I often talk to people that are interested in the SEO benefits of blogging but are intimidated by the idea of writing a blog. After chatting with copywriter Elspeth Misiaszek I knew she would be a fantastic person to demystify SEO blogging. I’m thrilled to have her has a guest!
So, you’re afraid of SEO blogging. You’re certainly not alone. Lots of small business owners have all kinds of excuses:
- It will take too much time
- I only want local customers
- I don’t know what to write
- My keywords are too competitive
And for just a few minutes – about 7 – 14 (the average amount of time research says it should take a reader to enjoy a good, quality, blog) – I’m going to have to ask you to set all those excuses aside.
Let’s just assume that SEO blogging isn’t a scary, awful car chase on a dead-end road. Instead, let’s look at some of the realities that marry SEO in with digital media marketing.
Your Use of SEO Helps People Find You
Brand messaging represents the words you use to describe what you do. I like to think of them as buzz words, or an elevator pitch. They need to be easy to understand, quick, and simple, “I’m a copywriter who writes for…”
When we move over into the world of digital media marketing, brand messaging needs to be SEO keyword focused. These are the terms someone will type into Google to find you and your business.
The brand messaging becomes, “ I’m a sales copywriter who writes for…” and the SEO term is “sales copywriter.” By making this small change, we allow ourselves to be identified online.
Your SEO Blogging Gives You an Expert Voice
Let’s take it one step further; SEO blogging allows you to expound on your brand messaging by writing about what you do. It is one more way that you can show the world your expertise while using words that help potential clients find you online.
If you are a website design company that specializes in non-profits and veterinary clinics (psst – that’s your brand messaging). Here’s how you would talk about what you do for SEO:
- Non-profit web designers
- 501-C3 graphic designers
- Websites for non-profit, etc.
What should your SEO blogging look like?
- 10 Tips for Non-Profit Web Design
- 2 Websites for Non-Profits with the Highest Conversions
- 7 Killer 501-C3 Website Design Strategies
The benefits of rolling out your SEO campaign this way is two-fold. First, the more content you publish, the more you have to promote online, and the more people will begin to recognize who you are.
Second, when done correctly, the use of SEO is quite natural, and an easy way to talk about what you do. You are simply discussing yourself in a way that allows Google to understand what you’re saying, and relay those results on to your potential sales leads.
Where to Incorporate SEO in Digital Media Marketing
Having demystified the why of SEO blogging, let’s take a look at where you should marry it into your marketing:
- Photos have tags and alt tags; keyword image titles
- Social media profiles rely on hashtags…hint hint
- Website copy needs a 3 to 5% SEO keyword ratio
- Install SEO Yoast and green light blogs
- Meta-descriptions should be clear and coded
- Page names – why not “Non-Profit Website Design”?
- Website architecture plays a part; have yours checked
I also advise my clients to choose their keywords first so that writing their blogs sounds more natural. And if you get stuck, remember you can always turn to a copywriter to write your blogs, or a digital marketing agency for backend concerns, to get you on track.
Elspeth Misiaszek, owner of eMarketingCopywriter.com, writes for vegans, coaches and entrepreneurs. She specializes in sales copywriting for websites, products, services, and promotional campaigns. Grab your free blog writing resource, Is it SEO?.