Copywriting that is optimized for search engines is focused on creating content that is friendly to both users and the search engines. The goal is to create content that is relevant to what users are searching for and that will also help to improve your ranking in the search engines.
This guide will provide an overview of the basics of copywriting, as well as 12 tips to help you excel in this area.
Why Is Copywriting Important?
From a marketing perspective, what exactly is copywriting, and what does it entail? In marketing, copywriting is the act of creating content that promotes a person, business, product, or service. This can include anything from website content to social media posts to email marketing campaigns.
SEO requires you to keep up with your site’s web presence if you want it to rank high on search engines. This means making sure your content is fresh and up-to-date.
SEO copywriting is the process of creating web content for users that is optimized for search engines.
Copywriters typically create a variety of different deliverables depending on client needs, including:
- Blog posts
- Web pages
- Ebooks
- Ad copy
- Website content
Copywriters who don’t have in-depth technical SEO knowledge can still be effective if they understand the basics of SEO.
A writer’s work can greatly affect how well a page does. This includes doing keyword research and writing organized and optimized content.
Here are three reasons you need to invest in SEO copywriting for your business:
- To attract qualified traffic based on the keywords your content targets
- To create trust by providing the answers to the questions your audience is asking
- To convince readers to take action (download your app, subscribe to your podcast, make a purchase, etc.)
Now that we’ve discussed why copywriting is important, let’s talk about some things you can do to improve your copywriting skills.
Steps to SEO Copywriting Success
Here are 10 SEO tips to remember when creating content to make sure it performs well.
We will discuss choosing keywords, identifying keyword intent, and creating copy below.
Find the Right Keywords
Identifying keywords is the first step for any copywriter.
It’s a good idea to target the right keywords and keep the reader’s intentions in mind when you’re writing.
The Keyword Magic Tool can help you find attainable keywords within your industry:
- Start by entering a primary search term, or “seed” keyword
- Set filters to organize results by search volume, keyword difficulty, or other metrics
- View your chosen keywords’ intent (more on that later) to see if they match up with your goals
Find Questions People Ask
Google SERP features allow users to find the information they need without even clicking on a page.
If you can anticipate the questions that your users are likely to ask, you can organize your content in a way that is much more effective.
Targeting SERP features like a PAA (People Also Ask) box is also a great way to improve your chances of appearing on the first page of Google.
Several SEO tools can help you find questions related to your topic and keywords:
- also asked
- AnswerThePublic
- Quora
The Topic Research Tool can be used to find headlines, related questions, and more based on the keyword you enter. To use the tool, simply enter a keyword into the search bar and click on the “Search” button.
If you want your content to be better than your competitor’s, find out what the most popular topics are and then create content that goes above and beyond what they offer.
You don’t need to add every result to your page, only the ones that matter to your business.
For example, a car dealership without a service center wouldn’t create content based on auto repair.
Identify and Map Search Intent
The content of your website should vary depending on what stage of the customer journey the user is in. This means that the keywords you use should also be different, based on the different things that the user might be looking for.
Identify the reason a user is typing in a particular search term.
You can view the intent of keywords across the following Semrush tools:
- Domain Overview
- Organic Research
- Position Tracking
- Keyword Overview
- Keyword Gap
- Keyword Magic Tool
- Keyword Manager
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s dive into the four types of keyword intent:
- Informational: Users want to find more information on a specific topic, product, or industry. Example: “best coffee machines”.
- Navigational: Users intend to visit a specific site or page. Example: “Nespresso coffee machine types”.
- Commercial: Users consider a purchase and want to investigate their options. Example: “coffee machines comparison”.
- Transactional: Users aim to purchase a product or service. Example: “buy a new Nespresso coffee machine”.
You want your customers to visit your site with the intention of comparing your products to others and potentially purchasing them.
After performing a broad match search for “tomato plant” in the Keyword Magic Tool, you will be able to see plenty of information, including search intent and difficulty.
Use the commercial intent filter to determine which keywords are most commonly associated with commercial searches. The top three keywords associated with commercial searches are “Rutgers,” “bonnies,” and “sun golds.”
Check Competitors’ Articles for Your Target Keywords
You can learn about your competitor’s SERP ranking by using I Search From or a Chrome Incognito window.
The Keyword Overview Tool can be used to get a detailed analysis of the key word being searched for.
It is good to remember that it is important to check the top pages on a search engine manually. This will help you make a more useful page than your competitor’s pages.
Once you get going, Semrush makes it easy to get on-demand SEO recommendations. Use the SEO Content Template to:
- See how your top 10 competitors use your target keywords in their articles
- Discover which semantically-related keywords in their articles
- View competitor pages’ readability score
- Understand how long competitors’ pages are
You can use the exported data to create a content outline or to start writing your content with the SEO Writing Assistant.
Basic Principles of Effective Writing
If you keep practicing writing in plain English, you will get better at it and it will be faster. It will also be easier for people to read and understand what you are trying to say. This is important because then your message is more likely to be received the way you want it to. Everyone benefits from this.
To write effectively in a clear and concise way, follow these ten tips: 1. Keep your writing simple. 2. Be direct in your writing. 3. Use active voice in your writing. 4. Write short sentences. 5. Use common, unambiguous words. 6. Omit needless words. 7. Vary sentence structure. 8. Put statements in positive form. 9. Use parallel construction. 10. Be specific.
Write Short Sentences
Short sentences are easier for readers to understand.
The goal is to write 15-20 words, but also to create a flow through the use of rhythm. It is better to be concise, but the writing should still make sense. This may require slightly longer sentences in some cases, as long as they fit the paragraph better and help to convey the meaning.
A useful tip is to target one point or idea per sentence. This may sometimes seem ambitious, and, of course, some concepts are more difficult to explain than others. However, most sentences can be divided in some way or another.
Keep your writing short, playful and delete any unnecessary words. Also, advise the reader to find their own rhythm when writing.
Use Active Voice
The subject comes first, followed by the verb, and then the object. In order to make your sentences direct, dynamic, and easy to read, you should use active verbs. Passive verbs can make sentences confusing, ambiguous, and dull. The subject comes first in sentences that include active verbs, followed by the verb, and then the object.
We typically talk in an active voice, but this isn’t always the case. There are times when you don’t know who or what the subject of a sentence is, and sometimes a passive verb might be more appropriate.
Nevertheless, it is generally advisable to use active verbs when writing. This makes your writing more understandable, more like a conversation, and more interesting.
Use I, We, and You
Pronouns can be useful when writing on behalf of an organization. For example, instead of using the company name throughout the text, you can use pronouns such as “we” or “our”. However, there are cases where it may be more appropriate to use the company name.
When writing, refer to your readers directly. Don’t namelessly call them “customers,” “audience,” or “users.” It sounds dehumanizing.
Use the word “you” when addressing the reader and be conversational in your tone. For example, say, “You can do this…” or “Your information is….”
Pronouns can help you to avoid writing in a stiff or formal way. By using pronouns, you can focus more on the reader and sound more friendly, helpful, and relatable.
Write for Your Reader
Use words that make sense to your reader.
It is generally a good idea to use language that will be understood by the majority of people who visit a website, rather than jargon or terms that are only known by a small group of people. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as when the audience is composed of people who are very familiar with a particular subject area, in which case using specialized language may be appropriate.
Writing plainly does not mean making content simpler. Finding the easiest way to communicate with someone does not mean being simple. It means planning ahead, knowing your audience, and not making assumptions.
Your message should be clear and concise. Understand who your audience is and what they may not know. Use language that is easy for them to comprehend.
Give Clear Instructions
The purpose of writing for the web is to provide readers with the information they need to take the next step. The best way to ensure that they understand your next step is to provide clear instructions.
Most people are good at following online directions, such as clicking ‘like’, ‘share’, or ‘subscribe’. With more people using mobile devices, it is even more important to have brief, clear instructions.
If you want your reader to take action, tell them what to do. Be clear and concise in your instructions. Here are some examples:
Don’t say: The document should be downloaded.
Do say: Download the document.
Don’t Say: Applicants are advised to read the job description.
Do say: Read the job profile.
The alternative to giving instructions with shorter, active sentences and more pronouns is to use longer sentences with passive verbs.
Avoid Nominalization
A nominalization is an abstract noun formed from a verb. The most common are processes, feelings, and other intangibles. They are often seen as unnecessarily complex and wordy.
Some nominalization examples:
”On completion of the task.”
“We had a discussion.”
“She made a suggestion.”
Here’s how they read if you use the verb instead:
“When the task is complete.”
“We discussed.”
“She suggested.”
Verbs require fewer words, are more direct, and create more interesting and engaging sentences. They are also more active, as something is always happening.
Use Headings and Lists
It is helpful to use headings and lists when writing because it can break up the text on the page, making the information easier to read and scan. An organizational tool can also be useful in helping the author to structure their thoughts.
It is important to have meaningful headings in your text so that readers know what they will learn from the information below. Headings should be clear and concise in order to more easily guide readers through your text.
Lists are great for presenting complex ideas or lists of multiple items. Here are some tips for using lists:
- Include one point or idea per bullet.
- Only use a numbered list if there is a specific order to the items.
- Avoid the overuse of bulleted lists in your content.
To create a list that is easy to read, my advice is to pick one way to write lists and be consistent with it.
Use Clear Hyperlinks
The principle that hyperlinked text should be clear and meaningful, telling the reader where they will go if they click on the link, is important for accessibility.
Screen readers are a tool that people who have limited sight use to browse the internet. The device pulls up a list of links on a page and reads them back to the user in audio form. If those links don’t have meaning, such as “click here” or “read more,” the listener will not know where they lead.
Don’t say: Check out my blog post.
Do say: Read my article about writing accessible links.
Written links help the reader get from one place to another by making it easy for them to scan a page and see what links are available.
If a link is ambiguously written or bad, it will only frustrate readers and in some cases cause them to go on a wild goose chase.