!! 10 Essential Tips for SEO Copywriter !!
From the perspective of business owners, webmasters, and marketing managers, the Internet’s rapid and constant changes are thrilling and unsettling. The vast amount of information available, including misinformation and disinformation, along with the ever-changing rules and potential business benefits, make it challenging to keep up.These changes have resulted in a growing recognition of the significance of high-quality web copy. Consequently, there has been an influx of self-proclaimed “copywriters” advertising themselves as website and SEO copywriting experts. While there are undoubtedly some exceptional SEO copywriters, it is essential to approach the selection process with caution. The purpose of this article is not to frighten you but rather to provide guidance on finding an SEO copywriter who will provide honest service and excellent results.
To that end, consider the following ten tips when evaluating someone who identifies as a “website copywriter,” “SEO copywriter,” “internet copywriter,” or “web copywriter” [See also “How to Make the Most of Your Website Copy-writer” and “Teen Things to Expect From Your Website Copywriter”]
1. Familiarity with SEO:-
Your SEO copywriter must have a solid understanding of the fundamental principles of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). They should grasp that a website’s ranking is primarily determined by its relevance (keywords) and importance (inbound links). While other factors come into play, if your SEO copywriter lacks comprehension of these foundational aspects, it is advisable to seek an alternative. If you want to ensure that your SEO copywriter possesses more than just basic knowledge, consider exploring resources like “SEO for CEOs,” “Writing SEO Copy,” “SEO Trade Secrets,” “Web Copy – How Much is Enough?,” and “How to Top Google by Writing Articles” to glean insight into suitable questions to assess their expertise.
2. Demonstrated experience:-
Actions speak louder than words. It is insufficient for an SEO copywriter to merely talk about their abilities; they must also demonstrate their competence. Request samples of websites they have successfully helped achieve high rankings. It may be challenging to find an SEO copywriter who has excelled in both keyword optimization and link generation. If you encounter one who possesses these skills and writes effectively, seize the opportunity as they will possess a comprehensive and valuable understanding of search engines.
3. Understanding keyword quantity:-
Avoid overcrowding your pages with every targeted keyword. Doing so dilutes your site’s relevance and diminishes readability. Inquire how many keywords your SEO copywriter recommends targeting per page. Ideally, they should suggest no more than three, preferably two. Focusing on two keyword phrases per page allows for their frequent use without sacrificing readability.
4. Clear agreement on keyword provision:-
Someone must conduct keyword analysis to determine the appropriate keywords for your site. While your SEO copywriter can handle this task, it is often more cost-effective for someone closely associated with the business to perform it. Regardless, ensure that your agreement with the SEO copywriter explicitly outlines who will undertake this responsibility. Do not assume that the SEO copywriter will handle it, as they may assume you will, potentially resulting in budgetary issues.
5. Choice between keywords or keyword phrases:-
Expect your SEO copywriter to offer guidance on the level of specificity required for your keywords. In many industries, the intense competition necessitates targeting highly specific keywords to achieve ranking, at least initially. For example, if you are in the IT sector, targeting the keyword “IT” at the outset is impractical due to immense competition (approximately 3,240,000,000 results on Google.com). Instead, it is advisable to use a more precise keyword phrase like “IT infrastructure consulting in New York” (around 4,000,000 results on Google.com at the time of writing). Targeting more specific keyword phrases also generates more relevant leads.
6. Agreement on word count per page:-
Ensure that your SEO copywriter provides an estimate of the word count they expect to write per web page. While it is essential to have a sufficient amount of content on most pages, excessive wordiness should be avoided. The ideal word count varies depending on your industry, page objective, and audience needs. Achieving a balance is crucial, as it is possible to achieve high rankings with as few as 100-200 words per page. Avoid paying for unnecessary copy.
7.Density targets and measurement:-
Effective SEO copywriting is not guesswork. A competent SEO copywriter will discuss density measures, which indicate the frequency of a keyword phrase’s appearance on a page. Density is expressed as a percentage of the page’s total word count. For instance, if a page has 200 words and the keyword phrase appears ten times, Aiming for a density of roughly 5% for the major keyword phrase and 3-5% for the secondary keyword phrase is a reasonable rule of thumb for your SEO copywriter. Excessive density reduces readability and may lead search engines to perceive the content as spam. Ensure your SEO copywriter understands keyword density, states the target density for each keyword phrase, and is open to being measured against that standard.
8. Keyword placement:-
Keyword placement has been a subject of debate among SEO copywriters. Although the exact impact remains uncertain, there is a consensus that it has some influence. Confirm that your copywriter is aware of this factor. Conventional wisdom suggests that keywords are more effective when placed in headings, bolded text, links, and toward the beginning of the page.
9. Structural considerations and links:-
Search engines generally index websites more effectively when their crawlers can navigate the entire site using text links. Consequently, your SEO copywriter should link each page to every other page using text links. If your site is complex, this may not be feasible, necessitating the creation of a hierarchical structure. The subject matter should be organized into categories, each with a summary page accessible via text links from higher-level pages. These summary pages should also be accessible from one another. Additionally, each summary page should contain text links to pages discussing specific details within the category. Likewise, each detail page within a category should link to every other detail page in that category, using text links. This hierarchical structure facilitates spider traversal from the top to the bottom and across levels, maximizing indexing potential.
10. Beware of extravagant promises:-
SEO copywriters play a vital role in improving search engine rankings, but results cannot be achieved overnight. By optimizing your site for target keyword phrases, an SEO copywriter establishes your site’s relevance. Publishing helpful articles authored by the copywriter, which include a byline linking back to your site, can further enhance rankings. Submitting these articles to various online publishers can lead to widespread publication, generating additional links to your site and increasing its importance to search engines. Exercise caution if an SEO copywriter claims they can dramatically boost your ranking in a matter of hours or days. Note that your SEO copywriter should be capable of submitting articles to numerous reputable submission sites. These sites are closely monitored by countless e-newsletter publishers and article pages worldwide. High-quality articles are swiftly picked up and widely disseminated. Each publication results in another link back to your site, enhancing its significance to search engines. If you prefer to submit your own articles, your SEO copywriter should be able to provide you with a list of 50 or more submission sites for a reasonable fee, typically starting at $99.
Conclusion:-
Selecting an SEO copywriter is a valuable addition to your marketing endeavors. However, it is crucial to exercise care when making a choice. Armed with the right questions, you are already halfway towards finding the right fit for your needs.