SEO Copywriting: What is it?
SEO copywriting refers to creating search engine-friendly content that answers users’ questions.
This guide will provide you with the basics and 10 tips to help make your copywriting skills even better.
Why is copywriting important?
Let’s start with the beginning.
SEO is about maintaining your website’s online presence to rank high on search engines. This includes content.
SEO copywriting is the use of keyword research to create web content that users find valuable.
Copywriters can create a variety of deliverables based on the needs of clients.
- Blog posts
- Websites
- Ebooks
- Copy the advertisement
- Site content
Copywriters don’t necessarily have to be experts in technical SEO, but they should know the basics.
Web design can have a significant impact on page performance. This includes keyword research and the creation of organized and optimized content.
There are three reasons you should invest in SEO copywriting.
- Target keywords in your content to attract qualified traffic
- Answering the questions of your audience can build trust.
- Get your readers to take action by downloading your app, subscribing to your podcast, and making a purchase
Now let’s talk about why copywriting matters.
10 Steps to Success in SEO Copywriting
High-performing content can do more than what is obvious. Here are 10 SEO tips.
This article will discuss everything from choosing keywords to identifying the intent of the keyword to creating a copy.
1. Enter the keywords you are looking for.
Copywriters need to first identify keywords they want to use in their writing.
Using the right keywords to target is a great way of starting any writing assignment.
Use the Keyword Magic Tool to identify keywords relevant to your industry.
- Start by entering a primary search term (or “seed keyword”)
- Use filters to organize results by search volumes, keyword complex, and other metrics
- View the intent of keywords to see if they match your goals.
This tool allows users to view similar keyword groups. It makes it easy for users to search semantic keywords.
2. Ask People Questions
The purpose of a search engine is to make it easy for users to find the information they need. To see the results, users don’t have to click on any page.
This is a great way to organize your content and anticipate their next questions.
This is a great way to target SERP features like a PAA (People Also Ask) box.
Many SEO tools can help you find questions related to your keyword or topic.
The Topic Research Tool also offers headlines and questions that are related to the keywords you use.
Once you have identified and analyzed the most important topics then create content that is more valuable to your audience than pages from other companies.
Do you have to include every result? Only include the results that you feel are relevant to your business.
Not all car dealerships offer car repairs. A car dealer can’t provide content about auto repair.
More Information about the Ranks
Use the Topic Research Tool
3. Map Search Intent and Identify
User intention and content should differ depending on the stage of the customer’s journey. You should adapt your keywords to suit the different intents.
The “Keyword intent” refers to identifying the reason a user is looking for a particular term.
This step can be automated for your convenience. These Kobe Digital tools let you view the intent of keywords:
- Domain Overview
- Organic Research
- Position tracking
- Keyword Overview
- Keyword Gap
- Keyword Magic tool
- Keyword Manager
We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves. Let’s take a look at the four types of keyword intent.
- Informational: Customers are searching for more information on a topic or product.
- Navigational Users wish to visit a specific site or page. Ex: “Nespresso coffee machines types”
- Advertisement: Customers are looking for a way to save money but still want to know more about their options. Example of “Coffee machine comparison”.
- Transactional: Customers are looking for a product or service. Ex: “Buy a Nespresso coffee maker”.
Let’s suppose your business sells tomato plants and accessories. Customers will visit your website with the intention of shopping for and comparing products.
Next, use the Keyword Magic Tool to do a broad search for “tomato plants”. You will find a lot of information, including search intent, difficulty, and search intent.
Use the business intent filter. The top three keywords that users search for are “Rutgers”, ‘bonnies, and’sungolds.
This information allows you to target keywords that are compatible with your commercial search intent.
4. To find your target keywords, see the articles of your competitors
To view the results of your competitors’ searches, use the Search From (or a chrome Incognito) window.
You can use the Keyword overview tool to get a more thorough analysis of search engine results for keywords.
You should manually audit the top SERP pages. This will help you create more useful pages than your competitors.
Kobe Digital makes it easy to get on-demand SEO advice once you have started. To
- See how your top 10 competitors use your target keywords in their articles
- Learn which keywords are semantically similar to their articles
- Compare the readability of pages from competitors
- Find out how long the pages of your competitors are
You can export this data to create a content outline or to begin writing content with the SEO Writing Assistant.
5. Collect Original Data
Share original data and case studies to engage readers. This will help you build backlinks that will strengthen your position as an industry leader.
Do you think of hiring a freelancer? They may need some background information before they can create a piece.
An internal writer may not have all the information. It is therefore important to collect data.
- Make use of social media to your advantage. Take polls on social media and get feedback from your followers about their lifestyles, preferences, etc. Share your results with industry professionals.
- Identify patterns in sales data. Industry writers often look for reliable sources to get stats and data.
- Creating user-generated content Customers are the best form of advertising. Example: “How An SEO Agency Helped an Artisan Bakery Increase Organic Traffic by 214%”
Share your message on social media using original data and visuals. This will encourage people to link to you.
6. Optimize your Header, Meta Title, and Meta Description
When they search the SERPs, the page’s description (or meta title) is the first thing that readers see.
When they arrive on a page, the header is the first thing they see. Clear headlines and meta can improve page views and organic click-through rates.
Google might alter the meta of your SERP based on the query. SEO is essential for users and search engines.
Users and search engines should both be able to identify the content of your webpage by reviewing its title tag, meta description, and meta description. Google might change some things but your page will still have validity as long as it has quality content.
Meta Titles
- Unique and includes your target keyword
- They should not exceed 55-60 characters. Title tags that are more than 55-60 characters will be removed by Google. You have the option to limit the width of your to 600 pixels. This may vary depending on how your device works.
- It communicates a message that matches their search intent and content. Users may abandon the page if they don’t like the content after clicking the title.
Meta Description
- Target keywords included.
- Use calls to action and/or target emotions.
- The meta description can be as long as you want, but Google prefers that they stay between 155-160 characters for a better user experience.
- It must be unique and accurately describe the page. Google encourages including certain information such as price and manufacturer throughout a page.
H1 Header
- The title will fit within the 600-pixel area. Google reduces it if it’s not.
- Numbers can be included, such as “10 Quick Tips for Creating the Perfect Title”. Articles that have list headlines get up to 2x more traffic and share more than other types.
- May include bracketed explanations such as [interview],, or [2021]. This means that readers want to see all the details before clicking.
- Use action verbs such as “learn” and “take”, along with “boost” and “enhance.” This will allow readers to see the benefits that they will get from the page.
- Visitors are motivated to visit the site. Emotional triggers can help users grab their attention and create interest.
7. Create Organized, Easy-to-Read Content
Half the Americans can’t read below 8th-grade reading levels. However, this doesn’t mean they can’t understand more complicated texts.
People use search engines to quickly find information and advice.
If your content is difficult to use, it won’t get many shares, views, or conversions.
Identifying your target audience is the first thing. It is important to understand the language of the people you are writing for.
Let’s take a look at how you can make your copy more readable.
Good Structure
Well-structured content is a guide for search engines and users.
According to our research, 36% of articles that use H2 or H3 tags have higher traffic, shares, and backlinks.
Skim-able Headlines
The majority of readers skim through articles before actually reading them.
Headlines should inform readers about the key points of each page or paragraph.
Your headlines should be based on user intent. Next, expand in the following paragraphs.
Clear, informative paragraphs
Like headlines, readers love to skim through paragraphs to find the information they need quickly.
According to the Eye-Tracking Study conducted by Nielsen Norman Group, people tend to read in an F-shaped layout.
Keep your copy short and to the point. Use white space as much as possible.
Bullet Points and numbered list
Use bullets and numbered lists to break up large sections.
Lists visually offset information to make it easier to scan the page. Use lists to guide the reader through the instructions.
Short Sentences
By simplifying sentences and making your message more understandable, you are making it easier for the reader to comprehend your message.
Copy contains subtopics
Keyword research should inform the subtopics of your copy. Users might search for particular queries but may also have other questions.
Subtopics should be linked using H2s or H3s.
Simple Vocabulary
Don’t use complicated words. It is important to clearly explain the basics.
Use the SEO writing tool to determine your readability score. This tool analyzes keywords and suggests the most readable copy based on the top competitors.
This tool allows you to:
- Find out which sentences are too long.
- Determine which parts of the copy may not be original
- Make sure that your text is optimized to the target keyword, and written in an SEO-friendly format
- You should use the same brand voice for all content.
8. Include visuals
Visuals are important for your pages. In 2019, 74% of content marketers used visuals to enhance their pages. Visuals work.
You can increase page time and encourage readers to share your graphic via social media.
Google provides more image results over the years than ever before. This can improve search engine ranking.
Alt tags are also useful for accessibility. Screen readers may use alt text to learn more about particular images or pages.
9. Include CTAs (Calls-to-Action)
Copywriting is primarily designed to assist customers in their journey.
This is where you should get involved.
Are you familiar with the phrase “search intent?” A user will visit your site (ideally) because they are searching for information.
You can use images or buttons to inform your users about the next step.
This will increase the conversion rate of your copywriting and your content’s ROI.
This will increase page views and bounce rates as well as send positive signals to Google.
Tip: Make sure to include CTAs within your copy. Your readers might not be able to read the entire page.
10. Keep The Linking Structure in Your Head
Google bots may get stuck on pages that don’t link to other websites. Users might not want to work hard if they don’t know where to go next.
Why should people leave your website if they can link to other internal sources?
- Linking other content can help build trust. You may even get a backlink.
- Help your user navigate to the next step by linking to your internal content Linking can help improve your site’s link structure.
Tip To ensure that your visitors don’t leave your site, make sure external links open in new tabs.
SEO Writing Tips: How to Write for Search Engines and Humans
Copywriting Content should not be just about creating copy and adding keywords.
These are great places to start. SEO best practices should be kept in mind but your primary goal should be to serve users.
Make easy-to-skim content.
- Writing short paragraphs
- Use H2S for organizing content
- Use charts and bullets to visually offset information
SEO best practices such as choosing the right keywords are crucial. If your keywords aren’t used correctly, users might not be able to find your content.
Google and users can see through the spamming of keywords on pages. Google and users can see right through the keyword spamming on pages.
Hiring professional copywriters with experience in SEO and content strategy is a smart move.
You can also refer to our article on learning.
Top SEO Copywriting Tools
Content Marketplace lets you outsource content creation. Professional copywriters can be accessed through the Content Marketplace without the need to search manually.
Do you want to create your content? These search tools can help!
The Top SEO Copywriting Tools From Kobe Digital
- Keyword Manager: This tool helps you narrow down your keyword research by identifying the most pertinent keywords to target in.
- Subject Search: Provides new content ideas and uncovers what people in your area are looking for.
- Organic Research Provides information on how your competitors are doing
- SEO Writer: Offers content and suggestions for SEO optimization based on the top 10 ranking pages for a particular keyword
- On-page SEO Checker Allows you to set up monitoring once a copy has been published.
- SEO Template: Offers SEO recommendations for future content, based on top-10 competitors
Additional Editing & Writing Tools
Take time to look at our favorite keyword search tools.
- Google Search Engine and Google Analytics can be used to monitor page performance.
- Google trends and AlsoAsked.com can be used to identify trending topics.
- Grammarly and the Hemingway app permit real-time editing
- Canva To create custom graphics
- Google Docs and Google Sheets allow for team collaboration while writing
Last Thoughts
These steps will help you create high-quality content
Measure your performance with KPIs like after publishing your content.
- Conversions
- Rankings
- Click through rate
- Social media is gaining traction
- Brand Awareness
Keep track of your KPIs, and update them as needed.
Create user-friendly content that answers questions and is based on keyword data to create a lot of useful content.
We are grateful for your kind words.
