If there’s one area where SEOs usually fall short, it’s usually their writing skills (disclaimer: this view is probably biased, but still common). I’ll be the first one to admit it’s not easy, and there’s a lot to quality SEO copywriting than just tossing some keywords into a bunch of text.
This week, however, I was treated to two great links on the topic. Well, one I’ve had kicking around in my bookmarks for quite a while, but I find that I keep going back to it. I digress.
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On Page SEO Made Easy
Whether you’re training SEO copywriters, just getting into SEO, or are looking to brush up on the basics, the On Page SEO Cheat Sheet from Conversation Marketing (PDF) is a great resource that gives you a look at both sides of a page (Thank you William of SEO-Shop.com!).
It goes through the basics, step by step, and while some points are arguable, it’s generally point on. Being visual, it’s easy for non-tech types to follow and is pretty crystal clear. If you’d like to go beyond the basics, you’ll want to check out these posts:
The Ultimate SEO Guide — SEOConsultants.com
Learn SEO | Onsite DIY SEO Manual — Hobo Web
If there’s one downside to it, however, these cover mostly technical stuff. They tell you what is generally thought to satisfy search engines, but there’s nothing there for human readers and it’s not going to guarantee you get good copy. That’s where our next guide comes in:
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Sharpen Your Writing Skills and Boost Your Conversions
The biggest problem most webmasters have when they write their own content is that it’s not clickable. It doesn’t draw the reader in and convince them to bookmark the page, share it with others, or follow the call to action. This is the single biggest difference between professional content and good content.
In many ways, this is a talent. The ability is natural and you either have it, or you don’t, but you can greatly improve your results by working at it and learning the tricks the pros use.
Glenn Murray of Divine Write published a brilliant, easy-to-follow guest post on Problogger a short time ago that you’re going to love. The post, entitled “7 Tips On How To Write Sticky, Memorable Posts“, is exactly that. It contains a list, explanations, and examples of some of the most important tricks and tips you can use in your writing.
Have a look, try out the tips, and let us know how it goes. Better still, go back to some of the content you’ve had for awhile and try these tips out. Then, see if it makes an improvement and let us know what you discovered!
2 Comments on "Two Guides For Perfecting Your On-Page SEO and Writing Skills"
It was hard to stop reading you stuff. So engaging and yet sweet. I love it!
Thanks for the teachings contained in the two guides, really helpful documents.
Thanks for the post, I will check out these guides as my seo is not all that good.