SEO Copywriting: Is Everyone Dead Wrong?

Why Almost Everyone Is Dead
Wrong About SEO Copywriting

Buzzwords come and go online. A hot one right now is seo copywriting. Seen it mentioned?

Those heavy into seo copywriting would have you believe that content is king.

The big idea being that content ALONE is the path to online riches. That is after doing careful keyword analysis put up enough content, or web pages, and you’ll put yourself squarely on the road to fame and fortune.

Well hold on a sec. Seems to me such notions might best come with a warning label. Sorta like the one on packs of cigarettes. Only in this case it would say…

"Content based SEO can be hazardous to your wealth".

Yeah, seo copywriting alone may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Unless one blissfully ignores one other critical ingredient. Because success with search engines is built on two skills not just one.

Sure I’ll agree content is a "must-have". So SEO copywriting is important. But by itself it will only take you so far and only in certain situations.

Now while in true confession mode - it’s true that a trained chimp in a white sailor suit can almost be quickly brought up to speed on seo copywriting tactics. There’s just not that much to it.

Okay maybe that’s a gross oversimplification. And for sure not intended to slur or sully seo copywriters I assure you.

Still, to broad brush it, if my page contains the target keyword phrase in the page title, in any H1 H2 or H3 tags, is bolded and italicized and appears early and often in the body copy I’ve about got it covered . Right?

Again I know I’m leaving out a FEW details and we both know the devil is in the details. But details schmetails. What are details among friends right?

Okay but I did say there are TWO skills involved, didn’t I?

You Need Seo Copywriting Plus…

Yeah, in the other camp, glaring menacingly and positioned 180 degrees apart from those favoring seo copywriting, stand the link optimizers.

Their claim to fame? Real men do link seo.

They are convinced web site links aka link seo is the real power behind the throne (ie. content). Certain that without link seo, web sites, especially those in competitive markets, are going nowhere fast!

Not afraid to assert that anyone who tells you otherwise, that is who doesn’t focus on link acquisition in a big way, isn’t practicing real search engine optimization.

Huh!

So which is it?

Does link text rule?

Or does seo copywriting provide the secret sauce?

Okay. Here’s the scoop. Like most things in life, to me the answer lies in between. That is you need both content and links to come out on top.

The highlights of each as I see them are…

Content Based SEO Strategy

Content alone is not your best move for winning in highly competitive keywords. It works best in less competitive terms where on-page factors alone can carry you to the top. Like in niches where you're competing against hobbyists and others who are not seo savvy. You might say this is content SEO’s Dirty little secret.

Content is best used as bait for links. In fact I’d rate quality content as a must-have. Put up content to get links gives others a reason to link to you.

It’s easier to put up more content than get links.

Also easier to spam with content by simply repeating the keyword phrase ad nauseam

Bottom line, what you've heard about content alone, from those practicing seo copywriting, may not take you where you want to go. Where as a

Link Based SEO Strategy

Aggressively pursuing a linking strategy gives you fighting chance for competitive keywords. Probably the only way to prevail. It ain't easy. But with enough links you at last have a chance.

Google emphasizes links. It sees them as indicative of the worthiness of your site to rank high. Plus Google emphasizes link text - using it determine what the linked to page is about. In other words links imply that content is worth linking to - worth ranking high.

Any link building or link based strategy depends on optimized link text pointing toward quality content. That includes the keywords you're looking to rank well for.

Please note. No where in any of this did you read that you don't need to optimize your content. You do. On page optimization, done as part of overall seo copywriting, plays a vital role in the grand scheme of things. But it’s not the be all and end all of search engine success.

So all that said, now you know the score. Simply put you can't rely on content without links. And neither content nor links is king. Because Google weighs on-page elements, off-page elements, throws in a dash of PR - then runs the mix through their super secret formula and spits out a ranking.

To land and hold top rankings in Google you need both content and links. Period.

My advice to you is to grab onto this notion with both hands and never let go.

That way, the next time you hear some proponent of seo copywriting proclaim content is king with supreme confidence and certainty, which happens a lot online, you’ll be able to smile to yourself. Secure in the knowledge that you know what’s what. Content IS king...as long as you're NOT expecting to ride content alone to top rankings for massively competitive words without a bevy of links pointing to it.