Common Mistakes to Avoid When Working with an SEO Copywriter

When it comes to working with an SEO copywriter in Melbourne, there are several common mistakes that businesses often make. To make the most out of a vital digital marketing resource, here are some tips and insights into the common mistakes businesses make when working with an SEO copywriter, and how to avoid them.

GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT: INFORMATION IN SEO COPYWRITING

Not providing enough information is one of the biggest blunders businesses make when hiring an SEO copywriter. It is one of the classic “how big is a circle” questions. What kind of circle? What colour is the circle? What is it made out of? Who needs to use it, and why?

It’s important to give your copywriter as much detail about your business and objectives as possible so they can create content that will help you reach those goals.

Another mistake is expecting too much too soon. Copywriting takes time, research and dedication – no matter how experienced a writer may be, they need adequate resources to produce quality work. Trying to rush them or skimping on payment won’t get you the results you want; it could even damage your relationship with the writer and their ability to do their job properly.

CONTENT STRATEGY MEANS SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY

Not having a clear strategy for success is another misstep businesses often make when hiring an SEO copywriter in Melbourne. It’s important for both parties involved to have realistic expectations from the outset – setting measurable targets helps keep everyone focused on achieving them throughout the project timeline. Without this kind of structure in place, projects can easily become disorganised or go off track without anyone realising until it’s too late.

It's also important not to downplay the effort that goes into crafting effective SEO content - keyword research can take hours, depending on how competitive your industry is.

You should ensure that all webpages have meta titles and descriptions written specifically for each page - these should include pertinent keywords but still read fluently so visitors don't feel like they're being targeted right away (this means avoiding words such as 'buy' or 'discount').

Finally, don't overlook backlinks: getting other websites/blogs linking back yours will help significantly improve its search engine ranking over time. Backlinks are often the “currency” that Google deals in when it comes to domain authority (which greatly influences your Search Engine Results Pages.)

By avoiding missteps when employing a search engine optimisation copywriter, you can guarantee that your material is maximised to its fullest capability. By implementing the correct approaches, you can capitalise on all the advantages a competent SEO copywriter brings and get maximum visibility for your business website.

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What is Website Copywriting? Tips for Effective Website Copywriting

I Sell Words began life in Melbourne with one mission: to be the best website copywriting firm bar none. However, the number of times I’ve attended networking meetings, handed out my business card, or described what I’ve done to acquaintances and got the reply: “Huh, so what do you copyright? Books? Films?” Not quite, no.

What Is A Website Copywriter?

Yes, copywriting and copyrighting is an example of a homophone; a word with the same sound but different meanings (English is full of them!). Explaining what I do as a copywriter – a website copywriter – goes a little like this:

“A web developer develops the code for a site. A designer produces the visuals. As a website copywriter, I write the text on the site.”

This gives most people pause to let the penny drop. Many people don’t consider the person (or team of people) that write the text for a website. The text is vital for your digital marketing – text makes up much of your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) efforts, how you engage your audience, and how you inspire calls to action – buy now, sign up, reserve your place, etc.

If your website copywriting isn’t converting as well as it should, here are some tips for effective website copywriting that can help.

Know your copywriting end goal

Like any piece of writing, website copywriting needs a beginning, middle, and an end. Doesn’t matter if you’re writing a tagline or a novel - every piece of writing needs this. What is your website’s end goal? Are you a business to business site? Are you business to consumer? Are you looking for more leads? Selling products? Asking people to sign up to an email list? Establish a goal for your copywriting and work backwards from there.

Establish a consistent tone of voice

In my website copywriting process, establishing a consistent tone of voice throughout the site is crucial to success. Is your brand youth-oriented? A conversational style may work best. A lawyer site will need a professional and direct style. Sometimes a mix of two can work (not three, three is just too hard to get right.) This gives readers a sense of your brand and what they can expect when interacting with your business further. It engenders more trust.

Using ethos, pathos, logos in copywriting

 When it comes to written persuasion, there’s not much new under the sun. Rhetoric, or the art of using language to persuade, is as old as the Ancient Greeks and Romans - hence ethos (appeal to one’s character), pathos (appeal to emotion) and logos (appeal to reason or logic.) Any piece of writing that means to persuade people need to balance these three elements to be truly effective. For more examples, click here.

Clarity and conciseness is king

The simpler your copy, the more people can understand it. The more people that understand your copy, the more people you can sell to. Making your writing bold and clear makes it easier to read which makes it easier to remember. You should use it in all your writing, not just on websites. To help your own clarity and concision (making it short as possible) you can use the Hemingway App for free.

Search engine optimisation - keywords and copywriting 

It’s unavoidable - your website copy needs to have some kind of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) baked into it. That means researching keywords, structuring your copy, making sure you write compelling but keyword-rich headlines, and off-page SEO. For more on this, read my resource post on The Best SEO Copywriting Tips here.

Add calls to action (CTA)

Website copywriting is always asking something of the reader. At the end of the story, that means asking them to “buy now” or “contact me” or “sign up here.” Too many calls to action and you risk turning people off. Not enough, and they might pass your website by in their search for the best deal. 90% of visitors who read your headline copy will read your CTA copy according to Protocol 80 - so use them and optimise them as much as possible.

Conversion rate optimisation: A/B testing

Website copywriting is rarely a one and done proposition. Once you think you have the best copy ever, it can always be improved on. That means testing variations of headlines and CTAs using Google Optimise or similar applications. Test, track, and tweak for the best results.

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Need the best Website Copywriting in Melbourne to improve your business? Check out my copywriting services here, or click below to contact me (there’s an example of a CTA!)

What Type of Copywriter Do You Need? Types of Copywriters

Copywriters, like ice-cream, come in all different flavours. Though there are two overarching branches of copywriting, the technical vs. the creative copywriter, there are certain copywriters that specialise in certain media, topics, or forms of writing. Here are the types of copywriters that exist in the workforce - although there is significant overlap - and a copywriter who is good at one form of writing can often do both - or many (like me!)

Marketing Copywriter

Marketing copywriting is the most common form of copywriting - I Sell Words is primarily a marketing copywriting firm, specialising in a variety of written content intended to sell your products and services. (I sell words because my words sell!) Marketing copywriting may extend to all types of written communication - blog posts, web content, flyers, YouTube video scripts, flyers, and so on. This is the most versatile type of copywriter who can work across different campaigns, media, and subjects. Some marketing copywriters may work certain “niches” while others will happily write about any topic, given the right research. Every business should hire a marketing copywriter - at least to get started!

Direct Response Copywriter

Direct response copywriting is copywriting that’s engineered to elicit some kind of action from the reader. Direct response copywriters often work on sales funnels, landing pages, pop-up ads, eDMs, and webforms that require a user to take an action (e.g. buy now, sign up now, open this email, click here.) Direct response copywriting is the domain of the “long-form sales letter” which requires a knowledge of sales techniques to truly master. Copywriters such as Dan Kennedy are known as expert Direct Response Copywriters. This type of copywriting is known to produce quick results, usually for consumer products, e-learning platforms, and other systematic marketing “machines.”

Advertising Copywriter

Advertising copywriters these days are found in agencies or as freelancers attached to agencies, coming up with taglines, creative content for social media, create brand “personas,” concepts for videos or images, and overarching campaign concepts. Advertising copywriters are creative in nature, and their skill set doesn’t necessarily mean every ad needs to sell something. Advertising copywriters need to be mindful of a brand’s image, tone of voice, style, and intended audience.

SEO Copywriter

SEO copywriters are copywriters focused on writing for search engine optimisation (SEO.) Although it’s rare to find a copywriter who isn’t an SEO copywriter in 2022, these copywriters are often involved with keyword research, link building, ghostwriting, and producing new and interesting angles for copy while staying focused on the ultimate objective: increasing a site’s search engine page results. SEO copywriters usually have skills in off-page SEO - optimising meta tags, descriptions, etc. SEO copywriting is everywhere - and a business that hires an SEO copywriter is after an increase in their organic traffic and eventually, conversions. SEO copywriters are also often referred to as “content writers.”

Social Media Copywriter

A social media copywriter works primarily in - you guessed it - social media. That means maintaining a consistent tone of voice, engaging with community, and conducting hashtag research. They may work in tandem with graphic designers or videographers to create compelling social media content for business. Social media copywriters may also write blog posts from time to time as part of a sales funnel.

Conversion/UX Copywriter

A relatively new type of copywriter, a conversion or UX copywriter is focused more on Conversion Rate Optimisation, A/B testing, and writing copy that serves to enhance a User Experience (UX.) CRO is a more systematic approach to copywriting, which requires a copywriter to write at least two variations of headlines, straplines, body copy, etc. to determine which attracts or converts the most amount of visitors to a desired action (e.g. signing up to a mailing list, buying a product, organising a meeting, etc.) Conversion-oriented copywriters may also be adept at writing sales scripts, chatbot scripts, onboarding email campaigns, and sales funnels or landing pages.

Technical Copywriter

As I’ve explained in this post, a technical copywriter primarily deals with informing rather than instructing. There’s little creativity involved in technical copywriting - the copy may be “mission critical” to the operation of a piece of hardware, explaining a policy, or implementing a consistent process. A technical copywriter may write white papers, research reports, or annual reports for companies that require accuracy in their copy.

What Kind of Copywriter Should I Hire?

This all depends on your business needs. If you need copy for a website, an SEO copywriter should be your first choice. If you need a copywriter to run your socials, then a social media copywriter is best. However, a good copywriter can fulfil multiple roles - just like me!

I am an expert in all forms of copywriting, informed by journalistic experience, continuous improvement, and constant research and refinement of my skills. Do you want to reach more people, sell more of your offering, and grow your business? Contact me below.

How Can a Copywriter Help My Business?

If you’ve been told about the importance of copywriting for SEO or content marketing, you may not be completely convinced on how a copywriter can actually help your business. In this post, I’ll outline five ways a copywriter can help your business’ bottom line – and set your digital presence up for more traffic, better sales, and greater growth.

A copywriter connects you to your audience

Even if you know your customers inside and out, a copywriter can help you connect your business to an audience you may never have considered before. Good copywriters achieve this through looking at analytics, keyword research, or persona building – what demographics may find your product or service useful? What kind of tone and style is required to really get their attention? This is where a copywriter can step in and create strategies – and execute on them by writing the right content.

A copywriter helps clarify your message

What you say is how you sell. But what if your message is all over the place – can you sum up your unique selling point in the length of a tweet? (280 characters.) A copywriter can craft a narrative around your business and project it into the future. Narrative storytelling isn’t everyone’s forte; but it’s a copywriter’s bread and butter. A copywriter is also great at “explaining things like you’re five” – making the complex simple and easy to understand. The more people understand your offering, the more people you can theoretically sell to.

Professional copywriting increases the reputation of your business

I’ve run research on this – bad spelling and grammar in your written content makes more than 80% of prospects turn off your business completely. Copywriters can directly contribute to enhancing your brand or business awareness – through writing Google ads, taglines, flyers, social content, blog posts, new web pages, guest blogs, sales letters, electronic direct mail (eDMs) and other forms of marketing content. Some, but not all, copywriters are also crisis communications or PR experts who can step in when times are dire. Remember: if you’re not shaping your story, someone else is.

Copywriters keep up your content strategy

Creative copywriters can not only formulate a content strategy that connects with your audience but maintain it. SEO copywriting and content is not a one-and-done solution; it requires regular attention through creating new and interesting content. This content might be blog posts, social posts, short narratives, product descriptions, and other written content. They can also help you choose the right social media for your business. If you haven’t got time to do it yourself, an investment in copywriting services can often be a boon to your bottom line.

SEO copywriting is how you generate leads

If you aren’t spending time shoring up your on-page SEO, then your business is likely becoming less and less visible as time goes on. Having an SEO copywriter on board to help supercharge your SEO efforts by generating consumer interest in your services or products is essential to business success. If you want to sell your products you need to market them well – and SEO copywriters are integral to that overall process.

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Need a good copywriter to help your business grow? Click the button below and get Melbourne’s best SEO copywriting and content done for you!

The Best SEO Copywriting Tips

Not everyone is a writer. That said, no one is born a writer – let alone an SEO copywriter. I know when I first had a pen in my hand, search engines, let alone the World Wide Web, was a pipe dream.

Even so, the art and science of copywriting has evolved over time – and now we have SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation copywriting.

Google Search Console.

What is SEO Copywriting?

SEO copywriting is straightforward – it’s writing copy, or text, for your website or webpages and optimising it as much as possible for search engines. That means picking relevant keywords without “stuffing” them and getting penalised, adding the right metadata, headlines, internal links, and title tags.

SEO copywriting is finding a balance between what algorithms like and what people actually find useful.

To be successful at SEO copywriting, you need to research keywords and the competition.

Keyword research

Content writing for the sake of it doesn’t help anyone. Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, etc. categorise websites by relevance. If you search for copywriting, the webpage should explain copywriting in detail to help fulfill your query. You can see what your website already ranks for by using Google Search Console. This takes a few minutes to set up. After a few weeks, you’ll see what incoming search terms your site or pages rank for.

Analyse the competition

Not all keywords are created equal. Some keywords are highly competitive. An industry insider once told me that “lawyers” or “compensation lawyers” as a long-tail keyword would cost upwards of $100AUD per click on Google Ads! Use SEMRush or SearchAtlas to see what content ranks and how to leverage that to your advantage.

What are other people searching for?

Another way to look at keywords and searches is to use Google Trends and see the volume of searches for long-tail queries such as “how do I write better?” or “who can write a blog post for me?” and go about answering those questions as best as possible – better than your competition.

Journalistic rigour and creative flair

You don’t need to be a journalist first to be a copywriter – but it helps. Articles online need to be timely, relevant, and factual. Disinformation and misinformation is rampant; so don’t add to it by being lazy in your research. Think and write like a journalist: if possible, try to cross-verify claims by finding two independent sources for your content (e.g. two primary sources, not secondary sources that may reference one another). Above all, be creative! Just don’t open the forbidden door: plagiarism. Plagiarism is not only IP theft but a known SEO penalty. If you’re unsure, use a plagiarism checker.

What is Google passage ranking?

Google’s algorithm is smart enough to rank certain parts of pages for relevant content – so everything in your page needs to be informative and relevant. Separating subjects into sections by using headings and paragraphs can go a long way in helping rankings. For more information on Google Passage ranking and how it works, click here.

Off-Page SEO

Many modern Content Management Systems such as WordPress, SquareSpace (which is what I use!), or Kajabi offer off-page SEO tools such as creating custom headlines, snippets or excerpts, title tags, metadata, and social images. Use these to your advantage. Don’t pack your off-page metadata with keywords and hope for the best: use strategic keywords so your content ranks better!

What’s next

Does the thought of filling up a blank screen fill you with dread? Contact me and get Melbourne’s best SEO copywriting and content done for you! Click here to contact me.