Even Ron Burgundy knows creating content is one of the most important things we do as SEOs; and whether you are a copywriter for a corporate agency, an established brand, or a new venture, what you write can have a big effect on both internal and external site performance. This guide to creating cohesive content will not only help you become a better copywriter, but will also help you get to a big pay off at the end result.
Manage your expectations. Let’s say you’re a copywriter for a dental hygiene brand and you’ve been tasked with writing a post about personal habits that contribute to tooth wear. Well, there are probably hundreds of habits that can cause damage to teeth. As a copywriter, it’s your job to know that you cannot possibly cover every detail in one post, while still retaining readability and a centralized theme. Adjust your expectations and focus on what you know you can cover, and cover well.
Balance your content strategy. Writing copy should not be focused on solely one thing, like just link building, or just brand message. If your content strategy is imbalanced, you risk completely losing your reader in a mess of marketing buzzwords and confusion. Good content is a balanced blend of the brand message and high editorial standards: this means proofreading (which I know we all hate). You might be surprised, but avoiding things like run-on sentences and comma splices can do a lot for your brand image; which in turn will help your brand’s message be better received.
Consider your audience. Are you writing for a community of stay-at-home moms, contractors, or small business owners? Think about the amount of patience and time your reader has to view your content. Would they appreciate more concise bullet points, or an extended narrative? Writing with the audience in mind will help you gain more cohesion as a copywriter.
Narrow it down, then narrow it some more. Let’s revisit our dental hygiene brand example. As we said before, you can’t possibly write a page that discusses all of the things that cause damage to teeth. If you did, the page would just go on forever and no one would want to read it. When writing your copy, consider: Can I break this into multiple pages/posts? Are there places that don’t need elaboration? This type of proofing will make your material read better and ultimately make you a better writer.
Listen to reader feedback. Pay attention to what readers and followers are saying. Questions and concerns that they may pose in the comments, or across social media platforms, can be a great source of content; because not only will you have something new to write about, but you will be addressing things that your market cares about, and in turn showing your followers that their opinions matter to the company. It’s a win-win!
Unfortunately, there is no exact science to copywriting (goodness knows I’m no genius at it); but keeping in mind small things such as these can help you rise above the fold and achieve of success with your posts.