SEO copywriter. Rank higher in Google.

Finding the right words to build your brand is hard enough, without writing for Google ranking as well. But fortunately, that’s where a skilled SEO copywriter can be a great asset.

An effective SEO copywriter blend the right message to create a natural sales pitch that appeals to both customers and SEO engines.

So, for brands who want to increase their visibility online and climb the Google mountain to its first page, SEO optimised copy is a crucial tool.

Let’s take a look at the basics.

What is SEO copywriting?

An SEO copywriter crafts content with the aim of ranking higher in search engine results for relevant keywords.

This process can be used throughout your site: your homepage, product and services pages, blog posts, and even your contact details.

Why does SEO copywriting matter to your ranking?

Google is clever – and it’s getting cleverer all the time. It wasn’t so long ago that web copy that appealed to search engines invariably came across as stilted, and not appealing to the reader. Today, Google is a new beast, using natural language processing to match what browsers are searching for, and to find the content, and sites, that match.

Want to learn more about NLP technology? Put some of your own website content through Google’s Natural Language API Demo, and see how you fare.

Use SEO copywriting for better search results.

Rule number 1 is to create content that talks to users. As we’ve mentioned, Google’s a clever animal, and given the right length of the copy and measured use of your keywords, it’ll do the rest for you.

1. Choose the right keyword

Do your research and focus on words and phrases that users search for online. If you’re a dry cleaner in Johannesburg, say that. You can also identify related  terms like drycleaning suits or best drycleaners .

So, keyword research is your first and most important step. You can choose industry keywords, but these are highly competitive, so also use more niche ones on your other pages or blogs.

2. Check out the competition. 

Who is already on page one of Google? Use their content as a guide for creating your own. That means seeing how long their content is, or what meta tags they’re using.

Don’t make a carbon copy of their content – and never plagiarise, because you will be penalised.

3. Put quality at the top of your list.

Google is looking for quality content to offer its users. If it didn’t, people would migrate to its competitors, so you have to prioritise things like content relevance, load times, and backlinks.

4. Make use of a content optimization tool.

These are tools that identify the most common words and topics used in top-ranking sites in your industry and suggest similar terms for you. As long as you weave them into your content naturally, the results could be significant.

5. Don’t use long sentences, long paragraphs, and watch out for spelling.

Think of Google as a strict school English teacher and craft your copy accordingly. Check your copy and check it again. Even better hire a professional copywriter to do the job for you.

Don’t make your content too technical, even if you are talking to those in the industry. Nuclear physicists may easily understand what you’re talking about, but it helps to keep the overall tone more human than dry academic white paper.

These are just some of the tools you can use to enhance your SEO.

You have plenty of other tools to choose from, and we discuss them in more depth in other articles.

The use of rich media, images, relevant links, navigational links, and captions are just some of the tools you can use to further boost your SEO.

And remember, like everything in life, the internet changes, and Google’s algorithms are tweaked, so pay attention to SEO trends, and update your content.

Need help putting these principles into action? Use the services of a skilled copywriter.