SEO Content Writing for Journalists & Columnists

My column last month at Sun.Star tackled SEO content writing. It was written in response to a request from an editor asking for tips on writing articles with search engine optimization in mind.

(example of keyword results for "leadership" using Wordtracker.)

For columnist and writers, this can mean writing your article first and then analyze what keywords your article contains. From there, do a search on various keyword performance analysis tools to assess their popularity and make the necessary revision. This can also be done the other way around where you research the idea you have in mind first, before actually writing it.

In the end, the purpose of doing this is to ensure that your article will rank high on search engines and be found by readers who need such information.

SEO Copywriting, Content Writing Style for Press Releases

A public relations (PR) agency in the Philippines recently invited me to conduct a session on SEO copywriting or web content writing and how it applies to press releases. The 2-hour briefing was very productive (even fun) as I got to discuss (demonstrate when appropriate) the following, at the minimum:

• The importance of SEO copywriting / web content writing in a search engine marketing / search engine optimization campaign.
  
  
• Introduced several tools as one of their newest best friends online. This gives them room for creativity when planning a press release using inputs gained on popular keywords.
  
  
• Writing style guide appropriate for the busy Internet user to ensure attention is captured right away. Web readers have little time in their hands. If the first two paragraphs does not contain enough meat, they will leave your site. Therefore a press release must be written for the user to be read and not for PR clients ego satisfaction.
  
  
• Providing additional resources, even 3rd party, to give user the necessary help needed. Therefore making the PR site even credible in the process.
  
  
• Ideas on what makes a great website that PR firms can also use in improving theirs.

Of course, the above is not limited to PR firms. It can also be used by any website or blog owner that produces content.