One of the most most exciting things about SEO content marketing is that there are so many possibilities. Companies can start blogs, create white papers, produce an e-book, tweak their Titles, revise their content and tweet to their corporate heart’s delight.

Feel overwhelmed yet?

I realized that with all this talk about, “see how many ways your company can leverage content marketing,” there’s not a lot of talk about what to do when. I’ve seen too many companies with half-assed content marketing campaigns because they’re doing everything rather than the one really important thing. Instead of baby-stepping their way into a a robust content marketing campaign, they throw everything against the virtual web wall and sees what sticks.

Sound familiar? Take a deep breath and see if your site fits into the following categories. Here’s four typical scenarios for “what to do when”:

People are visiting your site, but they aren’t converting. This is a writing/usability issue (there may be some SEO elements in there as well, but they probably aren’t the primary cause.) What this is suggesting is that your target audience doesn’t “like” your pages. Maybe it’s because they can’t figure out how to take action. Or maybe it’s because the writing turns them off. Google’s Website Optimizer is a great way to A/B split test your pages and develop content that helps people convert like crazy.

And for goodness sake – if you’re writing to sell (or hiring someone to do it for you,) do it right. If you’re wondering why direct-response copywriting skills are crucial, this post explains it all. And if you’re a B2B company, here are some SEO copywriting tips just for you.

You company owns a catalog/retail site, and your product page rankings suddenly plummeted.

You may have been caught in Google’s May Day algorithmic dance (for more about May Day, watch Matt Cutts’ video  and Dave Davis’s perspective from “the other side.”) One of the takeaways: Additional product content could provide a lifeline. If you’ve been relying on the “stock” manufacturer product description – and you haven’t enhanced your pages with reviews, additional value-added content and even video – now is the time. Brookstone is a great example of a company that’s doing it right – fantastic product descriptions, customer reviews and smartly optimized text. If you’ve craving more catalog marketer-focused information, check out 10 stupid things catalog marketers do” and these successful SEO copywriting tips.

In the meantime, consider other options. Google is a demanding mistress, and she will always withhold her ranking affections from time to time. Instead of relying solely on Google, consider other traffic-driving options such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. I just spoke with Greg Jarboe from SEO-PR today, and I’m reminded why he’s the YouTube master. If you haven’t read his book, “You Tube and Video Marketing: An Hour A Day,” check it out.

You need “fast” results.

Who doesn’t love instant gratification? At the same time, a content marketing plan is a long-term endeavor – and getting rankings is rarely achieved “instantly” (although, when it works, it sure seems like it!). Although I’ve said that there is no “quick fix” in SEO copywriting, it is true that there are some quick ways to “spruce up” your content. Keyphrase editing (where you’re adding keyphrases into existing content) and optimizing page Titles can have a (fairly) quick effect. Once you see a faster win, you can revisit your messaging, create Titles that garner a higher click-through rate, and rewrite your copy with a better conversion focus.

You’re not seeing the rankings you want – and you never, ever have.

This is one of those times when an expert’s outside opinion can make a huge difference. You may think you’re doing everything right from a SEO perspective. But, there’s (obviously) something that’s hurting you. And if you haven’t figured it by now – and please know that I mean this with the utmost respect – what makes you think that you’ll “figure it out eventually.”

Even if you do, how much money are you willing to lose in the meantime?

You can purchase SEO content marketing evaluations from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars – depending on how deep you want your consultant to dig. Heck, you could even consult with a content marketing strategist for a few hours and figure out your options.  Plus, the strategist could give you a “sneak peek” on other future content marketing opportunities. The key is – don’t just wait for things to magically fall into place. Get help. You’ll make more money – faster – if you do.

Picture this: I’m working away in a cramped London hotel room. I’m there for SES London, along with many other of my geeky SEO friends.

Suddenly, I get a Facebook fan page request from a person who shall remain nameless.

And then I got another. And another. All from the same person.

At the end of the deluge, this person had sent out about eight “become a fan” requests (it could have been more, actually,) all within five minutes.

A few minutes later, I head downstairs for dinner. One person checks his iPhone and groans about all the “become a fan” requests. Another person checks his email and makes the same comment. We compare notes and realize, yup, these requests were:

1. All from the same person, who was…
2. In our industry, so he was probably…
3. Setting up Facebook fan pages for his clients (most of which were local to this man, and therefore, we had never even heard of the companies)  and…
4. Sending out bulk “become a fan” email requests to everyone in his Facebook network on behalf of his clients. You know, the companies that none of his Facebook friends had ever heard of.

Within five minutes, this person was “unfriended” by five people. Probably more – I’m sure we weren’t the only folks in his network to feel this way.

Folks, I am all for Facebook fan pages.  I think they offer businesses a fantastic way to reach customers and engage in a two-way dialogue. Heck, even I have a SEO copywriting Facebook page.

But when it comes to promoting your fan page (or your client’s), please, please use some common sense. Sending out client fan requests to everyone on your friend network is just plain irritating. How could I have any kind of “connection” to a company that’s across the U.S. from me? How is that targeted? It reflects poorly upon the marketer and poorly upon the company.

If you’re cringing a bit because you’ve done the same thing, I know you meant well. You really did.  I’m sure the guy who sent out all the Facebook notifications meant well.  I’m sure he wanted to build up his client’s fan network and show some initial success.  The thought was nice. But there are other ways to reach that goal.

So, before you send out “bulk-fan” notifications, ask yourself:

1. Does my friend have any connection to the company that I’m promoting? If you’re promoting your own company, it may be appropriate to email more folks within your network. But if you know that your friend lives in California, and you’re asking them to become a fan of a small, local Vermont-based business, you probably aren’t going to get much play.

2. Do I have a page that’s worthy of fandom? If it’s a brand-new fan page without much interaction, consider bulking up your content before trolling for fans. Otherwise, you’re asking folks to fan (otherwise known as “recommend”) a page that’s not even ready for prime-time.

3. How would I feel if I received this fan request? Just because people can easily ignore a request doesn’t mean that you should make them spend the time to do so. If you’re on the fence, don’t send it.

Friends don’t let friends send spammy Facebook spam requests, m-kay? Think about it.

Last week, I read an article in Mediaweek that warmed my heart. The title? “Marketer Must-Have: Original Web Editorial.” The article profiled how AT&T hired an outside firm to create value-added content that’s “something of value and more than just an advertising message.” Why? Because they realized, according to the article, “Search and social media are the main modes of information discovery, and both engines live off vast pools of content.”

Yes, yes, yes!

To that I say two things: Hear hear, and what the hell took you so long?

Original content provides companies an incredible opportunity to provide value to their readers, connect with their customers – and yes, get more search rankings for more keywords. Zappos is an excellent example of a site with fantastic content – product pages, blog posts, articles – even Tweets.

At the same time, there are some misconceptions about what “original content” can mean. Here are some things to think about when you’re planning your SEO content marketing campaign:

Know your audience and write for them. One of the first questions I’ll ask a prospect is “what is your customer persona?” About 75% of the time, the response is “what’s a customer persona?” The first step in any content marketing campaign – which includes your SEO copywriting campaign – is to focus on who you’re writing your copy for. Is it a middle-aged woman in the Midwest who loves domestic travel, Dancing With The Stars and Oprah magazine? A single male city dweller who lives in a condo, digs the latest electronics and eats out every meal? These nuances are important. How you write what you write is just as important as what you write. If you miss the customer persona boat and write general copy, you’ll see general (read: so-so) conversion results.

Beware the cognitive trap that controversial “linkbait” equals quality content. I think the term “linkbait” is an unfortunate one, as it implies “baiting” a site to link to yours. Listen, quality content is quality content. Thinking of terms of “what content will drive the most links and stir up the most controversy” is a short-sighted strategy that ignores other forms of useful content. For instance, should you not include a FAQ page about your product because it’s not a good “linkbait” article? It sounds ridiculous to read – but this is something I hear about every day.

I am the first to admit that some of my more controversial posts are my most popular. At the same time, I hear clients wanting to create nothing but snarky content, believing that controversy is what gets viral link love and makes sales. Yes, if you are passionate about a topic, by all means, let it fly. But if your blog is filled with rants, slams and sexy headlines with no content, you’ll lose your readership – or cause them to rail against you. If you must rant, rant responsibly – and make sure that your content marketing strategy encompasses all sorts of content.

Good content means a good content marketing strategy. It’s tempting to read the Mediaweek article and think, “By gum, I need to kick out a bunch of articles.” And that’s half right. The other missing element is how those articles (or blog posts, or Tweets) fold back into your content marketing strategy. And on a broader scale, how your writing dovetails with your television ad spots, radio ads, Yellow Page ad and newspaper/magazine display ads (yes, people still do advertise in newspapers!). Your content strategy gives you a roadmap so you know exactly what to write, who you’re writing it for, and how the writing integrates with the rest of your site and your overarching marketing strategy. If you’re kicking out “onesie twosie” articles in an attempt to halfheartedly gain search rankings and build buzz, you’re not leveraging what you can leverage. Good planning = better search rankings, better conversions and a better connection with your customers.

And at the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?

Catalog marketers – wake up! It’s time to “get” SEO – or run the risk of having a poorly-performing site and subpar search visibility.

Last week, I enjoyed the honor of speaking at the Direct Marketing Association’s ACCM conference.  And it was an excellent reality check for me. Although I’ve been talking about SEO copywriting for over 10 years, there are many catalog marketers who just don’t “get it.” Maybe it’s because they just started to think about SEO copywriting. Maybe because they tried to do it themselves without having a clear understanding of what they’re doing.  Either way, the results range from so-so to dreadful…and these marketers are frustrated.

“Getting it” is incredibly important for catalog marketers right now.  Multichannel Merchant reported that online-only catalogs in March 2009 totaled 2,011 – up from 1,868 in March 208. During the same time period, print-only formats decreased from 1,574 to 1,347. This means that the online catalog competition is getting more heated…and catalog merchants need to do everything they can to stay on track.

Does your catalog company “get it?”  Here’s 10 of the most stupid things that catalog marketers do to mess up their site.

1. Uploading your print catalog content without rewriting it for the online market. Yes, I know that rewriting every product page sound prohibitive from a content management and cost point of view. The reality is, the sites that have unique content are typically the ones that position better for the keyphrases they target (plus, they see higher conversions.) Focus on your top 20% pages and rewrite those first. You’ll definitely see an increase in search rankings and conversions.
2. Wanting to put every applicable keyphrase on your home page, figuring it’s “the most important page.” The goal of SEO copywriting isn’t to get folks to land on your home page. Instead, you want prospects to land on a page that more closely matches their search query – and that’s typically an inner page.  Besides, shoving every keyphrase you’re targeting on your home page will make the page impossible to read.
3. Same Titles across all site pages. One of the fastest ways you can quickly improve your search engine visibility  is to create unique, keyphrase-rich Titles for each page. Unique Titles help the search engines understand what your page is about – and well-written, “clickable” Titles help encourage conversion off the search engine results page.
4. Not researching keyphrases. You may think you “know” how your customers are searching. However, keyphrase research allows you to double-check your hunches, plus find other keyphrases you may not have thought of. Ignore this step at your peril.
5. Focusing on only 5-10 keyphrases (and the site has over 5,000 products). Most ecommerce sites have hundreds – if not thousands – of applicable keywords (depending on the site’s size.)  Although some keywords are higher value than others, don’t focus on a few at the expense of the many. If you do, you’re missing out on the opportunity to reach folks at all phases of the buy cycle.
6. Making the “add to cart” button impossible to find. If you want people to buy from you, you have to ask for the sale. Hiding the “add to cart” button (or making it hard to find) will do nothing but force people away from your site.
7. Hiring cheap writers who write poorly. I spoke to an e-commerce site owner who went offshore for his SEO copywriting – and he complained that he wasted over $2,500 on bad writing that didn’t help him. Unfortunately, that’s a common story.  SEO copywriting – like any form of direct marketing writing – is a “get what you pay for” proposition. If you can’t hire it out, consider training your marketing staff, instead.
8. Not updating the site. Every see someone with a mullet and think “That’s SO 80’s!”  A Website mullet (old, outdated content) is just as off-putting.  Make sure that your blog posts, press pages, articles and product pages reflect your most current information.
9. Assuming that people will call you for more information. No, putting up “teaser” content to trick people into calling for more information is not a good idea. People rely on your Website to help them make an informed decision. Forcing people to call your company for more information is a good way to lose conversions. Not to mention, sites with little-to-no content typically don’t position well.
10. Not leveraging other types of customer communication and content. Can’t change your content template? Start a blog. Want to keep in immediate touch with your customers? Consider a Twitter campaign. Having an e-commerce site is just the first, foundational step. There are many more ways that you transform surfers into spenders and expand your online branding. The key is setting a strategy, controlling what you can control and making it happen.