Top 15 Tips For SEO Copywriting

Marketing is a lot like dating. You have to find someone you really get along with, make a good first impression, and then show them that you’re worth sticking around for. It’s not always easy but when you find the right person, it all feels natural and effortless. 

That’s why we wanted to share our best SEO copywriting tips. These are the 15 steps we take with every new client to help them get found by the people looking for their products or services on Google (and all the other search engines). 

There are no “magic keywords” here just common sense and an understanding of your customer’s point of view. So if you want your website to feel like a million bucks without spending any money on ads this is where you should start:

A Complete Guide To SEO Copywriting: How To Get More Traffic
Takeaways
1. Understand the target audience and their search intent.
2. Conduct thorough keyword research to identify relevant terms.
3. Craft compelling and relevant headlines to capture attention.
4. Prioritize readability and natural language in your copy.
5. Use subheadings to break up content and improve scannability.
6. Create valuable, informative, and actionable content.
7. Incorporate relevant keywords naturally, avoiding keyword stuffing.
8. Optimize meta descriptions for higher click-through rates.
9. Develop internal linking strategies to connect related content.
10. Utilize schema markup to enhance search result visibility.
11. Implement a consistent content update schedule.
12. Pay attention to mobile-friendliness and responsive design.
13. Optimize images and multimedia for faster loading times.
14. Monitor and analyze performance using SEO tools and metrics.
15. Stay updated with SEO trends and adapt your strategy accordingly.

1. Write For The Web

Keywords are still important, but they don’t have to be overly obvious or clunky. Include keywords in a conversational tone and use them sparingly so they don’t sound like an ad. 

Remember that Google’s ranking algorithms are looking at your content not only for keyword density, but also quality and readability.

If you’re writing long-form content (say, an article), it’s best to break up your writing into shorter paragraphs with one idea per paragraph so readers can easily digest the information without getting lost or confused by a long block of text on the page. 

And if you’re just doing quick blog posts on social media or something similar where space is limited, try using short sentences and words instead of unnecessarily long ones that take up more room than necessary!

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2. Create Goals For Your Writing

Define the problem before starting on a solution. By this, I mean that you need to have an idea of what you’re writing about before you start writing it. 

This is especially important with SEO copywriting because we want our content to attract people who are looking for information on a particular topic and then keep them engaged until they convert into leads or sales.

Set goals for yourself before you begin writing! When it comes to marketing and advertising in general, don’t worry too much about what other people are doing. If they’re not successful, why would you follow their lead? 

Instead of worrying about others’ success rates (or lack thereof), focus on your own goals and put yourself first! Be ambitious but realistic; if nothing else, set some short-term targets that can be achieved within 3-6 months so that way everyone wins: 

You win because now there’s a clear end goal in sight that will keep motivating you throughout those hard days when all else fails; clients win because now they know exactly what kind of results they should expect from their investment (and therefore whether or not it made sense).

Want a comprehensive understanding of SEO? Dive into The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization to learn the fundamentals and best practices of optimizing your content for search engines.

3. Plan Your Content With An Editorial Calendar

A well-planned editorial calendar can help you stay on track and stay focused, especially if you’re working with a team of writers. It also helps you keep track of what’s been published, when it was published, and what’s coming up next. 

An editorial calendar will make it easier for everyone to understand the priorities of each content piece and how long it takes to produce each one so no more writer’s block!

Here are some helpful tips for creating an SEO friendly editorial calendar:

  • Make sure all deadlines are met with as little stress as possible (this includes client requests).
  • Keep track of when each article is drafted so that there’s never any confusion about when something was due or written by whom. This will also ensure that similar articles aren’t submitted at the same time by mistake!
  • Add keywords/phrases in bold font so they stand out from other words within the body text itself.”

4. Create An Amazing Headline And Intro Paragraph

A great headline draws the reader in, while a good intro paragraph paints a picture of what they can expect to learn from your article. 

The best way to do this is by asking questions, using statistics or quotes, making statements that pique curiosity, and telling stories about your own experiences (or those of others).

And then ending with a call to action for them to continue reading by clicking on another link or taking one specific action.

5. Write As If You’re Talking To Someone

You know what’s better than writing for the search engines? Writing for people.

The logic is simple: the more engaging your content is, the more likely a user will be to click on it. That means they’re more likely to stay on your page and read what you have to say, which means they’re more likely to convert into customers or subscribers (and then share those conversions with their friends). It’s hard to argue with that kind of logic!

So how do we use this approach? Well first let’s look at some tips from copywriting legend Dan Kennedy:

Write as if you’re talking to someone face-to-face over coffee. Like any conversation, it has a rhythm and cadence; 

There are moments where one person takes over while another listens intently; there are pauses when someone takes time digesting information; sometimes things get heated up… 

Especially when discussing SEO copywriting (kidding). But all kidding aside.

Keep in mind that people like being spoken too in an informal way because they feel like they’re being treated as equals instead of talked down upon by some big-name company brand spouting off who knows what kind of nonsense just so they can sell their product(s). 

So try using simple language while avoiding complex sentences where possible – even though this may sound counterintuitive given our previous tip about using short sentences only…

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6. Use The Inverted Pyramid Structure

The inverted pyramid structure is the most common way of writing copy, and it’s the best way to get your point across. The idea is to start with the most important information and work your way down. 

When you write using this structure, you’re essentially creating a “nest” for your reader that allows them to easily find what they need:

Start with an overview of your article or post. This should be a short paragraph that covers all of the main points of your content. Use subheadings where appropriate, too (see below).

Use bulleted lists for important items or steps. If there are five things you want readers to remember about X, then make sure they know how many there are so they can quickly scan through them and find what they need without having to read paragraphs of text!

Add images wherever necessary they break up long blocks of text and draw attention to specific parts while also helping people understand concepts faster than words alone would do on their own even if we did not have images available yet because there hasn’t been enough time since our ancestors stopped living in caves yet!

7. Don’t Use Creepy Marketing Speak

You’re writing copy to sell products and services. If you sound like a used car salesman, it’s going to turn people off.

To avoid marketing speak. Don’t write “Your customers are searching for a solution that delivers on their unique needs.” Instead, say something like “You can help your customers succeed by helping them solve problems.”

Also avoid buzzwords and jargon that don’t actually mean anything: Don’t write “cutting edge solutions,” or “best practices,” or any other term that doesn’t tell the reader anything useful about what you do. 

These words just make the reader feel stupid and then they stop reading. Same goes for buzzwords like leverage; if you use them in your copywriting (and it happens!), then at least explain what they mean so that people know why they should trust you with their money!

8. Create Original Content That Adds Value To The Reader’s Life

If you want your website to rank, there is no point in creating repurposed or spun content. Google will see right through this and it won’t help your SEO efforts at all.

Instead, write original content that adds value to the reader’s life.

If you can write something that people will be willing to share on their social media channels (and thus drive traffic back to your site).

Then this would be ideal as well as increasing brand awareness for your business by having other influential people sharing links from their own websites with a link back to yours.

Building quality backlinks is a crucial aspect of SEO. Check out The Definitive Guide to Building Backlinks to master the art of creating a strong and authoritative online presence.

9. Make It Easy To Read And Understand

Write your copy so that it’s easy to read and understand. Use short sentences, paragraphs, bullets and lists where appropriate. Include subheadings and boldfacing where necessary.

Use images in your content (such as product images) because they help readers see what you’re talking about and they also boost SEO by including alt text that describes the image.

A good font is essential for making your copy readable and easy on the eyes not just in terms of design but also legibility: when choosing a font for your website or blog posts, pay attention to how well it’s suited for reading large blocks of text.

Especially if there are any significant changes in size between paragraphs or lines within those paragraphs (e.g., a heading followed by text).

Font size matters too: if you’re working with multiple fonts at once then make sure each one has been selected according to its purpose so as not to disrupt readability; 

This means choosing typefaces that complement each other while still being able to stand out from one another enough that there isn’t too much visual clutter when viewed together side-by-side on screen (or printed).

10. Break Up Your Text With Subheadings, Images, And Bullet Points

When writing for the web, you want to break up long pieces of text with subheadings, images and bullet points.

For example:

Subheadings help readers get through your copy faster. They let you present an overview of each section or subsection before diving in. 

This makes it easy for readers to scan through the page and find what they’re looking for quickly or if they’re new visitors who aren’t familiar with the topic at all, it can help them understand what they’re reading about and why it matters to them.

Images are also great tools for breaking up large chunks of text because they add visual interest and context that helps guide user attention towards important points within a piece (i.e., where there are no visuals). 

Similarly, bullet points can be used as visual cues to highlight key takeaways from paragraphs; bolding text can emphasize important parts; 

Italicizing text can add emphasis; changing font sizes between paragraphs makes sure everything feels balanced across these different types of content elements so nothing stands out too much or gets lost altogether among competing elements on screen (and lastly but certainly not leastly: never forget about white space!).

11. Write Compelling Meta Descriptions For Google And Facebook

Meta descriptions are a critical part of search engine optimization, and they’re also important for the user experience. They show up in search results and on social media sites such as Facebook. 

A good meta description can give your business an edge over competitors by drawing users to your content, since it provides them with information about what they will find on that page.

Write compelling meta descriptions for Google and Facebook

Meta descriptions should be:

  • Relevant to what you’re promoting; this is especially true if you’re running ads or trying to drive traffic from specific platforms
  • Unique from any other description on the page (otherwise, Google might penalize you)
  • Include keywords related to your product/service the more relevant those keywords are, the better!
  • Short enough that people will read them (Google recommends keeping them under 160 characters) but long enough so that potential customers have enough information before clicking through

Make Sure You’re Mobile-Friendly!

While you’re writing, make sure you think about your audience and their needs. Search engines are now looking at the user experience of a site when ranking pages, so they want to see sites that are easy to use on mobile devices.

Here are some ways you can make sure your content is optimized for mobile:

  • Use short sentences and paragraphs (around 10 words or less).
  • Use bullet points and lists wherever possible (especially in long articles).
  • Make sure your font size is large enough for people with poor eyesight or who have trouble reading small text on their phones.

You could also include a link back to the desktop version somewhere near the top of your article if there are any images or other multimedia elements that would distract from reading it comfortably without zooming in too far.

• Include an image on every page if possible; this will help keep people engaged while they’re scrolling down through all those words!

12. Don’t Forget To Set Up Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free tool that lets you see how your pages are performing in search results, including clicks and impressions. It’s important to set up your Google Search Console account, so you can monitor traffic and track keywords.

Here’s how:

Go to https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/home?hl=en and sign in with the same account you use for AdWords, if applicable. If this is your first time using Search Console or if it has been more than 30 days since last signing into the tool, click “Sign in.”

Click “Add a property,” then select the website(s) for which you want to collect data (up to 50). Next, indicate whether or not these sites are different languages or subdomains of each other; 

If they’re different languages, then click “Next” at this point and finish setting up each website individually by providing names as well as URLs (by default they will be set up as www.)

To complete setup: Check “Track changes on my site” box under “Search Traffic Features” section and hit “Save Changes” when ready

13. Keep A Natural Writing Style And Maintain An Active Tone

This is one of the most common mistakes that people make when they write copy. They tend to use passive voice, which makes the sentence longer and less engaging than it should be.

When you use active voice, sentences are shorter and more powerful. Active voice also creates a more conversational tone in your writing, which is what most people want when looking for information on Google or other search engines.

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14. Make Sure You Have Clear CTAs Throughout Your Tex

Always make sure that you have a clear and concise call to action in your content. A call to action is something like a button, link or other type of instruction for the user to take in order to do something.

For example, if you are writing about how to use the product “X,” you should include a CTA button that says: “Learn More” or “Buy Now.” 

You could also create an email newsletter signup form at the end of your content so that users can subscribe directly from there without having to leave your site.

The key here is that every piece of content needs one main focus – whether it’s education or sales – so try not to confuse your readers by mixing both types together in one piece!

15. Use The Power Of Social Proof

Social proof is the psychological effect of seeing other people do something and thinking that it’s okay to do too. It’s why we like being around other people, and it can be used to your advantage in SEO copywriting. Social proof has been shown to increase conversion rates by up to 35%.

If you want people to buy something, show them what others have bought before them! This is a pretty obvious idea, but there are many ways you can use social proof when writing for SEO:

  • Create a list of testimonials from satisfied customers or clients at the end of your content.
  • Include things like “Professionals recommend this product” or “Hundreds of users give this product 5 stars on Amazon” in your copy.
  • Use customer reviews on landing pages as long-form testimonials (or just opt for text instead).

Conclusion

We’ve seen from the examples in this article that good SEO copywriting is a mix of art and science. The trick is finding the balance between what the search engines want, and meeting your user’s needs at the same time.

On one hand, you have to follow these rules to make sure Google can understand your content. And on the other hand, you need to write great copy that will get people to click and convert!

It’s not an easy task, but it’s worth doing properly. Your website won’t rank if it doesn’t have quality content, but there’s no point having great content if no-one can find it!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to help you dive deeper into the world of SEO copywriting:

Robbie Richards: SEO Copywriting Techniques Short Description: Explore advanced techniques and strategies for effective SEO copywriting on Robbie Richards’ comprehensive blog.

SEMrush Blog: The Art of SEO Copywriting Short Description: The SEMrush blog offers insights into mastering the art of SEO copywriting, with practical tips and real-world examples.

WordStream Blog: The Ultimate Guide to SEO Copywriting Short Description: WordStream’s ultimate guide provides in-depth knowledge and practical advice to enhance your SEO copywriting skills.

FAQs

What is the importance of SEO copywriting in digital marketing?

SEO copywriting plays a crucial role in digital marketing by optimizing content for search engines while maintaining its readability and engagement factor.

How can I balance keyword optimization and readability in my copy?

To achieve a balance between keyword optimization and readability, focus on incorporating keywords naturally within the content without sacrificing its flow and value to the reader.

What are some effective strategies for creating compelling meta descriptions?

Craft engaging meta descriptions that accurately reflect the content while encouraging clicks by highlighting benefits, using action-oriented language, and keeping it within the character limit.

Can SEO copywriting improve user experience on a website?

Yes, well-optimized and user-focused copy can enhance user experience by providing relevant information, guiding visitors through the site, and encouraging them to take desired actions.

How can I measure the success of my SEO copywriting efforts?

Monitor key metrics such as organic traffic growth, click-through rates, keyword rankings, and engagement metrics to gauge the effectiveness of your SEO copywriting strategy.