Intermediate SEO Copywriting Guide

Easy ways to Consistently Write High Quality Content and Optimize Your Web Pages

 

For years now, people have been looking for easy ways to write better quality content while optimizing their Web pages. If you talk to many search engine optimizers, their focus is typically on the technical aspects of "how to optimize." They love to discuss topics like linking, where keywords are most effective, keyword density, keyword prominence and dozens of other aspects concerning the aspect of visibility in organic search.

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If you watch the average SEO working a process, they tend to always do keyword research first, which is smart. But then they begin creating their comment or writing their article with a focus on the technical aspects of optimization. Often what can happen, particularly to the new SEO student, is that the content they write may not really flow to well or be the highest quality when it comes to publishing. The reason for this is that many optimizers are so occupied with optimization, keyword placement, body text, Meta content that 90% of their energy goes into optimization but the quality or value of the finished article, is not as good as it could be.

So let's look at some easy ways to consistently writing high quality content while still optimizing it well. One of the simplest methods for writing better Web copy is this method, which I've recommended for years. Once you have your researched keyword phrase ready, then think of it as your topic for the specific page.

Start by writing down 2 or 3 bulleted points that you want to make in your article. This is kind of an outline for logic or the more important points that you want established. 

Start slowly in the first step. With your keyword phrase written in front of you, focus on it as your topic of discussion, but do not worry about any technical aspects of optimization as you write. Begin to write and don't stop to think about grammar, spelling or SEO influences. 

In this first step you are simply getting your creativity going and putting down what you want to say. Try not to let anything interrupt you but get your thoughts out in a way that you feel reads as nicely as possible. Most articles will have a beginning - where you relate to the reader. There will be a middle, where you cover your important points. And there will be an ending, which often takes the form of a summary or conclusion. Also do take the time to consider the final call to action. Upon completion of the article or page, make sure you read it out loud to see how it flows. If you are happy with it, then go to step 2.

The second step is where you review the finished article and simply do a very mild rewrite for the SEO aspect. Breaking content creation into 2 separate parts like this makes it 100% more likely that your optimization will be easier, since you already have crafted your content. And you will turn out far better content, because you took it in 2 separate stages, instead of attempting to write your creative and optimize all at the same time.

As a final step, always allow at least 48 hours to go by before publishing. Very often, you will come up with excellent additional points or additional restructuring to make your content as good as it can be, both for your readers and for the search engines.

Other simple tips:

Remember that the hardest part of optimization, is creating fresh original content that is worthy of being found in top search visibility. It is excellent practice to research at least 2 or 3 different keyword phrases, so that in the event, you are temporary stall, you can simply work on the next article. 

Try not to be a perfectionist as you write. If you misspell or make a mistake along the creative process, don't stop writing to fix. Let your thoughts and ideas and dialog flow onto the page and make the points you wish to make. You can always go back for edits later.

The act of being most productive is in your content creation. The optimization aspect is actually the easiest part if you've already have created good useful content that is helpful, well written and satisfies the reason why the user searched in the first place.

Remember that content creation is a good habit to form consistently updating your Web site will bring the search engine robots more and more often.

I encourage you to give this 2 step process a try and you'll see how surprising the end results will be. Sometimes very simple things render extraordinary results. Remember to allow yourself that extra time before publishing. I don't know how else to say it but it seems like often, our minds still work as we sleep and you come up with some surprising improvements if you try.

About the Author: John Alexander is co-founder and director of the Search Engine Academy, leading provider of hands-on search engine optimization training at locations across the United States, Canada, Asia and Australia. To find an SEO workshop nearest you, visit Search Engine Academy.