Let’s face it—writing of any kind involves a heavy dose of ego. Writers are writers, and whether it’s a novel or marketing copy, they tend to think whatever they produce is perfectly ok, maybe even perfectly perfect.
Of course, anyone who’s been doing SEO copywriting for a while knows that what’s considered “perfect” in this arena is a little different. The creative writer who gets rave reviews for her pithy short stories may find herself sinking fast in a sea of SEO rules and regs.
Is your SEO copy working? Here are some of the common mistakes made by even the best writers. So check your ego at the door and prepare to own up:
1. You’re a stickler for keyword density.
Keywords are important. Keyword density—not so much so. Back in the day, much was made of density, and it’s remarkable how many writers and marketers still believe in its relevance. Keep in mind that SEO rules have changed. Google no longer considers density when determining content’s SEO value.>
When you write with density in mind the copy sounds forced and awkward, which means it’s less likely to be read and less likely to be shared. And this is what matters to search engines now.
2. Your focus is in the wrong place.
SEO copywriting relies on proper focus to be effective. This refers primarily to two aspects:
- Audience
- Topic/product/service
It’s fairly simple—your copy must speak to a targeted audience, and it must talk about benefits, not features. Are you addressing the people who need the help, the product, the service? Are you telling them how it will benefit them? Keep your focus on these aspects of your copy and you’ll get much better results.
3. You think SEO copywriting can’t be interesting.
Ok, folks. There’s a lot of content out there on the Web. You know it, your client knows it. Do they want their marketing content to be lost in the mass of boring crap floating around out there? We think not.
You can prevent this by injecting some personality into your writing. Yes, it’s true—marketing copy benefits when you spice it up. This keeps people interested and coming back for more. Tell stories. Give examples. Interview members of your client’s team and/or product users and profile them. Add humor whenever possible. Your SEO copy will stand out from the masses.
Think your writing is perfect? Could it be better? We think so. There are many other ways to make your SEO copywriting more search engine-friendly, memorable to readers and shared by them. Start exploring the ways that you can make your writing not only findable but readable, and you’ve found the secret to success for your marketing copy. No ego required.
