Copywriting Articles by Brian Clark

1. Copywriting Secrets of the Masters:
SEO Copywriting is a Waste of Time for Blogs
Brian Clark
This special report is brought to you free courtesy of
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com

2. SEO Copywriting is a Waste of Time for Blogs
Good copywriting skills can help you sell with your blog. But if you think by
"copywriting" I mean "SEO copywriting," you'd be wrong.
In fact, you're probably wasting your time even worrying about traditional
SEO techniques when it comes to blogs. Here's why.
Writing for Search Engines
Search engine optimization ("SEO") copywriting means writing web page
copy that is optimized to rank well in the search engines. This includes
inserting targeted key words in certain places (like titles), and in frequencies
and densities designed to satisfy a particular search engine algorithm.
Why isn't this as important anymore? Essentially, SEO experts think
traditional SEO for blogs is a big waste of time.
Humans Matter More
The gist of the argument is that when it comes to search rankings,
what'swritten ona web page isless importantthan whatother people sayabout
that web page, and how many times.
It all comes down to links.
First of all, referral traffic (links from other bloggers) is of higher quality for
the things that matter most - subscriptions and sales.
It's like the difference between a prospect who is sent your way from a
happy former client, measured against someone who finds you in the Yellow
Pages.
But this also impacts your search engine rankings. The algorithms favor sites
and pages with incoming, non-reciprocal links from body text - in other
words, express recommendations fromother people. And much more weight
is placed on the words used in those links (anchor text) than the words on
the page linked to.
Just ask George W. Bush.
You won't find the words "miserable failure" anywhere on the biography page
of the current U.S. President, and yet that page ranks number one for the
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com

3. search term in Google. That's because a whole bunch of other people
(mostly bloggers) decided to link to W's bio with the anchor text "miserable
failure," and obtained top ranking.
The trend of search engine's favoring what others say is intensifying. Just
like offline, word of mouth matters most.
As mentioned above, search engines like Google already incorporate user
feedback (links + anchor text) in their algorithms. When people link to and
tag the posts of other bloggers on social book marking sites, and tagging is
more fully integrated into the current version of search, rankings will rely on
recommendations even more.
The end result will be better search, and the end of traditional SEO
techniques.
Content Matters Most
This is why traditional (not SEO) copywriting skills that catch and hold
reader attention are important for bloggers. I would argue that great
copywriting is the new SEO for bloggers, if it gets you positive links from
others. And since blogging is a new form of public relations, and PR depends
on great copywriting...
Well, you get my point.
So, maybe you should quit worrying about SEO and start producing
incredible content and networking in your niche. Copywriting techniques will
help you excel in both.
Don't be Search Engine Ugly
Now, for that grain of salt. There's no reason to completely ignore things like
keywords in your writing. For one thing, it can influence the anchor text that
is used to link to you, which is a good thing.
For example, take this article. It's got the keyword phrase "seo copywriting"
right up front in the post title, and yet the headline still manages to be
provocative. There's no reason why you shouldn't strive for human titillation
and keyword relevancy.
But... if you have to choose between the two, go for the human factor first
and foremost.
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com

4. So, optimize your post URLs and include your keywords, but beyond that, let
it go.
Search engine algorithms come and go, but human nature remains the
same.
Tread the fine line between writing to please your human visitors and the
search engine spiders with AWAI’s SEO Copywriting Success Course.
Brian Clark is the founder of the popular and highly respected blog
www.copyblogger.com
Over the years, we’ve been fortunate that people say a lot of nice things
about Copyblogger and Brian:
 Advertising Age ranks Copyblogger as a top marketing blog in its
Power150 list.
 The Guardian named Copyblogger one of the world’s 50 most powerful
blogs.
 Brian Clark was ranked #3 of the 100 Most Influential Online
Marketers of 2009.
 Technorati says Copyblogger is one of the most popular blogs in the
world.
 The editors of Performancing named Brian Clark the most influential
blogger of 2007.
 BusinessWeek says entrepreneurs should follow Copyblogger on
Twitter.
 Dunn and Bradstreet says Brian Clark is one of the most influential
people in small business on Twitter
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com

5. Brian has been featured in the following books:
 Linchpin by Seth Godin
 Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin
 Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith
 Internet Marketing From the Real Experts (Contributor)
 The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott
 Free Agent Nation by Daniel Pink
 Problogger by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett
 e-Riches 2.0 by Scott Fox
 Gravitational Marketing by Jimmy Vee and Travis Miller
 Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
 The Referral Engine by John Jantsch

Brian will be sharing his expertise with participants at the AWAI Fast Track to
Success Bootcamp and Job Fair which will be taking place on October 26 –
29th 2011 in Delray Beach. At Bootcamp Brian will teach you proven content
marketing strategies before showing you how to use them with your clients
to further increase your value — and your fees! Click here to find out more.
This special report is brought to you free courtesy of
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com
www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com