A Definitive Guide to SEO Copywriting
In a world where everyone is bombarded with ads, messages, and promotions day in and day out, how to make sure that your message or advertisement stands out and grabs the eyeballs, pushing others behind? Here comes ‘SEO copywriting’ to help you get through the competition.
What is Copywriting?
Time and again, we come across messages or ads that are so attractive, that are written in such a convincing way, that they persuade the consumers to engage with it, or the product, or the service that is being described by it.
Those creative taglines and catchy phrases instantly stand out and pervade the consumer’s mind forever. Who can forget the phrase “Amul- The taste of India” or “Surf Excel-Daag Acche Hain.” These are some of the most familiar examples of copywriting.
In the current marketing-driven and ad-oriented world, many of us have come across the words ‘SEO’ and ‘copywriting.’ Copywriting can be understood as the art of creating interesting and catchy content that coaxes the viewers or readers into liking, following, sharing the content, or making them purchase the brand or service. Copywriting is one of the most prominent versions of content writing.
SEO means Search Engine Optimization. When copy or content is written for online platforms, one has to ensure that the copy is visible to the maximum number of target clients. It should rank highest on the search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.
In simple terms, one must know how to optimize that written copy to be visible among the top pages of the search engines. Although the key objective of copywriting is that the content should be compelling enough to cajole the client to take action, that is to purchase that particular product or service, or follow the page, or like and share the particular post, or tweet it, it is not sufficient to know how to create an engaging copy.
One needs to know how various digital media work, how the product, or service, or the post can be made conspicuous enough on websites, YouTube, and other digital platforms.
SEO and copywriting can come together to play a prominent role in a digital marketing campaign. SEO copywriting is all about combining the two tremendously powerful tools of the digital domain to get successful brand establishment.
Tips for SEO Copywriting
Matching the Three Cs
The first lesson of SEO copywriting is to create the appropriate content for the keyword you are targeting. If you fail to do that, the ranking will be an uphill battle. This concept is known as search intent.
For this, one needs to look at the three Cs of search intent- content type, content format, and content angle. Content-type is divided into four categories- blog posts, product categories, landing pages, and videos. The content format includes ‘how-tos’, listicles, news articles, opinion posts, and reviews, whereas the content angle is the main selling point of the content.
For example, ‘cricket shoes’ is a good keyword, but not to write a blog post about. If you type the keyword in Google, you will see the top-ranking pages as e-commerce category pages. Though it is a keyword, Google won’t rank it for blog posts because it knows the searchers are in buying mode and not learning mode. On the other hand, for ‘best cricket shoes’, Google will rank blog posts.
Recommended Read: Top SEO Trends to Ace SERP Rankings
Analyzing Top-Ranking Pages to Formulate Your Content
Google ranks the most relevant and useful results on the first page. To show that your post deserves a place there, you need to cover all the things the searchers want to know and expect to see.
For example, if you want to rank for ‘best cameras for photography’, the post should be a listicle article as it’s clear from looking at the Search Engine Results Pages. The products, features, and subtopics that it should mention can be figured out from the top-ranking results.
If you look at the top results for the ‘best cameras for photography, you will see they all mention Nikon D850. So that is the product you must definitely mention in your post.
Also, other products which are mentioned such as Canon EOS Rebel, Fujifilm X-T200, etc. should also be mentioned in your post. This will improve the utility of your content for the searchers and also its relevance in the eyes of Google.
Using the ASMR Formula
Creating engaging content is the most fundamental job aspect of a copywriter. Using SEO techniques along with engaging content is truly an art. As per Ahrefs Chief Marketing Officer, Tim Suolo, “Nobody likes to read. They just want the information. If they could download it to their brain, they would.”
Reading is a transaction where readers trade their precious time for your words. They do so with the hope of obtaining some new knowledge or getting entertained. For doing so, make sure your content is designed using the ASMR formula.
- Annotations, where notes and inside notes like blockquotes and colored boxes are added to help break up the monotony of the post.
- Short sentences and paragraphs that are easy to follow and grasp. Long sentences are complex. You do not want your reader to go back to the first line of the sentence multiple times, giving them a hard time.
- Multimedia like images, videos, etc. help in illustrating your points without being verbose.
- Reading your copy aloud to identify areas where your content doesn’t flow evenly and needs polishing.
Include “Open Loops”
Commonly known as a ‘cliffhanger’ or a ‘nail-biter’, this concept has been used by TV writers to keep the audiences glued to the screen for long. They introduce you to a character and develop it, so the audience becomes connected and emotionally invested in it, and then launch that character into some sort of a conflict. A plot element is set in an earlier episode and is intentionally not resolved until sometime later, to make you curious.
This mastery of the copywriting concept separates bad storytelling from binge-worthy tales, making TV shows so irresistible that you spend the whole weekend on Netflix or Amazon prime catching it up. This technique can also be used as a marketing strategy and can be applied to your own content to make it more effective.
For example, one can use open loops in the subject lines of the campaign, making the audience more curious. It can also be used in email marketing. You can send emails as a story consisting of three distinct parts-having a beginning, middle, and end. The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) doesn’t allow the cliffhanger to just hang. As once we know the beginning of a story, we feel entitled to the end!
To master this art, some of the prominent SEO copywriting courses that one can rely on are:
1. IIM Skills
IIM Skills is one of the best institutes for learning content writing including SEO copywriting. The course covers all the concepts that are relevant to copywriting. The course helps you master 25 types of writing skills spread over 136 hours of learning. The cherry on the cake is that you learn SEO-friendly content writing, helping you rank better on the search engines. The faculty here is highly experienced and gives a lucid explanation of all the concepts.
Duration:
The total course duration is 1 month.
Fees:
The course fee is INR 12,900+18% GST.
Course Details:
Out of 136 hours of course content, 40 to 50 hours are assigned for writing various content and 15 hours are dedicated to developing SEO-friendly content. The assignments provided aid in developing search engine optimized content writing skills.
It helps you write excellent content that ranks higher and faster on all search engines. You learn social bookmarking, earning backlinks, choosing correct short and long-tail keywords, and many other up-to-date aspects of SEO copywriting. The topics covered are structured according to the present trends by the industry.
Content Writing Course Curriculum:
- Academic writing
- E-mails
- Press release
- Brochure
- Using Keyword planner
- Product description
- Blogs
- Understanding competitive keywords
- Selection of keywords
- Social media posts
- Ebook
- Web pages
- Article
- Business Writing
Highlights:
- Practical assignments covering 60 hours
- Internship lectures covering approximately 10 hours
- 3-month internship (optional)
- Free tools of INR 35,000
- Lifetime access to learning management system including online support
- Certificate on successful completion of the course
- Placement assistance
- Free demo lecture before joining the course
- 100% money-back guarantee after the first session if you do not like the course
2. SEO Copywriting Training by Yoast SEO Academy
A leader in the industry, Yoast has specialized Yoast SEO software that is used by approximately 12 million websites internationally. Their belief is that SEO should be for everyone. They believe in sharing knowledge and collaborating with everyone to make the web a better place. They cherish inclusiveness. With a team consisting of 140 people spread all over the globe, Yoast has trained approximately 3,00,000 people to learn SEO.
Fees:
$89 USD per year (ex VAT).
Course Details:
The course gives you a 360-degree learning experience with an emphasis on the practical aspect of SEO, covering from beginners to advanced levels. It provides you with tips to create SEO-optimized copy that ranks high on the search engine and get more traffic for your website, grab more eyeballs to attract more customers. It covers every stage from planning keywords to publishing. It contains 2 hours of instructional videos, 14 quizzes, and 14 PDF files for SEO copywriting tips.
Course Curriculum:
The Course is divided into 6 Modules:
- Introduction to SEO copywriting
- Finding what readers want
- Preparation is half the work done
- Writing unique readable copy
- The final touch
- Publishing your content
- Bonus templates
Highlights:
- Course developed by expert SEO trainers.
- Read-to-use templates for SEO.
- Conferences and webinars by experts.
- Certificate and badges on successful completion of the course.
3. Learning to Write Marketing Copy by LinkedIn Learning
The course offered by the famous social media platform is more leaning towards copywriting with optimization according to the search engines. They also have a free trial for LinkedIn Learning Account. The course sets a strong foundation for any of the brand campaigns that you run on the digital domain. They believe that copywriting need not be an inborn talent, but can be acquired with practice.
Duration:
Course duration is 2 hours.
Fees:
$24.99 USD per month.
Course Details:
The course is a beginner-level course useful for the early stages of your career or when you need to write content for your own brand. On successful completion of the course, you will gain skills in copywriting as well as marketing your copy. It has five modules each consisting of 4 to 12 lessons.
Course Curriculum:
- Introduction
- Marketing copywriting overview
- Writing Copy
- Writing for various media
- Conclusion
Highlights:
- 30 day money-back guarantee
- Certification provided after completion of the course.
4. Keyword Research and Content Marketing Training Courses by Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Academy
Reliablesoft Digital Marketing Academy offers online courses in SEO and content marketing. The faculty here are experts in the field with hands-on practical experience in the field. The academy has trained 4200 plus students. They give a facility of unconditional money-back guarantee if one is not satisfied with the course.
Fees:
$119 USD
Course Details:
The courses cover all the necessary topics required to master SEO-driven content, right from basic level to advanced. The courses will enable you to increase traffic to your website and shoot up sales by improving rankings and providing a quality copy for your service.
The courses will help you to learn how to write an engaging copy for the web, then how to optimize that copy for various search engines, and many other tricks to become a successful SEO copywriter.
Course Curriculum:
The SEO course comprises 4 courses having 160 topics that are divided into 34 lessons. The 4 courses are namely The Complete SEO Course, Keyword Research Course, Ecommerce SEO Course, and Google Analytics Course.
It also has videos and 550+ pages of SEO content. The content marketing course is a part of a full bundle of digital marketing courses. It comprises 10 courses having 240 digital marketing-related concepts that are distributed over 75 lessons.
Highlights:
- Unconditional 60-day money-back guarantee
- Unlimited access
- A lifetime of free updates
- Reasonable pricing
- Certification at the completion of courses
5. The Expert SEO Writing Course
The course is created specifically for beginner-level content writers. It helps you to master content creation through 4 to 5 hours of video content, worksheets, and templates.
This online course teaches you the ‘hows and whys’ of SEO, the best practice of searching the keywords, and writing optimized content to rank higher on the search engines. The course is for every content writer, be it a newbie trying to start a career or a seasoned content writer upgrading his skills to rank higher in search engine results.
Fees:
$299 USD
Course Curriculum:
The Course Consists of 3 Modules:
- Understanding SEO, your audience, and how to come up with profitable content ideas. (module 1)
- How to write high return on investment (ROI) online SEO content and its supporting formats. (module 2)
- How to market yourself and prove the worth of your content. (module 3)
Highlights:
- 14-day money-back guarantee
- Lifetime access to updates
- Certification provided at the time of course completion
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is it necessary for a copywriter to know search engine optimization (SEO)?
Ans: SEO knowledge is a must for a copywriter as not only is good quality content necessary, but it should also rank higher in search engine results to get noticed by the target audience.
- How does SEO copywriting function?
Ans: SEO copywriting searches for the terms people type in search engines like Google, Bing, etc., and helps you incorporate them in your website so that when that particular term is typed in the search engine, your website should list in the search results.
- Who can pursue this copywriting course?
Ans: The course is structured for copywriting freelancers, entrepreneurs taking their business online, or copywriting professionals working for any agency, who want to enhance their skills.
- Do the institutes providing this copywriting course give a money-back guarantee?
Ans: Many institutes offering the course give a money-back guarantee to the students within a stipulated time if they do not find the course relevant or useful.
Conclusion
In simple words, SEO copywriting is the technique of creating content that Google can understand, and simultaneously the type of content that people want to read and share.
Writing content only for Google can make it appear robotic, whereas writing only for readers won’t probably rank it, as it would be missing important keywords. Hence, creating a balance between the two is of utmost importance.
