Write it Right the First Time

I’m contracting with an interactive ad agency right now on an SEO writing project. They actually have a full-time copywriter on staff - but he isn’t trained in SEO (i.e. hasn’t learned keyword research and keyword-rich copywriting) and handles only their print ads.

But why no web-savvy copywriter at a leading agency with big clients, in this day and age??

As Thom Schoenborn at PopArt Blog observes:

It’s time for copywriters to evolve and embrace search engine optimization. And not just re-writing headlines, but owning the search-optimized content creation process from start to finish…. Re-writing/optimizing copy on the recommendation of a separate SEO expert is a waste of time and money when it can easily be written correctly the first time.”

Given that I make my living by “rewriting/optimizing copy” for others, my advice here may seem like I’m shooting myself in the foot…

But heck, I’m all about efficiency! I’d really rather see my clients spend their marketing dollars on as many aspects of SEO and site usability as possible, including keyword research (pleeease start with that!), search-compatible design, link building efforts, social media optimization, and ongoing monitoring/analytics.

I feel badly for businesses where I am sitting down - for many billable hours - to entirely rewrite a site that could/should have been SEO written the first time.

So if you’ve already got a writer on staff, make sure that he/she is fully trained on the most current best practices for SEO… or you better give me a call right away!