SEO copywriting has always been a great challenge for SMEs. Not only because it is a necessary key element, but also because it implies writing with a certain structure.
In addition to the large amount of valuable content that SEO demands, it is also necessary to keep up with Google's algorithms. And this involves adapting your SEO copywriting so that Google robots like your content .
I have written a lot about the different types of Blogs you can publish depending on your product or topic.
This time I will focus more on the aspects of SEO writing and the structure of your content.
SEO copywriting with a holistic approach
Give Google and your readers what they want.
You can understand this as a symbiotic relationship between your readers and Google.
Google wants to make money and this can only be done if users use the search engine to find information.
So Google must give users the best content they are looking for, otherwise they will stop using their search engine.
Consequently, your role is to provide Google with the best content that your potential users are looking for to solve a problem or question.
Holistic SEO
Holistic SEO is a marketing strategy to create the best website in a specific market niche.
This requires several disciplines. The technical design of your website must be excellent, the user experience on your website must be flawless, and it must be secure .
Most importantly, though, your website content needs to be well-written and targeted to the audience your website serves.
This last point requires quite advanced SEO copywriting skills.
Write your best content
You want to be the best SME in your niche or sector.
To make sure your website is the best in its niche, the text on your web pages should be nice and easy to read.
Without sacrificing the quality of your content, you must modify and adjust your texts to the specific demands of search engines.
The SEO copywriting process is a lot like the process of writing any other text, so it's hard work. Inevitably, some of us are more talented at writing than others.
However, we can all write a good Blog or content with proper SEO copywriting.
Discover this process step by step.
Always start with keyword research
The first step of SEO copywriting has little to do with sitting down to write.
First, you need to decide what you are going to write about.
For what topics do you want to be found?
You will need to use the keywords you want your content to rank for. That is why the first step in SEO writing is keyword research or Keywords.
Keyword research is a collection of the keywords or phrases you want to rank for in Google.
This process involves several steps.
Why does your SME exist?
Before you start the actual keyword research, you need to think about the reason for your company to exist.
This is what makes you stand out from the crowd.
When formulating your statement of existence (I invite you to watch this Ted Talk by Simon Sinek on the subject), you should consider questions such as: who is your company and why does it exist? What makes you unique? What will your blog be about?
Take your time to formulate and write your statement of why you exist .
Remember this learning, people don't buy what you do or produce, but they buy why you do it and produce it.
List of relevant keywords
Once you have formulated an existence statement, you can start making a list of Keywords.
List all the search terms (keywords) you want your website to be found for.
If your reason for existence is clear, you should have no problem finding search terms that apply to your niche and unique selling points.
These will be the keywords you want to be found by.
You also have to get into the head of your audience.
How are you most likely to be found? What would they Google? At the end of your keyword research, you should have a list of all the relevant search terms that people might use.
Also, think of combinations and variations of these terms. It is worth mentioning that you can also use tools to help you in the keyword research process.
For example, there are related keyword research tools like Ubersuggest and Semrush.
After making a list, you may have trouble deciding which keyword or keyword phrase to use. These tools will allow you to see which of your words are the most popular.
Eventually, you should have a big picture, which will be of great help in your SEO writing process.
Try to think of combinations of keywords and then order the keywords by some kind of priority. Which of these keywords are particularly important to rank for and closest to your existence statement? Which less?
When choosing which keywords to target first, you should consider the likelihood that your pages will rank for that specific keyword. Analyze how competitive they are and focus first on some less competitive ones.
Consider search intent
SEO strategies today should largely revolve around answering the questions people have. Google is increasingly focusing on search intent .
Every time someone enters a search query into a search engine, they are looking for something.
Informative intent
Search for information on a specific topic.
Navigation intent
Access a specific website by entering the term into a search engine.
Commercial intent
Buy something early and do your research before making a purchase.
Transactional intent
Buy something after searching for commercial intent.
You can use search results to find out what intent applies to your keywords and create great content that matches this intent.
The intent you are targeting should also affect your writing style.
Landing pages for search engines
The final step of keyword research is to create amazing posts or pages for the keywords you want to be found for.
The content must be tailored to attract visitors who found your blog through a specific keyword.
This could be a dedicated page or Blog post optimized for a specific keyword.
Make sure that your visitors can access your blog from there, through the menu or internal links. Make sure you have a landing page for every relevant keyword you can think of.
Your keyword research will give you a good idea of the topics to be discussed and developed.
Then, you will have to develop content around a specific word. However, a word is not the issue. Alongside a keyword (or keyword phrase), you'll need a specific point of view, story, or methodology around that keyword.
SEO copywriting: preparation, writing and editing
Once you have your arsenal of keywords and phrases it is time to start your SEO writing process.
Preparation of your text
Before writing stop to think a little about your text and try to answer these questions.
- What is the purpose of your article?
- Why are you writing it?
- What do you want to achieve?
- What will be the main message of your post?
- What is the key question you want to answer?
- Who is your audience? What are you looking for?
- What information do you need to write your article?
- In what order will you present your information?
- What will be the structure of your article?
The purpose of your text and search intent
The first question on the list is: what is the purpose of your article?
It's important to think about that beforehand because it affects how you should write your article.
- Do you want to inform users?
- Amuse them?
- Or persuade them to do something on your site? The preparation step is also when you need to consider your visitor's intent.
If your keyword research clearly showed that the intent behind a certain query is informational, focus on that. Don't write a persuasive, sales-focused page for that keyword.
In any case, you should think about your user intent before you start writing, simply because informative text is written differently than persuasive text.
The language you will use when writing informative text should be clear and focused. Persuasive language will generally be very positive, with more of a focus on the reader. Funny texts tend to use more casual language, puns, or exaggerations.
Content structure
An important element of planning your article is establishing its structure.
The structure of the content on your site is vital for SEO copywriting. If your content has a clear structure, you have more chances to position yourself well in Google.
It really pays to think about the structure of your article before you start. Because the structure is the skeleton of your text: it will help the reader to understand the main points of the article.
Posts and pages with a clear structure will also lead to higher conversions on your website.
Your visitors are more likely to buy your products or return to your website if they understand your message correctly.
For practical tips on setting up an article structure, you can read How to Create a Clear Blog Post Structure .
Writing your content
Now you can start the actual SEO copywriting process!
This only takes about 20% of the total time you spend on your article.
Write, write, write
The most important tip for this SEO copywriting phase is to just write.
People often have trouble finding the first sentence (or first paragraph). But, at this stage, you can skip writing that first paragraph entirely.
Simply write a couple of words that refer to the content your first paragraph should contain and start writing the second paragraph.
Beginnings and endings are easier to write once you've developed the main body of your post.
If a sentence isn't grammatically correct or sounds awkward, move on and don't worry about it yet.
You can rewrite these things in the next phase, which is editing. In the writing phase, it's important to stay in the flow and cadence of your writing.
Respect the structure of your text
As you write, use the structure you created in the preparation phase as an outline and write the paragraphs according to that plan.
Make sure to write clear and short paragraphs. Begin each paragraph with the most important sentence, then explain or elaborate on it.
Your readers will be able to grasp the most important content of your article, simply by reading the first few sentences of your paragraphs.
Make sure your text is legible
Reading from a screen is hard, so if you want your readers to read your entire blog post, you need to make it easy to read.
Posts that are nice and easy to read will result in more repeat visitors and a higher conversion rate.
Most importantly, make sure your text is in the right tone for the audience you're writing for.
Use white space to make your texts visually digestible. Keep sentences short and separate your ideas with headings.
Take one or several breaks
SEO copywriting can be a pretty intense process.
If you write for long periods of time, you will find that concentrating becomes more difficult.
The exact time frame, however, will be different for each individual. If you find that your mind has begun to wander, that is the time to take a break.
Even a minute's break can be enough to get you back to writing with a fresh, renewed level of focus and creativity. Try what works best for you.
Editing your SEO copywriting
Once you have finished writing your content, you will have the first draft of your article. This first draft is what you will improve in the final phase of seo writing. The final step will still take quite a bit of time.
The editing phase is the phase of the SEO copywriting process where you should be “ scissoring ”. Don't be afraid to throw things.
You should read and reread and reread your post and correct awkward sentences, unclear sentences, and messy paragraph structures.
Read slowly (and out loud)
You can start this phase by reading your article slowly (and even out loud, this really helps). Each sentence must be grammatically correct and spelling must be impeccable. You have to be very critical of your own work. This is sometimes difficult but necessary.
Focus on the sentences
Start by making sure each and every sentence is correct.
Focus on the spelling of words and rephrase awkward essays.
Make sure your sentences are grammatically correct and check for readability: Make sure your sentences aren't too long. Try to make them 20 words maximum.
I know it's a challenge, but it favors SEO copywriting.
Focus on the paragraphs
If you pass all the sentences in a paragraph, look at the structure within a paragraph, concentrating on that first sentence.
Does that first core sentence really capture what you wanted to say in that specific paragraph? Are the sentences within a paragraph presented in a logical order? Do you use transition words to clarify the connection between sentences?
Check the structure of the text
Check if the structure between paragraphs is clear. Are the topics of your article presented in a logical order or do you need to make some changes?
You should also review your titles and subtitles. Make sure your focus keyword is in one of those headings and subheadings.
But equally important, make sure your headings help your readers understand the structure of your text.
Ask a third party for help
The last step in your SEO writing process is getting feedback.
After editing your text, you should ask people for feedback.
Feedback throws in the perspective of someone other than the writer and almost always leads to big improvements in the post.
It would also be helpful to let someone in your audience read your post to check if the message is being communicated correctly.
You can seek the help of an editor. Feedback from someone with professional writing and grammar skills, such as an editor, will help you further improve your blog post.
Conclusion on the SEO copywriting process
SEO copywriting works best when you follow a defined process and ensure your text is the best possible text.
While not all of us are natural writers, SEO writing is something we can all get better at with practice.
Don't forget to maintain your non-green content over time to prevent it from becoming stale. A good SEO practice is to salvage good old content, update it, and republish it as a new article.
SEO writing is not only a process of writing each article. Once you start generating content, there is no going back. It is a perpetual activity.
Decide the right frequency for your company to generate content to keep your site fresh and trigger the interest of your audience .
Only then will they return to your site again and again.
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