benefit from more experienced writers (who get paid a living wage.)

Is all of this due diligence necessary? You bet. The writing on your site represents your brand. It’s your “silent salesperson” online. And yes, you deserve to be highly picky. You (probably) wouldn’t work with a SEO firm if you knew they outsourced your account to India. Why would you buy writing services from a firm who devalues the writing so much  – and cares about your branding so little – that they’re outsourcing to the lowest bidder (and yes, Demand Media and Associated Content, I’m talking about you too.)

Think about it.

Blog posts provide weird information like, “An experienced SEO copywriter optimizes his texts not only to avoid grammatical and stylistic errors but tautology in key words should be also avoided.” Online tools stress a magical (and nonsensical) keyphrase density percentage (a search for “keyword density” pulls up over 888,000 Google results.)  Not to mention, there are scads of bad examples of keyphrase-rich writing, leading clients to think, “Maybe it is all about stuffing keywords into the copy.”

This week, I asked SEO copywriters in the Facebook SEO Copywriting group, “If you could give your client just ONE SEO copywriting tip, what would it be?”  Here are their responses:

The big takeaway? SEO copywriting is more than just keyword stuffing. It’s about providing users with relevant, unique (and I would add quality) content. It’s about spending time – and I mean a lot of time – with keyphrase research, strategizing how to use your “money terms” as well as integrate long-tail keyphrases. Plus, it’s knowing how to leverage the content you do write. Do you start a Twitter campaign? Is a blog really worthwhile? Can article syndication drive more links and qualified visitors?

Whatever you choose, just know that content marketing is all about the momentum. As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog post, taking SEO copywriting baby steps – whether than means starting your keyphrase research, planning a section strategy – or heck, even looking for a SEO copywriter to help you – is just fine.  As @DerekCromwell pointed out, “Do something. It beats the hell out of doing nothing.”

In the July 6 issue of MediaWeek, the headline “Council to Counter Web Generators’ Growing Clout” was front and center.  The Internet Content Syndication Council (ICSC), comprised of representatives from firms such as Proctor and Gamble and Reuters, is complaining that content aggregators like Demand Media and Associated Content are “cheapening” the quality of Web content.

I couldn’t agree more.

For those unfamiliar with the business model, Web content aggregators make their money from syndicating content produced by freelance writers.  The production process is like SEO copywriting on steroids: Editors use savvy keyphrase research to ferret out SEO copywriting opportunities, and assign keyphrases to their freelancers.  However, rather than the emphasis being on the customer experience – that is, creating a quality, informative article that’s targeted towards a specific market, the emphasis is on content that’s “good enough” to get links or long tail rankings. For more information about Demand Media’s business model, check out this Wired article.

If you’re a site owner – and you don’t want to hire a copywriter or produce content in-house – you may be tempted to turn to Demand Media or Associated Content for an “article bank” of articles.  Heck, it’s cheap, easy content that you can instantly slap on your site. But personally, I’d think twice about using such services. Here’s why:

1. Syndicated content isn’t targeted. It’s great to fill content “holes” with new content – and that’s a great strategy. But you want it to be original content, targeted towards your audience and their specific needs. For instance, if I was writing an article about marketing with mailing lists, I’d be asking questions about the target audience, their existing knowledge levels and their pain points. Those specific writing touches helps to connect with your reader…and drives conversions. After all, “write for your reader” is the foundation of every writing gig for a reason.

2. You’re getting exactly what you’re paying for.  Writers working with sites like Associated Content aren’t making much money – at all.  For instance, Associated Content’s site lists upfront payment rates of $2-$15 per article. If someone has an $1,000 mortgage payment, they will need to write over 66 articles in a month just to make their mortgage. The focus isn’t on quality – it can’t be for those rates. Those rates breed a sweatshop, “Write it fast and turn it in” mentally (and how could it not, really?)

As an example, I searched Associated Content’s site for “SEO copywriting” and checked out the first article.  Here’s a direct quote discussing the advantages of SEO copywriting:

• “Helping to work out various steps to increase sales

SEO content writing aims to increase the sales rate and marketing goals to achieve maximum profit.”

Really? REALLY?  ::hits head against desk:: No, this isn’t exactly “high quality” content that should be syndicated. At all.

3. Bad content reflects negatively on your brand. Would you rent a rundown storefront in a bad area to save money? Heck no. It would drive customers away. Same goes for poorly-written content – if the content is inaccurate, poorly written or just plain dull, it’s not going to help.

As a side note, I’m a tad disappointed that a search engine like Yahoo – who is intimately familiar with the importance of quality content – would purchase Associated Content. From a SEO perspective, Y! would have to know that articles syndicated across multiple sites probably won’t position well. And from a pure copywriting perspective, it seems like they’d want to focus on quality content – not copywriting for “outsource-to-India” prices. From a revenue perspective, I get it – cheap copy makes money. But I’d like to see them up their game a bit. Shame on you, Yahoo, for promoting content that you know isn’t top-notch.

For more on this topic, check out MarketingVox’s take.

I received a question that I thought was excellent – and illustrates a common fear around launching a SEO copywriting campaign.

“Hi Heather,

I was just reading your latest edition of SEO Copywriting Buzz, and noticed the section titled “Do you have SEO copywriting questions you need answered?” There’s something I’m curious about, and I didn’t know if it might be something your other subscribers would be interested in as well…

I’ve talked to a couple of digital marketing specialists lately who claim that SEO Copywriting does no good without an overall, long-term strategy. So, my question is this: Is there value in doing some initial keyword research to create compelling, keyword-rich web content (and then incorporating those keyword phrases into additional online collateral like ezines, blog posts and press releases)? Or should companies hold off until  they can afford it all — social media, link building strategies, blogging, analytics, PPC, etc.)?

I view you as the expert on all things related to SEO Copywriting and would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Thanks so much for your time!

-Heather Mueller”

Thanks, Heather for the question (and the kind kudos!).

Yeah, I hear things like this all the time. And it’s sad, because the mindset is so, so wrong.  Here’s why:

In a perfect world, yes, it would be great to have a completely robust SEO strategy in place – and the content development would be a piece of the search marketing pie. That’s when clients can see the fastest results (which makes sense, since you’d be leveraging multiple marketing touchpoints.)

But here’s the thing: That’s not always the reality. For many businesses – and this is applicable for small businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies – doing everything, all at once isn’t feasible. Maybe it’s because of finances. Maybe the company is working things out internally. Sure, they may be ready to do one thing (like content development,) but not a link building strategy. Yet.

Does this mean that a company should wait until they have the time, budget and manpower to launch a full-scale campaign?

Hell no!

I’m not saying that companies should run out, willy-nilly, and “try some SEO stuff” without having some sort of strategy – that’s just stupid. But, sheesh – if all you can do is write your butt off in an attempt to gain more search rankings, see better conversions and brand your businesses – then write your butt off.  Be smart about it – you may want to hire a content marketing strategist to teach you the ropes and set strategy. Or get train your team in SEO copywriting best practices. But by all means – write.

It’s like telling someone that they don’t need to try to lose weight until they’ve created a 3-month meal plan, have an exercise strategy in place, hired a personal trainer, have eliminated sugar and caffeine from their diet and have purchased new exercise clothes. Gee. Can’t someone just start by eliminating their before-bedtime snack?

I’m a firm believer (and I’ve said this many times on stage) in SEO copywriting baby steps. If all you can realistically do this month is edit 15 pages for keyphrases and tweak your Titles – great. Or getting SEO copywriting training may be the easiest first step to take. Just know that there are many ways to accomplish your content marketing goals – and, as Katherine Andes from the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group said, “Eat the elephant one bite at a time.”

Good news:  it’s not all bad news.  Google’s Mayday update may be the thing to slap site owners upside the head and encourage them to create great content.  Wondering what May Day means to content marketers?  Check out some of the buzz:

• Ken Lyons weighs in on Google’s May Day and its “under the hood” implications as a site-level, SERP game-changer:  My Take on the Mayday Update:  Strengthen Your Niches or Land in the Ditches

• Vanessa Fox shares her Q&A with Google’s Matt Cutts on the Mayday algorithmic rankings change, and what it means:  Google Confirms “Mayday” Impacts Long Tail Traffic

• Webmaster World’s ongoing discussion of Google’s “Mayday” changes, as well as Google SEO News & Discussion:  Webmaster World

In 75 words or less, comment on this post and tell us why you want to be a Certified SEO Copywriter.

Maybe you’re a freelance writer, and receiving your Certification will help you build another income stream and give you a competitive edge. Maybe you’re a SEO agency copywriter and you want to know how to help your clients see better conversion rates. Or maybe you’re a small business owner who needs DIY SEO copywriting skills. Just tell us why Certification is important to you!

Easy!

Plus, even if you don’t receive a free training, you’ll still get a bonus – every person who enters will receive a 25 percent-off coupon for a future SEO Copywriting Certification training subscription (Total savings – $149.75!).

Here are the guidelines:

• Anyone can participate!
• No purchase is necessary.
• Post 75 words or less about why you want to be a Certified SEO copywriter in the “comments” section of this blog post. You have until Tuesday June 29, to submit your response.
• Make sure you include a valid email address (otherwise, I can’t contact you if I choose your comment – or give you your discount coupon!).
• The winner will receive a free 3-month subscription to the SEO Copywriting Certification training. There is no cash prize, nor can cash be substituted for the prize.
• The winner agrees that I can use their name and comment in future marketing materials.

That’s it!

I’ll choose what I feel is the best entry on June 30th. Once the winner has responded, I’ll announce it here. If the winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours of contact – sorry – the prize will go to the next person.

Of course, any spammy entries will automatically be deleted. You’ve been warned.

Ready? Set? Go forth and comment!

When’s the last time you reviewed your marketing collateral. No, not your site copy. Your other marketing materials: Your customer emails, fax forms, customer service surveys, order receipts – anything you send to a client or prospect.

Guess what? Your collateral marketing material may be undoing all of your good SEO copywriting and content marketing work and hurting your brand. To illustrate this point, let me tell a story…

I was unhappy with my current merchant processor. They weren’t a bad company. The customer service folks were nice. They just weren’t a good fit. It happens.

Canceling the account meant filling out a form. Not a big deal. The company requires a reason for closure and provides nine possible options to check.

(Mistake #1 – There was no room to write-in a comment. You had to choose one of the nine choices. So much for wanting useful customer feedback.)

I glanced at the reasons and saw the reasons you’d expect: “Out of business,” “new business ownership,” “chose different processor.”

And then one choice quickly jumped out at me: Misrepresentation.
And then I read: Poor service from bankcard.
And then I read: Poor service from sales representative.

So, what the company is telling me is – out of nine possible (and apparently common) reasons for closing the account, 1/3 of them is for poor service or misrepresentation?

Immediately, what was a brand-neutral experience (They weren’t a good fit for my business, so what) turned into a brand-killer (Have they been lying to me all this time? Do I need to go back and check my statements?) I instantly distrusted them and would not recommend them. All because of a one-page fax.

Their marketing collateral screwed their brand.

It happens with emails, too. Companies forget to review their autoresponder content all the time – so they may have “stuff” out there from five years ago. And since it’s automatic and no-one really sees the email in-house, the mistake is sent over and over and over again.

Case in point: After every email received (every one,) a direct cremation company would automatically send a general “here’s how to contact us” email.”  The companies first error? They misspelled the first word in the email  (they wrote “thanks you for contacting us.”) Yes, they misspelled the very first word.  Immediately after, the email listed a 800 number “if a death has just occurred,” and told the reader to “wait 24 hours for an email response.”There was nothing about “Sorry for your loss.” No mention of “We’re here to help you every step of the way.” No…nothing. I don’t think it was more than 25 poorly-written words. An email like that should have been written with the utmost care and compassion. Not as a fast one-off.

Tell me, would you trust your loved one to a company that misspells the first word of their email?

Again, the marketing collateral screwed their brand.

I urge you, please go through everything – your autresponders, your fax forms, your customer service scripts – everything and double-check it. You’re not just looking for the obvious mistakes (although if you find them, fix them fast!) You’re also looking for opportunity. Can you transform your writing so it’s more customer-centered? Do your “old” materials reflect a different style than what’s on your site – and you forgot to update them? Is there a way you can transform a customer receipt into an upselling machine?

For most companies, reviewing the collateral will take a couple hours, max. Worst that happens is everything is on-track and you have the peace-of-mind knowing that things are A-OK. But chances are, you’ll find something you can make just a little bit better – and making it better can help you make more money (and help people embrace your brand rather than avoid it.) The opportunities are there. You just have to notice.

Feel overwhelmed yet?

I realized that with all this talk about, “see how many ways your company can leverage content marketing,” there’s not a lot of talk about what to do when. I’ve seen too many companies with half-assed content marketing campaigns because they’re doing everything rather than the one really important thing. Instead of baby-stepping their way into a a robust content marketing campaign, they throw everything against the virtual web wall and sees what sticks.

Sound familiar? Take a deep breath and see if your site fits into the following categories. Here’s four typical scenarios for “what to do when”:

People are visiting your site, but they aren’t converting. This is a writing/usability issue (there may be some SEO elements in there as well, but they probably aren’t the primary cause.) What this is suggesting is that your target audience doesn’t “like” your pages. Maybe it’s because they can’t figure out how to take action. Or maybe it’s because the writing turns them off. Google’s Website Optimizer is a great way to A/B split test your pages and develop content that helps people convert like crazy.

And for goodness sake – if you’re writing to sell (or hiring someone to do it for you,) do it right. If you’re wondering why direct-response copywriting skills are crucial, this post explains it all. And if you’re a B2B company, here are some SEO copywriting tips just for you.

You company owns a catalog/retail site, and your product page rankings suddenly plummeted.

You may have been caught in Google’s May Day algorithmic dance (for more about May Day, watch Matt Cutts’ video, read Vanessa Fox’s great post and Dave Davis’s perspective from “the other side.”) One of the takeaways: Additional product content could provide a lifeline. If you’ve been relying on the “stock” manufacturer product description – and you haven’t enhanced your pages with reviews, additional value-added content and even video – now is the time. Brookstone is a great example of a company that’s doing it right – fantastic product descriptions, customer reviews and smartly optimized text. If you’ve craving more catalog marketer-focused information, check out the “10 stupid things catalog marketers do” and these “successful SEO copywriting tips”

In the meantime, consider other options. Google is a demanding mistress, and she will always withhold her ranking affections from time to time. Instead of relying solely on Google, consider other traffic-driving options such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I just spoke with Greg Jarboe from SEO-PR today, and I’m reminded why he’s the YouTube master. If you haven’t read his book, “You Tube and Video Marketing: An Hour A Day,” check it out.

You need “fast” results.

Who doesn’t love instant gratification? At the same time, a content marketing plan is a long-term endeavor – and getting rankings is rarely achieved “instantly” (although, when it works, it sure seems like it!). Although I’ve said that there is no “quick fix” in SEO copywriting, it is true that there are some quick ways to “spruce up” your content. Keyphrase editing (where you’re adding keyphrases into existing content) and optimizing page Titles can have a (fairly) quick effect. Once you see a faster win, you can revisit your messaging, create Titles that garner a higher click-through rate, and rewrite your copy with a better conversion focus.

You’re not seeing the rankings you want – and you never, ever have.

This is one of those times when an expert’s outside opinion can make a huge difference. You may think you’re doing everything right from a SEO perspective. But, there’s (obviously) something that’s hurting you. And if you haven’t figured it by now – and please know that I mean this with the utmost respect – what makes you think that you’ll “figure it out eventually.”

Even if you do, how much money are you willing to lose in the meantime?

You can purchase SEO content marketing evaluations from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars – depending on how deep you want your consultant to dig. Heck, you could even consult with a content marketing strategist for a few hours and figure out your options.  Plus, the strategist could give you a “sneak peek” on other future content marketing opportunities. The key is – don’t just wait for things to magically fall into place. Get help. You’ll make more money – faster – if you do.

As I was remembering those “bad old days,” I realized that going on a first date is a lot like visiting a site for the first time. In that split-second before you hit the site (or you see your date at the restaurant,) there’s always an anticipatory moment of, “I really hope they have what I’m looking for.”

And then, sadly, there’s the letdown when you realize, “Oh no. They are obviously not what I want.”

For all those “bad date” Websites out there, please stop doing the following. Immediately. Thankyouverymuch.

• Quit talking about how hot you are. Ever been on a date where your partner’s conversation was all about them? They’ll talk about their cool executive job, their latest trip to London and their high-powered relationships…but they never, ever ask a thing about you. People visit websites to solve a problem – not to hear about how wonderful your company is. Focus your content on your prospect, and explain how you can solve her needs. The more customer-focused your content, the higher your conversion rates will be.

• Don’t expect an immediate conversion. You want to think that after a first date (or a first site visit) that the other person found you so spectacular that they want to marry you (or in the case of a website, contact you for more information or immediately make a purchase.) But guess what? It rarely happens that way. Your prospects may need to “date” you a few more times first. There are a few more micro-conversion steps to take. Hope for the fast conversion, yes, but make sure that you have other site content that’s more than “buy now.” Articles, blog posts, white papers and tweets are a great way to showcase your expertise – and move your prospect closer to taking the action you want them to take.

• Don’t repeat yourself, repeatedly. Ever had dinner with someone who said the same thing, three different ways, over and over and over? If you’re shoving your page full of keyphrases to meet some magical (and totally bogus) keyword density percentage, you’re irritating your prospects and causing them to tune out. Quit repeating yourself and concentrate on creating really awesome content. It will be much more powerful than repeating keyphrases. Trust me.

• Know your target audience. Once upon a time, a man (who I had known for awhile) took me to Dunkin’ Donuts on the first date. Outside of the obvious huge miss (Really, Dunkin’ Donuts? Really?) everyone knows that I’m a Starbucks kinda gal – except for this guy, who obviously didn’t know a thing about me. It’s the same with your web copy. Create a customer persona before you start writing, and follow it to the letter. Writing that “misses the mark” often has so-so conversion rates at best.

• Don’t be a bore. We’ve all gone on dates where the other person is nice – really nice – but just a little…boring. We feel bad for not wanting to date them again, but we just… can’t. I know that marketers (especially in the B2B space) are often afraid of “punchy” copy. But baby, don’t fear adding a little bit of personality to your writing! If your copy is dull, you run the risk of your prospects finding another site that’s just as qualified to help – but sounds much more interesting to work with. Remember, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression – and well-written, interesting content trumps “boring, just the facts” every time.

Side note: Great minds think alike. After I wrote this, it was brought to my attention by @lisabarone that she had written a very similar blog post – and the original pic I had for my post was the exact same one as hers (and no, I hadn’t read her post!) I switched out my pic, and highly encourage folks to read Lisa’s expert take on the topic. Enjoy!

In the frenzied initial stages of SEO content marketing, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the big picture that you forget the important foundational details. It’s great when the powers-that-be get excited about all the new traffic their content marketing strategy will drive – or all the money they’ll make with improved copy. Yet at the same time, they forget important tidbits, such as “who’s going to write this awe-inspiring copy” and “how is the company going to pay for it?”

It’s fantastically fun to jump into the big-picture deep end – but just make sure that you address the how-to specifics, too.  Here are some questions to ask:

Who does the writing?  This is an incredibly important decision. During last year’s recession, many companies were hiring low-cost copywriters purely as a cost-cutting move. Although their intent was good (companies figured that more content would drive more traffic) the implementation left much to be desired. Today, businesses burned with the “cheap copy” mantra understand that bad copy hurts more than it helps (from both a search engine and a conversion perspective) – and they’re willing to invest more money in their digital assets. Whether you decide to keep your SEO copywriting in-house or outsource it, know that your writer needs to have some serious writing skills.

What pages need to be created (or rewritten) and When do they need to be uploaded? This is where your editorial calendar comes into play. Every month (or quarter, if you can plan that far ahead,) write down what pages need to be created (or rewritten,) who is doing the writing, the deadline, and the firm upload date. This kind of advance planning has two main advantages. One, it forces communication and accountability – in order to make a editorial calendar work, it means that all parties involved need to sign off on the deadlines and duties. The other advantage is that it makes your content marketing campaign much easier to plan. If you know you have a special promotion hitting the streets, you can build in time for content creation rather than waiting until the last moment.  In short, editorial calendars help you get more done, faster. Really.

Where does the budget come from?  Good writing costs time, money or both. If you’re planning to keep your SEO copywriting in house, understand that the person doing the writing needs time to actually do the writing. Or if you’re outsourcing, make sure that you allocate a reasonable budget (and “reasonable” depends on your target audience, your brand and your particular SEO challenges.) Although you may be tempted to pay the cheapest price you can for content, really think about that move before you start hiring copywriters. You don’t have to pay $2,000 per page for copy, but you do want to hire someone who can show proven results. And those folks cost a little bit more. Consider hiring a Certified SEO Copywriter to ensure that your writer understands both conversion-driven copywriting and SEO – and can produce quality work.

Why don’t you look at new opportunities? Some companies get stuck in a rut, churning out the same type of copy month after month. Sure, articles and newsletters and press releases are great. But what about trying Twitter? Or starting a LinkedIn group? Or uploading video? Testing a new content marketing channel can breathe new life into your campaign – and often, connect you with new customers that you wouldn’t have obtained through your standard channels.

How will you know if it’s working? How are you measuring page success? Rankings? Conversions? A reduction in bounce rate?  If you don’t have analytics set up on your Website, do it now. Right now. And for goodness sake, please allow your SEO copywriter to review the analytics (and if they don’t understand analytics, you may want to consider hiring another copywriter.)

It’s true that starting a new SEO content marketing campaign can feel overwhelming at first – especially if folks are too focused on the “big picture” and forget those pesky implementation details. But once you’ve mastered the “5-W’s and 1-H” of SEO copywriting, your planning will be a little bit easier – and the implementation won’t be quite as painful. Good luck!