SEO Copywriting > In-house Content Marketing

Overwhelmed? Go back to the marketing basics

August 4, 2011 • written by

Feeling like you’re suffering from marketing ADD?

Maybe it’s time to take a step back and get back to basics.

Marketers are slammed with all sorts of shiny online marketing options. Ooh…there’s Google+. And Tumblr. And Twitter. And Facebook.  It’s not enough to just have a site. Now, companies are “supposed” to add all sorts of other bells and whistles to their online marketing mix.

The challenge comes when marketers try to jump on the latest online marketing bandwagon without shoring up their marketing foundation. Some folks chase latest and greatest opportunity and ignore the half-assed campaigns they started a long time ago (how many deserted Facebook pages have you seen?). Or, new opportunities are put into the “yet another thing that I should be doing” category. Chris Brogan talks about social marketing fatigue - and I think that’s a real phenomena.  Many site owners are so overwhelmed with options, they choose to do nothing.

Both scenarios are bad for business. So here’s what to do.

Rather than chasing the next big shiny social media thing, why not shore up your current marketing foundation? That way, you know that the basics are covered – and then you can check out new opportunities. For instance:

  1. When is the last time you reviewed your company’s autoresponder copy (or your other marketing collateral?). Is it up to date? Are there typos? Are there ways you can use your autoresponders to drive more leads or sales?
  2. When is the last time you checked your site’s analytics (c’mon – be honest!). Are there pages with high bounce rates that you can revamp and relaunch? The best social media campaign can’t help you if your site sucks.
  3. If you’re a local business, have you considered advertising in local publications (display advertising – although a tad bruised – is still alive and well.) Would it make sense to pitch an article idea to a local publication to see if you can drive traffic? Are there free or low-cost marketing alternatives?
  4. Did you start a social media campaign (such as a Facebook page,) only to leave it half-done (perhaps to go chase the next shiny social media thing..) :) Either fix it up and measure it – or let it go and decide to focus on other things.
  5. When’s the last time you revised your company’s features and benefits list? A lot has changed over the last few years – and what was a benefit statement 2 years ago may not be as powerful today.
  6. How often do you follow up with your existing customers, especially your “big fish”evangelists? If you don’t have a follow-up procedure in place, set one up. It’s always less expensive to upsell to an existing customer than acquire a new one.
  7. How often do you poll your clients/readers and ask them what products/services/features they’d like to see? You have all the market research capabilities you need – you just have to ask the questions.
  8. Are there a bunch of low-hanging SEO fruit opportunities that you can leverage? This list of headsmacking SEO copywriting opportunities may spark some ideas.
  9. Consider if your customer persona (s) has changed. Or, if you haven’t created your customer persona documents, now is an excellent time to start. After all, if your customers aren’t on Facebook, you can probably stop worrying about a Facebook campaign – and focus your efforts on getting the biggest bank for the buck

What “marketing foundation” steps would you add to this list? Please “like” the post and let me know your thoughts – thanks!

Photo credit gratitude to garryknight

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques

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The ‘no time’ myth

July 28, 2011 • written by

I recently attended my 25th high school reunion (You want to feel old? Go to your 25th reunion. Wow.) :) All in all, it was a very fun experience. I got to see people who I haven’t seen in years. I chatted with folks I didn’t know well back in the day. And I learned how everyone was balancing work/home/family/other obligations.

One of the sentiments frequently expressed was, “I would love to do X, but I don’t have time.” Some of the “X’s” were as simple as getting away for the weekend or reading a new book. Others were more serious. I don’t know how many conversations I had with people who said, “My doctor said that I should work out more, but I don’t have the time.”

The discussions made me think of how many site owners and marketing departments want to launch an SEO content initiative – but their excuse is “no time.”

  • Instead of rewriting sales pages with super-high bounce rates, they let them sit on the site because “they don’t have time.”
  • Instead of finally starting an organic SEO campaign, they do what they’ve always done because “they don’t have time.”
  • Instead of outsourcing their writing to update their years-old Web copy – or hiring a freelance SEO copywriter to help produce pages – folks get stuck and do nothing.  Why? You guessed it. They don’t even feel like they have time to figure out a plan, much less do anything else.

I get it. I really do. We’re all doing more with less and time is at a premium. If you have a choice between cranking out a new sales page and leaving the office at a decent hour, what sounds the most appealing?

It’s amazing how we can find the time – if we really want to.

I used to fall into this trap. Heck, before I met my husband, I said that “I didn’t have time to date.” Then I met my man – and suddenly, I made time. Hanging out with him became a priority. Needless to say, my life took a major turn for the better – and I really did have the time to make it happen.

Then, I used to say that I “didn’t have time to work out.” After a major paradigm shift, I worked working out into my daily routine. Today, I’m healthier and happier than I’ve ever been. Sure, my workday can be crunchy some days – but I found that I do have the time.

You’ve probably experienced the same thing. You find that you do have the time for certain things – and when you do them, you feel so, so much better (and see some amazing results.)

Your SEO copywriting challenge…

Today, I challenge you to pinpoint ONE SEO content-related thing that “you don’t have time for” and see how you CAN make time for it.

  • Maybe that means you spend 25 minutes a day working towards your goal (check out my post on the Pomodoro technique – it’s a great way to baby-step your goals.)
  • Maybe that means you outsource some writing so you can realize the benefits a bit faster.
  • Maybe that means slicing your non-productive Google+/Twitter/Facebook/Angry Birds usage so you can free up a few minutes here and there.

The trick is: You identify what you want to accomplish, and figure out how to make it happen.

What’s cool about this technique is – it’s addictive. Once you’ve sliced one longstanding to-do off your list and realized the results, other opportunities seem much more “do-able.” There’s nothing like seeing the fruits (and profits) of your labor to shake you out of your “no time” comfort zone and help you see new opportunities.

So, choose one “no time” task to focus on this August and get ‘er done. If you’d like, post your to-do in the comments field (after all, writing down your goals and holding yourself accountable is a great way to start.) Hopefully, you’ll see that you can make time to focus on these highly-important tasks – and you’ll start seeing more traffic, more followers – and yes, more of that Internet money.

‘Cause who doesn’t have time for more money? :)

Enjoy this post? “Like” it and tell your friends! Thank you!

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

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Are you a content strategist or an SEO copywriter?

June 9, 2011 • written by

There’s a hot discussion in the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group. No, it’s not about keyphrase density or the ramifications of Google’s +1…

…It’s all about the difference (assuming there is one) between being a content strategist and an SEO copywriter.

It all started with this article by Doc Sheldon. Briefly, the article outlines the differences as:

SEO copywriter: The person who writes the copy. According to the post:

“First of all, they write not only for the reader, but for the search engines, as well. They have to be conversant in things like keyword density and placement, and in some cases, even have to do their own keyword research….They have to be able to understand at least the basics of the conversion funnel, in most cases, in order to couch the client’s presentation in such a way as to instill confidence in the readers, and help herd them through that funnel to a successful conversion.”

Content strategist: The person who plans the overarching strategy and editorial calendar.  Sheldon explains how the content strategist is the “hub” of the content creation process.

“He will often be one of the key contacts with the client, in order to get a deep-set grasp of the various aspects of their business, such as goals, problems, competition, strengths, weaknesses, audience and much more…He will usually have significant input into, if not control over, the overall content needs of the client.”

The post ends with an intriguing line:

“Although, many of the self-proclaimed SEO copywriters I know are actually content strategists. Maybe they just haven’t thought of it that way yet.”

Sounds nice…but one top direct response copywriting expert disagrees

Enter Bob Bly, direct response copywriting guru. His opinion? “Everything you describe (as a content strategist) I do as a copywriter.” His belief (and I agree with him) is that a copywriter’s main job is to make their client’s money. It’s one thing to know how to write. It’s another to know how to write in a way that makes people take action (for more about the difference between social media writing and SEO copywriting, check out this post.)

He went on to say:

 

Interesting point.

Here’s what I think…

I can see all sides here.  If you’re working one-on-one with clients, you probably are dealing with “content strategy” issues – you just may not call yourself a “content strategist.” :)

At the same time, there are SEO copywriters who never deal with strategy. A more experienced copywriter (content strategist?) sets the strategy and chooses the keyphrases – and the copywriter does the writing. For instance, new SEO copywriters may not be ready to set strategy quite yet.

Additionally, a content strategist may be looking at more than just Web copy. For instance, she may provide Twitter or Facebook recommendations – but not necessarily be the person penning the tweets. She may set a blog’s editorial calendar – but not be the primary blogger. And she may have high-level SEO knowledge that a conventional SEO copywriter may not have.

What say you? Is there a difference between being a SEO copywriter and a content strategist? If so, what’s the difference? Experience levels? The type of work being done? Or something else?

And while you’re pondering,  I’ll leave you with some wise words from Bob Bly:

“Until you have written a sales letter that generates a greater response rate for selling a product than the current sales letter for that product, you can’t call yourself a competent copywriter.”

Truer words were never typed. :)

 

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

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Writing for print vs. Web: 5 tips for catalog copywriters

May 19, 2011 • written by

Confession: Catalog copywriters have yelled at me during an in-house training. Two separate times.

Teaching print copywriters the difference between writing for the Web vs. print can be an interesting challenge. A common misconception is that Web SEO copy is “thin,” keyphrase-stuffed and poorly written. So, when I start talking a mile-a-minute about “putting keyphrases into content” and “Title tags,” the first reaction is often something like:

“What the hell is she talking about? Stick random words in our copy just for search engines? No way.”

That’s when the yelling starts (and the real learning takes place.) By the end, they’re totally on board with the “writing for Web vs print” fundamentals.

If you’re a print catalog copywriter looking to make the leap into Web SEO writing, here are some things to consider (and yes, you can yell at me if you need to!). :)

  • Good SEO copywriting for catalog sites is good writing, period.

    • Yes, this means that you have to include certain words (otherwise known as keyphrases) in your copy. However, the keyphrases should never detract from your content’s “voice” or flow.

  • Keyphrases are your friends.

    • Adding keyphrases (the words people type into a search box to find your products)  help people easily find your product pages  – and it’s a must-do strategy for top search positions. Otherwise, it’s like writing a fantastic catalog description, but only mailing the catalog to a few people. If you want to maximize the number of people who see your product page, keyphrases are key.

  • Longer copy is a good thing.

    • Does writing only 50-75 words for a print catalog seem stifling? Time to rejoice – the search engines reward product pages with original, descriptive and keyphrase-rich Web copy. You still want to write tight content that’s easy to scan, but know you have more room to move with the copy length.

  • You can learn Web SEO writing – even if you’re not a “techie.”

    • It’s true that new terms like “meta description,” “H1 tags,” and “Titles” can initially seem intimidating. An easy way of remedying this is matching the SEO term to a concept that’s more familiar to you. Your headline goes in the H1 header tag. The meta description is like a short abstract. Titles are the headlines that appear on the search engine results page. It’s really that simple.

  • Writing for the Web is a must-have skill set.

    • Hamilton Davison, executive director of the American Catalog Mailers Association, predicts that mailing costs will skyrocket 22 percent this year or next. More than ever, catalog companies are reducing the number of print catalogs they mail, or discontinuing their catalog all together. This means they’re looking for copywriters who can blend traditional print catalog writing guidelines with Web SEO copy best practices. If you don’t get the training you need, you may miss out to a less experienced (but more Web savvy) writer. Now is the time. Really.

Filed under Catalog/retailer,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

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Are you writing afraid?

May 12, 2011 • written by

Ask yourself: Are you so afraid of the worst happening that you’re holding yourself (and your SEO writing) back?

I started thinking about this after reading a Fast Company article about LeBron James and the Miami Heat. After a grueling loss to the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat teammates held a players-only meeting. Brian Windhorst, who covers the team for ESPN, was quoted as saying, “Guys were telling each other to stop playing afraid.”

Wow. That’s powerful stuff.

It made me think of all the ways that we, as freelance or in-house SEO copywriters, “write afraid.” We’re scared to death of being criticized, so we don’t write what we really feel. We don’t expand our businesses or career the way we could. Our fear causes us to “miss” some content opportunities (like repurposing content,) because we’re just too stressed out to notice them. Plus, we’re exhausted at the end of the day – heck, all of that fear takes a lot of energy.

If this sounds like you, here are some thing to try:

  • Take more breaks. A friend suggested this and I thought she was out of her mind (um, sorry Doti.) Turns out, research supports her theory – a recent study says that “the key to great success is working harder in short bursts of time.” I’ve used the Pomodoro Technique for this and it’s transformed how and when I write. Less stress. More focus. Awesome.
  • Take stuff off your to-do list. It’s really hard to focus when you’re thinking, “I’ve got way too much to do today. How can I get it all done?” Guess what? YOU are the master of your workday (even if it feels like your boss, clients and coworkers take precedence.) Start deleting some tasks and see how many better you feel. My favorite all-time app for this is Get It Done.
  • Take a day off from writing and focus on the big picture. Did the thought of taking a day off from writing make you feel a little nervous? Good. That means you definitely need some time away! If we’re in creative mode all the time, it’s hard to focus on big picture “what do I want to accomplish this quarter” thoughts. You’re stuck on the fear hamster wheel of create, create, create – without time to figure out what it’s all for. This may be harder to implement if you’re working in-house, but see what you can negotiate. I’ve just started this myself, and noticed a really interesting side effect – my body and mind doesn’t feel trashed out by Friday. Cool!
  • If you’re feeling really messed up, get away from it all. The recession had an interesting effect on people’s psyches. Two years ago, people were scared to death. Today, people seem like they’re making up for lost time – so they’re working crazy hours. If you’re feeling chained to the computer because “an email may come in” or “you just have to finish this one thing,” you’re not working in the flow – you’re working afraid. A long weekend far, far away from your computer can help put life back into perspective. Which brings up…
  • Talk to someone if you need it. If you find yourself constantly writing afraid, it could be that you have to untangle some thoughts that are keeping you from moving ahead. The recession scared a lot of people, and getting yourself out of “the sky is falling” mentality can be hard to do by yourself. You can talk to a counselor, a coach, or a trusted friend or mentor. The key is having someone in your life who can act as a sounding board.
  • Get out of your comfort zone at least once a day. Post something edgy (c’mon – you know you want to!). Answer a question on Quora or LinkedIn. Consider running local seminars. The best way to kick fear’s butt is by showing it that you’re not afraid.  Flooding yourself with new experiences will give you a greater sense of mastery that will flow into your writing – and move you from “writing afraid” to “writing in the flow.”

What about you? What techniques do you use to move away from fear and into the flow?

Update:  For another great take, check out Seth Godin’s latest post, “Who is making you uncomfortable?” (Thanks to @ljcrest for bringing it to my attention!)

 

 

 

 

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

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3 ways to save money on SEO copywriting

May 9, 2011 • written by

Greetings! In today’s Q&A video post, Heather addresses the question: how can I save money on SEO copywriting services? You may have noticed that professional SEO copywriting isn’t cheap. You do get what you pay for. So the challenge is if you want to build out really good content for your site, you’re looking at either:     A) learning how to do it yourself, which is an investment in time, or B) outsourcing your SEO copywriting to a professional, which will cost you money.

Sorry, but there’s no way around this one. If you want great SEO copywriting that gets results, you’ll have to pay for it one way or another. But there are ways you can save money on SEO copywriting services, right now!

Heather explains, focusing on saving money on your SEO content generation:

1) Repurpose Existing Content

There are very powerful ways you can leverage existing content: for instance, maybe someone on your staff has written a book, or possibly a “meaty” white paper: you can take these raw materials and repurpose some of the content into FAQ pages, blog posts, and tweets.

This is an especially smart strategy if your company has been around for awhile and you’ve archived content handy to revise and repurpose.

2) Get Trained in SEO Copywriting Best Practices

This applies to larger companies that have been outsourcing their SEO copywriting for all this time, as well as to those smaller to mid-sized businesses (SMB’s) that have talented writers on staff.

  • For larger companies: It can pay off in a big way to have everyone involved with content and content marketing trained in SEO copywriting best practices, be it marketing, branding, or even I.T. personnel: it’s important that they understand why SEO copywriters write the way they do, and how SEO copywriting fits into the whole web development process.
  • For SMB’s: It can be extremely cost-efficient to train those talented writers on your staff in SEO copywriting best practices, rather than relying on an outsourced SEO copywriter to create content.

3) Consider Guest Blog Posts from Loyal Customers or Readers

It can prove to be a costly investment of time and effort trying to figure out fresh, quality content for your blog. Having one of your loyal readers or customers write about their perception of your products or services via a guest blog post can help to pull in other readers/customers.

  • This will not only save you money, but will also serve to fill out some of those content “holes” in your editorial calendar, and serve your readers by highlighting fresh perspectives from others.

The main thing to consider is that whatever you do, think Quality. Make sure the content on your website, blog, or social media site is something you’re proud of, and want to share with others.

Thanks for joining us for this week’s Q&A video post!

And please don’t be shy – Heather really digs educating and helping others!  Zip your SEO copywriting or content marketing question to her at: askheather@seocopywriting.com.  She will answer, and very possibly next week!  See you then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques,Working with freelance copywriters

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Should you kill your blog?

May 5, 2011 • written by

I know this will sound weird coming from the SEO content chick. But I’m going to say it anyway.

Some companies should give up on blog writing and kill their blog.

Here’s why.

SEO content marketers (myself included) agree that blogging for B2B and B2C companies is a smart SEO and customer engagement move.  Blogs are great for marketing and lead generation. Google and Bing reward strong resource sites. Sounds like a win/win – right?

Well, not always.

We’re pushing the blog, blog, blog mantra so much that we forget a rarely talked-about fact: Not every company should blog. In fact, blog writing could be taking budget and time away from things that drive more revenue. Here are five times when folks should back away slowly from their blog – and never look back.

  • The “no time, no budget” scenario. Too busy to blog? It’s easy to say “outsource it” except for one little thing – outsourcing costs money. If you can’t find a quality writer for your budget and your team doesn’t have time, put blog writing on the back burner.  It’s better to have a top-quality blog that you’re proud of than a crappy blog that doesn’t help you (and you’re ashamed to show people.)
  • The “hate to write, no budget” scenario. Some folks can’t stand to write. And it shows. If this is you – and you honestly have no other available resources – please do yourself a favor and let your blog go. Instead, focus your energies somewhere else. For instance, I know a few ex-bloggers who love sending tweets. There’s not as much pressure to write the “right” thing when you only have 140 characters to work with.
  • PR insists that the blog should always promote your product or service. Blog writing is different than sales writing. You’ll allowed to be a little more casual and a whole lot less sales-y. If PR (or someone else high up on the food chain) insists that all posts should push your product or service, it’s time to reconsider your blogging fantasies. Yes, blogs can certainly help soft-sell what you offer. Sure, you can throw in the occasional sales message. But your main blog writing goal should be to engage your readers and keep them coming back for more. Not hitting them over the head with another sales message.
  • A blog doesn’t support your conversion goals. If you’ve built a sales or lead generation-oriented microsite, a blog would actually detract from your conversion goal (getting people to buy from or contact you.) Blogs are great for folks in the “research” phase of the sales cycle. If you’re only focusing on folks who want to take action now, stick to writing conversion-oriented copy.
  • You’ve tried – you really have. But you aren’t seeing a ROI. There are scads of articles about what to do if people don’t like your blog content. By all means, see if you can “fix” your blog – an outside perspective can provide some fantastic ideas.  But if you’ve given it a solid shot and it’s still not meeting your goals (and yes, that means that you have to set marketing goals for your blog) consider saying “buh-bye” to your blog. Especially if other marketing channels are making you more money.

Are there any other times when a company should walk away from their blog? What would you add?

Filed under Blog writing,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

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10 stupid business mistakes smart writers make

April 28, 2011 • written by

Are you fearful of a business #FAIL?

Whether you’ve been in business ten days or ten years, it’s easy to make little mistakes that can have a lasting impact. Here are the 10 most common business mistakes I see smart writers make:

  • Missing deadlines. Don’t do it, unless you have an extremely good reason. It makes you look flaky and puts an undue strain on your client. If you know up front that you can’t make a deadline, express your concern or don’t take the gig. If the worst happens and you do have to miss a deadline, line up another copywriter to cover your work.
  • Forgetting to invoice clients. How much would your cash flow improve if you collected everything that’s owed you? It’s amazing how many solopreneurs forget to invoice their clients and end up in a cash crunch at the end of the month. Services like Paymo and FreshBooks can help. P.S. – Clients hate it when you send three months of invoices and say, “Oops, I’m a bit behind. Please pay this immediately.” At the same time, it’s bad form to…
  • Send an email to the client three days after the invoice was sent asking if it’s been paid. Your email will scream “I’m desperate, please pay me fast,” and totally turn off your client. Yes, definitely check in if it’s been over 30 days or if the bill is late. Otherwise, give it some time.
  • Dropping the communication ball. Your clients will love you if you send them quick status report emails and answer their emails quickly. Good customer service is so rare that this one little thing will make your service shine. Waiting days to email because “You don’t know anything yet,” will drive your client nuts and cause them to think about you in cranky ways.
  • Talking about leads/clients on social networking sites. One of the best business pieces of advice my father gave me was, “Keep your mouth shut.” Congratulate yourself if a big fish comes your way, but don’t talk about it on Twitter or Facebook. I have seen writers kicked out of the running (or fired) because they said a little too much. If you treat everything as confidential, you never have to worry about saying the wrong thing. :)
  • Not having a well-optimized, compelling site. How can clients trust you to do a good job with their site if they can’t see what yours looks like? Richard Hostler, Senior SEO copywriter from Brookstone recommends that new copywriters optimize their site for their name, as well as their other top keyphrases. When clients type your name into Google or Bing – voila – your name pops up in the top spot and they can read all about you.
  • Being afraid to speak up. I’ve chatted with scads of copywriters who say, “The agency gave me these keyphrases that I know are wrong, but I’m afraid to say anything to the client.” You need to own what you do and know that you’re good. Not speaking up harms the client and the campaign – plus forces you to create sub-par work. There’s no reason to put yourself (and your client) in that position.
  • Not keeping up-to-date with the latest SEO news because you “don’t have time.” There is nothing more embarrassing than an informed client asking a question about the latest Google update – and you having no idea what they’re talking about. Make sure that at least 10 percent of your day is spent educating yourself on the latest and greatest. Yes, it sounds like a lot of time. Yes, you’ll really need to spend it.
  • Holding yourself back. Expanding your business is scary. So is taking on larger clients, asking for more money per page or taking a vacation when you know you really need it. Plan out what you want to do and do it. If you “fail” – so what? Pick yourself up and try again. This goes along with…
  • Not taking care of you. I’ve said it before – if you don’t take care of yourself, you literally put your entire business at risk. Figure out the schedule and pace that works for your lifestyle. Laugh with your friends. Eat well. Exercise (This is a great guide if you need help getting on track.) Your energy levels will skyrocket if you do. Trust me.

What about you? What stupid business mistakes do you see new and established SEO writers make?

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,Tips and techniques

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What does an SEO copywriter do, anyway?

April 25, 2011 • written by

Welcome back!  In today’s video post, Heather answers a question from the LinkedIn SEO Copywriting group:  What does an SEO copywriter do, anyway? It is an excellent question, as many folks are somewhat mystified by the words “SEO copywriting.”  Whether you’re in the Web writing profession, or are considering hiring a SEO copywriter,  you will learn a lot in just a few minutes,  as Heather tackles this question in her second Q & A video post.

By the way, do you have a question about SEO copywriting or content marketing?  Zip it to Heather at askheather@seocopywriting.com, and it may well be answered in her next video post!

What Do They Write?

  • An SEO copywriter may create content for blogs, Facebook posts and tweets (often know as a social media writer), or…
  • She may create sales and informational copy for Websites, writing content that helps people take action and buy the product or service offered.

The common denominator is that in SEO copywriting, all writing is “wrapped around” keyphrases.  The SEO copywriter knows how to research those keyphrases, or knows what the keyphrase research means, and she also knows how to skillfully incorporate those keyphrases within the page copy in a way that they fit and flow smoothly.

SEO Copywriters Are a Crucial Part of the Equation in a SEO Campaign

The image of the well-known marketing expert, Seth Godin, is shown because he is quoted as saying that “the best SEO is great content.”

How he meant that is, when you have a really well-written page, people will want link to it, because they want to link out to good quality content.  Well-composed, high-quality pages tend to attract more readers, and keep them on the site longer.

This is important to consider when hiring or working with a SEO copywriter, because you need to have solid, quality content on your site.  The writing needs to be good, and read smoothly.  You want to steer clear of clunky, keyphrase-riddled copy.

The Words SEO Copywriters Use Help Drive Traffic and Make Money

SEO copywriters are also crucial to the equation from a sales and conversions perspective, because their incorporation of keyphrases within the copy helps to drive traffic and income.  Their skilled writing will help visitors take that next conversions step, whether it’s going to another page in the site, or buying a product, or requesting more information.

SEO Copywriters Work in Conjunction with a Great SEO/Social Team

The chart by Matt McGee aptly demonstrates the many components that make up a successful SEO campaign.  The SEO copywriter plays an essential role in the overarching campaign, as noted, and may work with a number of team members such as programmers, web designers, social media and content strategists.  Ultimately, it is the SEO copywriter that creates the content that attracts traffic, engages the audience, and encourages site conversions.

Thanks for tuning in!  And remember, if you have a question for Heather, don’t hesitate to shoot her an email:  askheather@seocopywriting.com.  Check back in again next week – your question may well be featured!

 

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques,Working with clients,Working with freelance copywriters

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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, Heather Georgoudiou

April 19, 2011 • written by

Heather Georgoudiou is an in-house SEO copywriter for Revenue Performance, Inc. an internet marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. A graduate of Rollins College, she writes optimized press releases, web copy, newsletters, email blasts, and social media posts.  Heather was the winning candidate for free SEO Copywriting Certification Training last June, with her entry referencing F. Scott Fitzgerald.

What got you interested in SEO copywriting?

I was a non-traditional age college student who always loved working with language. When I graduated college in 2009 my only goal (seriously) was to get a job with the word “writer” in the title.

Unfortunately, that was during the recession and the major newspaper in town was laying off a lot of copywriters, so there was a lot of fierce competition for writing jobs and just graduating, everyone had more work experience than me. I applied for a job at an internet marketing agency, and just kept showing up at the door until they hired me. That was in 2009.

I was the only copywriter so I had to learn SEO techniques on the fly. My first day on the job the owner handed me Heather’s first book, “Successful Search Engine Copywriting,” and I read it cover to cover. I still have the book by my desk, highlighted, dog eared, and working hard everyday.

What do you consider to be your biggest “take-away” from the certification program, in real-life terms?

As an agency copywriter, the most valuable portion of the lessons was being introduced to direct response copywriting strategies such as reaching your target audience, and how to effectively “ask for the sale.”

More “solid gold” stuff I learned from Heather:

  • How to tactfully educate clients on SEO basics and how to handle tough client questions.
  • Scheduling and delegating time for writing tasks (this helped me immensely)!
  • Addressing the five questions to answer before you start web copy (SOLID GOLD):  I do this before I start any web copy!  It saves me bunches of time and always pops out those benefit statements.

I have been able to use the skills I acquired from the SEO Copywriting Certification course to improve my in-house writing across the board, from press releases to web copy to meta-data and emails blurbs.

What SEO copywriting projects are you working on now?

Current projects include:

  • Rewriting company website
  • Building our original content to build credibility within the industry
  • Client projects- hospitality industry: mainly 3 to 4 star hotels and luxury resorts

What do you do in your free time?

My husband is an amazing chef, so in order to balance that I spend several mornings a week at the gym. After college I crated a fiction writers group that meets regularly to support and work on fiction projects. I’m also involved with my church group and do a lot of learning and getting advice from some amazing people, I also play guitar and sing with a gospel group.

Any words for those considering enrolling in the program?

Heather clearly has a passion for SEO and her excitement is contagious. This intense program includes study manual, podcasts, phone meetings, support forums, and Heather’s amazing accessibility for “how to” questions.

If you are serious about breaking into SEO copywriting, Heather is the authority. What are you waiting for? Learn from the best!

 

 

Filed under In-house Content Marketing,SEO Copywriting Certification

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