Thinking about jumping into the wild and wooly
world of SEO copywriting?
You have questions – and
I have answers! Today’s post is the first in a two-part series where I
answer the most common SEO copywriting questions that I hear from writers.
Enjoy!
So, what is “SEO
copywriting” anyway?
SEO copywriting is an
umbrella term for any type of “keyphrase-based” writing. That means
understanding how your prospects search – and strategically including those
search terms on the page and in the code. You can read this post to learn more.
Placing search terms on
the page? Oh no – so, SEO copywriting means writing really bad articles
that repeat the same words over and over?
Goodness, no.
That’s spam. Good copywriting is good writing, period – and it was
never about keyphrase stuffing (although that’s what some people did.)
Thankfully, Google is focusing more on content quality. In fact, a Google
update (code name: Panda) emphasized good content, and kicked the “thin,”
keyphrase-stuffed content to the search engine curb. Here’s more information
about how to write copy after the Panda update.
What about blogging or
tweeting? Is that SEO copywriting?
You bet. Some people call
this “social media writing,” and call writing a sales page “SEO copywriting.”
Whatever you call it, you’re still researching keyphrases, determining the
reader’s intent and making sure that those words appear in the content and
code. Here’s the difference between social
media writing and “traditional” SEO copywriting.
What kind of people make
the best SEO copywriters?
I’ve met SEO copywriters
from all walks of life – and they all love to write, love to research, love to learn
and love working online. They also tend to have a high tolerance for
change – which is good, since Google (as well as other providers) love to
change things up on a regular basis. If you are the kind of person who gets
bored easily, SEO copywriting is a great gig. I can guarantee that it’s never
boring. 
Hmm…will people actually
pay for this?
Yup! You could work
in-house for a company, or you could freelance. Some people do both. It’s up to
you.
How much will they pay?
That depends on quite a
few factors. The freelance SEO copywriting range can be anywhere from
$75-$1,500 a page. I’ve heard of in-house SEO copywriters making anywhere from
$35,000- $100,000+ a year. How much you make depends on who you want to
work with, where you want to work, what kind of copywriting skills you have,
and how much SEO knowledge you have.
How do I learn this
stuff?
In a perfect world, you
work with a mentor who can guide you through the process, check your work, and
help you hone your craft. That’s why some people prefer to work in-house – they
figure that they can earn while they learn. You’ll want to do a lot of research
on traditional copywriting techniques (Bob Bly is a fantastic resource,) read
everything you can about how people search online, and also consider taking my SEO Copywriting Certification training to learn best
practices and the latest information.
Do I have to do all that?
Can’t I just figure it out myself?
Not easily. SEO
copywriting is an ever-changing skill set – and it can be somewhat overwhelming
to learn for new (and even experienced) writers. You’ll need to put in the time
to learn how to do it right. I can’t stress how important it is to know
what you’re doing before you work with clients. If you do something
wrong, it can hurt your client’s Google ranking – and damage your professional
reputation.
Why should I spend all
that time “honing my craft.” Isn’t Google just going to change everything
anyway?
It’s true that Google
loves to keep us all on our toes. However, the SEO copywriting fundamentals
have stayed the same over time. Yes, strategies have changed – and there are
definitely some new opportunities – but you won’t have to worry about the
knowledge being obsolete in six months.
I’ll be answering even
more common SEO copywriting questions next Thursday – stay tuned! In the
meantime, if you have a question, please include it in the comments and I’ll
make sure that I cover it next week. Thanks!
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