What Even Expert SEO’s and Copywriters Don’t Understand About SEO Copywriting
SEO copywriting isn’t new, but people still don’t “get” what SEO copywriters do and how to work with them. But it’s becoming an insanely profitable and sustainable writing service.
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SEO copywriting is a special blend of SEO skills and copywriting skills.
It is so much more than just placing SEO keywords on a landing page.
As a seasoned SEO copywriter, I’ve found myself in many situations where expert SEO professionals and other copywriters don’t know what to make of it.
But the best part? Big clients are drooling over SEO copywriting skills, which means there’s a potential for awesome earnings as an SEO copywriter!
Which skills should you learn first: SEO or copywriting? My take: Learn SEO first. Check out our free SEO writer training if you haven’t already.
I want to get some things straight about SEO copywriting.
But let me start out with this: Most SEO professionals (even the experienced ones) have no clue what an SEO copywriter really does – let alone how to work with one.
And most expert copywriters have no clue about SEO copywriting either.
SEO copywriting is this weird gray area that I’ve found myself, especially throughout 2024.
In this post, I want to define SEO copywriting for anyone who is interested in it.
Is it a buzzword? Maybe.
Is it difficult? Not with the right skills.
Is it profitable? Heck yeah.
What SEO Experts and Seasoned Copywriters Get Wrong About SEO Copywriting
On one side, you’ve got your techy SEO experts.
They do all the keyword research, technical SEO stuff, site navigation – and whatever else you can do with Ahrefs. I’m not even sure what all they can do, which definitely speaks to the ability to learn SEO copywriting, even if you’re not techy.
The SEO experts I’m referring to tend to use jargon-heavy language and think that anyone who has “SEO” attached to their job description does the same thing they do. I can’t tell you how many times an SEO colleague asked if I could run an SEO analysis on… whatever crazy thing they were talking about. Sorry, buddy. I don’t do that!
Then, you’ve got the copywriters. Usually on the more creative side – although the best copywriters are more conversion-focused than anything.
But when it comes to SEO, they automatically assume you’re talking about content. Or, they assume you’re just keyword stuffing a landing page. Or, they tell you it’s a buzzword.
And both of these types of experts – the SEO professionals and the copywriters – are not wrong about SEO copywriting, but they just don’t “get it.”
And I can’t blame them. Before I started SEO copywriting, I was just using SEO skills as a content writer and just using marketing skills as a copywriter.
Then 2024 came around. Client after client after client started asking me for “SEO copywriting” work, so I really couldn’t ignore it.
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SEO copywriting is a unique skill set combining written SEO tactics with marketing copy. It’s a balancing act between writing content that ranks on search engines while also getting people to convert when they come to the page.
Not all businesses are using SEO copywriters to create their content and copy. However, when SEO copywriting is being used, it’s commonly found in blog content (especially middle and bottom-of-funnel topics), whitepapers, product pages, product descriptions and more.
What Do SEO Copywriters Do?
SEO copywriters possess both SEO writing skills and copywriting skills. At least, the legitimate ones do.
And these skills can take you very far in terms of what opportunities you can take on as a writer, what companies you work with and how much revenue you can generate for your clients.
Specific SEO Copywriting Jobs to Consider
SEO Content: Super common! But the difference between SEO content and content infused with SEO copywriting is easy to spot. A piece of content with SEO copywriting tactics resonates insanely well with a reader. It also has strategic call-to-actions (CTAs) that pair nicely with the stage of purchase the reader is at. And, within these CTAs are SEO tactics and marketing tactics that encourage a click.
Video SEO: I’m mostly talking about the video script. But SEO copywriting is also needed for video headlines, descriptions, tagging and more. However, it’s one thing to rank high on YouTube for your desired search term. And it’s a whole other thing to rank high and convince people to interact more with your brand. That’s SEO copywriting.
Metadata and Backend Stuff: Like I mentioned before, I don’t even understand half of what SEO experts do. But, I’ve done plenty of slightly techy SEO stuff as an SEO copywriter. From writing meta titles and descriptions (that rank and convert) to page titles and more, SEO copywriting is used (ideally).
Landing Pages (of Many Kinds): It still amazes me how often I use SEO copywriting versus regular copywriting in my work. When I was a new copywriter, I was solely focused on the marketing aspects. But now, SEO copywriting is my main service. If I’m not completely revamping a site with SEO copywriting tactics, I’m doing individual pages like product category pages, product descriptions, target industry pages and more.
Keyword Research: Okay, don’t panic here! I know that many aspiring writers who want to get into SEO freak out about keyword research. Keyword research is important for SEO copywriting, but it doesn’t mean you have to do it. Do I think SEO writers and SEO copywriters should understand keyword research? Yes. Do all my clients make me do keyword research? No. And I charge them if they do.
Search Experience Optimization (SXO): This term really surfaced halfway through 2024. SXO goes a step beyond SEO. Say someone reads a piece of content because it ranked high on the search engines, but then they start interacting with the site even more. Maybe there is a related quiz or a fun tool they can try. The bottom line: SEO copywriting underpins the entire SXO process.
Why Is SEO Copywriting in Demand Right Now?
The answer is simple. It makes businesses money. And it’s so versatile that one writer can make money for a business in so many ways.
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Great SEO content can get a brand’s website ranking in the top spots on a search engine. And these top spots will grab a vast majority of the traffic. But, if the title tag, meta description or the on-page content itself lacks conversion-power, readers will not become leads and customers for that brand.
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Great copywriting gets people to convert (e.g. sign up, buy, interact). But, if a website lacks SEO power on any given page, there’s a high risk that hundreds, thousands or millions of potential customers won’t see it – simply because the website is not ranking high on the search engines.
Which Skills Should You Learn First: SEO or Copywriting?
As a freelance writer since 2017, I’ve come to love both SEO writing and copywriting. I started SEO writing in 2017 (and oh, how SEO has changed). I started copywriting in 2020.
I had done some SEO copywriting work prior to 2024, but 2024 was basically the year 9 out of 10 of my clients were asking for SEO copywriting.
Why Should You Learn SEO Content Writing Skills First?
I think it was very beneficial to learn SEO writing skills before copywriting skills. Do you have to follow this order? No way.
But here’s why I recommend learning SEO skills first and then copywriting skills…
SEO Content Writing Is a Bit Easier
Let me make this clear: SEO writing is not easy. It is a complete skill set on its own.
In fact, that’s why we have an entire SEO writing course and a free SEO writing training video. So much to learn!
However, compared to copywriting, SEO writing has a little more “wiggle room” to flesh out the perfect message. For example: Copywriting for a billboard only allows about 5-7 words. You have to trim down your message into 5-7 words while still being clear – and while still being compelling.
With SEO content writing, you still have to be concise since you don’t want any fluff in your content. But, you have more flexibility when it comes to sentence structure and getting your point across.
In SEO content – if you write an extra sentence here or there for additional clarity – no big deal. If you write an extra sentence on a small display ad or email – it can totally change the performance of the ad.
And another example: Take this piece of content. I’m not stressing over each and every line. I pretty much write it, check for spelling errors and move on.
SEO Content Writing Is More Straightforward
Once you learn all the relevant SEO writing skills, it’s sort of a systematic, repeatable process. You can use the same SEO writing framework when writing for different industries and audiences.
However, that’s not to say every single article you write will be the exact same! The SEO tactics remain relatively the same, but then you massage out the perfect writing based on the audience, purpose of the piece and industry.
For me, copywriting uses more brain power. I’m constantly reworking the same message over and over until it is perfect. Copywriting also requires a fair amount of creativity.
SEO Content Writing Helps Your Website Get Seen
There’s no way around this: You need a website that gets seen by other people.
Sure, you can spend time cold pitching. But why not try casting out to a wider audience with SEO content? If you understand how to target the right clients and hook them in at the right time, you can absolutely funnel clients to you automatically.
For years, a random Google search for a writer has been the number one way in which I get new clients. A potential client searches for relevant terms, and my website comes up at the top (SEO). Then once they click in, my website gets them interested, and they contact me (copywriting). All without me ever contacting them first.
SEO Content Can Work in the Background While You Find Clients
One of the biggest reasons I suggest that you learn SEO writing before copywriting is because SEO is more of a long game. For example: Even if you publish an SEO blog post today, you’re really not going to see traction from it for at least 2 weeks, but more like months.
However, if you post several awesome SEO blog posts, these blogs will be working in the background while you go out and pitch for writing work.
So it’s wise to have some SEO content already on your website.
And don’t even get me started about optimizing your website (as a whole) for SEO! This is best done at the beginning of your website’s lifecycle. We talk extensively about website optimization for SEO, so check out our free training video for more information.
IMO: SEO Copywriting Is the Bomb!
SEO copywriting is not easy – and other professionals still get confused about it – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it.
For years now, SEO copywriting has been one of my most profitable and sustainable services, and I charge a premium for clients who want it.
Like I mentioned above, the best place to start is to learn how to write SEO content. Then, move onto copywriting.
Sign up for our free SEO writing training to kickstart your journey!
