Divine Write Copywriting Forum

As a commercial copywriter, I have come to understand that writing web copy is more than just about search engine optimization. Although SEO is very important, the craft of writing is the bottom line.

Writing copy is about the art of conversation. Using authentic words to characterize and advertise a client's service or product, is more important than worrying about placement in search engines. What do you think? Am I on the wrong track with this?

Because everyone is doing it, there is a flurry of web sites spamming keywords; throughout my personal investigations of web sites around the world, I am appalled at the loss of quality, and I think it's because of the focus on SEO, rather than writing well.

Isn't writing about the word usage and continuity of thought, and how it reflects that particular web site?

Hi imaginewriter. Obviously it all depends on the objectives of the client. But assuming they're a legit business selling products or services (and not just building traffic for traffic's sake), I believe you should always write for the reader first, then optimize for search engines second. After all, human visitors buy; search engines don't.

(For anyone who's interested, I've discussed this topic in a little more detail in my blog - .)

Glenn, your article is fantastic!

Your comment, "... if you’re more concerned with pleasing visitors than pleasing search engines,” really caught my eye. It is about people, isn't it?

I learned a lot from your article. Thank you!

No problems. Glad you enjoyed it!

I think it's feasable to do both...write artfully and write for the engines.

If you know how to write into and out of you tiered keywords and you know what density they need to contribute to the bulk of your work, combining the two becomes second nature after a while.

Plus, I find a lot of times that writing 'toward' certain keywords gets me to find unique writing styles that enable me to 'cloak' THOSE KEYWORDS. In essence, they propel my better writing.

I suppose, I make a game out of it.

Readers #1.
Google #2.


-kevin

Yes. The need to achieve certain keyword density is often over-emphasized.

GoogleBot is also known to track incoming visitor traffic and assign importance to visitor traffic. So by writing for PEOPLE first instead of simply focusing on keyword density and end up having an article which does not make sense for human readers, you could end up in a situation called "over-optimization", which leads to less traffic and which leads to poorer pagerank.

End of the day, the objective is to cater to people and to build a community around a website.

Yes! It's true! I loved what you said, "End of the day, the objective is to cater to people and to build a community around a website."

The bottom line is the client and their target audience - the particular community that they wish to reach.

I think on this SEO wave we have walked away from what is important and that is, keeping it simple. It's possible to be effective with the SEO element and still maintain a sense of creativity. At least, that's what I strive for.

Over the last decade or so, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) has becoming something of a trendy byword, encapsulating the very essence of success in online marketing.

Used in conjunction with other online forms of marketing, such as PPC (pay-per-click) SEO has dominated Internet marketing strategies with its promises of top search engine placements and, therefore massive infusions of new traffic and new business to your website.

SEO web design, SEO content writing, link building, keyword research and any other online activity that the acronym can be attached to, are being sold by SEO firms whose claim to fame is their being able to bring you more qualified leads from people using the search engines to find what you’re selling.

The question is, “How effective is SEO really, and how much better is SEO content writing when compared to standard copywriting?”


SEO Content Writing vs Slick Sales Copywriting



Logic would dictate that SEO content writing should be far more beneficial to your business website than standard sales copywriting. This is because SEO content writing – all things being equal – employs the same sales writing tactics with the added bonus of additional keyword research.

All things, however, are not equal and most SEO copywriters inadvertently produce content that focuses so much on including the right keywords, and achieving the right density of keywords, that it loses its focus on the human reader.

Even when writing for SEO purposes never lose focus on the human reader. The SEO should always be a secondary concern.

Free download to block web pages by keyword? Hi there - I'm looking for a simple way to block 'milf' on youtube - without blocking the rest of youtube. Is there such a thing as a free programme I could download which will allow me to do this - something which will allow me to block by keyword without doing anything else? - I'm on windows vista and I have all the parental controls etc set but I cannot find a way of blocking milf without blocking the rest of youtube - which I don't want to do...Many thanks!
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Sorry, solankie. I have no idea bout that one. Be interesting to hear what you find though, if you care to report back?

Wow, thanks for these information. I didn't know that there are huge difference in copywriting for SEO and other business.

Hi,

As imaginwriter said- writing a unique copy is really important for SEO, I am totally agree with him. A unique content helps search engine bots caching the content including your website. So always keep this thing in mind.

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SEO Copywriting - Be the Best.

Let’s get back to basics. Google exists to promote the best – to put the best at the very top of its search results for a particular search query. And over 70% of its decision of who’s best is based on links. Why links? It's a matter of reputation.

If you ARE passionate, really and genuinely passionate about what you do, you will succeed. And the good news is Google is governed by one basic principle above all others: your reputation will decide your fate!

If you are wholeheartedly into what you do you will bring life to it. If you are doing what you were put here for, if you have found your niche, your vocation, you will be the very best at it. That's the way it works. Always has, always will. If you consistently deliver something outstanding you will build something real - a solid reputation. You will ‘create a brand’. And you will have word of mouth on your side. Real word of mouth is the most powerful weapon there is in the social networking arena. And in a competitive world, this is where Google looks for assurance. And every time Google's algorithms get refined, they reflect the real world of reputation ever clearer. Google is being developed to safeguard its own reputation. The only way it can do that is by consistently backing the best. It needs to be the best at promoting the best or it will die, because its own reputation will be shot.

If you are committed to providing the best solution. If you ARE the best answer to someone’s search query, it looks like you're destined to be number 1. Yes, you will need the right help to develop your site and its content to provide the best resource in the business. Just make sure you employ someone with the same passion as you.

SEO is reactive. If you want to be the best, give the real people what they want. Content and usability win.

N.