4 replies to this topic

[RayWrites]

Hi All,

I've been asked to speak about 'SEO Writing' at an upcoming writers conference. As one of the speakers, I've also been asked to create brochure copy for the 1.5 hour session I'll be giving. I would appreciate - and welcome - any and all feedback regarding the session description prior to submitting it. Here it is:

"SEO Writing is the art of crafting keyword-rich copy and phrases that can easily be read and detected by your audience and search engines. Its purpose is to help a website get found by ranking prominently in organic Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for keywords that convert. If writing for the Web is something you do, or would like to do, SEO writing is something you need to learn about and master. Get some tips from an SEO Copywriter who knows."

Thanking all those that respond!

Ray

[Kanshu]

"SEO Writing is the art of crafting keyword-rich copy and phrases that can easily be read and detected by your audience and search engines. Its purpose is to help a website get found by ranking prominently in organic Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for keywords that convert. If writing for the Web is something you do, or would like to do, SEO writing is something you need to learn about and master. Get some tips from an SEO Copywriter who knows."

Good description. Concise and good rhythm.

[RayWrites]

Good description. Concise and good rhythm.

Thanks!

[Michael Martinez]

I'm not sure that really addresses everything that goes into "SEO writing". Your wording is somewhat vague to me because it looks like it is written for a knowledgeable audience.

For example, you say "... get found by ranking prominently in organic Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) for keywords that convert." (Emphasis is mine.)

You and I know what "keywords that convert" means but does the average person who has not been reading SEO blogs, tutorials, and forums for six months or longer understand that?

Look at your first sentence: "...keyword-rich copy and phrases that can easily be read and detected by your audience and search engines."

You never define what a keyword is. Now maybe you intend to do that in your talk but for someone who has never seen all this stuff before, going back to the formal definition you provide won't offer much help.

We say "keywords" but most people are thinking "what I type into the search engine". And search engines talk about "queries".

There are three conversations going on in the Searchable Web Ecosystem: Searchers speak their own language, Indexers speak their own language, and Publishers speak their own language.

I think you need to provide a transition from the searcher point of view to the publisher point of view. If you're going to speak in terms of "keywords", for example, then I feel you should explain what keywords are in terms that the audience is more comfortable with.

And there are other things that go into SEO writing, such as placement and prioritization and accessibility. On one level it makes sense to use "home" as the anchor text for the site's root URL, but on another level you want to make it clear to everyone (including search engines) where that link leads. Most people don't look at a link and recognize the fact that it is using anchor text that (may) pass(es) value to the destination.

[RayWrites]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the feedback. Your points are valid. My challenge in creating the description was that it had to be less than 100 words. As for the audience, they are professional writers, editors and publishers who (I am assuming) have a basic understanding of On-page SEO. And yes, I do plan to elaborate on terms such as 'organic', 'convert' and others.