After putting it off for some time – or forever! – you’ve finally started making search engine optimized (SEO) copywriting for your business a priority. That in itself is worth celebrating – but celebrating is the last thing you feel like doing. That’s because no matter what you do, you’re not getting the results you’d hoped for.
Maybe you were hoping for more subscribers to your blog subscription, or additional inquiries about your business, or an increase in website orders. But you’re not seeing any of these outcomes, and you’re starting to get discouraged.
Before you throw the towel in on SEO copywriting, let’s figure out what may be the reason for it – together. Below, we’ve tried to make copywriting as simple as possible by outlining the top three problems many business owners face, plus how to fix them easily.
Copywriting Problem #1: Your Content Isn’t Ranking on Google
When content isn’t ranking at all on Google, it’s likely time to readdress your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. And if you don’t have an SEO strategy in the first place? Well, then we’ve definitely uncovered why your content isn’t displaying on search engine results pages (SERPs)!
Google uses algorithms to determine how your content ranks – and these algorithms change hundreds of times each year. When a major Google update happens, your SEO can be drastically affected. Keeping up-to-date on the latest Google rollouts (or hiring an SEO expert who does!) will ensure you know what type of content has the best chance at ranking.
An SEO strategy isn’t a one-and-done deal – you need to revisit it regularly to see if the keywords you’re trying to rank for are still relevant. HubSpot recommends that you revisit your keyword strategy at least every three to six months. Tracking your keywords and using an SEO tool to check the average search volume can help you determine if your keyword strategy needs revisiting.
You should also keep your content fresh by adding new posts or updating old ones and work hard at securing good backlinks.
Keep in mind that even the best SEO copy doesn’t show up on Google overnight. SEO takes time – usually at least six months to one year – and how high you rank depends on many factors. Some of the top ones include how competitive the keyword is that you’re trying to rank for, the size of your website (large websites rank faster than small), and if you’ve included any link building within your content.
Your Solution: View your SEO strategy as an evolving process, one that requires ongoing work. Stay abreast of the latest Google algorithm changes, revisit your keyword strategy regularly, and only use effective backlinks.
Copywriting Problem #2: Your Content Isn’t Getting Read
If your copy IS properly search engine optimized – yet still isn’t getting read – the cause is likely the content itself. Ask yourself the following questions:
Are you writing about topics that your target audience is interested in reading?
Why write about something that isn’t even getting searched on Google? Your SEO strategy should determine what the most searched topics are in your industry and relevant keywords. Only write content that matches these requirements.
Are you writing your copy in an engaging way?
Nobody has time to read anything boring! It only takes your potential website visitor a few seconds to figure out if your website is worthy of their time. Proper headline generation, meta description writing, and images can help influence them to stay. Visit this post for more tips on coming up with eye-catching blog content.
Is your content formatted properly?
When content’s difficult to read and creates confusion, most readers will move on to a different website; one that’s easier to follow. Make your content easy to skim (hardly anyone reads a blog article from start to finish) by incorporating lists, bullet points, and subheadings. Keep readability in mind, too, by using short sentences, fewer than four-syllable words, and no jargon.
Your Solution: When your content isn’t getting any traffic, it usually comes down to one of three things: the wrong topic choices, an unengaging writing style, or improper formatting.
Copywriting Problem #3: You Don’t Know What to Write About Anymore
Sometimes, the problem doesn’t have anything to do with how well your copy is doing when it’s published. Instead, it’s coming up with the actual content itself.
If you’ve been writing content for a while, it’s not uncommon to start feeling like you don’t know what to write about anymore. And we know firsthand that coming up with new topics constantly can be challenging!
When you run into a topic roadblock, there are plenty of avenues to explore. BuzzSumo is a free, user-friendly site that helps you generate topics ideas for trending content. Similarly, AnswerThePublic offers content ideas using more of an interactive manner. You can find more ideas for topic generation here.
Once you have a topic, getting started with the writing process is your next hurdle. But like most things in life, having a step-by-step plan helps! Writing out an outline that includes your keywords can help you begin, and keep you focussed throughout.
Once your content’s written, though, don’t publish it right away. Take the time to edit and proofread properly, find a relevant image, and format it correctly on your site. Sure, these things take time – but rushing through them can drastically affect the overall success of your content.
Your Solution: If you find it hard to develop new content ideas, use keyword research, online forums, or content generation idea websites to kickstart your brainstorming.
The Bottom Line
As simple as we try to make copywriting, writing quality copy is never easy – even for us professionals. It takes time, effort, and experience to learn how to do it well and get the results you want. Along the way, you may encounter some common copywriting challenges, too. But once you start seeing the results, you’ll realize that all of your hard work was well worth it!