When Content Meets Search Engine Optimization

A while ago, A List Apart wrote a great article about The Cure For Content-Delay Syndrome that tries to solve the age-old search engine optimization problem of getting a site up and ready to launch, only to wait a year for the content to be produced. According to A List Part, the golden egg in the whole process is hiring an editor, not a lowly copywriter, to help you with the writing.

• Copywriting Matters
• FAQ: How can I effectively implement Search Engine Optimization for my content? 

Copywriting Matters

Oh, whatever. That’s nothing more than a bunch of semantics. Writing and editing may be two completely different disciples, but God knows they’re not treated as such in most companies. Oftentimes, a copywriter is what you are until there are enough people below you to promote you to “Editor.” And at that point, you’re just a copywriter with a glorified pay raise. Save yourself the extra bucks an “editor” charges for their title, and go find yourself a copywriter with some skillz. [I feel like you’re speaking of someone in particular here… -Susan] Right. This is my world, revolving around you.

Semantics aside, I am inclined to agree with the article that if you want SEO’d content to be produced on a timely basis, it’s a good idea to go with a search engine optimization company that keeps a couple of writers on staff. It’s important to have a team there who can help guide you in the right direction and craft your written mess into something your users and the search engines will equally love.
There’s always a lot of debate about who should be writing the content for a search engine optimization project. Officially, we advise clients that they should be writing their own content as they’re the ones who are experts on the subject, not us. You have the passion for the topic, you know what products/features customers want to know about, you know where the content holes are, etc. Then, once you provide the meat, we’ll work with you to tweak it, adjust keyword densities, and take out all the spots that would make your high school English teacher question her self-worth.

That’s our official Bruce Clay, Inc. stance on copywriting and SEO.

Unofficially, the Bruce Clay Writers love when we get to write content from scratch for clients! Perhaps it’s because all three of us are slightly deranged, but if we could sit and write content for clients all day, we’d probably do it. So when a client comes to us and asks us to write content, they get three very excited writers who literally fight for the project and jump at it with a boatload of passion. In these cases, we do the research on your site, topic and industry, and deliver you pages of awesome to review on a pre-set schedule.

This may sound incredibly biased, but I think most companies would benefit from working with a copywriter who is well-versed in search engine optimization. Not only will the new content you’re working on together perform better, but a copywriter can also help you review your site and find ways to include better call-to-actions on pages that tend to get very little attention. I’m talking about your Contact Us page, various forms on your website, Thank You pages, and things of that nature. They’ll also help ensure the language and tone remain consistent throughout your site. You may not think all of that matters much, but you’d be surprised how it can affect your site’s readability to readers.

I’m not sure why A List Apart seems to think that writers need an editor to produce work on time and get projects moving, but that’s certainly never been the case around here. Don’t waste your money paying for fancy titles, but do invest in a copywriter who can help you to take your site and your search engine optimization efforts to the next level. As Tyra would say, that’s fierce.

Looking to take your content to the next level with SEO that converts and builds your brand? Talk to us.

FAQ: How can I effectively implement Search Engine Optimization for my content?

Search Engine Optimization is an integral component of digital marketing. Additionally, SEO (search engine optimization), more commonly referred to as optimizing online content, plays an essential part in this type of digital promotion. When executed effectively, SEO can significantly boost your online presence and attract potential customers. Here, we’ll explore the key steps to implement SEO successfully for your content.

1. Understand Your Audience:

To start, gain a deep understanding of your target audience. Know their preferences, needs, and the keywords they’re using to find information related to your content. This knowledge will guide your SEO strategy.

2. Keyword Research:

Keyword research is the cornerstone of SEO. Utilize tools like Google Keyword Planner to discover relevant keywords and phrases that align with your content. Select a mix of high-traffic, long-tail, and low-competition keywords.

3. Quality Content Creation:

Create valuable, high-quality content explicitly tailored to the needs of your target audience. Make it well organized and easily consumable. A consistent publishing schedule can also enhance SEO.

4. On-Page Optimization:

Optimize your content’s on-page elements, such as title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and URL structure. Include your chosen keywords strategically in these elements.

5. Mobile Optimization:

In today’s mobile-driven world, having a mobile-responsive website is crucial. Google favors mobile-friendly sites, so ensure yours works seamlessly on all devices.

6. Site Speed and Performance:

Both users and search engines prefer fast-loading websites. Compress images, use browser caching, and choose reliable hosting to boost your site’s performance.

7. Internal Linking:

Create a logical internal linking structure that helps users navigate your site. This improves user experience and allows search engines to crawl your content more effectively.

8. Backlink Building:

Acquire high-quality backlinks from reputable websites in your industry. Backlinks from authoritative sources can significantly improve your SEO rankings.

9. Monitor and Analyze:

Stay abreast of your site’s performance by using Google Analytics and Google Search Console regularly to monitor it and analyze data to understand what’s working and where improvements might be required.

10. Stay Updated:

SEO is an ever-evolving field. Stay up to date with the latest algorithm changes and trends in the SEO industry to adapt your strategy accordingly.

11. Technical SEO:

Fix any technical issues that may hinder your site’s visibility. This includes addressing broken links, improving site security, and optimizing your site’s structure.

12. Schema Markup:

Implement schema markup to provide search engines with additional information about your content. This can lead to rich search results, such as featured snippets.

13. Social Media Integration:

Share your content across various social media platforms to reach more people, while social media engagement can increase the credibility of your website.

14. User Experience (UX):

Make sure your website offers an exceptional user experience. An easily navigable, well-designed site will engage visitors while increasing SEO rankings.

15. Content Promotion:

To broaden your reach, promote your content through various channels, such as email marketing, guest posting, and influencer outreach.

16. Local SEO:

If you have a physical presence, optimize your website for local search by creating a Google My Business profile and consistently updating your business information.

17. Content Updates:

Regularly update and refresh your old content to keep it relevant and maintain its SEO value.

18. Ethical SEO:

Avoid blackhat SEO tactics, as they can result in penalties. Stick to ethical, whitehat SEO practices for long-term success.

19. SEO Audit:

Perform regular SEO audits to identify and fix any issues arising over time.

20. Patience and Persistence:

SEO should be treated as an ongoing strategy; immediate results may not come immediately, but with time, hard work, and persistence, it will produce greater rankings and organic traffic increases.

Planning and executing an SEO strategy correctly is crucial to improving your online presence, drawing more visitors to your site, and realizing SEO success. By following these steps, you will strengthen online branding while drawing more people towards you – all essential ingredients for success in SEO. It’s essential to remain patient, as SEO is an ongoing effort that yields significant rewards over time.

This article was updated on December 2, 2023.

Lisa Barone is a writer, content marketer & VP of strategy at Overit Media. She's also a very active Twitterer, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.

See Lisa's author page for links to connect on social media.