A copywriter's perspective on SEO

The days of traditional SEO are well behind us. For most marketers, search engines and generative AI are now far too advanced for us to keep up with. Trying to game the system is a losing battle. Instead, we recommend focusing on making the content as good as possible.

With frequent search algorithm updates and the rise of AI search, only quality content will remain visible. Each new development brings SEO closer to what we've been saying all along: write for people, not machines.

Really, we didn't need to write this post. Read all the other posts on our site and your copy will already be great for SEO.

But that’s not what you came here for is it?

So, let’s start at the beginning.

What is SEO copywriting?

Search Engine Optimisation is about improving your content to make sure your page ranks highly in organic (i.e. not paid) search results. SEO copywriting deals with the written element of that optimisation – the words you read on the page, along with the meta description and tags that show up on the search engine results page (SERP).

Who are you to tell me?

We're persuasive writing specialists with years of experience making content clearer, more interesting and more useful. Our clients include universities, law firms, tech companies and consumer brands covering everything from beer to luxury travel.

Why should I bother with SEO?

Ranking highly on search results is pointless unless there’s a reason behind it. So, SEO should always be driven by your business goals. With search traffic getting split across more channels than ever (ChatGPT, YouTube, TikTok etc), being ranked top of a Google search isn't a goal in itself.

When planning your SEO goals, consider what more overall visibility would mean to you. Are you building a new brand and raising awareness? Or are you laser-focused on selling a specific product? SEO is just one element of that strategy.

So, can keywords help me achieve my business goals?

No! This has never been the case. There’s not a dumb database in the background trying to match the search term ‘news’ to the page with the most mentions of the word ‘news’. Google knows that if someone is searching for ‘news’, they’re looking for a trustworthy site that has a selection of articles about the latest world events. Or, even more likely, it will just serve the content directly to the user from an AI summary.

Context and intent are far more important than specific keywords. Think of SEO as answering your readers' questions and solving their challenges, not trying to guess what specific words they might use to find you.

What are keywords for then?

Keywords can inspire new content – if you identify a search term that isn't covered elsewhere, you could create a blog post about the topic, for example. It’s far better to use keyword research to define a new page than to write a page and try to fit it in as an afterthought.

As copywriters, keyword research is most useful for understanding what readers are looking for. Tools like answerthepublic.com can show you what questions people are asking around your topic. If you have the expertise to add something useful to the conversation, people will find your content.

How do I write copy that ranks well?

Simple: read every blog post on our website and go to one of our workshops!

The better you can write, the better your chances of ranking highly. Searchers (and by extension, search engines) are looking for useful, interesting, informative content. If your copy is waffly and misses the point, no amount of SEO can save it.

Dividing your content up with descriptive subheadings is also really important. It tells readers and search engines what your page is about and the topics you’ve covered.

As for structuring your information, try to answer people’s questions early on the page. People want reassurance that they’re in the right place. They’re more likely to keep reading if they know your content matches what they’re looking for.

How should I incorporate keywords into the page?

The most important thing to remember is to keep it sounding natural. If your copy sounds stuffed full of variations of the same phrase, it won’t be any good. Think quality over quantity.

Also, remember that Google’s algorithm is so advanced that you don’t need to trick it or tick off every variation of a phrase. Google probably knows what people are searching for better than they do. The keywords themselves are less important than the intention behind the search.

A well-written piece of content will naturally have 99% of the right words in it anyway. If your heading and subheadings make it really clear what your page is about, even better.

SEO vs PPC

Your PPC strategy should work alongside your SEO strategy. If you have an idea for content and want to test if it’s something people will be interested in, pay for ads. If you’ve identified something you know people are searching for and want to try to rank for it, organic search is better.

Also think about the return on your time and money. Organic search is useful if your audience is looking for more information about you, but ads are good if people are ready to buy and need a nudge to push them in the right direction.

What is EEAT?

Google employs real people to test search engine results to see how the algorithm is performing. They judge content based on how well it shows Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness.

Basically, that means you can’t blag your way to the top of search results. Your content should be the result of your own specialist knowledge on the subject, and your site should demonstrate your credentials. You also can't just rehash what everyone else is saying. Original content from an expert is far more valuable.

What about GEO and AI overviews?

AI results are increasingly taking over the top of Google searches. And generative AI is increasingly being used instead of traditional search. While the goal of AI overviews is to stop people leaving the search engine, these summaries still rely on trusted sources for their information. Create original, unique, informative content and you could be one of those sources that AI recommends.

How can I get more help?

If everything you’ve read here is obvious to you and you’re confident your writing can’t be improved any further, we’d recommend getting in touch with a specialist SEO agency. Backend tweaks and technical changes can help you stay on top of evolving web technology.

However, improving the quality of your content is the best place to start if you want to improve your visibility. Get in touch with one of the monkeys for advice on next steps.