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call to action swipe file

Build Your Call To Action Swipe File To Write High-Converting Copy

Copywriting / By / July 21, 2022

Do you ever sit down to write your business copy and have no idea where to start? 

Everyone gets writer’s block, but how are we supposed to overcome it? 

Instead of putting off writing for your business again, do what the professional copywriters do…Open up your call to action swipe file.

What’s a swipe file? It’s a collection of excellent copywriting you can use to gain inspiration. But what it is not is the license to duplicate the copy as your own. We don’t like plagiarizers (and it doesn’t look good to your target audience either). 

Why You Need A Swipe File For Your Website Copy

So why do you need a swipe file for your website copy? Apart from giving you ideas when you have no clue what to write, a swipe file gives you a starting point to think differently about your copy. Its intended purpose is to inspire or give an idea on what to do. Before we reveal our call to action swipe file, what is a call to action? 

What Is A Call To Action? 

It is what it sounds like. You are calling your intended audience – usually your target customer – to take a specific action. That action does not have to be a buying one.

Remember, there are a lot of steps that happen in the customer journey to convert a complete stranger into a raving fan. Not all of those require a monetary transaction. 

Need more than inspiration and ready to grab hold of helping copywriting hand? Schedule a discovery call today!

Your Call To Action Swipe File For Your Website Copy

To help you out, we’ve added a variety of B2B and B2C examples from various industries. When building out your own swipe file, don’t be afraid to go outside of your industry or competition. Sometimes, the most obscure sites may actually spark a brilliant copy concept. 

Subscribe Call To Actions

The money isn’t in your social media. It’s in your email list. Here are a couple of our favorite subscribe call to actions. 

call to action swipe file
(Tuft & Needle)

What we love about this call to action is the ability to tie in what they do – sell sheets and mattresses – with the copy. It’s unique, yet indicates that their email newsletter isn’t some boring newsletter. Nobody wants to clutter their inbox. 

call to action swipe file
(Hubspot)

Don’t underestimate the value of pop-ups! But definitely use them sparingly if you want to protect your user experience. This call to action is a favorite because it uses a little social proof to encourage people to subscribe to their blog. 

Sign Up Or Download

Want to provide some up front value before engaging in a more sales type conversation? Sending them to a sign up or download action is a perfect way to increase your buy-in. 

(Scalable.co)

This call to action has everything. It identifies the audience as overwhelmed entrepreneurs and business owners. It sets the expectation that for 5 days, you’ll get 20+ hours of free time back. And it gets people to sign up for the waitlist. We love waitlists because they are great ways to build your email subscriber base. 

(DigitalMarketer)

DigitalMarketer offers workshops, courses, and certifications for marketers and entrepreneurs. Because marketing is one of those things that is confusing (as there is no quick formula for success), they offer a blueprint. The headline is straightforward. The subhead is effective. But even more so, we love how they include both a “How It Works” and a “Download” button. 

Read Blog Call To Actions

Blogs are fantastic ways to increase your SEO. But they can also be used to engage with your target audience, to show them you know your stuff, and to build some credibility. But how do you get them to read your blog? 

(Amy Porterfield)

Amy Porterfield’s content strategy primarily relies on her podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy. As such, she’s divided out her episodes into several categories based on where her target audience is in their businesses. Instead of forcing her audience to sort through the topics themselves, she’s made it easy (pun intended). 

Reach your target audience with effective copy that really converts. Contact us today to learn more. 

(Keap)

The social proof and variety of content available really bolsters the click through rates. The headline alone proves that the content they are producing isn’t just from theory or a quick Google search. It’s proven through the businesses that they work with. 

Try For Free Call To Actions

Free trials help to reduce the fear of making a bad decision. It allows the customer to see the value without experiencing the risk of losing money. Here are a couple of “try for free” examples we love. 

(Spotify)

Once upon a time, the only way you could access music (without being told what to listen to) was through CDs or cassette tapes. With streaming services, the big question became: what’s the value in this? To get over the hurdle, Spotify doesn’t simply place music in the entertainment category. They equate it to living life. The word “everything” suddenly makes the opportunity for a free trial that more valuable. 

(ClickFunnels)

Not only is ClickFunnels addressing the problem they solve (converting customers), they also add in an entire section of social proof directly underneath without it being an entirely separate segment.

(Hubspot)

In three words, Hubspot is able to effectively communicate that their CRM has the power small business owners need to run their businesses without feeling overwhelmed. This is a great example of the power behind using fewer words.  

Get Started Call To Actions

Depending on your business, it may be ideal to sell a “starter” package to give the customer a sample of what to expect. This is typically used for those investment type products or services. For example, you could sell a starter kit that includes a variety of samples or a segment of your larger service. 

(Harry’s)

For new buyers, Harry’s presents this starter offer as a special gift. There are a couple elements that are really attractive:

  • Apparent discount
  • Low risk with free shipping
  • Samples for everything a customer needs to evaluate the product
  • Freedom to choose color
  • Easy process flow to access offer

Learn More Call To Actions

You may need to send your audience to explore different areas throughout your website. This is especially important if you have a complicated product, process, or have a page that dives deeper into a specific feature. 

(Tuft & Needle)

The imagery and the headline does it for us at first glance. But what’s more than that is that they direct their audience to either explore their different mattresses and to compare their mattresses against competitors. If you know anything about mattresses, there couldn’t be a more confusing product as there is no standardization. 

(Keap)

We’re big fans of Keap anyways since we run our business using it. But what I love about their home page is that they have many, many, many features that are transformed into benefits. Then they have specific pages that dive deeper into those benefits (hence the “learn more”). 

Call Now Or Schedule Call To Actions

In the case that your business is more consultative, these types of call to actions are ideal for your business. 

(2x)

The simplicity of this is what really sets this one apart. There is no play on words or entertaining copy. However, an identification of who they want, what they can get, and what to do. You do not have to over complicate your copy to be effective. 

Quiz Call To Actions

Instead of sending them to a download resource page, quizzes are fun and engaging ways to get your customer to stay on your site. 

(Brook Linen)

What we love about this call to action is that it’s taking what can often be a confusing topic (there are almost too many options) and simplifies it into a pathway. The goal here is clear and simple.

Where To Find Inspiration 

If you need to find inspiration, there are several ways for you to create a swipe file: 

  1. Use an already existing swipe file. Sites such as SwipeFile.com make it really easy to sort through what you’re looking for. 
  2. Use one location to store your screenshots. If there are great CTAs, we upload them into an organized folder system on Google Drive or put it on a dedicated Slack channel. 
  3. Create a framework or template for different types of copy. Don’t want to store screenshots? Create a document or spreadsheet with headline and/or call to action templates or formulas.

Need Help Creating Call To Actions Or Ready To Hand It Over To The Pros?

FocusCopy takes the pressure off entrepreneurs’ and business owners’ already heavy shoulders. We write converting copy (headlines, call to actions, and all!) that gets your message across to the right audience.

Even better, we write in your voice. Meaning not even your mom or best friend will realize you’ve outsourced your writing.

If you’re ready to stop staring at a blank screen and finally work with professional writers who know effective call to actions (and so much more), then schedule a discovery call today.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
common website mistakes business owners make

3 Common Mistakes Business Owners Make When Launching Their Website

Marketing / By / July 21, 2022

Small business owners will spend between $2,000 and $10,000 to build a new website. 

Many business owners understand it takes a little time to pick up traffic, but what if you don’t see any improvement?

You’re getting no new leads, no phone calls, nothing is in your inbox, and you’re starting to get worried. 

You’ve just spent a lot of time and money to get your new website up and running. 

What now?

Don’t panic! Take a step back and reevaluate your website to see if you’re making one of the 3 common mistakes business owners make when launching their website.

Is your website not conveying the right message? Let’s talk!

Top 3 Most Common Digital Marketing Mistakes Business Owners Make Before A Website Launch

It’s easy to get caught up in the design of your website and pay less attention to its content. But your website’s content is much more than simply talking about your company and its services or products.

Yes, you want to ensure that your website is free of spelling and grammatical errors. However, if you’re doing any of the following things, they could be turning potential customers away.

Mistake #1: There’s More Focus On The Design Than The Words

As mentioned above, a website’s design can easily take center stage as you’re moving through your website’s development. And you’re not completely wrong to focus on it! But according to research by the Nielsen Norman Group, most internet users only skim or scan a webpage – which means you have a limited amount of time and text to get your message across with clarity.

Headlines, subheadings, bullet points, and call-to-action buttons (CTAs) are what your audience is looking for when browsing your site. They may notice a cool feature or two, but they won’t be nearly as interested in your website’s design as you are. If your website doesn’t understand what you do and how you can help them immediately, then they’re much more likely to move on to another website.

Be sure you use powerful copy to explain how you better serve your potential customers. Try not to be too wordy and make your process easy to follow. For example, when explaining how you like to do business together, break it down into 3 steps like:

1. Get In Touch!

Give us a call at 123.456.7890 to schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

2. Evaluate Your Needs

We’ll discuss which services are right for you, your desired timeline, and pricing.

3. Let’s Shake On It

As soon as we receive your deposit, we’ll get started right away!

There’s no need to give up all of your strategies right away. Let your audience reach out to you with a few simple steps.

Do you have a killer design with uncoordinated copy? FocusCopy fixes misaligned content.

Mistake #2: Business Owners Forget Who The Website Is For

Take a look at your website. Is there a ton of “we” language? This type of language typically includes words and phrases that keep the message company-focused rather than customer-focused.

Some company-focused copy is okay. But don’t go overboard. 

Your website isn’t really about you, remember? 

You already know who you are! Your website’s job is to explain your company to others and how you make their lives easier or better.

If users can’t make a connection to your message or quickly find information on your product or service benefits, then they’ll move on. It’s nice to feature your years of experience, certifications, volunteer experience, and so on. But keep in mind that the only information they truly need is what you’re offering and how it helps them.

A few items you should consider adding to your copy:

  • Customer pain points
  • Customer benefits
  • Special offerings
  • Limited-time deals or pricing
  • Engaging CTAs
  • Contact information
  • FAQs

All of these are a great way to convey the value your company has while offering easy-to-find contact information for when they’re ready to move forward.

Make that offering loud and clear, and cut out anything that simply fills the space.

Mistake #3: There’s No Celebration Of The Launch

Did you perform a soft launch without letting your customers know about your new website? 

Yikes!

You’ve invested time and money in your new website. 

Shouldn’t the people you care about see it?

One of the best ways to launch your new website is to create an email campaign to build up the excitement for its launch. At the very least, your new website will be on the minds of your customers if they’ve skimmed through an announcement email or two.

Don’t forget to throw some confetti for yourself, too. You’ve done an amazing job advancing your business’s growth with fresh digital marketing. It’s no small feat, and you should give yourself and your team a huge pat on the back. You can:

  • Host a countdown pizza party 
  • Make t-shirts
  • Congratulate your team for all of their hard work
  • Share your excitement on social media

Doing any or all of these will let your customers know that enhancing their experience is important to you – no one can argue with that!

Want To Launch Your Website This Year?

You have an amazing design already, but you aren’t completely sure your copy is where you want it to be. 

Don’t slow your momentum now. You’re onto something incredible. We can feel it! It’s time to put that plan in motion with a website that will convert your audience into paying customers. 

Our content remains customer-focused because we continue to ask one of our favorite questions of all time…Who cares? If there isn’t a clear answer to our writing, it’s time to rework what’s written.

We’ll use ourselves as an example…

Why Does FocusCopy exist? ⟶ To write for small and medium-sized businesses

Why does it matter? ⟶ Because business owners hate writing, don’t have time to write, and/or don’t know how to write for their business

So what? ⟶ We are an affordable and efficient solution when you need a professional copywriter for your business

Does the idea of writing your own website copy leave you feeling…a little queasy?

Talk to the team at FocusCopy and avoid these and other common website mistakes business owners make.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
comprehensive business homepage

What Critical Components Your Comprehensive Business Homepage Needs

Copywriting / By / February 20, 2023

You’ve got a ton of ideas, the keyboard is ready to go, and you’re (finally) in the mood to start writing a comprehensive business homepage. There’s just one problem…

Where do you begin?

You’re not really a professional copywriter, graphic designer, or web developer. And you’re not sure what’s supposed to be on a homepage. But do you truly need to have any of those skills to write a comprehensive business homepage?

No! As long as you include a few key elements, you can easily write one that boosts your business.

It can feel overwhelming looking at a blank page – not knowing where to start. It’s normal to feel this way, and you’re not alone. However, we also realize it’s exciting and leaves you tingly with emotions when you think about your own business.

Consider how far you’ve come, where you’re going, and how much you’ve grown. And then remember that you’re an amazing business owner, and you can do anything. Read on as we walk you through some of the essential elements of a successful homepage. 

Have more questions? Download our How To Answer The 6 Most Important Questions On Your Home Page Guide here.

9 Best Practices To Write A Comprehensive Business Homepage That Generates Revenue

If you’re completely stuck trying to find a solid layout for your website’s homepage, here are a few elements you should definitely include.

Spend The Most Time Creating Strong Headlines

We read all the time. It may not feel like it, but skimming articles, looking at ads, and even taking a quick peek at a gossip column counts as reading. But something a lot of us have in common is that we don’t typically read down to the final detail.

Okay, so we do. But we’re copywriters!

However, the average person scans rather than spends a ton of time reading. 

This being said, you’re going to need some strong headlines to pull your target audience in. Simultaneously, you’ll need to keep them engaged with the who, what, where, when, and why through headlines alone.

Make them catchy, short, clear, and keep them to the point.

Take a look at PandaDoc’s headlines – there’s a clear benefit (time savings) there. Your headline does not have to be complicated. Avoid overthinking it!

To access Pandadoc, use our affiliate link here.

Don’t Forget About Your Headline’s Sidekick: Subheads

Similar to a headline, subheadings should be descriptive enough to pull your audience in while remaining concise. A good way to think about subheadings is by looking at them as a reliable sidekick to your headlines. You want them to go with your headings and give additional support to someone who may just be skimming your page.

Subheadings are a great way to elaborate on your main subject. For example, if you have an impressive number of years of experience or a fantastic total sales amount, then consider putting it here.

Use A Primary Call To Action (CTA)

Having CTAs throughout your web pages is crucial. It’s especially important for your home page. CTAs are what prompt someone to stop reading and start buying.

What does a CTA look like? They look something like this:

  • Ready To Get Started? Register Now
  • Don’t Wait. Contact Us Today!
  • Call Now. We’re Available 24/7.
  • Shop Now

Pretty simple, right? Yet about 70% of small business B2B websites don’t have a CTA.

Have A Secondary Call To Action

If your business offers more than one opportunity for customers to connect, you may also want to include the secondary call to action. By doing so, they may not buy or contact you directly about your services, but they will at least engage in other ways.

A secondary CTA could look like this:

  • Subscribe To Our Newsletter
  • Sign Up For Texts & Get 15% Off
  • Visit Our YouTube Channel
  • Read Our Blog

While none of these actions require your audience to purchase anything, they all get them one step closer to doing so.

Tip: When you use a secondary call to action, ask the designer to make it a ghost button or a different color / outline. In the example below, you can see that ClickUp’s primary goal is to drive people to start a trial versus create a free account. The filled in button is primary. The ghost button is secondary.

To access ClickUp, use our affiliate link here.

Explain How Your Product Or Service Works

What is it that you do? Now, ask why your audience should care.

If you truly have something to offer your target audience, it should be easy for them to get started. If it’s not, break it down into pieces on your homepage that the average reader can understand.

Offer a step one through four, create a layout from start to finish, or guide them through the purchasing process with a visual asset like a photo or video. The reality is, if it doesn’t look easy, your audience is likely to turn elsewhere for what they need. 

Identify Who You Serve

Have you asked yourself who your target audience is? Define it. Clarify who purchases your products or services and think about them in other aspects of their lives.

If you already know your audience, ensure you’re using the voice that matches your branding. Straying away from this can hurt you rather than help you. Then, talk to your audience in a way that helps them relate to you. Ask questions and give solutions surrounding your business.

It’s all part of a formula that really works! Get more insight by downloading How To Answer The 6 Most Important Questions On Your Home Page Guide.

Showcase Your Credibility

You can compose a comprehensive business homepage by fleshing out the answer to, “Why your business?”

A few ways you can put this section together is by pointing out your:

  • Number of years in the business
  • Deals closed
  • Revenue to date
  • Rating on Google (or Yelp, Indeed, Facebook, etc.)

And finally, tell your story in a hard-hitting but genuine way. Maybe you want to help people be better versions of themselves. Perhaps you’d like to help get it all done for someone else. Or maybe you want to provide an amazing product you’ve spent years perfecting your craft on.

Whatever it is, answer the question, “Why your business?”

Hubspot

Incorporate Photos And Videos

If you’ve got them, flaunt them. Visual assets are a game-changer and can be an incredible way to show off your business. 

According to a study by Brain Rules, information presented without images is only retained about 10% of the time. When that same info is passed along with an image, 65% of the information is retained three days after the fact.

For videos, 70% of YouTube viewers turn to the popular platform for help or how-to videos, answering questions about their hobbies, jobs, or studies.

Bonus tip: Boost the download speed and make sure all photos and videos load quickly.

Don’t Forget About Your Navigation On Your Comprehensive Business Homepage

Another critical component of your homepage includes your navigation – better known as where to go when visiting your website. Without a navigation bar or banner, your website may come off as confusing, hard to follow, or worse…unusable. This could lead to users clicking out and visiting your competitor’s site for what they need instead.

It may take a little extra work, but believe us when we say having navigation on your homepage is essential.

Offer A Final Call To Action

At this point, you’ve answered the who, what, when, where, and why of your business model. You’ve sat down and typed out your story, reminisced on your experience, and reflected on your customer base. Now, it’s time to pull them in for one final hurrah (so to speak).

End with a question, short description, and a CTA that prompts them to choose you and your services.

An example of this would be, “Are you tired of feeling misled and lied to by the xyz industry? Give us a call today and see how we can save you time, money, and the headache of having to do it yourself. Call Now.”

Kartra.com

There Is A Write Way To Create A Comprehensive Business Homepage

Your days are packed as a business owner. We completely understand, which is why we offer a number of copywriting services and resources for all types of businesses.

Don’t have the time? We do.

Don’t have the know-how? We’ve got you covered. 

The truth is, if your homepage isn’t well-written, you’re likely losing conversions. Don’t waste another minute of potential revenue, and download our free How To Answer The 6 Most Important Questions On Your Home Page Guide.

When Was The Last Time You Updated Your Home Page?

Answer these 6 questions and spruce up your home page in 15 minutes (or less).

Start Updating Home Page
essential elements in a blog

6 Essential Elements In A Blog You Need To Include Today

Content Marketing / By / June 22, 2021

Anyone can write a blog. 

But not everyone can write with all of the essential elements in a blog.

It does seem as though anyone can place a block of text online and call it blogging. And we love reading blogs of all kinds as they can come in handy.

Recipes, how-tos… you name it! But there are some pretty critical elements a blog needs for it to offer any true benefits to your website. That’s right. There’s personal blog writing and then there’s blog writing to improve your business.

Don’t get us wrong! Blog writing for businesses by no means has to be defined as boring. A blog should still have flair and personality. But it should also take the time to hit all of the right notes and provide quality content to the reader.

In addition to connecting with your audience, you can get some pretty incredible boosts through Google and other popular search engines as well. Continue reading for more information on the 6 essential elements in a blog.

Include These 6 Essential Elements In A Blog

It’s possible to put together a captivating blog with your voice, even if you aren’t a professional copywriter or content writer. Here are 6 ways you can create all of the essential elements in a blog that flows with ease while including the information you want, all in one place.

Want more blogs like this one? Become a FocusCopy Insider and subscribe!

1. Attention-Grabbing Headline

Make it snappy. Seriously, there’s no need to over (or under) explain yourself. If your headline says everything it needs to in only a few words, don’t feel pressured to make it longer. On the other hand, you don’t want it to be too short and unable to stand out among a variety of other blog topics.

List-Making

When making lists, it’s always nice to keep it to the few most important points and say it all within the header. For example, when looking at “Different Ways To Bake A Cake” versus “5 Ways To Bake The Perfect Birthday Cake”, which one would you rather read?

The point is, you could very well have all of the essential elements in a blog. But if the title doesn’t grab the attention of the reader, they’ll never know because they won’t read it at all. 

How-Tos

It’s okay to spell out headlines with words like “How To” if that’s what your blog is about. In fact, if someone is looking up “how to change my oil”, they may be more inclined to click the one that says, “How To Change Your Oil In 7 Easy Steps”. 

A headline that includes its intention is way more helpful than one that is too vague or unclear such as, “Changing The Oil Of A Car”. There is no excitement or defined direction of where this type of blog will go. 

Technical Writing

When you’re writing more technical pieces, this is where you’ll want to be a bit more information-heavy. These types of headlines should be straight to the point and descriptive. This means your headline should be descriptive enough for it to grab the attention of someone within the industry who’s also familiar with the material.

2. Captivating Introduction

Pull your audience in. Tell a short story, hit them with a fun (or shocking) fact, and make them want to learn more. You can do yourself and your readers a lot of good by starting with a lighthearted anecdote before diving into the details.

A solid introduction should be under 300 words, long enough to fill out the beginning but short enough to prevent any rambling. And of course, end with a call to action (CTA) in case your reader makes a quick decision based on your brilliant writing.

3. Balance of H2, H3, and H4 Headers

What would you rather read… one block of text of over 1,000 words? OR 1,000 words broken up into helpful tidbits along the way?

Even with all of the other essential elements in a blog, long blocks of text are unsightly and boring. In addition, they can be confusing for someone who is trying to read quickly and stay on track. Break them up with smaller headlines and, on occasion, bullets to make it flow better.

These types of headers combined with keywords can also give your SEO ranking the push it needs to reach your reader’s top search pages when they’re looking for expert advice.

4. Featuring Image (With Alt Text)

Also known as alt tags or alt descriptions, images with alt text help increase your SEO ranking. It also helps those who are visually impaired know what an image is without being able to fully see it. Alt text on your images can also assist readers if your image glitches or appears broken. There won’t simply be an empty space there; text will let readers know something is there.

5. Featured Keyword or Keyphrase

Having a keyword or keyphrase within your blog is critical to its relevance and ranking. If you use a keyword or phrase correctly, you can increase your views and bump up your website’s ranking. 

But be careful! For example, if you own an auto shop and write a blog on the most common causes of a check engine light, the phrase “check engine light” may be your go-to keyword phrase. But if you use it too much and too often, your blog can be flagged for “keyword stuffing”. However, there’s an easy fix. Go ahead and use the key phrase 5-6 times (based on a 1,000-1,500 word blog). Then, use phrases such as “check engine signal”, “check engine alert”, or “check engine warning” to add some variety and get the SEO police off your back. 

6. Links

Similar to using keywords and phrases, adding links throughout your blog can advance your website’s ranking. However, links also give your readers more resources and information as they read along. This is especially great if you’re using your blog to inform your audience and sell them on something you know can help. 

Links can also be a great way to cite sources, take your audience straight to your list of services, and assist them in exploring outside of your blog. 

7. Actionable Call To Action

Sprinkle in a few CTAs throughout your blog that apply to your topic or offer a service related to its subject. 

For instance, you may be writing a blog about blog writing for businesses (wink wink). Take the time to save your audience from doing their own deep-dive and present them with comprehensive copywriting services tailored to their needs within the same line or paragraph. 

This is a sleek and simple way to guide your audience where you want them to go without shoving a loud ad in their face as they read.

Crunched For Time With No Room For Writing?

Call the one-stop-shop copywriting team. Because we completely understand when you’re pressed for time but need your marketing and other writing assets on par with your business. Elements such as website writing, blogs, email marketing, and so many other assets shouldn’t go neglected. We’ll take the time you don’t have to come up with creative solutions for your writing needs.

Interested in learning more? Contact us today and we’ll find a way to work together.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
Copywriting vs SEO Writing

Copywriting vs SEO Writing: What’s the Difference?

Copywriting, Marketing / By / June 1, 2021

It’s no secret that copywriting and SEO writing is becoming increasingly critical to marketing strategies. The digital landscape is cluttered with both valuable content and junk. A keyword a year ago might have had a few million results but now has hundreds of millions of results. That makes life as a digital marketer and entrepreneur both terrifying and exhilarating. So let’s take a look at which you should invest in: copywriting vs SEO writing.

What’s the Difference Between Copywriting vs SEO Writing?

First, let’s analyze the difference between copywriting vs SEO writing. Although they are both technically writing and can be intertwined, they serve two different purposes. 

What is Copywriting?

Copywriting is the act of writing text to persuade the reader to take a requested action – usually found in advertising and promotions. The product sold by copywriters is called copy. It’s only purpose is to convert the reader to opt-in, buy, or schedule a call. 

What is SEO Writing?

In comparison,  SEO writing is the act of writing content that ranks well on search engines (i.e. Google, Yahoo, Bing). The content is usually informative and/or expressive, rather than persuasive. SEO writing contains keywords that ranks the page on search engines. SEO writing can be in the form of web pages or blogs. 

Good SEO writing should be fluid, easy to read without noticing the interspersing of keywords. Remember, people do business with people, NOT keywords or robotic sounding content. It’s better to write like a human than to meet all SEO requirements. 

When Copywriting & SEO Writing Fuse Together

One thing I – among many other copywriters – love is when you can fuse copywriting and SEO writing together. What do I mean by this? 

Good content is searchable, easy-to-read, and informative in some capacity. More than that, good content will include persuasive call to actions to some next step in the customer journey. For example, a blog post can offer a lead magnet or a trial offer to a premium offer.

Here are some examples of how you can infuse copywriting into your search optimized piece of content.

DigitalMarketer is really good at this… They break up their blogs with timely call to actions about free lead magnets, such as their 15-Point Landing Page Audit. In addition to the written copy with a hyperlink to a landing page, they also include an image with copy embedded. 

Copywriting vs SEO Writing

This next example is from GoLive. One thing that I really appreciate about their blog is the subtle call the action. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you may even miss it… And that’s a good thing for content marketing and SEO writing! If your content is always sell, sell, sell, you are not adding value to your customer before they give you their credit card. It’s important to offer value up-front.

 Notice when you click on the “Squarespace Website Template” link, it sends you straight to their shop. 

Copywriting vs SEO Writing

Moz is great at producing blogs about SEO; however, they do not actively present their product until the very end after the conclusion and after popular posts. This is another way to fuse SEO writing and copywriting together.

Copywriting vs SEO Writing

Reasons to Invest in Both

To create a sound digital marketing strategy, you need both copywriting and SEO writing. Here are some reasons why you need to invest in both.

Your Prospects Need To Find You

You could have the greatest product, innovative technology, or coaching program that changes lives… BUT if your prospect cannot find you, you will unfortunately never make it. While there are many ways to reach your customers, every decision maker in a company has a smartphone, a tablet, and/or a computer in their hand. As a business owner, if I need to know something and I can’t think of a person to call to answer my question… COMMAND+T. I’m googling it. 

(You’re welcome for my favorite Apple keyboard shortcut!)

That’s why SEO copywriting should be a critical part of your marketing strategy.

Creating a sound SEO writing and content marketing strategy doesn’t always come easy. It can be time-consuming and draining as you learn the nuances. That’s where we come in! Contact us today to explore what opportunities are in your business.

Your Prospects Need To Feel Confident In Buying From You

Another reason to invest in your copywriting and SEO writing strategy is to make your prospects feel confident in their buying decision. 

SEO writing makes you an authority; it helps you gain respect because you have displayed that you know what you’re talking about. 

But copywriting takes you to a deeper level with your prospect with emotional persuasion. Once the prospect believes that they buying decision is logical and truly believes that they need that product or service to solve x, y, and z, then they are highly likely to buy. In addition, copy that creates an emotional connection creates loyal followers, lifers, repeat customers.

Again, there are thousands of options customers may pick from other than your company! We think you’re still special though. 

So how are you going to set yourself apart from the competition and make your prospect feel confident in choosing you?

Your Prospects Want a Company They Can Trust and Believe In

Where do you buy groceries – HEB or Kroger? Which social media platform do you like better – Instagram or Snapchat? Do you buy directly from a company’s site or go straight to Amazon? Ultimately, every person has their preferences. Because there are so many options to choose from, your prospects subconsciously want to buy from a company they can trust to do the job right, delivering above and beyond AND believe in because they just get you. 

For example, we at FocusCopy have made it our mission to be our client’s strategic partner in all their business communications. We truly believe that. We cheer on our clients and celebrate their victories, even if it had nothing to do with us! Additionally, we connect them with resources and potential customers. Being a strategic partner goes beyond just copywriting services. At the end of the day, we believe in our clients. It’s our hope that our prospective clients see our internal guiding beliefs in everything we write… And ultimately trust and believe in us.

Let’s take another angle! Think about romantic relationships. When a couple first meets, what do they look at? Their eyes and maybe lips (while they’re talking). Attraction. Then they listen to what they have to say, leaning in a little more to make that first impression judgement. Are they intelligent, genuine, and kind? Or Are they clueless, rude, and lack depth? Because who doesn’t like a good story, let’s say this couple makes the first judgement – we’re good to go! They then start to build an emotional connection with that other person as time goes on. Eventually, a meet-cute turns into a date, which becomes a relationship and then engagement, and finally marriage. 

The same is true of B2B copywriting. People form connections with people. So a business must understand and communicate like humans. This is why influencers on social media have become so big. People feel a connection with the person behind the screen because those influencers have opened their lives up to them.

The Final Decision: Copywriting vs SEO Writing

If you have a limited budget and had to make a decision on what to invest in first, we always suggest doing what will make money first… In that case, it’s always copywriting. You can drive more traffic all day. BUT if your copy does not convert, then that traffic is going to go elsewhere to find what they are looking for. 

Good SEO simply makes it easier to find your great copy, and hopefully convince them to buy from you.

In conclusion, it’s more important than ever before to evaluate your website’s SEO and copywriting. The competitive landscape is ever changing as algorithms change, prospects demand more free content, and the cost to acquire a customer is increasing. Contact us to explore how FocusCopy can build a competitive content and copywriting strategy and ultimately reduce the cost of customer acquisition.

FocusCopy® caffeinates your brand messaging so it energizes your target audience to take action. 

(281) 916-4949 | info@FocusCopy.com

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