Welcome back! Today we’re introducing our educational (and hopefully inspirational) video blog series geared towards helping you succeed in your SEO copywriting career.  In this brief inaugural video, we’re going to address the three skills that you must have – or cultivate – if you are to become a successful SEO copywriter.  The proverbial “cliff notes” follow:

Skill Number One:  Understand Search Engines

You need to understand how the search engines work.  If you intend to write solid search engine optimized copy, it follows that you need to know not only your target market, but also the search engines themselves. While this may sound daunting or technical, it really is neither. Learning to write for search engines is easier than you might think.  (Spoiler alert: this will be the subject of another video post).

Last year has been described as “epic” for SEO, in no small part due to the three major changes in Google’s search engine algorithms:  first its May Day Update, followed by Caffeine, then Google Instant.  Part of understanding how the search engines work is to keep abreast of new developments in search engine “behavior” such as these, so you are on top of the game — and there are scads of online resources for doing so.

Skill Number Two:  Understand Buyer Psychology

Do you know what makes people “tick”?  This is where the art of SEO copywriting comes into play, big time.  Understanding the psychology of your market is absolutely fundamental to conversions — hence all the discussion of CRO, or conversions rate optimization. Great SEO copywriting may lead your prospects to your site but it won’t compel them to buy — unless you know and address their needs, desires, fears, and pain points.  In short, you need to “get” their psyche.

There are amazingly simple things you can do to transform your copywriting from merely good to powerful, conversions-driving excellent!  There will be more on understanding buyer psychology, and resources you can tap, to come.

Skill Number Three:  Write Well = Love What You Do

You need to like to write, period.  There is no escaping this one.  Whether you’re an in-house SEO copywriter or freelancer, if you find writing a chore it will show in your copy.  Those who are passionate about writing will fare much better.  It is, after all, what you do day in and day out!  If you find writing a challenge, try working with a mentor who can instruct and inspire you.

Bottom line:  successful SEO copywriters possess all three of these crucial skills.  Do you?

Join us next week, when we’ll discuss the best resources for learning SEO copywriting.  Thanks for tuning in and we’ll see you then!