SEO Copywriting Tip : Keep it Coming

Fresh content is an aspect of organic ranking many websites fail to do. My own website (http://www.articulayers.com/) is unfortunately a great example of this--I have not been diligent in doing new site updates. In fact, other than a few very minor tweaks, I have not done much to this site in almost 2 years...simply been too busy.

On one hand it is good, because it made me start to look a little more seriously at blogging and other aspects of the craft, but for the good of my site's organic rankings, it has been the kiss of death. I totally owned my keyphrases for years, and in the last 6 months, have been dropping like a lead balloon.

I am not too worried about it, because when the time comes for me to put more muscle behind it, I will--in the meantime I have been testing some off-site strategies to see what happens. But I do know if I don't do something to improve the freshness of the content in my site, it will slowly fall off the map completely...or at least not get beyond the second page of the SERPs, which for me, is not really ranking at all.

An Easy Sell
I have found that selling the idea of fresh content is usually pretty easy with established clients. They may hesitate at first, but once I can clearly show them (preferably using their site) the value of adding fresh SEO content (as well as non-SEO pages) , they are quickly in my camp, and ready for me to add more girth and pull to their site's content. An SEO copywriter should be able to show a client proof (and I use that term a little liberally here, since you can't really prove much in organic SEO) that this service will have a lasting value. From there, it makes writing and posting new content a relatively easy sell.

Keep it Valuable
Remember that this type of fresh content is an SEO strategy, and like all solid SEO efforts it should be focused on providing more user value per visit. So if you have a client selling widgets, you want to offer content all about widgets--what they are, how they work, what to look out for, and so on. Posting your Aunt's cookie recipes might indeed add content, but this is not adding to the perceived "widgets" value of the domain...so it won't work as you might want it to.

Every niche has a million and one things to talk about. As an SEO writer, it is often my job to dig up the dirt and understand instinctively (or thru trial and error) what fires up the audience. From here, I need to know how I can blend this user need into the architecture of the site without disrupting the flow of information, or impeding the call-to-action. There is a very fine line between providing enough information to earn trust and making a sale..it is an SEO writer's tightrope.

Simple Strategies
In offering fresh, regular content there are some very simple things you can suggest.
Blogs
If you can get a blog infused into the site's architecture, you are opening up a beautiful channel of opportunity. Blogs are easier to write than many other types of copywriting, at least most of the time. The language is a little more casual, the topics can range all over the map (within reason, of course). And most importantly, it is something I can train a person to eventually take over--so my client can reduce their cost by handling this in-house. Though I love people coming back for more of my work, ideally, I am really after finishing a project and moving on. If I can work with a client to make them more self-sufficient, they will appreciate me more than if they depend on me for every word. Blogs offer this platform...and will tend to boost the organic aspects of a site significantly. Discussion boards work well too, but blogs are so easy, it is a shame not to harness them.

Press Releases
Most businesses have a lot going on, so why not share this with the world through regularly scheduled press releases? Writing press releases is pretty much a formula--once you have done enough of them, you see the pattern. Intro paragraph summing up the release, second paragraph highlighting the benefits of the action, third (and fourth) paragraphs offering quotes from the principals, and a summary to close. Bing, bang boom. Blast it out to a free news wire (there are lots who do it for free) or put a little money behind it to have it picked up by a reputable news wire. Note that paying to have it picked up may cost a couple hundred dollars, but in doing so, you are greatly improving the chances that this release is seen by more people. I typically suggest both--using the paid services for the really important releases, and the free ones for the rest.

I will say, if I am doing a "blast" of the release in either manner, I am always very careful to have it on the home site before anyone else can get it. Stronger sites (like major news services) will outrank you for your own press release, but over time, they will typically fall below the original post. pay special attention to the way you word your titles too--this has more juice than many people realize. By not optimizing the title, they miss an easy opportunity for SEO progress.
Tips and Hints
Every business probably has some tips and hints to make it easier to use their products or services. So map out a strategy that adds a new tip every week, or every month at least. Again, the point is showing the engines that your site is actively trying to add to the discussion. Sometimes tips and hints can become the entry pages that bring in targeted customers.

Testimonials and Case Studies
These are excellent sales tools that really work well when properly executed. A case study or testimonial will have a user putting themselves in the situation described--which is perfect! People tend to feel more comfortable making a purchase when they see that other people who have done so are reaping the benefits. Illustrate that for them.

Watch, and Learn
Use your analytics and tracking programs to see how these new pages perform. Look at keyword referrals, entry pages, forward paths and time spent on the pages. When fresh content is working well, not only will these all improve, but so will your SERP positions. If you see something is working better than other efforts, put more muscle behind it--expand the keywords, the subject matter and the amount of information you provide.

There is not set formula to follow: adding X number of pages will not result in Y every time. This is simply another aspect of SEO writing that provides a little job security...and there is no denying the effect that fresh content has in today's organic SEO world. Could change tomorrow of course, but for now, just do it.