Copywriting secrets
SEO copywriters are becoming an increasingly desirable professional group in both small and large companies. Correctly written texts allow you to increase sales in the company and get a loyal group of recipients.
SEO-copywriter is engaged in the creation of texts "for the search engine". It is about content intended for websites and backup websites, online stores or product catalogs. Texts of this type differ from traditional ones, because they must first of all be unique and concise. They perform not only an information function, but above all they improve positioning.
An experienced copywriter knows full well that he has to sell services or products using the written word. The main tool for a copywriter is the word, so it is desirable to be able to create unique language compositions. SEO copywriting is itself a part of internet marketing, influencing both the image of a particular company and the position of the page in the search engine.
Copywriting is writing and editing texts. Nowadays, traditional copywriting is gradually being replaced by SEO copywriting, so copywriters are increasingly limiting their activities to writing texts for the search engine. It also no longer deals with radio, newspapers, television or the invention of advertising slogans.
When writing SEO texts, a copywriter must remember their specifications and know where they will be posted. It depends on who its potential recipients are. Not all users will be interested in the same thing. A copywriter is designed to write texts that will attract the attention of potential customers, but also affect the position of the site in the search engine. These texts are usually short and are of an advertising and informational nature.
An SEO copywriter takes into account other factors than a "traditional copywriter" when creating copy. Content written for SEO must have the correct keyword placement. Of course, they should be as substantive as possible, but this is not the most important thing in this case. Texts must be interesting and all relevant punctuation, grammar and spelling rules must be preserved.
Nowadays, companies are looking for high quality content on their websites that will not only interest customers but will also be recognized by the search engine accordingly. For a long time, the pernicious opinion that SEO can be a copywriter can be anyone who can write. This has led to many offers of very cheap and useless texts.
Good SEO copy is characterized by several elements that should always be taken into account and which copywriters often forget.
Correctly composed heading
It largely depends on the title, whether the user is interested in and reads the text, so the title should be attractive, intriguing and reflect the content of the article. The title should include the main keyword, which will not only influence the position of the page, but also allow users to determine if the given text contains information that interests them. The title should not exceed 70-75 characters, otherwise it will not be fully displayed in the search results and will lose its attractiveness.
Description of the content of the article, i.e. meta-text
The description of the content of the text should contain 165-170 characters. This limitation is also due to the possibility of its full display in the search engine.
The essence of the article
Content should be unique and valuable to users. Google introduced a new algorithm in 2006 that made these features especially important. Duplication of texts on different sites does not give any results, as well as the use of synonyms. Google treats content created in this way as spam – web robots are increasingly detecting such texts. Of course, articles must be written stylistically, spelling and grammatically, including keywords.
The passphrase must be in the first 150 characters of the text and the last 300 characters.
In addition, each article must contain at least two h2 headings and one h3 heading for keywords. Users can easily find the content they want, and Google robots find it more valuable and reliable. This will have a positive effect on positioning.
Keywords in SEO copywriting
Keywords are the most important things in any SEO text. Finding them requires the right tools like Senuto or Google Keyword Planner. The more general the phrase, the higher the competitiveness.
A common mistake is keyword abuse. If there are too many of them, Google can punish the site, so it was assumed that keywords should make up no more than 5% of the article volume.
Links go a long way when optimizing your site for search engines. Therefore, they cannot be absent in texts written by an SEO copywriter. There are a few good practices worth remembering, such as:
- links must be in keywords;
- the content should be consistent and varied;
- links should be about every 120 words, but they should be as natural as possible;
- sites should be thematic;
- the page must be thematically related to the content on which the link is placed.
Description
Website directories contain websites from the entire web, grouped by subject category. Each of them should have its own description (usually about 700 characters). Typically, one page requires dozens of unique descriptions.
SEO copywriting – the most important rules for creating copy
Content. Good, satisfying content that the user will love takes a lot of work. Articles created only for the search engine will not deliver satisfactory results or long-term benefits.
The topic should be presented in an unconventional way so that it "stands out in the crowd".
Information. Knowledge and experience is extremely important, but it is worth considering which piece of information needs to be "sold". Users reading the text should know that they are dealing with a professional – then they will buy what is on offer.
Interest. There are only a few seconds to get the recipient interested. When the beginning of the article is not interesting, the user will not reach the end (or even half of it). Increasingly, Internet users browse texts only in search of questions of interest to them, which is why the titles and highlighting of the most important messages, which are more visible, are so important.
You should avoid repetition, you need to write succinctly, "do not pour water."
Correctness. Most Internet users know the spelling rules, and after reading an article with errors, they will find the source unreliable.
The user should read your text with interest.
7 easy steps to create valuable text
Writing valuable text isn't easy. It should be optimized for the product and target group described.
The best copywriters don't think about how to sell a product using text, they don't describe how it works. They necessitate the possession of the goods among the recipients. They represent its greatest benefits and their beneficial effects on everyday life, so that the person reading the text will think, "I must have this!"
Step 1: Change the Approach!
When copywriting, it doesn't matter what the author thinks about the product. The most important thing is the voice of consumers and their feelings after the purchase.
Modern society is characterized by a lack of time. And it all comes down to this – people have no free time or even the desire to read sketchy articles "about everything and nothing." Therefore, a copywriter must create catchy text that will grab attention and be specific at the same time. Nobody cares how long a company has been in the market, it is important how much it has already done for customers and what (and how quickly) it can do for new users.
The client should study:
- the advantages of buying;
- emotions that will accompany him in connection with the use of the product;
- profit as a result of a purchase decision.
Bottom line: Copywriters should be customer-centric. Their emotions and feelings are important and these are the ones that the author should focus on.
No need to write: "We have 15 years of experience in the industry." Better to write: "Our actions helped to increase sales on the sites of our clients by 90% in the first month of cooperation."
Step 2: A catchy headline.
The headline is the most important element of the text. It depends on it whether the user wants to read the article or scroll through the site in search of more interesting content. Every copywriter should start by creating a headline. This will help the author focus on the topic of the article, which in turn will make the writing process easier and better.
A good solution is to create multiple titles, mix the word order and add a number to them, which at this stage will show the reader the benefits of reading the article.
On separate lines, you can write the final result that the reader will receive after reading the article; obstacle, that is, doubts, which can then attack the recipient and the implementation time.
You can choose several variants of names, for example:
- In 30 days you can increase sales in your new online store!
- Want to increase sales in your new online store? Do it in 30 days!
- Increase sales in the new online store! You only need 30 days!
Most importantly, the title reflects the content of the article. Misleading readers will disappoint them. Such actions will certainly not help attract customers, because 99% of recipients will stop reading the article as soon as they realize that the author will not fulfill the promise contained in the title.
This is why a copywriter should start writing an article by creating a headline. This will allow him to focus on the topic and improve his work.
Step 3: Adhere to the AIDA Principles!
AIDA is an increasingly common method that has enabled businesses to significantly increase profits.
What is AIDA? This is Attention; Interest (interest); Desire (desire); Action
First, you need to attract the attention of the buyer, then interest him, awaken a need (desire) in him and induce him to make a purchase decision (action). After creating the title and before writing the article, the copywriter must create an outline of the article based on the AIDA principles. Doing so will greatly facilitate the work and help the author focus on the most important issues and the interests of the recipients.
For example:
headline: "Boost Your New Online Store Sales in Just 30 Days!"
Attention: "If you are an entrepreneur who opened your first online store, this text is for you! Take 3 minutes to read the article and you will learn how to effectively increase sales in just 30 days!"
Interest (use little-known fact or trivia): "Not all entrepreneurs know how a search engine works on the Internet. To increase store sales, you need to implement several rules. These include: choosing the right keywords and optimizing the product description."
Desire (to make recipients feel the need to get results): "If you want to increase sales in your new online store, but do not know how to do it, ask the specialists for help and give them a chance to act! You will receive a guarantee of sales growth after the first 30 days of cooperation! "
Action (show your customers the way you need them to go): "By entrusting the promotion of the company to specialists, you can focus on managing your store – expanding the range or direct contact with customers. To get a free offer, fill out the form!"
Why is AIDA so important? This is a psychological approach that has been used many times. Its skillful use can significantly increase sales.
AIDA does not have to be used only when writing articles. It can also be used in e-mails to clients and private correspondence.
So, a copywriter who wants to create valuable copy must use the assumptions of AIDA in their work. Thanks to this, he will interest readers with his article and make them read it to the end.
Step 4: Write as you say!
If a copywriter brings up a topic that he himself does not understand, he cannot expect recipients to understand it. There are situations when it is much easier to discuss something than to describe it. Therefore, to make sure that the topic is clear, you can try to describe it in 1-3 sentences. If this succeeds, you can safely start writing.
The copywriter is not obliged to describe all the advantages of the product, he should show the most important advantages from the point of view of the client. Too long text can scare away recipients who do not reach the end.
It is recommended that you write fluently in the language the copywriter uses every day, meaning you should try to explain to your readers how the product works and the benefits of using it, as if they were talking to a friend.
A copywriter shouldn't use complex, specialized phrases that clients won't understand.
Step 5: Tell an interesting story!
Real life stories sell the best, but a copywriter is not the kind of person who knows everything and has lived through it all. However, it is worth considering whether one of the stories that the author lived through could serve as an example. Then, instead of focusing on the benefits of the product presented, you can tell an emotional, true story and use it as an example to imagine how the product could affect your future life if it was purchased before these events.
Of course, this is not always a good way to increase sales. This method works mainly for products that are designed to affect emotions.
Here you can also use a simple formula: description of the story – help in the form of a product – the ability to purchase it. The audience loves simple metaphors. Therefore, if a copywriter presents his story, readers automatically put themselves in his place.
Many copywriters believe that storytelling is the most effective form of advertising.
Step 6: Be believable!
Many companies, especially new ones, have to compete for customers not because of huge competition, but because of a lack of trust. People are happy to shop in trusted online stores when they are confident that the products are complete and the packaging is sure to appeal to them.
To gain trust, you need to combine the product you are selling with a well-known brand. This is why links from satisfied customers confirming the company's claims are so eagerly posted on websites. This directly affects sales growth.
Present the company's “existing” experience to clients or rely on feedback from satisfied customers. Nothing prevents you from “borrowing” a little credibility from a larger brand with which the product is being sold.
Step 7: Take care of the recipients!
Readers can react to copywriter text in a variety of ways. Therefore, it is worth giving them the opportunity to leave a comment, follow a link, or even buy something. It is necessary to attract their attention, make them laugh, “sell” curiosity, but, above all, direct the recipients' emotions so that they react as the author wishes.
How to do it? Ideally simple – the copywriter should show the recipients what happens after the order is placed, what the benefits of the promotion will be. It is worth convincing them to do it now. The likelihood that they will remember the article they read and find it in a week is low.
The copywriter must take care of the recipients and give them appropriate emotions in connection with the article they are reading. It is important that they also have the opportunity to communicate – leave comments, make purchases or subscribe to the newsletter.
Content masking and duplication
Google is more and more concerned about users, so beware of disguise, that is, using different texts for search engines and others for users. This is nothing more than an attempt to trick the search engine into getting a higher ranking in the search results. Google punishes such actions by permanently removing sites from the search engine index.
SEO copywriting is not as easy as it sounds, but it is beneficial in terms of site positioning. If it is not possible to create texts on your own, it is better to contact specialists.