Posted by Beth Hrusch
By now, you may have heard that content marketing is the future of marketing. If you haven’t, you soon will! Content marketing involves many aspects of search engine optimization, including keyword research, website structure, meta tags and link building, all with the ultimate goal of increasing website traffic and sales. However, SEO copywriting is one of the most important factors for content marketing success.
For customer-focused SEO copywriting that attracts both humans and search engines, try the following tips:
1. Tell people what they want to hear. If your target market has no interest in what you’re writing about, they won’t read it, they won’t share it and they won’t click through or buy. Once you’ve established who your audience is, you should take the time to figure out what pushes their buttons. Do your customers have questions that you can answer? Do you see yourself as a solution to a problem? Find your niche and write with authority. Your SEO copywriting needs to focus on topics that are of interest to your particular readers in order to be effective.
2. Write well. Interesting, informative content, free from grammatical errors and awkward sentence structure, always attracts people to it. Try attention-grabbing titles. Engage your readers with stories and examples to illustrate your points. How does this optimize your content? People will enjoy reading it, recommend it to others and come back again to read more. Well-written SEO copywriting garners back links and RSS subscriptions more effectively than just about any other marketing tool you can use.
3. Use keywords wisely. The proper keywords are important for SEO purposes. However, the way you use them can make or break the marketing value of your content. One of the assertions of content marketing is that you must write for the reader, not the search engines. Keywords used too often in your content (also known as keyword stuffing) results in unnatural-sounding, salesy material that people will not read. You may ask, but what about SEO? How will the search engines find me if I don’t add enough keywords?
The answer is, don’t underestimate today’s search engine algorithms. They are now sophisticated enough to understand the meaning of your content without excessive keyword use. By using related terms (often found naturally in the content anyway), your text will be indexed properly and found by customers. Of course, since your readers are the real source of rankings for you anyway, quality SEO copywriting will gain more readership, get passed on and linked to, and boost your rankings naturally.
4. Tag properly. SEO involves a little bit of behind-
the-scenes magic. Make sure that you use heading tags to tell the search engines what your main keywords are (H1, H2, H3, etc.). Titles and subtitles should include your primary keyword and it wouldn’t hurt to bold them. Another tip is to put some of your most important keywords toward the top of article. Search engines will understand that these words are more important to the meaning of your text, and will look for related terms in order to determine how to index you.
5. Update. Providing your readers with fresh, original SEO copywriting on a regular basis will maintain interest and build your authority over time. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to optimize your content, because posting something new each week (or each day, if you can) actually draws people to your site where they can read more of your past content. Blogs are a great example of content that is constantly updated with new information. The popularity of blogging as a marketing tool is a reflection of people’s love of interesting, timely new content.
SEO copywriting is one of the best ways to get your site noticed! Follow these simple tips, and you’ll soon be on your way to better online visibility and increased profitability for your business.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
What is “sticky” content? You can look at it either as content that makes visitors “stick” to your page, or vice versa. Or, you could think of it as website content that “sticks” in their minds. Either way, sticky content is what you want, because that’s what gets visitors to your site on the hook, converts them into customers and keeps them coming back.
Sticky website content doesn’t get that way accidentally. It’s the result of good, interesting writing. Website design plays a role in making your content and your site as a whole more attractive, but the real money is on what you have to say and how you say it.
Did you know that you have less than 10 seconds to impress someone enough to stay with your site, rather than move on to the next search result? Writing for the Web is different than writing for print. Online readers tend to have a shorter attention span and are quick to make judgments. If they don’t like what they see, they’re going to move on – and they’re going to do it in a hurry.
So, if you want to grab attention and keep it, here are 3 tips for sticky website content:
1. Be as brief as possible- There are some instances when you want to give people more “beefy” content. White papers, articles and ebooks are examples. But on your site—and especially your home page—be concise and to the point. Make your content dense with only the information people need to decide whether to stay. You can always link to more content somewhere, giving them the choice to continue.
If you put lengthy paragraphs on the home page, and/or do so throughout your site, people will say to themselves “I don’t have time to read through all of this!” They become intimidated, frustrated and turned off.
2. Appeal to their visual nature- Graphics and flash animation are not the only ways to capture attention visually. Compelling headlines (preferably containing keywords), in bold, color, italics, etc., will do the job as well. Break up the copy with punchy sub-headings.
3. Include links- Internal and external links are not only good for SEO and rankings, they also help your readers navigate your site more easily, and encourage them to explore your site more thoroughly. A link may get them to more great website content that they wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Linking to other authority sites turns your site into a resource for visitors and thus boosts your own authority with them.
One tip for using links: don’t overdo it. Only add links when it will add value for you. Too many links is a visual red flag that says “this site is salesy”.
Creating a sticky site starts with sticky website content. So, try these simple little tricks for making your site more attractive to visitors, and always be sure to write good, authoritative content. It’s the only way to turn visitors into customers and get those customers to recommend you to others.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
We all know that awesome web content gives your site SEO power. In fact, search engine optimization revolves around the creation of content. The better written the content on your web site from an SEO standpoint, the more effective it will be at driving additional traffic to your site.
Since it’s so important, it’s worth going over some of the basics. You’ll stay on track with your SEO efforts if you pay attention to the following 5 tips:
1. Keep your content up to date
Yes, you can make money for a while with content that’s already published, but the shelf life of your content is limited. If you don’t constantly update your content and post new, optimized content, what used to be awesome, powerful content will turn bad— like so much old lettuce.
Post to your blog at least twice a week, ditto for article submission to online directories. It also wouldn’t hurt to publish a white paper or ebook now and then. Use previously written content to create these more involved items, if time is an issue. This is called repurposing, and it’s a great way to squeeze more juice out of your web content.
Creating content that is fresh and new on a regular basis is the best way to keep your posts attractive to search engines. You may be able to attract comments to your posts, as well – another way to keep web content updated from a search engine point of view.
2. Don’t worry about code
Search engines like web sites that have simple coding. Complicated HTML codes don’t necessarily impress them. Simple heading, paragraph and list codes are usually adequate. If you have some code intensive entries, make sure you balance it with plenty of simply coded content to keep your content to code ratio satisfactory.
3. Use proper keyword density
Opinions about keyword density vary, but in our experience a 1% density keeps your content sounding natural while still registering with search engines. Sprinkle in related terms, secondary keywords and descriptive terms, and you have a delicious SEO-friendly mixture. Your best option is to choose one strong keyword phrase per article or post to avoid diluting their SEO strength.
4. Begin and end strongly
Make your point quickly and in the most attention-grabbing way possible. Consider adding your primary keyword phrase to the first and last paragraph. The trick is to not make it sound unnatural. Someone looking for information isn’t looking for a sales pitch, and inserting keywords in awkward ways says “sales pitch”.
5. Use keyword links
Use strategic keyword links to hyperlink text to other pages on your site (see above), and to other sites that contain relevant information. Not only will this give your readers a fast way to access other posts that you have created, it will also assist with the ranking of your page on search engines.
Without a good SEO approach to your web content, all of the effort that you put into research and professional writing techniques could end up being a waste of time. So keep these tips in mind when writing content for your site.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
The idea of doing technical writing puts some writers off. They think “I’m not a technical person”, or “I can’t translate tech-speak”. It seems intimidating to some, but the fact is that technical writing can be a lucrative side business for writers. Many have made it their primary offering. So, do you have what it takes to be a successful technical writer? What does it entail?
Here are some of the things that may be required of you if you choose to be a technical writer. If you think you can handle these requirements, if they suit your skill sets, interests, abilities and schedule, then technical writing just might work for you.
1. Write well- You must have an excellent knowledge of the content and the structure of the English language (or the language that you will be working in) to include the spelling and meaning of words, grammar and the rules of composition. This is not something you can fake your way through.
2. Collaborate- You may have to conduct interviews of production personnel, read notes and journals and study other resources in order to become familiar with the production methods and the technologies used. You may have to collaborate with vendors, publishers, customer representatives or company executives in order to develop material for publication, including setting technical standards.
3. Organize- A technical writer may have to organize materials, edit, make changes to or standardize someone else’s material. You may be required to maintain the files and records of all of your work and revisions.
4. Analyze- You may have to review already published materials and make recommendations for changes in content, scope and format, or even in the methods of distribution. You may need to analyze previous documents and study the current technical aspects in order to determine if revisions to the existing material are necessary.
5. Interpret- Another skill that comes in handy is some knowledge of computers and electronics, toys, education and training, or communications and the media. A technical writer writes on technical issues, sometimes for technical professionals and at other times for the “end user” who may not be technically savvy in any way. You need to be knowledgeable enough to interpret the specifications you are given and to write them in the specified format. A lot of this knowledge can also come from past jobs or experiences.
Work experience can make up for a lack of formal technical writing training, especially if you have a varied work background that has given you a broad base of knowledge. Some skills are universal to all fields and if you have them, your chances of finding employment increase dramatically. So it is with technical writing:
- Reading comprehension
- Critical thinking – using logic and reason to find solutions
- Listening skills- being able to give your attention to the presentation of information so that you can understand the concepts
- Communication skills – the ability to take complex concepts and make them comprehensible to anyone
- Time management
- Deductive reasoning- the ability to produce answers that make sense when applying general rules to specific problems.
Do you think you could be a technical writer? Are there experiences in your past (work-related or otherwise) from which you could draw expertise and experience? It is a specific skill, but it can be honed over time, and it can be financially rewarding, so don’t rule it out as a career-expanding option.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
In my very first blog post for Interact Media, I chose the topic “Finding your Voice”. It wasn’t bad, but looking back, I think it was just too short. It was sort of an introduction more than anything. So, I’d like to revisit the topic of voice in blogging.
A s a copywriter, voice is one of the essential elements of your work. Your voice can be the trigger, the persuader, the thing that keeps readers on the page. It can help you rank, it can help you sell. It can be the deciding factor for whether someone subscribes to your blog or joins your fan page. It’s important.
Voice roughly equals personality. You’ve read many things online, right? You know personality when you read it. Does it attract you? Of course it does. It’s like the difference between reading a technical manual (a thousand times, ugh) and reading a novel, a diary, a journal entry.
I, like many SEO writers, initially had a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting personality show through. But now that it’s accepted and even encouraged in SEO writing, I cannot be stopped.
But what is voice, exactly? And how can you express it in your blog?
Readers hear your voice in the words you use and the way you use them. The idioms and the expressions, the tone and the style of your writing tell people volumes about you, sometimes without you even knowing. Don’t be afraid—this is generally a good thing when it comes to SEO copywriting.
Back in the day, supplying SEO copy with an authentic voice was not emphasized. Those doing it were usually successful by accident. Today, voice is taking center stage in content marketing. With that in mind, here are some tips for finding and expressing your voice in your SEO copywriting:
1. Don't Think about It
Try this exercise: Just start writing about a topic, not thinking about sentence structure or flow or even the quality of the content. Give yourself 5 minutes or so and don’t edit. Then read it to see if it sounds like you. It should. If it doesn’t, you’re probably subconsciously thinking about it too much. Have someone else read it to judge if it sounds like your personality is showing through.
2. Write Like you Talk
Once you’ve established that you can write with your authentic voice, determine if your writing sounds like you do when you talk. Assuming you don’t swear a whole lot or use poor grammar, writing as you speak is a fabulous way to infuse your writing with “voice”. Try this: Once you’ve written about your topic, start talking about it, preferably in conversation with someone else. Borrow some of the words and phrases that you use in speech for your writing.
3. Stick with what you Know
When bloggers start trying to write about topics that seem popular or hot at the moment, but about which they know very little, the voice tends to go away. This is a trap that’s easy to fall into, especially when we are doing SEO copy for clients in order to pay the bills. The best subject matter comes from subjects near and dear to our hearts, or at least interesting to us. The good news here is that blogging lends a good opportunity to use our techniques on even those topics that don’t interest us.
4. Throw out your Old English Book
But save the chapter on grammar! (good grammar is always in style) What I mean is, try to suppress the urge to stifle your personality as you were probably taught to do in school. Many an English teacher over the years has unwittingly stifled creativity because he or she strongly emphasized the mechanics of writing, without also emphasizing that you can write mechanically well AND be interesting. So, don’t be afraid to unlearn and relearn.
Finding your voice is all about being real. Your voice is your way of conversing with your audience. After all, content marketing is all about building relationships, and there’s no better way to do that than through conversation.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
I'll admit that I still have trouble with titles. After all these years, I still agonize 
over getting it just right and usually fall short. Why is it so hard? I don't know. But, it doesn't help that all the title advice out there makes it sound as if your titles must be the ultimate in compelling, interesting and optimized. Not to mention thoroughly attention-grabbing, zippy, fun yet authoritative.
This is a challenge that I am not always up to. Do you have trouble with titles too? Statistics tell us that roughly 8 out of 10 people will read the title, but only 2 out of 10 will actually read further. Is that because our titles stink? Do these people have trouble with attention deficit? What's the problem?
I tend toward titles that are optimized but boring. Every time I come up with something cool and clever I chicken out figuring that someone will think I'm weird. Do you have trouble with titles? The following pointers may help:
1. Make your title unique. Regardless of the fact that 500,000 people have already covered the topic, your title can still say something different. Come up with a boring, factual title and twist it around. For example, "5 Tips for Better Blog Titles" can become "Why Nobody is Reading your Blogs".
2. Add a sense of urgency to your titles. It always grabs attention. Try "Fix your Titles NOW, Before it's Too Late!" I like that one. Who wouldn't want to know more about that?
3. Make sure your titles are useful. Just like your content, your titles need to address a topic that your target audience will find helpful. Asking a question in your title can help with this. "Do your Titles Need Help? Here's what to Do".
4. Include numbers. Did you know that posts with numbers in the titles get 3 to 8 times more traffic than those without? As Sonia Simone once said, "Numbers reach directly into our unconscious and say, "this message is important." I suggest that you check out her post
on this topic for ideas.
And why should you go to all this trouble? Well, we all know how important titles are to the success of your content. Taking a little time with them can go a long way toward becoming a better blogger or article writer. Here are some advantages to good titles:
The "first impression" factor - The blog title is the first chance you have to make an impression on your reader. If your title can't capture someone's interest within a few seconds, then you've lost a reader, and a potential customer.
Search engine and syndication - Blog titles are going to show up in the search engines and syndication sites. It's important to have relevant keywords in your title to get good rankings, which will, in turn, attract readers.
People read headlines - In fact, they often don't get past them. A compelling title will entice more people to continue reading the rest of your blog.
Yes, titles are a challenge for some of us. But, the more we struggle with them, the better we get. So keep playing around with your blog titles until you get a feel for how to do it. You will be rewarded by increased traffic to your blog page and who knows, you may even gain a reputation for cool titles and then everyone will think you're awesome and wish they were you!
Did I go too far? Sorry.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
We're not that hard to get along with-- really!
Not long ago, I worked with a client who was very nice, very pleasant, knew a little bit about content marketing and SEO. Things were going well until I realized that this person really didn't know what they wanted. In the end, after going back and forth with the direction of the content, the client was forced to admit that it just wasn't working out.
I have to say, I agreed. But perhaps not for the same reason that the client thought it wasn't working. Sometimes, it helps to have a clear plan before you outsource your site copy. If you are thinking of having an SEO copywriter create content for you, here are some helpful tips for working with him or her, so that you have a better chance of getting what you want:
1. Include your site address in any inquiries. When approaching a copywriter about doing work for you, make sure you give them the opportunity to check out your site before the initial contact, so they can see what you currently have in the way of copy, how it can be improved, etc.
2. Plan on an initial phone call. It may seem easier to just gather quotes and information through email, but a phone call usually accomplishes much more. During a call, a copywriter and client can brainstorm, and goals become clearer.
3. Make expectations clear. Both parties should know what is expected of each other. This applies to everything from content goals to what the charges are. There should be no unpleasant surprises about billing, and no guarantees made about results. Discuss your challenges with potential writers so they can decide if your expectations are within the scope of their expertise.
4. Ask for writing samples. A copywriting firm will try to match you up to the writer who will best suit you. Get samples from different writers, if possible. It will help you see the differences in quality and style that set a $10 page apart from a $100 page. It will also go a long way to ensuring that you're happy with the content as you go along.
5. Quality isn't cheap. Many clients don't connect higher fees to quality, and the fact is that, sometimes, your copywriter has to research the topic in order to give you quality work. It's best if you don't ask copywriters to reduce their fees while still expecting them to put the time in. Vague promises of future work in exchange for reduced rates should be avoided. Agree upon all rates before any money exchanges hands or a contract is signed.
Some of this is certainly common sense, and some of it is specific to copywriting,
but all of it is necessary in order to develop a positive relationship. Remember, if you are a business owner looking to market on the Internet, your need for content will almost certainly be ongoing. Wouldn't it be great to have a go-to copywriting service who can handle your content needs now and in the future?
Nurture that relationship, communicate clearly, and you will soon be able to leave the whole thing in capable hands. And get back to doing what you do best-- running your business.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
"Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted, and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking." Jessamyn West
Which is to say, writing demands your time. It doesn't want to hear excuses about where you've been when you should have been at your desk, slaving over it. And, if friends and family get in the way it will pout and nag until you get back to business.
You see, the problem is, there's just never enough time. This is probably true for most writers. So how are some able to do it? Most likely we're all just barely able. The difference between a writer (SEO or otherwise) who can keep slaving away for his jealous mistress and one who can't is the passion factor. Do you love to write? A passion for the written word is what distinguishes a true writer from those doing it purely for profit. Ultimately, even though SEO writing is for marketing purposes, it is unsustainable without passion. Sure, you can limp along for awhile, just doing it because someone told you that you can make money with it, but how long will it be before you're hiring a pro to write for you?
The other day I felt burned out. It happens when you've been writing too much for too long, all night, all day, and you've lost your passion for what you're doing, and you're neglecting your family and you want to chuck it all and disappear to a beach in Fiji and lick your wounds for a while. These feelings are normal. If you're a writer.
But, you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and do the deal over again. Why? If you're passionate about writing, you make the time, and you find ways to make it interesting for yourself and your readers. I suggest that if you're an SEO writer who's feeling the time/family/life squeeze, and you can't afford to take a break from the whole thing, take a couple of hours and ignore your emails, get out of the office, go outside and read a good book. Or start writing one. Get away from marketing copy for a little bit and do something purely creative.
Maintaining the balance between good SEO copy and good writing is not easy for anyone, and nearly impossible for those who are not all that interested in writing in
the first place. Copywriting is more than just the science of SEO--it's the art of persuasion and a creative process. Art and science. Yes, she is a jealous mistress, but you love her anyway.
And every time you swear you're leaving for good--she knows, you'll be back.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
I read a blog the other day that made me realize something. I need to be more specific about what it means to write well. Everyone (including me) talks about it. But, what does it really mean?
There was a time when SEO and "writing well" didn't have much to do with each other. Of course, with the advent of content marketing, those days have pretty much come to an end. Which leads us to the fact that writers need to understand what it means to write well.
I guess that, to most people, writing well means good grammar, sentence structure, etc. And it does. But, in order to get to the next level of good writing, you might want to start looking at those elements as a given and consider what you need to do to make people want to read your content.
It's true-- well-written content is content that people want to read. What makes people want to read your content? They want it to be free from amateurish errors and they want the sentences to flow for a more pleasant reading experience. But beyond that, they want it to tell them something they need to know and they want it to be interesting. In that sense, it's not that much different from speech. If you can fulfill these requirements you'll engage your audience, and that's what leads to results. So, learning how to engage people becomes critical for SEO copywriting.
Have you ever listened to a speech by someone who was really good at it? What did he do to capture you and make you want to listen? I'll bet he told stories and anecdotes. He probably sounded relaxed and conversational. He used words that evoked visual images in your mind. Writing is a rich medium for communication. It can seduce, attract and paint pictures. Think about your favorite book, your favorite authors. Why do you like them?
The balancing act for SEO copywriters is walking the fine line between writing rich, layered, evocative text and giving people the hard information they need to make purchasing decisions. I assure you it can be done. Try these tips for writing better SEO content:
1. Write creatively- Creative writing is the opposite of boring, dry and factual writing. It has nothing to do with jargon. It makes a point in its own way. When you get the chance to use a metaphor to make that point, do so. Think "drowning in a sea of troubles" rather than "he was in a lot of trouble", "the winds of change are blowing", rather than "change is coming".
Similes also enrich your content. A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things usually considered different. Most similes are introduced by like or as. Think "The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water" rather than "I realized that..."
2. Expand your vocabulary- There is usually more than one way to say something. Search engines like related terms, i.e. words that are related, or similar to, your keywords. Perfect! Use more of these terms in your writing. It's good for SEO and it makes your text more descriptive.
In this case, if your keyword is "floral arrangement" think about adding the words "flowers", "vases", "bouquets" and "floral centerpieces". Sprinkle them throughout and attach them to descriptive and related adjectives such as "fragrant", "colorful" and "lush". Your readers will be better able to get a mental picture. And the search engines will get the picture, as well.
Does writing well mean being flowery? Does it mean using the dreaded "big words" that put people off? Not at all. Writing creatively and using varied and descriptive terms is not the same thing as being wordy or pompous. You can pack a lot of great writing into relatively few words. Of course, one could write a book about this topic, so let's just leave it at this-- don't think you can't write well just because you're writing marketing copy. The two are not mutually exclusive.
In fact, considering how much more likely people are to buy from someone who engages them, I'd say they go hand in hand.
Posted by Beth Hrusch
A lot of people mistake a high-ranking site for a good site. This is not always so. Why? A site can get traffic and even be popular, but without high-quality SEO content, it isn't going to produce sales. So, it's not a good site.
Don't get me wrong. Your site may be a great place for people to hang out. Lots of fun, like you. But, unless your intent is to use your site strictly for socializing, all that traffic is useless.
If your site's traffic is not converting into sales, your copy is probably the culprit. It's easy to make major mistakes with your site's content because it's so easy to lose focus on what's important. Take a look at these 5 common SEO copywriting mistakes, and decide if you are guilty of "short-selling" yourself, and your site:
1. Using the wrong keywords. Research your keywords carefully. Good, targeted keywords will bring the right people to your site. These are the consumers most likely to buy from you. If you fail to identify yourself properly to the search engines, you're likely to be indexed with sites that have nothing to do with you and people looking for stuff that also has nothing to do with you.
2. Being selfish. What is selfish copy? We all know it when we see it. It talks about product features, tries too hard to sell and doesn't offer anything of value to the reader. Your visitors want you to tell them what you can do for them. They don't care about how great your company is or what your opinions are. Focus on the customer when writing. Put yourself in their shoes.
3. Formatting improperly. Marketing copy should be friendly to the eye. In general, avoid large chunks of text and overly complex words. People like to scan for information, so make it easy for them by breaking up your paragraphs, using bullet points and highlighting subtitles and keywords or phrases.
4. Worrying about page length. It doesn't really matter how long your text is. Don't add more useless keyword-stuffed fluff because you think you need more words in order to be indexed. As long as your content makes every word count it can be 100 words long. Offer useful information that's SEO-friendly, and the search engines will find you. Don't forget-- good content of any length is popular with readers, and this is what matters (think of the power of an intriguing tweet).
5. No clear call to action. Don't make your readers wonder about what you want them to do. Somewhere on your site, preferably on every page but definitely on your squeeze page, you want to entice them to act. Offer an ebook 
or white paper in exchange for their email address. Tie your products or services into some benefit to them, so they can clearly see why they should purchase from you. This is where good content does its heavy lifting.
High-quality SEO copy turns your site into an authority, and this gives your site lasting value. Sure, being popular is nice, but in the end, your site needs to have some depth in order to hold on to its relationships. Get it?