Q. Copywriting vs. content writing
Is there really a difference?
A. Yes! Think of them as siblings. They share the same DNA but they also have distinct differences. The main difference is the purpose. Copywriting sells ideas, whereas content writing generates them.
Copywriting sells your brand to the target audience and prompts immediate action. Content writing subtly tells them about it so over time they develop enough trust in your brand to convert from prospects into customers.
Q. What on earth is SEO copywriting?
A. SEO is the process of increasing web page or website traffic by improving its visibility through organic (unpaid for) search results.
SEO copywriting uses strategic keywords and phrases in useful, informative and compelling content to target a specific audience while simultaneously helping the search engine bots rank the website according to its relevancy to the search query. It kills two birds with one stone - as long as the content is of high quality.
Q. How can SEO content help make me money?
A. SEO content is the most powerful tool you have to influence the search engines’ bots and consumer behaviour. It has the power to do the heavy lifting to guide consumers through the marketing funnel and get your website ranked highly on search results pages. Increased visibility and increased engagement means increased sales and profit.
SEO content is a long-term inbound marketing strategy, but you have to be committed to updating your site regularly and consistently to get the benefits. The Content Gardener removes the stress of having to create unique, researched and compelling content - it’s all done for you, so you can save time and focus on running your business.
Q. SEO vs. PPC
Which gives better value?
A. Pay-per-click (PPC) is another way to generate inbound leads to your business. A well-managed and strategic PPC marketing campaign gives immediate results - even if you are a new business that has no brand equity, you will enjoy a surge in website traffic.
However, the return on investment for organic SEO content continues to climb long after the PPC has peaked. The inclusion of evergreen content on the blog (e.g. how to guides, tips to do XYZ etc) brings significant traffic to your website for the long term.
PPC is like having a take-away meal; organic SEO content is like growing your food from seed - takes longer to get but well worth the effort and wait. Both serve the same function but you can only sustain on PPC for so long. A balanced diet is the ideal.
PPC is not my game, however, I can recommend Digital Presence for your PPC and Google Ads needs. We work together to provide a cohesive digital marketing strategy.
Q. How do you know which SEO keywords and phrases to use?
A. Research, research and research. Each web page is indexed by its own merits, so different keywords can be targeted for each page - another reason why blogging is so effective at growing your business through organic search.
The temptation is to use the most popular phrases for your niche but this is a false economy. It is advantageous to also target keywords that are lesser used and have less competition from other sites. Long tail keywords (phrases, rather than a single keyword), typically have a higher conversation rate, so these are explored too.
Q. How do you know what to write?
A. The brief is the Holy Grail of a project - it provides all the direction I need to deliver your content. It’s a roadmap for me to follow: your mission, your target audience, business objectives and goals, your likes and dislikes - everything that makes your business unique.
If it’s our first time working together, I’ll call you so we can go through the brief together. This is important as, more often than not, valuable insights are gained through a good old-fashioned conversation.
Q. How do we get the ball rolling?
A. First things first: drop me a line via the contact form to arrange a call to discuss your website content needs. Once I have the information, I can tailor a quote. The more information I have, the better - the number and type of website pages, the frequency and length of blog posts and articles etc. You’ll then be e-mailed a brief to complete. It’s detailed, but it helps me understand exactly what you want - if I have any queries, I’ll call you to clarify.
Check out the Terms of Service for a comprehensive overview of what is what.
Q. How do you send the website copy?
A. Your website pages, blogs and articles are e-mailed to you as a Word document. The website content has H1, H2 and, if appropriate, H3 headings. It’s formatted and ready for you to copy and paste into your website. It also has hyperlinks to other pages of your website and to external websites if relevant.
Q. What if I don’t like the copy you produce?
A. Thankfully the brief is thorough and agreed before any content is produced, so there is no room for misunderstanding or misinterpretation about your website content order. 3 rounds of editing are offered should you wish the article to be tweaked, but again, the stringent brief limits the need.
