- What is SEO Copywriting?<\/a><\/li>
- Writing Copy That Engages Readers<\/a><\/li>
- Writing Copy That Ranks In Search<\/a><\/li>
- Write Copy That Crushes It In Search<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n
What is SEO Copywriting?<\/h2>\n
When you do SEO copywriting, you have two jobs.<\/p>\n
![\"SEO](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/SEO-Copywriting-Illustration.png\")
<\/p>\nOn the one hand, you’re a copywriter. Copywriting is persuasive writing that gets people to say yes. You’re using principles from psychology and behavioral science to get people to take action.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, you’re an SEO specialist. SEO writing is writing that’s optimized to rank in search. You’re using your understanding of the Google algorithm to help your copy rank for your target keywords.<\/p>\n
Suppose you’ve carefully chosen your target keywords, optimized your title tags and meta descriptions \u2014 but never bothered to create effective copy.<\/p>\n
Most visitors will bounce as soon as they land on the page. And your page will never manage to rank highly.<\/p>\n
If you go all in on writing awesome copy but don’t take the time to optimize for SEO, you’re also sunk.<\/p>\n
Your page will rank so far down in Google’s search results that you’ll never pull in a steady stream of visitors.<\/p>\n
SEO and copywriting go hand in hand.<\/p>\n
To build a successful site, you need both<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Let’s take a closer look.<\/p>\n
Writing Copy That Engages Readers<\/h2>\n
Engaging readers and<\/i> ranking in search can be tricky. Fortunately, Google is optimized more than ever before to deliver results that meet reader needs.<\/p>\n
And that makes it a lot easier to craft compelling copy that performs great in search.<\/p>\n
Put your reader first \u2014 then<\/i> optimize for search. Focus on the reader and you won’t go wrong.<\/p>\n
1. Analyze Competitor Blog Posts<\/h3>\n
Your content will be going up against every other relevant piece of content out there.<\/p>\n
And when you consider how much competition is out there, that’s pretty daunting.<\/p>\n
In August 2020, over 71 million new blog posts were published<\/a> — and that was just on WordPress.<\/p>\n
![\"number](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/wordpress-posts.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe key to standing out? Make your content as comprehensive and relevant as possible.<\/p>\n
That’s the idea behind Brian Dean’s skyscraper technique<\/a>.<\/p>\n
When you cover everything that searchers expect to know, you’re not just serving them. You’re also showing Google that you’ve created an awesome page that deserves a top spot in the search results.<\/p>\n
And if you want to make that happen, you need to start by looking at what’s already out there.<\/p>\n
Looking at existing articles on your topic is a great way to know what should go in your article.<\/p>\n
Suppose you want to write an article on how to be more productive.<\/p>\n
From a quick look at the top articles that come up in search, you can easily see the topics that come up again and again — so you\u2019ll definitely want to cover those, too.<\/p>\n
![\"article](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/productivity-tips.png\")
<\/p>\nIt\u2019s a simple way to make sure you cover the topics your readers want to know about.<\/p>\n
2. Explore Online Courses<\/h3>\n
Online courses are another terrific guide for structuring your content.<\/p>\n
Typically, they’ve been developed by authorities in their field. And the best have often been watched thousands of times — so you know they’re a great guide to what readers are looking for.<\/p>\n
Imagine you’re planning a series of articles on personal productivity.<\/p>\n
Head over to online course sites like Skillshare or Coursera and search for “productivity”:<\/p>\n
![\"online](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/skillshare-search.jpg\")
<\/p>\nStart looking through some of the most popular courses.<\/p>\n
Take a look at the content section…<\/p>\n
![\"productivity](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/productivity-contents.jpg\")
<\/p>\n…and you’ll find lots of reader-friendly topics to include in your own content.<\/p>\n
3. Answer Reader Questions<\/h3>\n
It’s not exactly news that we use Google more than ever to answer our own questions.<\/p>\n
Around 8% of online searches are question-based. And the rise of Google Assistant is just accelerating that trend.<\/p>\n
It just makes sense to create content that answers readers’ questions.<\/p>\n
But how do you know what they’ll be asking?<\/p>\n
Enter AlsoAsked.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
It’s a free tool that lets you see all the relevant questions from Google’s “People Also Asked…” section \u2014 for any search term.<\/p>\n
Let’s say you’re still developing that series on productivity — and you want to know what questions people might have.<\/p>\n
Just enter your primary keyword into AlsoAsked:<\/p>\n
![\"also](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/also-asked-query.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHit search, and you get tons of great questions. Many of these you may not even have thought of, like “How can I make 2020 my year?”<\/p>\n
![\"also](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/also-asked-results-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nClicking on any question generates even more questions that people also asked:<\/p>\n
![\"also](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/also-asked-results-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nKnowing the exact questions readers are asking is like being a mind reader.<\/p>\n
When you can build those questions into your content, you’re responding to the exact challenges and pain points your readers want help with.<\/p>\n
And when you do that, you aren’t just creating a more valuable resource.<\/p>\n
You’re also helping your page rank for lots of long tail keywords.<\/p>\n
And as your page attracts more visitors, Google will take notice \u2014 and give you a prime spot on its SERPs.<\/p>\n
4. Create a Slippery Slide<\/h3>\n
It’s simple.<\/p>\n
You want your copy to be irresistible.<\/p>\n
And that means it should be a slippery slide.<\/p>\n
Start with your headline.<\/p>\n
It should be so compelling and irresistible, that it pulls readers into the subheading.<\/p>\n
Next look at the subheading.<\/p>\n
Your subheading should be so compelling that it pulls readers into the first sentence of your body copy.<\/p>\n
The job of your first sentence? You guessed it: to intrigue readers and keep them reading the second sentence \u2014 and so on, all the way down to the bottom of your page.<\/p>\n
Check out how Ramit Sethi builds a slippery slide:<\/p>\n
![\"slippery](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/earnable.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEvery sentence on the sales page for his Earnable<\/i> program is directly focused on the reader.<\/p>\n
You’re naturally pulled along into his body copy, which continues to build curiosity and gets you wanting to learn more.<\/p>\n
It’s a masterful example of a slippery slide in action.<\/p>\n
And it starts with a great headline.<\/p>\n
5. Use Headlines to Seize Attention<\/h3>\n
Looking for a quick win?<\/p>\n
Your headline is the place to start.<\/p>\n
The fact is that simply writing a better headline can have an enormous impact.<\/p>\n
SEO guru Brian Dean took one of his top-performing articles, and tested a new headline designed to generate curiosity:<\/p>\n
![\"brian](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/brian-dean-headline-change.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe result: a 45% lift in organic traffic.<\/p>\n
![\"brian](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/brian-dean-traffic-result.jpg\")
<\/p>\nYour headline captures reader attention and provokes curiosity.<\/p>\n
And once they’ve read it, your readers should be so intrigued that they can’t wait to find out what’s next.<\/p>\n
Here’s how to make sure your headline is getting the job done.<\/p>\n
Use Proven Formulas:<\/strong> As Elise Dopson points out, battle-tested headline formulas<\/a> have gotten solid results again and again and again. If you’re not sure what to do, using one of these proven formulas is a great place to start:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Why does \/ doesn’t [something] do [something]?<\/li>\n
- [Number] [Power Word] Facts About [Topic]<\/li>\n
- How to [Do Task] (Without [Thing])<\/li>\n
- The Shocking Reason Why [Pain Point]<\/li>\n
- [Keyword]: Everything You Need to Know<\/li>\n
- How to [Keyword] in [Number] Simple Steps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Be specific:<\/strong> Vagueness repels readers. After all, people usually don’t click on something if they don’t know what they’re getting into. That’s why headlines that convey a specific message work best in search.<\/p>\n
And the simplest way to do that? Use numbers.<\/p>\n
As Buffer’s Courtney Seiter says<\/a>, “numbers work well in headlines because humans like predictability and dislike uncertainty.”<\/p>\n
To really make this strategy work for you, use highly specific<\/i> numbers.<\/p>\n
Like this:<\/p>\n
![\"copywriting](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/27-copywriting-formulas-1024x417.jpg\")
<\/p>\nIn research for BuzzFeed, data scientist Gilad Lotan found that listicle titles with seemingly random numbers, especially odd numbers, generated more clicks than those containing round numbers like 5 or 10.<\/p>\n
![\"listicle](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/listicle.png\")
<\/p>\nSource<\/a><\/p>\n
6. Use Curiosity to Get Clicks<\/h3>\n
Now, I’m not a huge BuzzFeed fan.<\/p>\n
But I’ll admit I’ve read articles on there every now and again. And it’s their clickbaity headlines that pull me in every time.<\/p>\n
Sometimes they’re ridiculous.<\/p>\n
![\"buzzfeed](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/buzzfeed-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"buzzfeed](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/buzzfeed-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBut you can make them work for you.<\/p>\n
Brad Smith<\/a> suggests trying these clickbait<\/a> style headlines to infuse more curiosity into your writing \u2014 and they’re totally on point.<\/p>\n
- \n
- [People \/ Company] [Did Something Incredibly Difficult] And It [Didn’t End Like You Think It Would]<\/li>\n
- [Number] Things Nobody Tells You About [Difficult \/ Complex Topic]<\/li>\n
- [Overhyped Thing] vs [That Same Thing] In Real Life<\/li>\n
- [Number] [Power Word] Tips Guaranteed to Make You [Accomplish Difficult Task] Like a Pro<\/li>\n
- Here’s Exactly How To [Accomplish Difficult Task] This Week<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When you experiment with headlines like these, keep your audience and your brand in mind. Go overboard, and you could damage your reputation.<\/p>\n
Give it a try! You might be surprised at the results.<\/p>\n
7. Write a Simple, Spellbinding Intro with the APP Method<\/h3>\n
Once you’ve got people into your article, the next step is to craft an introduction that keeps them reading.<\/p>\n
And the best way to write a compelling introduction?<\/p>\n
Keep it super simple.<\/p>\n
By doing that, you create a smooth experience that naturally keeps the reader moving into your content.<\/p>\n
- Writing Copy That Engages Readers<\/a><\/li>
![\"jacob](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/jacob-mcmillen-agree-promise-preview.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"inverted](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Inverted-Pyramid.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"ree](\"https:\/\/www.seobility.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ree-drummond.jpg\")
<\/p>\n