The Secret To Writing Good SEO Website Copy

Website SEO is truly easy when you follow a simple formula.

I was honored to be nominated for a HubNugget award this month. The winning writer holds the golden key that unlocks the secret of writing winning SEO copy.

In fact, he is the inspiration behind this Hub and I will give you his name and the link to his Hub at the end.

This writer uses a special technique that sounds easier than the reality: He writes like he talks, and that is THE KEY to writing successful website SEO copy and content.

Copywriters could use this one thought and write better SEO copy than 90% of the website content I now see all over the World Wide Web!

Before you begin to write SEO copy, picture yourself with your best friend (we'll call him Oscar) knocking back a few brewskys at Paul's Pub. You and Oscar are solving the world's problems, talking about and talking with women (what else?), and as the cereal in a can keeps coming you tell Oscar about this new golf DVD that lowered your handicap 12 strokes.

How do you think that conversation will run its course? Let's begin with 'you' opening the conversation...

SCENARIO 1

You: "I'm receiving professional results from a new DVD that gives my golf game maximum efficiency and productivity. It's highly effective in decreasing the number of strokes I usually acquire. It has everything one needs for professional elegance and it shall bring my golf game to a maximum level."

STOOOOOOOPPPPPP!!!

NO WAY! No possible way would you and Oscar talk about a new and great instructional golf DVD in that tone. Rather, I think the conversation would follow more along these lines:

SCENARIO 1 (Take 2)

Oscar: "Man, seems like I've been slicing every damn shot I hit. I'm playin' from the long stuff more than I'm hitting from the short grass!"

You: "Look dude, you probably won't believe this, but I've been watching a DVD for about a week and I'll be damned if I haven't cut 12 shots off my handicap. I don't slice anymore (Oscar's eyes now agape, he leans forward to hear more), and I'm bustin' it 30 yards longer with that new driver I bought last month. I tell you what, I'll loan it you for a week or two and let's see if it helps."

Oscar: Cool, dude... Thanks.

You: No problem.

What do you think? First scenario or second?

When you have the opportunity to compare the two styles of writing back-to-back, it's obvious that you are going to read the CONVERSATIONAL writing style EVERY time over the "professional, elegant, stuffed-shirt writing form".

Obviously, a top-gun copywriter would not write out the above conversation. He or she will use the pictures that you and Oscar created during that conversation and then convert the mental images to copy that sells.

So, how do I take the "you and Oscar conversation" and turn it into winning SEO copy?

Here's one approach: Since most beginning golfers suffer with a consistent banana slice shot trajectory, I might address that in the headline.

Breakthrough DVD Eliminates Slices and Adds 20-30 Yards To Your Tee Shots

If I loved the game of golf but could not get rid of a slice, AND on top of that, I could add 30 yards to my tee shots, this headline would definitely draw my attention. Granted, it's not the best headline in the world and if I were writing for a new golf DVD campaign, I would spend MUCH more time honing the headline. As I've said in previous hubs, the HEADLINE IS KING!

We've got our headline, so now where do we go?

We go back to the imaginary conversation where 'you' said you've lost 12 strokes to your handicap. Wow - That's huge! So, I might add a testimonial or two from actual product users (preferably in video form) right off. You will find that testimonials (done well) are extremely effective.

I would then return to the body of the website and begin to list benefits. This seems to be a big stumbling block for new copywriters. Many times I see long blocks of copy with the benefits hidden in that huge, intimidating blob of black ink. Whenever you list benefits, ALWAYS bullet point them!

• Guaranteed to rid you of that slice within minutes
• Outdrive your playing partners by 30 yards
• Lower your handicap by as many as 12 strokes
• Easy-to-follow, proven techniques

Did you pick up on emotional writing in the bullet points? These benefits appeal to many emotions... for example,

Guaranteed to rid you of that slice within minutes , appeals to: PRIDE, LUST, SUPERIORITY.

Outdrive your playing partners by 30 yards, appeals to: The Need To BE THE BEST, EGO SATISFACTION, Elimination of FEAR.

I'll leave the last two to your perceptions. A consumer buys, NOT because he needs something; a prospective buyer makes a purchase decision based on an emotional want or payoff. I address this issue in detail here.

BE: Grammatically sound and correct.

DON'T BE: Stuffy and impressive.

Choose the simplest form of the word's idea you are trying to convey.

Instead of: RECEIVE , Write: GET.

Not: SUFFICIENT , Use: ENOUGH .

Write like you talk and watch your conversion rates begin to increase... guaranteed.