The contention out there over SEO copy writing is astounding. With good cause, writers and SEMs alike are exchanging scuffles over the topic on a regular basis. Even established professionals like Heather Lloyd-Martin face staunch opposition in tactic.
“The most fundamental [strategy] is key phrase research. Learn how to put those key phrases into copy to have it make sense.”
This philosophy, to write write copy with search engines in mind, is the key offender. Bob Bly, the well-known author of “The Copywriter’s Handbook” is a vocal opponent and has even written an article titled “Why I Don’t Believe in SEO Copywriting.”
In this article… as if in response to Heather’s statement, Bly remarks, “When I write copy, [the] audience is the prospect, the potential buyer of the product I am selling. However, with SEO copywriting, you pander to another ‘audience’ - the search engines - and not the reader. And by creating copy that’s optimal for attracting search engines, you are, to some degree, weakening that copy’s power to sell. You dilute its strength because you are worrying about two audiences - the reader and the engines - instead of focusing every word on the customer.”
It would seem that Mr. Bly is, understandably, concerned about preserving the power of words… that by “pandering” to a spider, this is somehow compromised. Perhaps he’s correct. The argument is certainly strong. Yet let us consider Heather’s defense of such.
“SEO copywriting is still copywriting. It’s not changing the concepts of regular, direct response copy writing. What you’re doing is adding those key phrases in to make your copy more specific. You might not get to be as flowery as you’d get to be in a print catalog or you might not be able to describe things in fifty words and expect that page is going to position well. SEO copywriting is controlling the controllable on your website…. but to be able to walk that line between writing good content but making sure that you have keywords in there.”
Sounds innocent enough. Who’s to say that a careful craftsman couldn’t weave a poetic “compromise?” There’s certainly wisdom to be spread about in both camps… and that’s not even to consider other varying opinion.S
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11 users commented in " SEO Copywriting: Benefit or Compromise? "
This is a great read. ACM Records- to answer your questions EVE, you can surely use some good SEO copy on your site. If you need help, email me, or check out my companies blog.
Nice site too! Rock on.
We wait for the same interview in France
It is really interesting
Nicolas Bermond
SEO copywriting is a complete waste of time and money. I challenge anyone who is taking a client’s money to write SEO copy to prove that it is worth the cost. C’mon, show us the business case. There are much more robust SEO methods that don’t compromise the selling. Bob Bly has the right take on this. Write to sell. Let the geeks do the SEO trip.
[…] I optimized this post for the keyword search engine optimization specialist (a very popular keyword) just to demonstrate. In a few days try typing “search engine optimization specialist into a search engine and see if you can find this post. According to the Wordtracker tool, 539 people searched on this phrase in the last 90 days. Once you identify the words people may use to find a web site like yours, you write content with those keywords. Use one or two keywords per article, web page, or blog post. Put the keywords in your title, and sprinkle them throughout. Use the keyword or phrase in the beginning, middle, and end. Most people say around one keyword per 100 or so words, but it’s not a formula, just a guideline. Don’t overdo it (especially with blogs, a catchy title is more important to get people to read than is using a keyword. If you can do both, great). […]
Heather Loyd Martin what a innovator!
Seo copy writng,
the key phrasing issue is very fundamental! the sites that have the best content wins! tweakin the content is an element bolding the head lines and the title is more than enough : very true Grammer was a weakness that most don’t realize until they build a site! “the rule of thumb is common sense” people should interms use a better editor like http://www.mozila.com did you copy your content? follow up’s can be the place where you find your weak link always monitor the sites traffic yeah!
Hey web pro” great video more from Mike Murray Fathom SEO please
webpro has the bull by the horns at this segement I feel they need more news on web design
[…] SEM Certification approved by search engines I’ve been looking at some of the videos over at web pro news and listened to one about seo copywriting. Anyhow at the end of it the interviewer talked to Helen Lloyd Martin about a project she is working on. The project is a site offering seo certifications (http://www.the-dma.org/seminars/sear…on/index.shtml) to people. I went to the site and was interested to find that yahoo, msn and ask support them. Quote: […]
I would like to here more Heather martin on seo & sem
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I agree the copy of your site is a label that gives your name a long standing in the search engines.
Heather really has a good thought when it comes to seo over kill like Mike Murray, bolding is not the way to go? okay one question is the bolding issue about the engines or your traffic?
I believe well written content is the bread and butter of ranking well in the search engines these days.
I was told that search engines are looking for well written content that is relevant to the site’s purpose and have always tried to write my content to fit that statement. Keyword density is important as well but well written content can make or break you site.
Very informational ” the part about witting great content for a replicator website is crucial amongst competition
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