Search engine optimization copywriting

Search engine optimization (SEO) copywriting is textual composition for web page marketing that emphasizes skillful manipulation of the page's wording to place it among the first results of a user's search list, while still producing readable and persuasive content.


Crawlers rely upon keyword placement within the text of an article, and typically disregard images. Text appearing several key locations (such as the <title> and <meta> tags of the page's code) gets special attention because search engines compare information found there with other pages to determine relevance. SEO copywriters also strive for unique written content on the page, distinguishing it from similar pages competing for placement in the search results. Other factors that determine relevance during a search are the page's keyword density, the placement of the keywords, and the number of links to and from the page from other pages.




SEO copywriting is most often one of the various jobs of a copywriter. However, there are freelance copywriters who hire out their services solely for SEO, agencies and firms that specialize in SEO (including SEO copywriting), and copywriting agencies that offer SEO copywriting as part of comprehensive writing and editing services.
A freelance SEO copywriter will work with a client to determine the appropriate keywords needed to promote the client's business. Online keyword research tools are then used to gather a list of potential phrases.

While an obvious goal of SEO copywriting is to cause the business's or product's web page to rank highly in a search, most experts in the field would argue that it is of secondary priority. The foremost goal of SEO copywriting is to produce succinct, effectively persuasive text for a well-written web page. Writing that "optimizes" a search but offers little useful information or only weak persuasion is frowned upon in the profession as ineffective. At its worst, it becomes a costly resource inducing potential buyers to turn away from the site rather than generating sales. The main goal of the SEO copywriter remains writing interesting content that people want to read and link to.