As a complete rookie to SEO, I was somewhat confused by the term. The only SEO I’d encountered was the Student Employment Office. During my 3 years at university, when I was desperate for some pot noodle money, I frequented the SEO regularly, hoping that a well-paid job in a chocolate factory would come up and supplement my much-depleted income.

Little did I know that those three letters would reappear in my life over 10 years later. Starting work as a copywriter and content writer, I was thrown into the maze of metadata, the jungle of jargon and labyrinth of link building.

But don’t worry, fellow novices. Read on as I share my confessions, insights and tips on navigating the realms of SEO and copywriting.

Confession 1: Keywords are king

Keywords are the bread and butter of SEO. When I first started learning about the world of search engine optimisation, it seemed simple. I thought I had it all figured out. Just sprinkle a few keywords here and there, right? Wrong.

The process of inserting keywords into your content needs to be subtle and smooth. It’s very easy to overuse a certain keyword or two, leaving you with some weird-sounding sentences and confusing your reader.

I’ve learnt from feedback from more experienced writers, as well as copious amounts of reading. Trawl the internet and find good copywriting to help you improve your keyword placement. And remember, keywords should be like mischievous little gremlins, hiding in plain sight and popping up when you least expect them.

Confession 2: The curse of the blank page

Ah, the dreaded blank page – it still brings me out in a cold sweat. So as a novice copywriter, staring at that vast expanse of white was downright terrifying. I had no clue where to begin (to  be honest, most days I still don’t).

But I’ve learnt that the key is to embrace the chaos, ignore that inner voice and just start writing. That’s the great thing about editing, it will fine tune your words afterwards, it’s more important to get the words, any words - down on the page (or screen).

Confession 3: Link building confusion

SEO link building is when you link in a relevant source to boost your writing. These links are pretty essential for search engine optimisation (SEO), as search engines like Google use them to decide on the authority, relevance and credibility of a website.

Sounds straightforward, right? Not for a novice copywriter like me. I have to admit, I started adding links into my blogs and articles at an alarming rate. Any keyword I could find, I searched for a corresponding source and right click, link and there you go! I thought I was on the ball with it all.

It wasn’t until it was pointed out to me that I was linking competitor’s sites to the blogs I was writing, to realise that I might need to reconsider how I was doing it. So don’t worry if you’re a rookie – you’ll figure it out, one relevant link at a time.

Confession 4: The perils of plagiarism

Plagiarism is the cardinal sin of copywriting. It’s exciting when you’re starting out as a copywriter and you’re full of fresh-faced optimism that every word you write will be original and new.

But it is too easy to fall into the trap of borrowing too much from other sources, resulting in a huge amount of embarrassment as your work is called into question.  

Be careful, especially in this emerging AI world, where there are easier and quicker ways to write content. Remind yourself of the importance of creating original content that shows your own unique voice. After all, that’s why you got into writing in the first place, right?

Confession 5: The allure of analytics

Before I starting copywriting, I had no idea what analytics were. Mention metrics, graphs and charts and I would be transported back to my GCSE Maths classes and the PTSD that caused.

But when you work in the world of SEO, you need to get used to regularly checking analytics. Knowing the numbers relating to site traffic, bounce and conversion rates is actually pretty helpful when measuring results and your SEO success.

However, don’t worry too much, novice copywriters! Although analytics are a useful tool, it’s only part of the process of copywriting. You’ll learn as you go. And I’ve found, it’s just as important to be creative and enjoy your writing.

Embracing SEO in your copywriting

And so, as my journey in the world of SEO and copywriting continues and hopefully improves, I remain eager to learn to become a better copywriter. It’s important to embrace the learning curve and keep at it as you learn more about SEO.

If you’re keen to learn more from copywriting experts, why not consider the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy? A comprehensive, fully supported course, you will learn everything you need to know to become an effective and creative copywriter.

And before long, you’ll have confessions of your own!