25 SEO Copywriting Tips and Content Ideas You Can Implement Today
It doesn’t make a difference if you’re a big brand or a DIY small business. One of the hardest things about launching a web writing campaign is figuring out how to start.
If you’ve been facing content marketing overload, here are 25 SEO copywriting tips you can implement right now:
- Does your About Us page work against you? Have a typical (boring) About Us page? Consider if writing it with a different tone and feel could increase your conversion rates. (If you’re wondering how an About Us rewrite can boost conversion rates, check out this WordStream blog post.)
- Do you have a web page that makes you cringe whenever you read it? Either rewrite it this week, or hire a copywriter to rewrite it. Don’t wait!
- Remember no-one cares what you think about your copy. It’s what your customers think about it. Whenever you insist that there’s a “certain way the copy has to be written” – and you can’t back up your statement with analytics – you’re hindering progress. Pull your ego out of the way and focus on what really works.
- Review one of your product or services pages. Do you see benefit statements (what’s in it for your customer?) Or do you see features? If your copy is feature-full, rewrite it.
- Remember, there’s no excuse for bad copy. Review your SEO copywriting with Google’s Website Analyzer and track your analytics.
- Do your Titles look like keyword | keyword | keyword? You’re missing the SERP conversion boat. Rewrite your Titles and remember that people really do read those things!
- There is a time when you can pay $25 for copy. And there is a time when paying $1,500 a page is a bargain. Know the difference.
- When’s the last time you reviewed your customer persona? You should know your customer persona as well as you know your best friend.
- If your company has in-house copywriters, get them trained in SEO copywriting best practices. Don’t just send them to a big conference or expect them to learn from books. These are the people who make your company money, so train them well.
- Same goes for DIYers. No matter how busy you are, learning the art and science of written persuasion will pay off in many ways (outside of just your website.)
- When’s the last time you updated your customer benefit statements? The world has changed quite a bit in the last couple years, and so have people’s buying habits. Stay on top of them.
- Feeling like you have “too much writing to do?” Focus on one thing – and one thing only – and get it out the door.
- Do you have an opportunity that’s staring you in the face? Forget the excuses and make time to work on it now. That opportunity you’re ignoring could be costing you money.
- Don’t know what SEO copywriting opportunities you do have? If you haven’t figured it out by now, you probably won’t. Hire a consultant or consider a SEO copywriting baseline report and learn the myriad of opportunities you do have.
- Are some of your pages jam-packed with keyphrases? Change it out and write it right. Consider working with a savvy SEO copywriter who can help maintain your rankings while he fixes your copy.
- Writing 100 articles tightly focused around one keyword isn’t a “content strategy.” It’s crap. Don’t do it.
- No, Virginia, there’s no such thing as keyword density as it relates to search engine positioning. If you’ve been making sure that every blog post has a X% keyword density, rejoice and set your writing free.
- How do you gather testimonials from your clients? Do you have a master plan? If not, create one – there’s a time and place to ask for testimonials.
- Boring writing does not sound “corporate,” make a company sound “bigger” or “more impressive.” It’s just boring. Quit it.
- Sometimes, the best content marketing strategy is to send your clients hand-written thank you cards. Try it. They work.
- Twitter is not a place for your personal sales message. Don’t interrupt the conversation. Join it.
- It’s tempting to focus on a sexy new SEO content strategy. But remember that you should focus on the basics first (well-researched keyphrases, strong content, good benefit statements, a dead-on customer persona) and then branch out. Moving ahead without a foundation in place will bit you in the butt later.
- Suffering from writer’s burnout? It happens. Take a break or outsource your copy short-term. The only thing worse than not writing is writing sub-par copy when your heart’s just not in it.
- If you have multiple writers, editors and IT folks involved in the copy “process,” get them all on the same page. If you let people work in silos and “do their own thing,” your progress will stall and the writing will suffer. The 5-W’s and 1-H of SEO copywriting can help you with your planning.
- There’s more to copywriting than just SEO copywriting. Your direct mail pieces, brochures, email blasts and customer engagement letters also require savvy copywriting too. Leverage your on and offline content assets.
Love this post! Thanks Heather!
I Tweeted #7 on its own. Yes, sometimes you might only need a quick blurb of copy that $25 will cover. However, if your conversions (and therefore your business) depend on the copy, SPEND THE MONEY! (I know you know this – just emphasizing for those who don’t.) Yes, $1,500 can be a lot for a small business; however, if it results in $10,000 in sales, I’d say it was worth the investment.
Instead of naming each gem again, I’ll just say that the rest of your advice is pretty spot on too. :-)
Education and training is so important. Even if you THINK you know everything you need to know – guess what, you don’t. I learned that about myself this year. Going through your SEO Copywriting certificate program not only taught me some new techniques, but it also reminded me about the importance of tactics that I already knew, but would sometimes rush through. Knowledge IS power – might be corny, but it’s true. Never stop learning: take a class; read up on industry blogs; read book from an expert in your field or (sometimes even better) and expert in a related field.
Thanks again for the post!
I personally like number 16. I still see people who want a 1000 articles written around one topic. Really?? what could that possibly do you for you besides trigger a penalty?
LOL- you’re so right! And wow, there are a lot of freelance job listings that ask for a “freelance copywriter to write 1,000 word articles for $10.” Really? REALLY? :)
Thanks for your comment. :)
Wow. What a great list. I especially love #3. Sometimes I can get stuck in a certain format, which may change depending on the client.
Thanks again for the great advice.You’re an awesome mentor!
Thanks for the tips, Heather. Please tell me that no one is paying attention to keyword density anymore! And I feel like #6 is becoming the new keyword-stuffed body content issue. Titles and descriptions are prime areas for calls to action that so many people miss.
Do you have a process you recommend for developing customer personas?
Hi Heather,
Great article. I am going back and rewriting some of my stuff! Thanks again.