Forgive my rant, but I have to get this off my chest.
You know what I’ve discovered? Most books and ebooks about SEO copywriting aren’t really about copywriting at all. They are all just about SEO. Or at least all the ones I’ve seen. They go over META tags and header tags and linking. They talk about keyword research and site structures and keyword density (oh please!). But they never talk about writing copy.
They tell you to write great copy, but don’t show you how to create it.
They say you need great copy, but never go any further.
I’m a person who is always looking to learn and expand my knowledge. It’s just frustrating to not get what I’m looking for. There’s little wonder why SEO copywriting has gotten such a tarnished reputation.
SEO copywriting is a two-part process: SEO and copywriting. If you leave off the SEO part, you just have ordinary copywriting. If you leave off the copywriting part, you just have SEO. In order to complete the process effectively, you have to have BOTH.
Some book that is hails itself as the “bible” of SEO copywriting is just as one-sided as all the rest. Maybe they are targeting copywriters who already know how to write good copy and simply want to add another layer to their skill set. I don’t know. Where does that leave the website owner who wants to or needs to write his/her own copy? Where does that leave the newbie copywriter who is just getting started?
Is it just me? Or do you also think SEO copywriting training (in whatever form it may come) should include both elements?
[poll id=”5″]
.
I’ve been doing SEO work long enough to understand that you need to be careful not to “drink all the Kool Aid” when it comes to SEO.
Good writing skills are developed over time and cannot be distilled into an ebook. It’s easier to discuss Meta Data, Keyword Research, etc…. So maybe it’s not fair to expect a lot of discussion about writing skills?
Regardless, if one “blots out” all the extraneous BS and follows some basic rules, generally speaking I think that most will be able to write relatively effective content.
Hi Bill. Thanks for stopping by. It is easier to teach mechanical techniques via books and ebooks. But it is possible to teach copywriting too. I’ve been doing it for years with my own copywriting course. There is a lot of extraneous junk out there pertaining to copywriting, but there are also some absolutes that — when learned and implemented — make all the difference in your conversion rate. I was just shocked that most other authors are publishing books and ebooks on SEO copywriting when they didn’t even touch on the copywriting portion at all. Seemed very 1/2 done to me.
Sort of like the VCR/DVD recorder/player combos you find in stores now that say on the side of the box, “No Tuner Included.” Sure, you can dub from VCR to DVD (and vice versa), but you can’t record TV shows. You just feel cheated… like you didn’t get everything you paid for, you know?
Nice post and good criticism of SEO guys. I appreciate it as an SEO fellow! You’re right about the recommendation coming from these experts, but the fact is they’re focusing on the SEO aspect of copywriting more than the writing side of it.
The heart of the matter is that a balance is required here. If the focus is on the content and the content is keyword-rich, as long as the author makes use of the keywords moderately, we should be on the right path.