I’d like some SEO Copywriting please

One of the big challenges when you work freelance is how to measure client expectation with reality. I don’t mean they’re not tethered to the real world (OK, some of them aren’t) but one of the big issues, especially when you work in the tech and digital sphere is that a client will hear a buzz phrase and decide they would like some of that please.

It’s never really quite as simple as that.

One of the things many businesses (and yes, some of them are the ones selling the services) is that digital technology like search engines and social networks need no radically different creative and communications strategy as the old ways of the marketing departments. It’s still about focusing on your USP. It’s still about playing to your strengths. And it’s still about having your audience front and centre at the heart of your strategy.

The only change is that the tools have changed.

SEO Copywriting is one of these things. As a copywriter you get a lot of people saying “I want me website SEO’d”. Great, I respond. Do you know what that means? It isn’t because I want to baffle or bamboozle them. Instead it’s because if a client is coming to me to ask for a service I want them to know exactly what they’re asking for and understand what they’re paying for. If they don’t they’re more likely to get ripped off.

Google changes its search algorithms frequently. The changes are designed to boost the rankings of websites written by human beings (hence the focus on blogs, regular original content and refreshing your website regularly) in what’s called Panda and also Penguin. It’s designed to remove the websites designed by those embracing the dark arts of SEO, awful back-linking and writing unintelligible keyword heavy copy. I would recommend you bookmark the website searchengineland.com and read through their articles on the subject.

Hiring an SEO Copywriter if you want to endorse and work towards these Google changes are laudable and important (especially if you want to have a visible website) and there are a plethora of sites where said SEO Copywriter can be found, like Copify or Peopleperhour.

But know what you’re asking for. Understand the answers you’ll get to the questions you ask. Changes in technology shouldn’t be anything to be afraid of. Yes, you’re paying for the expertise and the knowledge but you don’t want to be sold a service that isn’t doing what you need it to. It was so much easier when you bought a piece of print, eh? At least then you had the brochure in your hand.