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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, George Passwater

March 1, 2011 • posted by

No matter where or how old he was, George Passwater’s life always involved a very vivid imagination and a love to find out how things worked. This led him to going out in the world to seek his fortune. When he didn’t become a caped superhero, the leader of a temple of Shaolin Kung Fu monks or win the lottery, he set his sights on more attainable goals.

For over 20 years, he held different positions in technology and creative realms until he couldn’t resist the call of entrepreneurship and at-home Fatherhood. Now as the owner and operator of a successful online copywriting and online services business, Passwater Media, and a Stay-At-Home Dad, George utilizes his trusty tools of laptop and vacuum cleaner to provide both his at-home clients and business clients with what they need, when they need it.

What attracted you to SEO Copywriting?

Well, I am a hybrid of sorts. I was working “online” before the web came along and my first writing piece was a story I created before age 6. I have a natural knack for technical and creative work. In my 20 something years of doing whatever it is I did, I held many job responsibilities including webmaster, programming, systems admin, project management, copywriting, storytelling and some marketing too.

With both sides of my brain in constant battle, SEO copywriting just came naturally to me. I mean, think about it – SEO fulfills my techno, statistical, data weenie side and copywriting quenches my creative thirst to weave the thoughts (or is it voices) in my head into ideas, stories, and strategies into the written word.

A perfect combination of Yin and Yang.

What SEO Copywriting projects are you working on now?

With such a need for qualified SEO copywriters, I have current and prospective projects that include ghost SEO writing, blog writing, landing pages, email campaigns, social media content (after all, social and search are kind of going steady now), developing full- blown content strategies and whatever else I have on my project management dashboard. This doesn’t include new inquiries for work – which I am always happy to entertain!

What do you find most challenging/interesting about SEO copywriting?

Simple – explaining to prospects and even current customers the amount of work involved, why they need it, and the costs (value) of SEO Copywriting. Most understand the search engine ranking thing, but they don’t get why you can’t simply take the copy they have and add a few keywords to it.

They always ask me why do I need to know so much about their business, how it ties into Social Media or why it takes so long to write a web site. I actually had one prospect say that a homepage shouldn’t take more than an hour to write! That one blew my mind.

What have you found to be the biggest “take-aways” from the SEO Copywriting Certification program?

That I’m the real deal.

I have proof that I took the time to dedicate myself to increasing my knowledge and skills from the best in the industry. Heather is all that and a bag of chips – everyone in the industry knows this and when she certifies someone, you can be sure her graduate knows what they’re doing…thanks to the SEO Copywriting Maven.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

All my free time goes to my family. Not only do I own my own business, I am a proud Stay-At-Home Dad. I have two younger children (my inspiration) that rock my world, along with my wonderful wife (my voice of reason and my rock). I also have my other child, he’s a Pug full of awesomeness.

I am also a big supporter of Special Needs parenting and disabilities rights, as my youngest child currently lives with disabilities. Everyday, she inspires me to be a better Father while helping her move any objects that block her path to success. Just as with everything else, I believe you can do anything you want and I know one day my children will become what they want – disabilities or not!

Any words for those considering enrolling in the SEO Copywriting Certification program?

If you’re looking to learn about true SEO copywriting, look no further than Heather’s program. She gives it to you in simple, easy-to-understand lessons along with the personal attention of a well-seasoned professor.

Since Heather is the resource for SEO copywriting, I wouldn’t waste anymore time searching for programs that just spit out false promises. Heather’s program delivers what you need to be successful in this field. (Not to mention, she’s one of the nicest people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting). As I said before, she’s all that and a bag of chips!

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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, Derek Cromwell

February 10, 2011 • posted by

SEO Copywriting Certification Grad Profile of Derek CromwellDerek Cromwell is a 30 year old self-professed copywriting dweeb and content marketing nerd – his Twitter background states that much clearly.  He is the founder of Thunder Bay Media, LLC, a company he started in 2009 based in the Metro-Detroit area of Michigan.  From his home office/fortress he provides SEO copywriting and content marketing services to help businesses of any size improve and solidify their presence on the web, boost sales, dominate their market, win traffic, build a better mousetrap, end war and solve world hunger.

Before making a career change to copywriting, Derek spent several years working in Emergency Medical Services in both southeast Michigan and northern Michigan.  His career in EMS was preceded by a 10+ year span working in upper management across several companies including a national internet service provider and two major restaurant chains.

What attracted you to SEO Copywriting?

All my life I’ve loved to write.   I started writing online content back in 2007 for what people now consider “content mills”.  The money was nice but I really loved EMS and had no reason to try to change.  I was working upwards of 80 hours a week and quite happy.

Then someone stuck a pin in the economy and my hours got cut.  Who would have thought people would stop calling 911 to save a buck?  Stuck at home with a family to support, I decided to see what I could do with my writing.  Blogging for bucks led to content marketing for other businesses  That of course evolved into SEO & website copywriting.  I’ve refined my craft on my own for the last year and now I’m here.

I chose this course because – while I felt I had already learned a great deal about SEO and copywriting – I wanted to make sure that I was headed in the right direction.  I knew this course would reinforce my education.

What do you consider to be your biggest “take-away” from the certification program?

There are a lot of people “out there” in the business world but you can break them down into people who are writers and people who need writers.  In both categories you’ll find a large amount of people who know Heather and respect her for her education, experience and what she has to offer.  The badge on my site and my certificate is a way to tell the world that I really know my stuff – that I’m not “just another writer” because I learned from one of the best.

What SEO Copywriting projects are you working on now?

I’ve got a full plate of extremely fun projects, and I’m really digging all the range, the research and preparation to write.  I’ve got slightly more than a dozen clients waiting in line on my production schedule including:

  • Complete site content revamp for a retailer of designer handbags
  • Content marketing for one of the leading travel agents handling Australian trips
  • Complete site content and content marketing for a major branding community that’s getting ready to launch in February (almost done with this one!)
  • 3 other small business site launches that are upstarts
  • Some free consults & optimization with a local wedding photography that’s about to land her on page 1 of Google (she did the most beautiful pictures for a close friend who just got shipped to Afghanistan – was the least I could do)
  • Complete site content for a business networking community based in the Virginia/D.C/Maryland area
  • A major luxury home builder based in Texas that is struggling to rank in their local market

And there’s always more to come.  I get a few new client requests each week through my site.  The line never ends and I love it.  :)

What do you feel are some of your biggest accomplishments since you started copywriting?

There have been a few.  Launching a successful business and keeping it going is a big one, but completely supporting my family so that my wife could quit her job in pharmaceuticals was also a huge step for us.  Now we’re all home and I can spend time with my family any time I like.

I also have to admit that when I got my own website onto page 1 for a number of targeted keywords I practically did backflips.  You can tell clients all day long that you can increase their rank in the SERPs but nothing sells it better than showing off your own site there.

What do you do in your free time?

I love to read, and I have a bookcase full of Dean Koontz books.  I’ve also started soaking up anything related to content marketing.  When I’m not reading I love playing with my two beautiful girls:  My 3 year old Emma and my littlest one Lily who is now 4 months old.  Once a week I treat myself and my wife to a kid-free date night to get us out of the house.  We both love music, comedy clubs, stage performances, fishing and other outdoor stuff.

When I get those precious few moments for myself I enjoy paintball.  I also like to relax with a little mindless video game playing like Call of Duty.

Oh… And I love to cook – I can make a homemade pizza that puts the big name chains to shame.

Any words for those considering enrolling in the SEO Copywriting Certification program?

There’s a lot of junk on the internet that will lead you in the wrong direction when it comes to writing good copy, marketing content properly and doing right by your clients.  To provide the most benefit to the people you work for – whether you have clients or you’re an in-house marketer/writer – you need to take this course.   You will research better, write better and deliver better results for your clients.

We talk until we’re blue in the face about clients investing in their content to get a bigger return on their investment.  Don’t you think it’s a good idea to lead by example and invest in your own business?

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Win a free 3-month subscription to the SEO Copywriting Certificate program!

November 16, 2010 • posted by

It’s that time of year. I’ve been sick in bed for five days now (yes, FIVE days) and I’m doing everything I can to feel better. Then I realized – what other way to feel better than by giving away a free, 3-month subscription to my SEO Copywriting Certificate program?

(Not familiar with the Certificate program? Check out the fantastic SEO Copywriting training course review by Ken Horst and the good folks at TopRank Marketing.)

So, here’s what I’m going to do:

Comment on this post and tell me in 75 words or less how receiving a Certificate in SEO copywriting will improve your career and boost your bottom line. So…

If you’re an in-house copywriter or marketer, how would earning a Certificate help your career and your company?

If you’re a freelance Web writer, how would a Certificate transform your business and drive income?

If you’re a journalist, how could learning the SEO copywriting ropes help you gain more readers and improve your online writing skills?

Make sense?

Here are the “rules.”

1. The contest runs from today (November 16th) through November 23rd at 5 p.m. PT.  The winner will be announced on November 24th.

2. Only one entry per person, please. Thank you.

3. If you send me an email telling me why you should win on top of commenting on this post, I will ignore your entry. ONLY blog comments will count as entries.

4. The prize has no cash value.

5. No purchase is necessary.

6. Please make sure that you provide your email address. Otherwise, I can’t contact you to tell you that you’ve won!

7. The winner agrees to let me use their name/picture in future promotional materials.

That’s it!

Let the commenting begin… :)

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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, Courtney Ramirez

September 14, 2010 • posted by

Writing has always been a part of Courtney Ramirez’s life – from short stories in childhood to news stories in high school. After earning a B.A. in English from the University of Southern California and beginning to work in journalism, she found her way to web writing through a combination of terrific coincidences. Combining the Internet with the written word was a perfect solution for this self-professed “geek.” She began writing and blogging about web writing in 2005. Concentrating on articles and ebooks, she learned basic SEO techniques through experience and the resources from her writing clients. She pieced things together as she could, but eventually realized that there was a gap between what she knew SEO could accomplish for her clients and what she was capable of doing. She wanted to be more than just a content writer – she wanted to be a web marketing resource for her clients.

After doing some research on SEO training programs, Courtney decided on the SuccessWorks program because it combined something she was familiar with (copywriting) with something she wanted to learn more about (SEO), rather than just concentrating on SEO. The training rounded out her web writing knowledge and gave her the high level skills she’d been looking for in order to be able to help her clients more. She added creating site plans, meta content creation and keyword research to her list of services, becoming a one stop SEO copywriting service. Under the mantle Six Degrees Content she works on copywriting and ebook writing for a wide variety of industries with the help of two assistant writers.

What got you interested in SEO copywriting?

I’ve always loved the internet — I was on AOL as soon as the free CD hit our mailbox back in the 90s — so finding web writing was a natural for me.  When I first started writing a lot of the emphasis was on the ol’ “send query, wait months, write the article, wait months, get paid” cycle — I knew there had to be a better way.  I took my journalism experience online and started writing basic articles, and then started to learn about SEO as an extension of that.  My clients always provided me with keywords and I was curious about why they chose those keywords — or if they were the best keywords for their purposes.  The more I learned, the more I realized that boosting up on the SEO portion of my training would help me offer more value to my clients.

Are you presently working on any SEO copywriting projects?

We’re working on several — I work with two other writers that cover basic articles and I concentrate on the site plans, more in-depth articles, white papers, etc.  We are working on a site for a plumber and helping him rank for several keyphrases that deal with the area of his services.  We are working with a media company and web designer as their SEO copywriting division and are working on a physical therapy site in conjunction with them.  We create blog posts for a virtual office company on a weekly basis and are helping with an online marketing campaign for a pain relief product.  I’m excited about pumping up the marketing for Six Degrees Content and completing more projects like these!

What have you found to be the biggest “take-aways” from the SEO Copywriting Certification program?

The process of putting together a site plan, fleshing out keyword lists and creating winning meta information were by far the most valuable take-aways from Heather’s course.  I loved the way the process was laid out from start to finish and was easy to apply to my own site as well as my clients’.  I’m a linear thinker, so having the step-by-step plan has been wonderful!

What do you find most challenging/interesting about SEO copywriting?

What I love most about SEO copywriting is creating the balance between what search engines need and what people need.  It’s sometimes a challenge, but I find it enjoyable.  I like learning about new search innovations and getting my “geek” on with SEO.  I like understanding how to create content that motivates readers and pulls in some good search results.  Another challenge, in a different way, is educating people about SEO copywriting and why it’s important to have the right content — and not just “any” content to fill their webpages.

What are you other passions and interests?

I’m really passionate about natural health, so anytime I get a chance to work with a nutritionist, doctor or anyone in the self-improvement field, it’s a real treat for me!  I also love being an entrepreneur and like to help them out with their SEO needs. When I’m not clicking away at the keyboard, I’m reading Mental Floss, spending time with my family and hitting the beach!





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Online SEO copywriting and content marketing training – sale until 9/15

September 8, 2010 • posted by

Looking for a great deal on online SEO copywriting training? Until September 15, 2010, I’m offering 25% off the online SEO Copywriting Training. That brings the price down to less than $450 for the three-month training (from $599.)

The training is more than just reading a book or eguide. I hold group conference calls, share ideas, talk about the latest strategies and give you a chance to ask questions. You’re getting customized help without the customized price.

Just imagine how quickly you can make that money back if your content was optimized for search engines and conversions.

It’s a no brainer.  But you have to act now to get the discount.

Sign up for the online SEO copywriting training with coupon code: FC513 for your instant discount.

(Please feel free to forward this post to your colleagues and retweet the coupon code. This could be my last sale of the year, so I want folks to get the best deal!).

Thanks!

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Is SEO copywriting the right career for you?

• posted by

Like this post? Well, I like you!  And I’d love it if you’d subscribe to the RSS feed and sign up for the weekly SEO Copywriting Buzz newsletter? OK? Thankyouverymuch.

There’s something about September that starts folks thinking about changing careers. Maybe it’s because we’re used to “back to school” time and the dawn of an unknown school year. Maybe it’s because we don’t have summer’s sunny distractions. Whatever the reason, I’ve receive five emails from folks considering SEO copywriting as a new career choice. And heck, if Yahoo can consider SEO content jobs like “bloggers” and “content managers” in their Hot Careers list, well, SEO copywriting has to be cool.

Why?  Because SEO has become nearly synonymous with web copywriting and content marketing.  If your clients are asking about search engine rankings, It is no longer enough to know direct response copywriting exclusively, no matter how fabulously well you may excel in the craft.  As the reality of search engine optimization has taken center stage in copywriting and content marketing campaigns, the demand for SEO copywriters has also grown.

Can you make money? Yes? Can you work from home and support your family with your SEO copywriting skills? Yup, I know many folks who do just that. I also know some very savvy SEO copywriters who choose the in-house life, helping lead their company’s SEO content campaigns. In short, you have a lot of options.

If you want to be a freelance SEO copywriter – or work as an in-house writer – here are some things to consider:

  • Know that good SEO content writing is more than just writing. It’s understanding what makes people think, act and buy.  Study the art of art of copywriting and learn how to write in a way that connects with a target audience and elicits an emotional response.  Not only will understanding the psychology behind what you’re writing help your writing be even better, but it also will help your client make more money.  The books Buyology by Martin Lindstrom and Influence: Science and Practice by Robert Cialdini, PH.D are excellent. I would also recommend reading  Jonathan Fields’ blog – good stuff, great writing.
  • Know your SEO. Go to conferences, read books, articles, and blogs – in short, learn everything you can about SEO.  SEO copywriting requires the writer to be familiar with SEO principles and best practices, to understand how the search engines work, and to know how to research key phrases and write top-converting titles.  No, you don’t have to be a super-tech. But you do need to know some foundational SEO stuff.  Conferences to consider are Search Engine Strategies, AWAI’s Web Writer Intensive and PubCon.*)
  • Understand that money will not magically drop from the heavens. I cringe when I see sites touting that you can make thousands of dollars a day as a SEO copywriter.  Can you make thousands? Yes. But not at the beginning. Start up is start up no matter what business you run. And if you’re planning to work in-house, the same rule applies – you’ll have to pay your dues before making the dough. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make a very good income. It just means that building a career takes time. For more information, check out these FAQs on becoming a SEO copywriter.
  • Work with experienced writers whenever you can. The best copywriters I know have worked with “master-level” copywriters and leveraged every training opportunity they could find. Why? Because learning how to write is more than reading a book and calling it good. It’s learning what we don’t know and honing our skills. It’s working with a writer one-on-one and having them gently say, “Um, there’s no benefit statement here.”  If you’re a freelance SEO copywriter, find a mentor (for instance, Pam Foster mentors copywriters.) If you work in-house, work with the best writer there (or if you’re the only writer, beg to work with a consultant.) You’ll value your mentor relationship throughout your career. Trust me.

If you’re considering SEO copywriting training as a way to launch (or refine) your skills, I will be offering a discount soon on the online SEO Copywriting Certificate training. Follow me on Twitter @heatherlloyd and you’ll be the first to hear about the discount as soon as it hits the virtual streets. Stay tuned!

*Speaking of PubCon, you can receive 20% off if you register  with coupon code rc-6066515. The super-special early bird rates end 9/10, so  register right now for the best price.

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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, Noel Gama

August 24, 2010 • posted by

Noel Gama directs Human Resources and MarCom for one of India’s largest line of pipe-manufacturing companies, based in India with facilities in the U.S. and Dubai. He’s honed his persuasive writing skills for getting the most-wanted response (MWR) from his most challenging customers — employees — and has applied these skills to his external customers as the company’s star copywriter.

Noel took the next logical step in his career — from being an HR and MarCom professional (writing for humans) to an SEO copywriter (writing for humans and search engines).  He used his copywriting skills to persuade his company to sponsor his enrollment in the Success Works’ SEO Copywriting Certification training program.  ”Success Works’ program provided me with everything I was ‘searching’ for online, vis a vis SEO,” says Noel.

What got you interested in SEO copywriting?

The writing’s very clear on the web :)  SEO copywriting is the future of all copywriting because the web is the future, and at the center of the web is SEO copywriting — where human-enticing conent and bot-baiting SEO compete for the Home turf (pun intended).

What SEO copywriting projects are you working on now?

I’ve started optimizing my company’s website using the course manual as a blueprint.  However, because  I’m a full-time HR and MarCom professional, I have been turning down online B2B SEO copywriting projects from potential clients.  But now that I have an SEO copywriting certification and a logo from Success Works, I’ve started work on my own SEO copywriting website, which ranks #1 on Google: Effective Human Resources Writing.

I’ve also begun to apply the best practices I learned from the training program to the three, theme-based, content-rich websites I own, and have completed the outline of my e-book, “Organic Search Engine Optimization Secrets Every Brick-and-Mortar CEO Should Know.”

What do you find most rewarding about SEO copywriting?

I’ve been in HR for over a quarter of a century and in MarCom almost a decade. Out of all the campaigns I’ve launched in these two functions, in-house SEO campaigns were absolutely free, the returns were huge, and the results more measurable.  Can anything be more rewarding than that?

Does your in-house SEO copywriting present unique challenges?

Yes.  My industry is in the infrastructure sector (manufacturing, to be precise) where mechanical engineers rule and when it comes to the web, they seldom “get it.”  On the other hand, I’ve had to interact with external SEO experts who work only for the search engines.  Though I’ve worked with IT and external techies, it’s my SEO copywriting skills that make me unique and therefore, feted by both:  my company and the SEO techies!

What have you found to be the most immediately applicable skills you learned from the SEO Copywriting Certification training program?

SEO editing — it’s the easiest and the first thing one can do with an existing website. But besides the up-to-date knowledge I gained and the best practices I learned, the certification is sure to give a huge boost to my credibility, especially when credibility is such a big factor on the internet, should I decide to go freelance on a part-time basis.  The Success Works’ SEO Certification logo will enhance my own SEO copywriting website’s corporate look and feel, and the certificate is documentary evidence that my expertise is confirmed by a widely-recognized, third-party industry expert!

What are your other interests and passions?

I spend my leisure hours in my colonial villa in a 16th-century fort, in the company of my extended family and my dogs.  I don my singer-songwriter hat and play with my collection of guitars and synths; at other times, I work on my web-base info-publishing business, “Noah’s Mark Publishing.”  Occasionally, I add pages to the manuscript of a historical romance novel set in the Indo-Portuguese era.


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New SEO copywriting for businesses hands-on workshop September 15, 2010

August 17, 2010 • posted by

Are you in the Puget Sound area and need hands-on SEO copywriting help? Now, there’s a seminar just for you!

Many of you have asked if I could create an in-person seminar series where participants could work through some writing exercises and ask specific questions about their site.  After all, it’s one thing when I tell people to “write good Titles.” It’s another when I can help people step-by-step and provide instant feedback.

The seminar is a powerful mixture of “talking head” presentations (the first half of the day) paired with hands-on help (the second half.) Check out the  SEO copywriting seminar agenda for the full agenda and details.

The training isn’t finished just because the day is over!  If you sign up for the seminar, I’m giving folks free access to my online SEO Copywriting Certification training ($599 value.) For three months after the training, registered participants can go online, listen to the conference calls and refine their skills even more.

Won’t you join us? Let’s improve your positions and your conversions together – sign up today!

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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, Pamela D. Jones

• posted by

Writing has always been a skill that Pamela could rely on.  Immediately after graduating from college, she began her writing career.  Her first piece of work was a romantic short story published by a major New York magazine.  Pamela went on to sell several more short stories, which always featured a female character dealing with life’s dilemmas and love.  However, her writing career dried up after her publishing home of 13 years closed its doors in the 2000′s.

It seemed like her writing career was over.  All Pamela knew was fiction writing, and aside from that, she felt like she had nothing else to write.  Worse, the publishing industry was beginning to change, along with the bad economy.  Print was beginning to die, and so it seemed, were Pamela’s dreams of ever writing again.

Then in 2010, Pamela enrolled in the SEO Copywriting Certification course, created by SEO expert Heather Lloyd-Martin.  This course changed her life to the point that she had a skill beyond publishing.   She was able to write for the newest industry, the internet.  As of today, Pamela is in the process of doing something with her writing career that she couldn’t do with publishing:  go full-time.  There’s more opportunity with SEO copywriting than publishing, and she can enjoy having a recession-proof career.

“It’s a dream come true,” says Pamela.

What do you find most challenging or rewarding about SEO copywriting?

I love the fact that this is a career that you can take in so many different directions.  By this I mean you can either work in-house or freelance.  Some jobs don’t allow this flexibility, but at the same time SEO copywriting isn’t just a job.  It’s a wonderful career.

Are you currently working on any SEO copywriting projects?

Indeed I am!  Who could let such a fun skill go to waste?  I’m in the process of expanding my freelance writing career from part-time to full-time.  My business logos symbol represents my services:  a professional female writer.  In addition, I do independent contracting work for Ecopywriters.com while bidding on copywriting jobs on Elance.  My goal is to be my own boss with numerous SEO projects under my hat.

What have you found to be your biggest “take-aways” from the SEO Copywriting Certification Training program?

Knowledge, knowledge, and more knowledge.  I can’t emphasize this enough!  Although I was writing for Ecopywriters.com prior to starting the course, I didn’t have the full scope of SEO copywriting skills.  Heather’s course gave me that and more.  Thanks to this excellent program, I’m confident in starting my own freelance business.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t have even attempted such a venture.

Do you have any words for those who may be considering taking the SEO Copywriting Certification Training program?

Take it!  You won’t regret it.  This course is especially great in today’s weak economy.  I say this because if you can’t find a job in this field, you have the option of creating your own!  Personally, this course makes me more skilled than my college degree.  I highly recommend this course.

What do you do in your “off” time?

Believe it or not, I love to write!  It’s a passion for me to express myself through words.  I also love doing research.  You gain such great knowledge when you research matters that are burning you with curiosity.  Aside from these two things, I like traveling.  It gives you a chance to explore a place and experience its impact on you!

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Interview with SEO Copywriting Certification Grad, Laura Crest

July 27, 2010 • posted by

Laura was born not with a silver spoon, but with a pen in her hand.  She has been writing since she can remember, from “what today was like” in her childhood journals to poetry, essays, graduate papers, and then white papers for non-profits to support herself as a graduate student at the University of Washington’s Institute for Marine Studies.  With a background in natural resource economics and journalism, Laura landed her very first gig while an undergraduate at Michigan State University, as an intern writer and editor for Michigan Natural Resources Magazine.

Fast forward to the present day: Laura began her own freelance copywriting career last fall, having completed AWAI-affiliated programs in direct response copywriting and web 2.0  (Michael Masterson and Nick Usborne, respectively).  But what really captured her creative and highly analytical mind was Heather Lloyd-Martin’s SEO Copywriting Certification training program.  It all clicked then, everything Laura had thus far learned about copywriting, from the big direct response and web-writing picture down to the dirty, search-engine, content marketing details:  SEO copwriting.  (BTW, Laura’s website, still in the rough: Writer At Work)

What SEO copywriting/content marketing projects are you working on now?

I hit the ground running, landing two clients before I could even flesh out my website, let alone catch my breath!  Presently, I am sub-contracted with a virtual assistance business as their SEO copywriter, website writer, and content marketing writer (articles, blogs, press releases, newsletters, etc.)  Another client needs a complete SEO rewrite of her entire (20+ page) site.  I’m presently negotiating with a third client to develop the content for her new website.  Needless to say, it’s kept me busy and most gratified!

What would you say are your biggest “take-aways” from the SEO Copywriting Certification training program?

Wow!  I would have to answer “all of the above.”  Seriously, Heather’s course is so comprehensive, so thorough, and yet so “hands-on” detailed”¦. Starting with the fundamentals of research, for instance.  This is a step most of us would just as soon skip.  Sounds like tedious work; and most people are nearly allergic to the word “research.”  But it is the absolute cornerstone of solid SEO copywriting, and the way that Heather explains it, it is a SIMPLE, EASY, smart, and efficient foundation for all that follows!  I don’t want to be a spoiler, but”¦by the end of the course, you ARE a top-echelon SEO copywriter, and can charge accordingly!!

So, the short answer:  it’s given me the know-how and confidence to pursue my career as one of the exclusive, elite group of professional, certified SEO copywriters, taught first-hand by the widely recognized SEO copywriting expert of our time!  And, I get to display the SEO Copywriting Certification Badge of Honor on my website (when I finally finish it!) and on my marketing materials.

What are your hobbies, interests, other passions?

I absolutely love all things green and marine.  I grew up fascinated by Jacques Cousteau and National Geographic, and studied natural science, environmental science, and marine science as a student at MSU and UW.  An unabashed Ansel Adams’ fan, I enjoy landscape, seascape, wilderness, and black-and-white/ tonal photography, thrive on wilderness hikes, and am deeply attached to the coasts — almost all coasts, but especially those of the Pacific Northwest and Michigan.  I love great literature, great thinkers, and great poetry, as well.

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