SEO Copywriting: Quality Site Traffic You Will Love

SEO copywriting is a very specialized form of writing for the web that helps your content rank higher in search results, resulting in more top quality traffic to your site.  The writing focuses on using the most appropriate keywords based on research into what your audience types into search to find the information you offer.

But SEO copywriting goes beyond keywords because search engines want to see authoritative content, which is content that fully answers the readers’ questions and stands out from other similar content.

Why should you care about this?

Because the higher your content ranks, the more likely your content is found and consumed by your audience, and that increases your opportunities for profitable growth.

Without SEO copywriting, your audience might not find your content, which means they would be less likely to buy your products.

DIY Or Hire An Expert?

You can try to do-it-yourself, but I do not recommend it without some training.  And if you go this route, remember that you will be spending time and money on the training so you can spend more time and money writing your copy.

And then the question becomes, “Do you want to be an SEO copywriter?”

Now, if you are a coach, or a consultant, or a business owner, chances are you did not start your business so you could learn how to be an SEO copywriter.  And chances are SEO copywriting is not something you are going to be passionate about, and when a person is not excited about something, they tend to avoid doing it.

That said, if you think you want to learn a new skill and do not mind the costs, you should check out the following training options.  (And I am not affiliated with any of the following programs and am not receiving any compensation or incentives for doing so.)

SEO Copywriting Certification by SuccessWorks: Over 20-years ago, SuccessWorks claims to have been the first agency focused on SEO content marketing and development.  Today, they focus on consulting and training, and the testimonials are incredibly positive.  The course costs $995 (one payment, or three monthly payments of $390) and includes 24/7 lifetime access to SEO copywriting training, videos, workbooks, exercises, and more.  There is a Facebook group for getting questions answered, as well as training calls and email support.

Yoast SEO Copywriting Training: There are 9 SEO courses in the Premium Subscription plan, and that includes 2 hours of instructional videos on SEO copywriting (edited to 23 “bite-sized bits.”  Also included are PDF files, quizzes, and more.  The course typically takes 8 hours to complete, and it is all at your own pace though access is limited to one year with your subscription of $499.  They offer a free trial as well.

Or you can turn to those with experience and let them have at it.  Either way, you need to know the following if you want to increase your chances for greater success.

How to Hire the Right SEO Copywriter For You

Before I get into how let’s spend a couple of moments on why. 

Results.  Consistent results, to be even more specific.

They have a particular set of skills that are needed to bring together marketing, writing, and SEO.  They know how to research and select the right keywords. They understand the audience and their purpose for their search – also known as keyword intent.  They know the difference between keyword density and keyword stuffing.

And they know how to consistently write in a way that grabs the attention and interest of your audience while motivating them to act.

So how do you go about hiring the right SEO copywriter for your business?

First, you must have a clear vision of what you want.  And that is going to require some time and effort so you can identify your wants, needs, and expectations.  Once you have accomplished that, you need to translate that into the experience and expertise the ideal candidate must have.

Do you need someone that is a skilled SEO copywriter? Or do you need a direct response copywriter? Or someone that writes excellent press releases or speeches or presentations?  Do you need someone to write a script for a television or radio ad? Do you need someone that can write the curriculum and materials for an online course?

And what level of experience and expertise do you need?

This may sound rather silly to mention, but I can tell you that I spend a great deal of time helping prospective clients address these issues because they didn’t put in the time to define the want and need clearly.

Second, be realistic about your budget.  And remember that you are looking for help getting work done that is supposed to deliver specific results so don’t get all worked up overpaying someone $ when you are projecting the work will produce $$$ in revenue.

To achieve these points, you are most likely going to need to speak with some people with experience in this process.  Yes, you can get some information online, but it’s good to use your network (or to build a network) that you can rely on for insights and guidance.

Once you start speaking with potential candidates, make sure you have a list of questions and answers so you can grade each interview.  This approach helps you compare and contrast every candidate on the same factors and scale – and that tends to be much more effective than winging it in the interview and basing your decision on the way they looked or laughed at your jokes.

If you can, and if it makes sense, work with a couple of writers on a couple of different projects.  This approach gives you valuable insight into how they work, without making one decision and placing all your eggs in their lone basket. 

One last point that is especially important if you haven’t worked with writers, or freelancers or any outside service provider – they have other clients, and they are not your employee. 

It’s one thing to walk into the office and drop a project on an employee’s desk with “drop everything, I need you to get this done today,” and an entirely different matter if you try that with a service provider.