What Is an SEO Copywriter (and What Isn’t)?
True SEO copywriting experts are a rare breed. Key insights from someone who has been SEO copywriting since 2017.
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Most people – even many SEO professionals – do not understand what an SEO copywriter actually is.
To match with the right SEO copywriter (and get the most bang for your buck), it’s essential that you have a basic understanding about what SEO copywriters do.
Check out my list of SEO copywriting services for even more practical context.
Back in 2017, the term “SEO copywriter” was nonexistent. In 2020, many considered it to be a buzz word that you could stick on a resume.
Nowadays, true SEO copywriters are highly skilled writing experts that just might be one of the most advantageous professionals to have on your team.
In this post, I will clarify what an SEO copywriter is (as well as define SEO copywriting itself). What’s crazy is that many business leaders, managers, SEO professionals and copywriters do not have a good understanding about SEO copywriters – but I’m here to change that.
As an actual, true, real SEO copywriter myself, I experienced firsthand the overwhelming surge of SEO copywriting requests, especially throughout 2024. Alongside my clients, I was able to start to clearly define what SEO copywriters can and can’t do and how misinformed many marketing teams are about how to utilize them.
Let’s put an end to all the confusion right now and dive deep into the world of SEO copywriters.
Looking for an SEO Copywriter? Learn more about me here.
What Is SEO Copywriting?
SEO copywriting is a unique skill set combining written SEO tactics with marketing copy. It’s a balancing act between writing content that ranks on search engines while also getting people to convert at the right time.
SEO copywriting is writing that is optimized to be seen by the most people possible (via search engine traffic) and inspires higher-than-benchmark conversions.
SEO Copywriting Examples and Use Cases
SEO copywriting projects are very diverse, and I’ve now been tasked with all kinds of projects that require both SEO writing skills and copywriting skills. If you were to hire someone who is just an SEO writer or just a copywriter, they would not be able to effectively accomplish these tasks.
SEO Copywriting Projects and Scope
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This project involves creating one or multiple landing pages (e.g., homepage, about page, service page, sales page) to establish the brand, smooth out traffic page flow and also rank well on search engine results pages (SERPs).
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? SEO copywriting of website copy will leverage desired keywords within highly compelling and creative headlines, CTAs and body copy.
On one hand, you won’t have the bland SEO keyword headlines. On the other hand, you won’t have overly creative headlines that offer zero SEO clout.
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When you think of TOFU content, you may picture highly informational content that usually has no reference to the brand – other than the fact it appears on their website.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? Branded TOFU SEO copywriting expertly infuses brand messaging into a TOFU piece. This content will still serve the reader for informational purposes. It will also still appease the search engines with objective, unbranded content to rank well. But, it will also include an ounce of brand positioning.
This can help encourage readers to move quicker down a customer pipeline and generate better brand awareness.
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Hiring an SEO writer for MOFU content is common practice, but it’s best completed by an SEO copywriter. SEO copywriters have a deeper understanding of the target audience, including what they want, their pain points and their exposure to competitors.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? SEO copywriters understand how to generate a truly helpful comparative piece that also favorably positions their clients’ products and services.
Since copywriters know how to resonate with a specific target audience, they can fine tune the content to subtly address key points and topics of resistance.
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BOFU and close-to-the-sale content is often left to direct response copywriters. However, SEO copywriters can take those high-intent, transactional SEO keyword queries and address them in low-pressure content.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? A huge barrier to convert occurs when the audience feels like the sales page is too salesy. They may be turned off by long sales pages that are loaded with a bunch of marketing jargon.
Instead, SEO copywriters blend compelling marketing messages within a softer, more trustworthy content piece. It more gently encourages a conversion without the loud bells and whistles of a sales-driven campaign.
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Most online videos gain traction because they’re optimized for video SEO (VSEO). They have the right components in their headlines, titles, files and video scripts, but many fall short when it comes to gaining conversions from these posts.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? Videos written by an SEO copywriter will get picked up by video platforms and SERPs, but they also serve as highly effective marketing videos.
In most cases, companies can post these videos online and leverage them in sales-focused email marketing campaigns, paid social ads and more.
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I do these a lot in my work as an SEO copywriter! In the case of product category pages, the SEO copywriter is trying to get picked up for a small set of keywords with various intents. Some keywords may be more commercial focused (searched by customers who are ready to convert) and other keywords may indicate the searcher is still considering options.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? Using an SEO copywriter to create your category pages helps you create a multi-use landing page to capture a diverse set of potential leads. Will this page direct ready-to-convert people to your products and services? Yes. Will this page emphasize key messaging points and overcome resistance to purchase? Yes.
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In the era of AI-written product descriptions, many businesses run the risk of having run-of-the-mill product descriptions that may rank well for SEO, but they fail to differentiate the product. Or, product descriptions written by a “regular” copywriter may capture the sale, but it won’t help you get seen by a wider audience on the SERPs.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? When you hire an SEO copywriter for product descriptions, you’re getting the larger audience you want and the conversions you need when they land on your product page.
SEO copywriters will not only give you better conversion rates, they will also increase the amount of traffic that floods to your product pages.
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You can hire an SEO copywriter to conduct keyword research that is based on specific intents – or at least, searches that indicate where an audience member is in the purchasing journey. The SEO copywriter can create a targeted list of keywords and related terms that will best fit a specific stage of the customer journey.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? While other SEO experts do understand the importance of SEO keyword intent (e.g., informational, commercial, transactional), many don’t understand how to then alter the language, messaging and topics to adequately address that intent.
SEO copywriters are uniquely equipped to understand the mechanics of SEO searches while also incorporating key topics to inspire a conversion.
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Some businesses hide lead magnets behind a contact form in order to generate leads. However, in other cases, their lead magnets (e.g., case studies, proprietary reports) may be shared publicly, even if no contact information is captured. In such cases, brands want their lead magnets to reach a wider audience while still being branded.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? Depending on how the lead magnet is constructed, SEO copywriters can help the content itself, the descriptions and the metadata get picked up by search engines. Then within the lead magnet itself, they can help to encourage next-step actions.
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If you don’t necessarily need someone to completely revamp your website content, you can hire an SEO copywriter to optimize your metadata. This would include optimizing title tags, meta descriptions and URLs to help them rank better on SERPs.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? As I’ve mentioned with other SEO copywriting projects, hiring a “regular” SEO writer to write your metadata may lead to higher SERP rankings (and more impressions) but subpar click-through-rates (CTRs). Hiring a “regular” copywriter might yield higher CTRs, but you risk showing up lower on the SERP.
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Typically conducted before an SEO copywriter creates content, SEO copywriting audits pinpoint both SEO-related and marketing-related problems.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? You’re essentially getting more bang for your buck with an SEO copywriter. These audits can pick up on missed opportunities and deficiencies in both your marketing and content marketing strategies. Otherwise, you’d likely have to hire multiple consultants to get the same feedback.
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Search experience optimization (SXO) has emerged as an important SEO ranking factor. Plus, it combats a customer’s perception of scammy, salesy, promotion-focused campaigns that are increasingly becoming a turn off for buyers.
How does it differ from regular SEO and regular copywriting? SXO falls at the intersection of SEO content and copywriting. While SEO content is often the initial page organic traffic will see, SXO is more about the journey the reader takes after that initial page. Ultimately, these “next steps” begin to guide the reader into the customer pipeline.
What Is an SEO Copywriter?
An SEO copywriter is someone who possesses both SEO writing skills and copywriting skills. They understand how to rank well on search engines so more traffic can flood to a website, but they also understand how to speak to a particular audience and their readiness to convert.
The Current State of SEO Copywriter “Usage”
Currently, not all businesses are using SEO copywriters to create their content and copy. In most cases, they are hiring copywriters for the branding and marketing-focused initiatives and hiring SEO content writers for content marketing and SEO strategies.
Up until recent years, SEO writing and copywriting were considered to be completely separate skill sets – which they are.
A small number of writing professionals are blending these deep skill sets into something businesses are desperate for: more visibility coupled with more market share.
As of 2024, project inquiries for SEO copywriters have surged. And now, a large majority of the work I do is for SEO copywriting, rather than just copywriting or just SEO content writing.
When SEO copywriting is being used, it’s commonly found in blog content (especially MOFU and BOFU topics), whitepapers, product pages, product descriptions and more.
Where SEO Copywriters Fit into the Puzzle
Here’s an interesting fact: Most SEO professionals (even the experienced ones) have no clue what an SEO copywriter really does, let alone how to work with one.
And most expert copywriters have no clue about SEO copywriting either.
SEO copywriting is this emerging gray area that I’ve stumbled into, coming from a strictly SEO content writing background, transitioning into strictly copywriting and now modernizing my offerings into SEO copywriting.
Let me paint a picture to help you better understand where SEO copywriters fit into the puzzle of SEO, content marketing and more generalized marketing. Understanding this will save you tons of time and effort as you try to build a robust team for both organic and paid revenue generation.
The SEO Techies
On one side, you’ve got your techy SEO experts.
They do the deep keyword research (ahem, Ahrefs), technical SEO stuff, site navigation optimization and more.
These SEO techies tend to use jargon-heavy language and believe that anyone who has “SEO” attached to their job description does the same thing they do.
I can’t tell you how many times an SEO colleague asked if I could run an SEO analysis on whatever crazy thing they were talking about. Even though SEO copywriters have “SEO” in their job title, SEO copywriters do not conduct SEO analyses – especially not to the extent of technical SEO experts.
The Creative Marketers
Then on the other hand, you have your creatives (e.g., copywriters). As the name suggests, these creatives are usually on the more creative side – although the best copywriters are more conversion-focused overall.
But when it comes to SEO, “regular” copywriters automatically assume you’re talking about content. Or, they assume keyword stuffing is involved. Or, they tell you SEO copywriting is just a buzzword.
The SEO Copywriters
As I’ve referenced a few times in this post, SEO copywriters lie at the intersection between strategic SEO tactics and the conversion-focused, human elements of copywriting.
SEO copywriters are the perfect person to help you rank well on SERPs and convert better with ideal customers. That means more of the right audience converting when you want them to.
Phony SEO Copywriters to Look Out For
In my work, I’ve seen very few professionals who are actually SEO copywriters. That is, very few people who have true SEO copywriting work.
Most writers are just SEO content writers and others are just copywriters. There is nothing wrong with being just an SEO content writer or just a copywriter, but their skill sets are more limited compared to what you need for SEO copywriting projects. Here is something to remember:
All SEO copywriters are copywriters, but not all copywriters are SEO copywriters.
All SEO copywriters are SEO writers, but not all SEO writers are SEO copywriters.
Some writers will tack “SEO copywriter” onto their resume because that’s what businesses are asking for. However, there are some telltale signs they don’t have the skills you need.
How to Spot a Fake SEO Copywriter
They only show you SEO content writing samples. Think blogs and articles, especially informational and educational ones. However, the main giveaway is when these content samples lack CTAs and don’t encourage the reader to go to the next step. Plus, if there is no strategic mention of the brand’s positioning, it’s not SEO copywriting work.
They only show you copywriting samples. Think sales pages, emails and paid ads. There has to be an organic lead generation component to their copywriting projects for it to be considered SEO copywriting.
They don’t know how to conduct strategic SEO keyword research. When asked about SEO keyword research, a “regular” copywriter will look like a deer in the headlights. Some SEO content writers can generate a list of keywords, but it will lack an audience targeting strategy.
They can’t differentiate TOFU, MOFU and BOFU content. Copywriters typically work on MOFU and BOFU content. SEO content writers may work on all three, but a majority will be TOFU and MOFU. Be sure to hone in on the writer’s knowledge about how SEO and copywriting plays into these different types of content.
They don’t use CTAs in their work. You’re dealing with strictly an SEO content writer if their samples lack CTAs and next-step actions. While they may have internal links and citations, their work will appear to stagnate once you read through it. In other words, there will be no compelling next step for the reader to take.
They only use CTAs in their work. Instead of nurturing a reader and addressing their true intent to the fullest, regular copywriters may show samples that emphasize CTAs. For a regular copywriting project, there is nothing wrong with that – you want the person to take the CTA. However, when it comes to SEO copywriting, CTAs aren’t the only way to get the reader to achieve the goal you want.
What SEO Copywriters Really Can’t Do
Now that you know a little more about what SEO copywriters can do, let me talk about what they can’t do.
Sure, you may come across a professional who also has additional skills and experience, but let’s define what is “out of scope” of an SEO copywriter.
Projects That Are NOT within the SEO Copywriter Scope
Technical website audits
Site speed optimization
Crawlability and indexability improvements
Mobile optimization
Structured data and schema markup
Website security (e.g., HTTPS implementation)
Server hosting and configurations
Javascript SEO
SEO strategy development
Performance monitoring and reporting
Competitive SEO analysis
Data analysis (e.g., using Google Analytics, Google Search Console)
Creative vision
Campaign concept development
Market trend analysis
Brand strategy and guidelines
Common SEO Copywriting Services
Let’s do a more generalized recap of SEO copywriting services. Hopefully this will help you assess if you need to hire an SEO copywriter.
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This service includes infusing SEO strategies into all pages of your website, from your core pages to your organic traffic pages. The content will rank well while also encouraging higher conversion rates.
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This service includes optimizing your SEO power and conversion copywriting power, especially after the reader initially lands on an SEO page. Deliverables within this project may include additional landing pages or a movement over into email marketing.
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This service includes a complete overhaul of your meta titles, descriptions, URLs and more. It focuses on incorporating the best SEO keywords for rankability while also inspiring better CTRs.
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This service includes analysis, feedback and recommendations from an SEO and marketing conversion perspective. This information can be used to inform both your SEO content marketing and messaging initiatives.
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This service includes generation of a keyword list that targets a highly specific audience, particularly if you want to appeal to audience members at different stages of the customer journey. It goes a step beyond ranking better on the SERPs and adds a human-focused, conversion-focused strategy.
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Search engine marketing (SEM) is one step closer into the copywriting realm. However, it is best performed by someone with extensive SEO knowledge. This service includes ensuring your paid advertising stands out on SERPs while also inspiring higher conversions.
Hire an Expert SEO Copywriter
It’s okay if you still have some questions about what an SEO copywriter can and can’t do. Feel free to reach out to me about your project needs, and I’ll help you determine if we’re a good fit.
