Looking for a website content writer, but don’t know how to separate the good from the bad? Scroll on to discover 4 essential traits of a good copywriter.
As you may already know, a content marketing strategy can help your business gain authority and strengthen its reputation among target audiences.
And hiring a marketing agency or even a good content writer is the first step towards successful On-page SEO.
What is On-page SEO?
On-page SEO is a range of techniques and strategies that ensure that your website is positioned at the top of each search engine.
On-page SEO involves:
- building content around keywords and meta tags
- simplifying site architecture
- removing obsolete and low-performing content
- increasing precision with content-driven SEO
The benefits of Content-driven SEO
If you will travel in an airplane the pilot needs to know all the required techniques to get you to your destination. The same principle applies to your content.
When your goal is to be easily found on search engines like Google, all the text and content on your website needs to be driven by search engine optimization (SEO). This will improve traffic and get your website displayed on the first page of search results. So a good content writer needs to be well-versed in SEO techniques.
Let’s look at three benefits of content-driven SEO:
- the fastest and cheapest way to get results in searches and leverage your business in new markets.
- will increase user engagement if done correctly
- will boost your business’ authority
The end of reading?
According to Tony Haile, senior director at Twitter, you have just 15 seconds to capture your reader’s attention and win them over.
If you think about it, this is just enough time to read the title and opening paragraph, at most. This is a problem which journalists have already identified and solved using the inverted pyramid technique (scroll on to read more).
The Nielsen Norman Group offers a slightly less dramatic take. According to a recent study of theirs, readers don’t read anymore – they scan.
Both of these opinions share a common starting point:. the way in which people consume information online has changed, so it stands to reason that the writing process should change as well.
What do website content writers need to know?
Abhirupa Purkayastha once said that words are the building blocks of text. A well-written text can hold the reader’s attention and bring more credibility to your content, while the wrong words will just confuse them.
Your target reader will have chanced upon your text because they’re looking for the solution to a specific issue. Keywords should be chosen carefully, with a focus on search engine optimization (SEO).
A good website content writer should think: “Got a problem? I’ll solve it. Here is some valuable, easy-to-read information that will help you in your journey.”
Here are some tips about how the text should be presented to facilitate the reading process:
- No long, complex sentences. Short, straightforward paragraphs are what you’re after
- Readers, or scanners, love bullet points and numbered lists, which simplify the scanning process
- Relevant subheadings with catchy captions will attract your readers’ attention
- Images are attractive, so use them wherever you can
1 – Writing for your audience
People who talk to themselves may sound crazy, right? But that’s what a good content writer does – or rather, they will speak to a blank document as if it were the reader.
The content writer has to place the reader front and center – how they speak, what they love, what they believe, and which values are important to them.
Doing so will forge a connection between your text and its target audience. It should feel personal – like the author cares about them, and is searching for the solution to all of their problems. Hopefully, this will result in organic audience engagement.
2 – Research is key
Another trait which can’t be overlooked is the capacity to research and analyze data. A lot of articles are fighting for the top spot at Google.
In addition to writing content which end readers can relate to, copywriters should include relevant data in order to earn the top ranking on search engines.
Good writers should research the most important topics surrounding the subject in question before they even begin writing.
Google’s eyes light up when faced with quality website content, and your business will be rewarded for it.
3 – The inverted pyramid
The reader doesn’t have time anymore. So you should aim to present what they’re looking for as quickly as possible.
The best technique for this is known as the “inverted pyramid”. Mostly used by journalists, it structures how information should be presented in a text: first comes what the reader is looking for, and then comes the rest.
Remember, you want the reader to choose your article over all the others. So start from the conclusion, and make sure to show readers other arguments as well.
4 – Follow-up
A good content writer’s job doesn’t end once the text is delivered. Following the content’s performance is equally important.
Google Analytics has plenty of data which can help writers understand how their article is being received. Metrics like time spent, bounce rate and conversions will tell you a lot about reader engagement.
Internet users are constantly in a hurry. Keep that in mind when working with website content writers, to use SEO in your favor.