SEO Copywriting Tutorial: From Start to Finish

Summary

This tutorial delves into the art of SEO copywriting, emphasizing the balance between creating content that's search engine friendly and appealing to human users. It outlines a three-stage process: research, drafting, and editing. The research phase focuses on understanding search intent and competitor analysis to build an effective outline. Drafting involves writing content that educates, entertains, or delights readers, with an emphasis on providing value. The editing phase refines the content for clarity, readability, and on-page SEO optimizations. The goal is to create engaging, informative content that ranks well while serving the audience's needs.

Takeaways

• 🔍 SEO copywriting is about creating content that is both search engine friendly and appealing to human readers.
• 🔑 Search intent is crucial; understanding why users search for certain terms helps in crafting content that meets their needs.
• 🛠 The first step in SEO copywriting is thorough research, which includes analyzing search intent and top-ranking pages for insights.
• 📝 Creating an outline based on data from top-ranking pages helps in structuring content that is likely to rank well on search engines.
• 📈 'People Also Ask' boxes on search results pages can provide valuable information for including in your content to address related queries.
• 🔑 Keyword analysis is essential to understand the language and topics that your target audience is interested in.
• 🚫 Avoid creating 'copycat' content; instead, use research to identify important subtopics and industry jargon.
• ✍️ The drafting phase involves writing content that educates, entertains, or delights readers while leading them towards a conversion goal.
• 📖 Use the PAS formula (Problem, Agitate, Solution) in the introduction to engage readers and set the stage for the content.
• 📝 The body of the content should deliver value by addressing the user's reason for visiting, which helps build trust with the audience.
• 🔚 The conclusion should wrap up the content and guide visitors to a relevant next step, avoiding a dead end.
• ✏️ Editing is a critical stage in SEO copywriting, ensuring messaging is clear, SEO optimizations are correct, and content flows smoothly.
• 🎯 The ASMR method (Annotations, Short sentences, Multimedia, Read) is a simple editing process to improve content readability and engagement.
• 📚 SEO copywriting has evolved, focusing on creating quality content that serves both search engines and human readers, rather than just keyword stuffing.

Q & A

What is the main challenge in SEO copywriting?

The main challenge in SEO copywriting is creating content that is both easily readable and understandable by search engines and appealing to human users.

Why is it important to consider search intent in SEO copywriting?

Considering search intent is crucial because it represents the reason behind a searcher's query, and understanding it helps in creating content that satisfies what searchers are looking for.

How can you determine the search intent for a target query?

You can determine the search intent by examining the type of pages that appear in the search results for your target query, as Google provides clues about the intent within the search results page.

What is the significance of the 'People Also Ask' box in the research phase of SEO copywriting?

The 'People Also Ask' box is significant because it shows related questions that users might have about the topic, which can provide additional insights and ideas for content that can attract more readers.

What tool is mentioned in the script for checking common keyword rankings among top-ranking pages?

Ahrefs' Content Gap tool is mentioned for checking common keyword rankings among top-ranking pages.

Why is it essential to create a thorough outline based on data in the research phase of SEO copywriting?

Creating a thorough outline based on data helps in identifying similarities among top-ranking pages, understanding user needs, and planning content that is likely to rank high on search engines.

What does the PAS formula stand for and how is it used in the introduction of an SEO copy?

The PAS formula stands for Problem, Agitate, and Solution. It is used in the introduction to grab the reader's attention by pointing out a problem, intensifying it, and then offering a solution.

What is the purpose of the body section in content writing?

The purpose of the body section is to provide immense value by delivering on the headline's promise, educating, entertaining, or delighting the readers, and ideally leading them closer to a conversion goal.

How should the conclusion of an SEO copy be crafted?

The conclusion should wrap up the content and direct visitors to a destination, such as another blog post, a product page, or a call to action, ensuring that readers are not left at a dead end.

What is the ASMR method mentioned for the editing phase of SEO copywriting, and what does each letter represent?

The ASMR method stands for Annotations, Short sentences and paragraphs, Multimedia, and Read. It is a process to improve the readability, flow, and SEO optimization of the content.

Why is it important to simplify the complexity of content during the editing phase?

Simplifying the complexity of content is important to ensure that the language is accessible to a wider audience, ideally aiming for a sixth to eighth-grade reading level, making it easier for users to understand and engage with the content.