SEO Copywriting - Practical Tips for Beginners

There is a wide range of opportunities to work via the Internet (the so-called freelancing). All of these are creative and result-oriented professions. One of them is SEO copywriting. With the advent of a huge number of sites, commercial sites and online stores, it is simply impossible to do without a specialist who can write a unique and high-quality article. After all, it is being in the top positions of search engines (and this is the result of SEO activities) that the resource receives the necessary conversion from sales. Let's first understand what an SEO copywriter is and what is required of him.

What is SEO and what does an SEO copywriter do?

Before opening the topic, let's decipher the acronym SEO. In full it looks like this Search Engines Optimization. We omit any literal translation from English. Simply put, SEO is the adaptation (or, as they say, optimization) of sites for the work of search engines. Usually only 2 are used - Yandex and Google. It is with them that most people begin their searches on the network.

The job of an SEO copywriter is to promote a website using keywords – the very queries that users enter in a line to find information.

For example, it looks like this: let's say there is an online store with a certain category of goods. A user who is interested in buying these items searches for them with the word "buy". The search engine gives him results that match the query - sites where the desired copy is available for sale.

Often a potential client visits the first proposed site, and then, having gone down the list provided by the search, he will see that all the information is rewritten from the first resource or is boring and monotonous content. Therefore, he will make a purchase on the first site. That is why it is important to promote your project to the TOP of search engines and SEO copywriting contributes to this. It differs from simple copywriting by its focus on the Internet and compliance with a number of technical rules.

If you know how to write cool texts that others read out, this is already half the battle. Especially if you worked in the field of copywriting. In addition to the ability to express, an SEO copywriter must have the following skills:

• check the article for uniqueness and adjust it to different parameters;
• knowledge of the intricacies of text design on an Internet resource;
• meeting the requirements of SEO-masters (compliance with parameters such as water, nausea, based on different services, including a certain number of key phrases in the text, etc.);
• understanding the possibilities of hypertext;
• the ability to properly format meta tags (title, description);
• knowledge of the computer and communication with him on "you".

As additional skills, it is desirable that an SEO copywriter:

• - versed in specialized software;
• - had an idea about CSS and HTML;
• - fluent in English.

So what exactly is an SEO copywriter?

This is a specialist in writing informational and advertising texts on the Internet. He must understand the peculiarities of writing articles for websites, design content and know how to write in order to promote a particular resource. He is not alien to such concepts as keywords, text structure, breaking the article into parts, uniqueness, etc.

There are many sites on the Internet, so the position of "SEO-copywriter" is in demand. The main customers who pay for the work of such a master are:

• marketing agencies;
• WEB studios;
• SEO optimizers;
• owners of online stores, sites with services.

You can also look for jobs on SEO forums, text exchanges, and by submitting your portfolio to the companies listed above.

The essence of the work is simple: an SEO copywriter receives a task from the customer to write a text on a specific topic and attaches his wishes to it, as well as key phrases that need to be beaten in the article as the course of thought is presented. Additionally, information about the company on the basis of which the text is needed is provided. In some cases, the copywriter is even involved in compiling the semantic core of the article (defining those same keywords). When receiving an order, the specialist studies the sources and competitors' websites (in some cases it is required). After that he writes the text, observing all the requirements of the customer.

Whatever technical skills are required for work, writing a text is a creative process. And yet, even this activity has the main stages:

1. Introduction to the topic.
2. Identification of keywords (if they were not provided by the customer).
3. Study of sources and collection of necessary information.
4. The writing of the article itself. It is important to highlight the keys in the text so that it is clear where and how they are used.
5. Proofreading and checking for various services.

The last point is missed by many. This is not recommended. Otherwise, you can ruin your reputation as an author.

There are many newcomers in this field. In this regard, the total payment may be underestimated. In general, the average author earns 150-300 rubles per 1000 characters. The work of a beginner costs 3-6 times less for the same volume. Similar prices appear on content exchanges. Web writing stars and established writers earn many times more.

In addition to the technical foundations of the profession, there is its creative side. Namely, the process of creating texts that would not only be loved by search engines (which ensures spam, lack of water, the correct number of keys, etc.), but also interesting to users. Let's look at some of the nuances that allow you to achieve the result:

1. Text for people only. Everyone understands this, but not everyone knows how to do it. Write in the language of potential readers. Preliminary study the concepts that exist in the subject, apply them. Write simply and clearly. So that after reading, readers will understand everything. Avoid complex and confusing sentences and terms. Be sure to hone your writing skills and develop.
2. Study information on the topic. This is a smooth continuation of the previous tip. Look at the sites of venerable authors. Sometimes they give good advice. Attend master classes, find communities of copywriters on social networks, read professional literature. All this will allow you to learn and learn more.
3. Read the classics. Great people who once proved themselves in writing have already been able to win the hearts of millions of people. Read their books and learn from them. So your style will become clearer, and your vocabulary, like a piggy bank, will be filled with wealth. This is what your readers will love.
4. Practice on your own experience. It is clear that the customer needs the texts. That's just how to become a copywriter who really promotes sites to the TOP? The advice is quite simple: start your own website or blog and periodically publish your creations there. Follow the development of the resource, how network users react to it, experiment with different presentation of information and just create. Learn the internal functions of CSS, try to choose the right keywords for your articles, format the created information. All this will definitely come in handy.
5. Complete orders as you would for yourself. Everything that is said in the previous paragraph is necessary in order to learn to understand the "SEO-kitchen" from the inside. Why do you need this if you are not going to apply knowledge in your work. Be sure to try to write to your customers as well as to your resource. This will be appreciated by the readers of his site, and success will follow.
6. Learn the basics of SEO. Sign up for courses, start reading special literature and blogs on website promotion, communicate on SEO forums. In general, improve. This is the direction in which it is not enough to gain knowledge once in a lifetime. Everything flows, everything changes. Search engines impose completely different requirements on sites over time, new trends appear and disappear, and some chips stop working instead of which new ones come. And you need to know all this, catch it in a timely manner and use it in your work. Knowing the basics of SEO will not hurt you if you suddenly meet a customer on the way who will contact you to promote the site, but he does not even know what keys are.

More experienced colleagues (they are competitors) and customers themselves can help in the study. Listen to their requirements and after a while you will have a rough picture in your head about what kind of beast this is - SEO.

1. Respect your work. This will save you from the temptation of a hack that no one wants. It is thanks to a serious attitude to work that you will be able to write high-quality, original and meaningful texts. And it will definitely be appreciated. After all, there is so much “water” and “nonsense” on the Internet.
2. All for the reader. Articles replete with clumsily entered keys and lack of elementary logic, as well as platitudes, are of no interest to anyone. Write as if you are talking about something and make sure it is easy to read. Well-studied information will help you with this before writing the next order. Remember, the reader is not a fool. It would be nice to ask him what he is interested in finding out. This is in case the purpose of writing an article is to generously provide information on a particular issue.
3. Be honest with your customers. If you don't know SEO rules, say so. You will definitely be followed up. Moreover, many customers are ready to train in this area with a lower fee. The latter can be made up with time, the way will be paved by the knowledge that is simply necessary in this craft.

And one moment. Perhaps you have burned out in some topic and there are not enough words to write about it. In this case, be sure to explain everything to your customer and change the subject. It happens that the keyboard master needs a little time to rest or even change activities. Especially if it comes at the expense of quality.

Outcome

A lot can be said about the profession of an SEO copywriter. Only the main points of the work are highlighted here. It is especially useful to know this for those who have decided to go freelance or try remote work. If you are already familiar with copywriting in general (perhaps worked on the stock exchange or did other writing jobs), mastering SEO skills is not difficult. This is the same creativity, only with the analytical part and compliance with some technical requirements.