You Got Your First Copywriting Client: Now What?

You’ve been learning the ins and outs of copywriting, including what it takes to run a small freelance copywriting business. All of your hard work is (finally) paying off. You’re about to sign your first copywriting client. OK. So, now what?

I received an email from a new copywriter in this exact position. The person wrote: “I started reaching out to businesses, not really thinking anyone would respond to me as soon as they did. After sending less than 15 cold DMs to some companies, one has reached back out and are ready to sign with me. I’m kind of stuck on what the next step is. I really am just learning as I go here. Any advice you could offer would be sooo greatly appreciated.”

Here are my suggestions for the next steps after you land your first copywriting client.

The first two are “must do” steps. (And I don’t often sound the “must do” alarm.)

If you prefer watching a video, here you go. Otherwise, jump past it to get to the text.

1. Send the copywriting client a freelance contract to sign.

Reminder: I’m not a lawyer. This isn’t legal advice.

In a nutshell, a contract protects you and the client. But it’s also a great way to outline and clarify the scope of work to ensure you and the client are on the same proverbial page.

At a minimum, the contract should clearly state:

  • The project, as you understand it
  • Deliverables and deadlines
  • Project fees and terms
  • Legal language/disclaimers

Many templates exist online, but again—your best bet is to run it by a lawyer specializing in contracts.

I get you might not be “there” yet. Writer/editor Jyssica Schwartz generously shares her freelance contractor template as a Google doc. (Here’s her YouTube video that explains it.) This template could be a good starting point for you until you can consult an attorney.

Worried about legal fees? Given what we’ve grown accustomed to seeing on TV, film, and high-profile media cases, it’s understandable if you are. But a straightforward freelance writer contract will be much less than expected. It will also be money well spent.

2. Get a down payment.

When working with a new copywriting client, always get a down payment. You can decide how much—1/4 or 1/3 of the project quote. Don’t put your fingers to your keyboard until you get the payment and it clears. The client will pay the balance according to the terms you outline in the contract.

  • Pro Tip: I recommend getting the balance within 30 days of the client receiving the first draft of whatever you’re writing for them.

3. Get your business ducks in a row.

If you haven’t already, set up a business bank account. Keep personal and business finances separate. Get a business license, if required by your town or city. Create an invoice template. If the client has a specific protocol for invoicing, learn what that is. (This might require setting up an account in their system, like Gusto or Viewpost.)

4. Create a folder for your client on your computer.

In the folder, create sub-folders for meeting notes and transcripts, collateral, competitor research, copy, etc. You’ll keep everything related to your client’s account inside these folders, making it super easy to put your hands on things now—or two years later.

5. Schedule a project kick-off meeting with your shiny new copywriting client.

Once you receive the down payment (and it clears), schedule a kick-off call with your client.

Block off one hour to 1.5 hours. Record the call (and get a transcript from someplace like Rev.com). During the call, you’ll get into the nitty-gritty of the project. You should also use the time to learn everything you can about your client’s business, audience, expectations, competitors, brand, history, and the like. I’m working on a video and blog post about running effective kick-off calls/discovery calls, so stay tuned for that.

6. Get crackin’ on the work.

Now, the fun begins! It’s time to sharpen your virtual pencil and get to work.

Got a Question for the Copy Bitch?

That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. No doubt, you’ll have other questions. Hit me up in the comments section on my YouTube channel, or email me.

 

How to Get Copywriting Clients: A Tutorial for New Copywriters

The most common question new copywriters ask me is how to get copywriting clients. And this question is followed quickly by whether the writer should focus on a niche.

I’ve always been wishy-washy regarding the niche question for two reasons. First, I’ve been working as a freelance copywriter since 2002. I’m fortunate because I have ongoing clients, regular referrals, and people finding me online thanks to my website. Second, I’m a generalist. I consider myself a b2b and b2c copywriter who can write about a variety of topics. Nothing highly technical. And I’m selective now about the projects I work on.

But the other day while doing keyword research on copywriting topics, I came across some data that surprised me—in a good way. I discovered TONS of phrases that suggest people are searching for copywriters based on niches and specialties.

Check out this screenshot from Semrush, which is the keyword tool that I use. The columns to pay attention to are keyword, volume (monthly search volume), and the one labeled “K” (KD, which stands for keyword difficulty)

Look at some of the phrases people are plugging into search engines like Google (and this is a very small sampling):

  • Food copywriter
  • Science copywriter
  • Holistic health copywriter
  • Environmental copywriter

Now, we don’t know the exact intent someone has when they plug a phrase like that into Google. But I’m willing to be that at least some of the 20 or 30 or 40 people searching on those phrases every month are looking for copywriters who specialize in those areas.

And the best part? The keyword difficulty number for these phrases is low, which means if you create optimized website pages and blog posts on your site around these phrases, you have a good chance of getting those pages and blog posts to rank high in Google over time.

Think about how this could play out for you:

  • You could develop a great site—it doesn’t need to be fancy, but it needs to read well, look professional, and show off your writing chops.
  • You could have service pages about the topics you specialize in. Again, these pages would convey your expertise in these niches and your passion for the topics. You could also have blog posts on various spin-off topics that would demonstrate your knowledge and writing ability.
  • People could discover your site via organic search on these various copywriting niches.
  • If you do a great job with your site and the various pages and blog posts, some of these people landing on your site will likely contact you because they either like your style or appreciate that you know the topic so well—or both.

BOOM! That’s more than half the battle right there. When a client comes to you about a project, you don’t need to sell them on what you do or who you are. They’re already interested thanks to what they’ve read on your website.

When you cold call or cold email a company, you’re trying to sell them on why they need a copywriter and why they should use you specifically. But when someone comes to you through organic search, you don’t need to sell them. They’ve already bought into the idea of using you as their copywriter. Now, it’s simply a matter of discussing the project and providing a quote.

How to get copywriting clients – a visual tutorial

Below is my video where I take a deeper dive and show you exactly what I discovered.

In it, I discuss the following:

  • The keyword research tool I use (Semrush)
  • The search I ran and that you should run to find the perfect niches to focus on
  • How to develop spin-off topics for blog posts
  • A couple of excellent sites that are doing exactly what I’m suggesting here

Note: I recommend watching this video on a desktop or laptop, not your phone.

A couple of assumptions:

1. I’m assuming you’ve done your homework and you know what search engine optimization is (SEO). If you’re serious about making a living as a copywriter, you need to understand SEO. So if you haven’t done that work yet, start with this: HubSpot Academy’s SEO Certification Course (it’s free).

2. I’m assuming you use/have access to a keyword research tool. I have a paid subscription to Semrush. If you’re tight on money, you could use Google’s Keyword Planner, which is free. Here’s a great article on how to use the tool, including how to find the exact monthly volume for a keyword phrase.

Have other questions about how to get copywriting clients? Ask the Copy Bitch!

That’s me. I’m the Copy Bitch! I have a YouTube channel for copywriters. You can browse the videos and leave comments. Or you can contact me directly with questions, and I will (hopefully) either update this post and/or record a video that answers your question.

Blog vs Email Newsletter: Which One Is Better?

One of my clients came to me about starting a quarterly email newsletter. I thought this was a great idea since the client wanted to use the newsletter as a way to stay in front of clients and colleagues, share recent work, and talk about relevant industry trends.

The client is a small research company. I worked on the client’s website relaunch last fall. They’ve been in business since 2015 and haven’t done much marketing. So a quarterly newsletter felt like a good next step for them and their budget.

But my client has also been doing a lot of reading about different marketing tactics, including blogging. After we had the initial newsletter discussion, she came back and asked me if there were advantages to doing blog posts rather than an email newsletter.

And that leads me to today’s topic: Blog vs email newsletter—which one is better?

Like so many things in life, it’s not an either-or situation.

Think of a newsletter as something a business shares with clients, colleagues, and prospects who are already aware of the business because they came to its website and decided to sign up for the newsletter. Or because someone from the business asked permission to add them to the newsletter list. (For example, if you have a booth at a tradeshow, you might ask the people you meet if it’s OK to include them in your newsletter distribution.)

Think of a blog as a way to attract people who aren’t already familiar with the business. (And yes, once someone lands on the blog, they might become an email subscriber if they like the content. But at its purest, a blog is working hard to attract new people to the company’s site.)

That’s the short explanation.

Below, I get into a deeper explanation. Or if you’re more of a visual learner, you can watch this video I did on the topic . . .

What’s the purpose of an email newsletter?

With newsletters, people opt in (if you’re doing right), which suggests that they are already familiar with the business/brand, at least somewhat.

A newsletter helps to keep the business top of mind in people’s heads. The folks receiving the newsletter might not be in the market for the company’s services at that moment. But the hope is that they will think of the business when they are on the market for its services—and that the newsletter will have helped with these “instant recall” efforts.

What’s the purpose of a blog?

Blogging, on the other hand, is often used to draw in people at the top of the sales funnel—those folks in the research stage who are looking to educate themselves on a topic or to find certain answers before making a purchase or contracting with a company. They might have no idea that a particular company even exists. They just have a question or need info or want to learn more about a topic. This is why blog posts can be great for long-tail keyword phrases (i.e., keyword phrases that don’t have a ton of monthly search volume, but that also don’t have a ton of competition, either).

For example, “What is a double-blind randomized controlled trial” has a monthly search volume of 20 with very little competition. So if my client (which is a research company) were to write a blog post answering that question (which is a popular tactic for blog posts), over time, it’s likely that particular blog post could rank well in search engine results when someone searches on that phrase.

Blogging is a cumulative effect. Writing one optimized blog post isn’t enough. But if over six months, you write, say, 10 well-optimized blog posts, you’ll bring in targeted traffic and build website authority, which will help the overall health of the client’s domain—this is the sort of stuff Google loves and rewards by serving up your client’s website for various search queries.

Of course, someone who is searching on “what is a double-blind randomized controlled trial” might not be the right target for my client’s business. Maybe they just have a question about how RCTs work. That’s OK. But it’s also quite possible someone searching on that phrase might be someone who’s been told they need to conduct an RCT for their research, and they’re trying to educate themselves and figure out the next steps. In this case, my client might be a great fit for them.

But even if the blog post doesn’t generate any true “leads,” it’s still a great piece that can demonstrate my client’s expertise and develop their reputation as a thought leader. They can share the blog posts on social media and via their newsletter.

The key with blogging as a lead generation tool is to find those long-tail keyword phrases that do suggest someone might be looking for the sort of services your client offers and then write compelling blog posts around those topics.

Can businesses have both? Sure. It doesn’t need to be about a blog vs email newsletter.

Many businesses have a newsletter AND a blog. (Good news for copywriters!) It all depends on budget and time. An effective blog requires consistent work—doing regular keyword research, developing an editorial calendar, conducting research/interviews, drafting the blog posts, revising the blog posts, promoting the blog posts, monitoring analytics, and revisiting older blog posts for accuracy.

A newsletter—especially if it’s quarterly (which feels like the right cadence for this particular client)—requires much less heavy lifting. But some brands put out email newsletters at a faster clip—monthly. And b2c brands (especially retailers) will send emails weekly and even daily.

Again, it all depends on your goals and budget.

Got a question for the Copy Bitch?

That’s me! I’m the Copy Bitch. 🙂 Contact me here. Or visit my YouTube channel and leave a question in one of the comments.

What is a Content Farm & Should You Work for One?

Today we have a philosophical question. It’s about content farms, also known as content mills: What is a content farm, and should you ever consider working for one?

The short answer is like most things in life: It depends. I do have strong feelings about content farms, but I’m also only one person. And we have to remember that I’m in the U.S., based outside of Boston, and that I have been doing this for a long time, since 2002. So this is my perspective. Have I ever worked for a content farm or a content mill? Nope. So mine is also an outsider’s perspective. But it’s also a strong and educated perspective (I think, anyway!) because I understand the copywriting business. I want writers to be aware and to think about everything that goes into the work that they’re doing and the value they’re creating for clients. I don’t want writers, especially younger writers or newer copywriters, to undersell themselves. I think that’s my biggest concern—that writers will be taken advantage of.

So if you decide to do some work for a content mill for whatever reason, and you’ve thought it through and you know the pros and cons and you still decide to do it and it’s working for you, that’s great. But if you’re thinking “Oh, I can make a lot of money at a content farm” or “This is the only consistent way I can make money as a copywriter” or “This is as good as it gets . . . “ Well, I want to be that little voice in your head that reminds you that’s not necessarily true.

So let’s get into the nitty-gritty, shall we?

What is a content farm?

Okay, so first of all, what is a content farm? What is a content mill? You’ll find different definitions. Below, you’ll find my definition.

Content makes the business world go round. This is something you’ve probably heard me say if you’ve watched enough of my videos or if you’re a regular blog reader. So, businesses need content. They need blog posts, web copy, eBooks, and other types of downloadable offers. They need social media posts, they need videos, they need content because that’s what engages visitors. That’s how you attract prospects, that’s how you keep customers engaged. You need someone to create that stuff. And if a business doesn’t have a staff to do it, or if they want to pump out a lot of content and their staff can’t handle the volume, the business will turn to other people to do the writing, like a freelance copywriter, or marketing firm, or sometimes a content farm or content mill.

Content farms position themselves as a cheap alternative to getting content done. They don’t use the word “cheap,” but I’m using that term. They might go with “affordable” or “budget-friendly.” But their whole approach is, “Hey, we’ll give you 10 blog posts for $699, and they’re 500-word blog posts.” So it’s basically $69 a pop. And that’s a really good deal for the business, but not the writer. So if I’m the business who’s hiring the content farm, now I’m thinking, “Hey, that’s a great deal. I get 10 blog posts, 500 words, for only $699.”

But the famous adage usually holds true in these situations: You get what you pay for.

So the quality of these 500-word blog posts probably won’t be at the same quality you’ll get if you pay more to someone like me or many other copywriters out there. That’s just how these things work. When you buy something that’s really cheap, the quality usually isn’t there. And here’s the thing. Not all of these content farms or content mills are bad businesses run by evil people. I don’t think they’re necessarily run by people who are malicious or who are trying to take advantage of writers. But I don’t think many are truly thinking about the writers or the writers’ best interests (because if they were, they’d be paying the writers MUCH more and likely charging their clients much more as well).

I think content farms think of themselves as filling a gap.

They’re operating as the go-between. They work with the client, they manage the content production, and they manage the writer who’s writing those 10 blog posts. Some content farms even have an editorial review where editors edit the content. (Many of the editors are freelancers who aren’t getting paid all that much, either.) The content farm delivers the work to the client and facilitates payment.

The problem I have is that the person who gets paid the least in these situations is the writer. It’s the writer who’s making pennies per word. And that’s not hyperbole. It’s pennies per word. And I have a problem with that because the writer is the one delivering the thing that actually matters. And that’s the content. It’s the blog posts, it’s the web content, it’s the ebook. That’s the thing that’s gonna help attract people to the business and convert the prospect to a lead and possibly a customer. Bottom line: Great content has enormous value.

The writers do all the heavy lifting and there’s value to that, and they should get paid accordingly for that. I’m not saying you need to get paid a million dollars, but you shouldn’t be getting paid pennies per word.

Again, this is MY take, MY opinion on content farms.

And I absolutely acknowledge that I’m coming from a place of privilege. I’m in the US. I’ve been doing copywriting since 2002, so I’m well-established. So I definitely realize and appreciate that people just starting out in this business and/or people outside the U.S. might be in a very different situation from mine. And they might be perfectly okay with the money that they’re making from content farms. And that’s absolutely okay if that’s what makes sense for them and it works. I would still argue, however, that even in those cases, you should get paid more. I don’t care where you are located. If you’re writing great content that gets results, there’s HUGE value to that, and you should be paid accordingly.

But again, I understand that there are situations where someone might be perfectly happy working for a content farm. Maybe they’re writing a few articles a day or week and they’re getting paid for it, and they’re making bank and they’re happy and it works for them. That’s great, if that’s the case.

And if you are a new writer, meaning someone who is new to copywriting and you’re trying to develop that all-important copywriter portfolio, which I talk about in this video, and you’re trying to get those clips to populate your copywriter portfolio so you can show examples of blog posts and eBooks and webpages . . . well, maybe writing for a few months for a content mill makes sense because you can quickly get all those different types of content.

You won’t get paid well for it, but you’ll get the examples and maybe that’s enough to put on your copywriting portfolio. And then from there, you can start courting clients who are willing to pay more. And maybe you continue to write for the content mill, just to have it there to fill the gap as you’re quoting bigger clients and going after other clients and bidding on things.

I get it. We all have to start somewhere. So I understand that and am willing to accept that, just as long as you know that the content you produce is worth more.

This is why I don’t do hourly rates or even per-word rates because the cost should be related to the value that’s being delivered. (Check out my blog post where I talk about how to charge for your copywriting services.)

For example, when I quote a blog post, I’m thinking of the overall value that I’m delivering and the value that that blog post has beyond me.

That blog post lives forever for as long as it’s published and remains live. And it can be bringing in prospects and leads and customers and doing all that heavy lifting. It’s probably gonna pay for itself easily, many times over. So that’s how I think about it, and that’s how I recommend other writers should think about it.

I’m not saying you have to think of it that way. That’s how I recommend you think about it.

So, to recap: What is a content farm? It’s a business that produces lots of content in bulk for low money.

And it does this for many businesses, including big-name businesses that you would recognize who use the services of content farms and content mills. And they do that because they need lots of content and they either just don’t have enough people in-house to do it, or they’re looking for low-cost solutions.

A bunch of years back, one of the marketing firms that I work with . . . we used a content farm once just to experiment with it. And the quality was just not there. I mean, I don’t blame the writer for writing something really quickly because they’re getting pennies on the word. But I basically had to revise and rewrite everything, which took a ton of time. It would’ve cost a lot less if I had just written the stuff to begin with. So that’s something else to keep in mind.

If you’re the owner of a business and you’re thinking of using a content mill . . . I’d recommend using a marketing firm that you know will pay their writers well or working with someone like me and paying directly. You’ll likely get better quality. Yes, you’ll pay more, and you might not get as much content, but you’ll get better-performing content. Remember, more content isn’t necessarily better if it’s just adding to the mountain of crap that’s already out there.

If you do use a content farm, look for ones that are legit where they pay their writers promptly, and their business model isn’t malicious. Try to look for the ones that have integrity. And you can read reviews. And this goes whether you’re a writer, too. If you’re thinking about working for a particular content farm, read the reviews, talk to other writers who write for them, and see what the experience has been like, and make sure you’re working for ones that at least treat the writers decently and seem to be legit.

Got a question for The Copy Bitch?

Contact me and ask a question. Or check out my YouTube channel. Speaking of which, if you’re more of a visual learner, watch my video below where I discuss content farms.

Where Do Copywriters Work?

Today’s question is relatively straightforward: Where do copywriters work?

I like this question. Do you know why? Because my answer’s going to show the depth and breadth of this industry for both full-time copywriters (i.e., people who work for someone else) and freelance copywriters (like me) who work for a variety of clients.

So let’s get to it.

Where do copywriters work? Ad agencies.

Ad agencies need writers. Think about it. They need words for all those ads, whether we’re talking TV commercials, radio spots, print ads, digital ads, and so forth.

Where do copywriters work? Marketing firms.

Like ad agencies, marketing firms produce a lot of content for their clients, and someone needs to write that stuff, right? Marketing firms will often have full-time writers on staff, with titles like senior copywriter and junior copywriter. But some of these places will also outsource to freelance copywriters like myself because the firm has overflow work. So they have the full-timers in-house, but they also have so much work coming in that they need a reliable “stable,” as we say in the biz, of other copywriters.

Where do copywriters work? Businesses.

And the larger the business, the more likely it’ll have at least one marketing writer on staff. In fact, really big brands/companies will often have a full-time team of writers in-house, usually as part of their marketing or creative departments.

Why? Think of all the content that a business needs. Content is what makes the business world go round. You need blog posts, you need social media posts, you need web pages, you need mailers, you need TV commercials. You need marketing collateral. So it might be a brochure, it might be an instruction manual, it might be a sell sheet.

And someone needs to churn out that content—someone with a deep understanding of the company, its target audience, and its marketing objectives.

(I’m using the word “business” loosely here. Nonprofits and academic institutions need content for their website, social channels, marketing collateral, etc. Some might have a writer or two on staff. Others might outsource directly to a writer or through a marketing firm.)

Where do copywriters work? The entertainment/publishing industry.

Newspapers, magazines, publishing houses, media conglomerates/streaming companies—many will have copywriters on staff as part of the marketing departments and/or part of the advertising departments.

Where do copywriters work? Content mills. (Sigh.)

Basically, any business that’s serious about its marketing will be producing content. And they need someone to write it. Sometimes, businesses turn to content mills, which I don’t typically recommend for writers. (Check out my video for further details.) My biggest beef with content mills is that they don’t pay writers enough, in my opinion. (Maybe there’s a great content mill out there somewhere that does pay its writers what they’re worth, and if that’s the case, great.)

Anyhow, so there you have it. Hopefully, that answers the question of where copywriters work. As for me, I mostly work for marketing firms and directly with clients. Some of my clients are larger companies while others are small businesses (sometimes consisting of a single person). It runs the gamut.

Bottom line: If you want to pursue a copywriting career, many opportunities exist.

Got a question for me, the Copy Bitch?

Get in touch and ask!

Do you learn better visually? Check out my video below where I talk about this topic.

 

What is SEO Copywriting? (For Beginners)

Maybe you’re thinking of becoming a freelance copywriter and you’re wondering what sort of work you’ll be doing. In your research, you keep coming across terms like SEO and you’ve begun to wonder what is SEO copywriting anyway?

Here’s a primer along with resources to kickstart your training. (Not in the mood to read? Watch my video below.)

What is SEO copywriting?

To understand what SEO copywriting is, we need to define some terms. Let’s start with copywriting. At its simplest, copywriting is writing that sells a product, service, or cause. You will encounter different definitions—and even criticism of mine. But mine works, and here’s why: The digital landscape has blurred the lines between different types of writing. In today’s digital marketing landscape, people use the terms copywriting, marketing writing, content marketing, and content writing interchangeably. And I don’t think they’re wrong in doing so. Content drives all business. It’s a 400 billion-dollar industry. And the goal of all content, ultimately, is to get people to buy (or donate or vote).

So that’s copywriting. Now, let’s talk about SEO.

SEO stands for search engine optimization.

Hearing what it stands for probably doesn’t help much, does it? What the heck does search engine optimization even mean?

Have you ever done a search in Google and wondered HOW Google decides which sites to serve up in its organic listings—especially on the first page? Well, Google uses a complex algorithm to determine what to serve up. (And only Google knows every element of the algorithm. It’s kind of like Colonel Sanders’ recipe for KFC.)

Basically, Google’s algorithm involves many, many moving parts—and it evolves over time. For example, twenty years ago, the algorithm didn’t even consider mobile devices because smartphones hadn’t been widely adopted yet (the first iPhone came out in 2007). Today, mobile-friendliness is an important “signal” in Google’s algorithm.

Why does Google care so much?

Google’s primary goal is to satisfy the user’s search query. (That way, you’ll continue using its products and clicking on its ads.) Whether you’re looking for “sandwich shops near me” or “senior living marketing services” or “how to clean corroded batteries,” Google’s primary goal is to give you the answers you’re looking for.

Its lightning-fast algorithm determines what to serve up in its results. Many factors go into this, such as the quality of the content itself, the number of authoritative backlinks pointing TO the content, how the keyword phrase that the user plugged into Google is used in the content, even how fast the site loads. (Note: That is an incredibly SMALL sampling of what goes into the algorithm, but you get the idea. To dig deeper, check out this article from SEMRush on how the Google search algorithm works.)

When it’s searching through the thousands and thousands of potential sites it can serve up, the algo eventually lands on the top contenders and thinks, “This web page does the best job of answering the user’s search query, so let’s serve that up first on the list of organic search results.”

Make sense?

Let’s demonstrate with an example . . .

Let’s say you’re the director of sales and marketing for a fictional community called The Elmwood Senior Living. And you need help with marketing. You google “senior living marketing services” and some paid ads show up at the top of the results, but also some organic listings.

You see one that catches your eye—the one for Senior Living SMART. You visit the site and love the vibe, the owners’ experience, the knowledge they share on their blog, and the impressive list of other senior living communities it works with. You decide to request a complimentary 30-minute brainstorming session.

Google results on the search for "senior living marketing services"

THAT right there is an example of search engine optimization at work. (And yes, that’s one of my clients. I optimized a page on the site for the phrase “senior living marketing services” – keep on reading to understand WHY I did this.)

Can people who create online content position the content so that it has a chance of being “chosen” by the Google algorithm?

YES! That’s where search engine optimization and SEO copywriting come into play. You can finesse—or optimize—your online content so that it has a better chance of being served up (or, as we say, ranking well) in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

In fact, search engine optimization is its own field. People have titles like “SEO specialist” or “SEO consultant.” These folks know the ins and outs of ALL aspects of search.

But at the end of the day, one of the most important pieces in the SEO puzzle is the content itself. And good news, copywriting newbies: The main goal in SEO copywriting is to simply write awesome content. Meaning content that’s helpful, engaging, and error-free. Which, I’m thinking, is one of the main reasons you’re drawn to this field—because you WANT to write great content.

And yes—SEO copywriting is a bit more involved than simply writing awesome content. But honestly, if you’ve got THAT part down, the rest is straightforward. Sure, you need to know the target keyword phrase you’re writing about. Tools exist that can tell us what keyword phrases real people are searching on for every topic under the sun. (I use SEMRush, which is a paid service. But there are some good freebie keyword tools out there.) So if you have a client who operates a senior living marketing agency (like I do), you can do research in the tools to see what phrases people are searching on.

In the example I provided above, the phrase “senior living marketing services” has a search volume of 50, meaning 50 times a month, on average, people are plugging that phrase into search engines. It has a keyword difficulty of 32. The lower the keyword difficulty, the better chance you have of creating content that can rank well for that particular keyword phrase.

keyword research result for senior living marketing services

Note: some phrases (like the term “marketing services”) are incredibly competitive. There are thousands and thousands of searches on that phrase each month, but because there are so many other websites out there using the phrase, it will be next to impossible for you to come in and get a new site, blog, article ranking high for that phrase.

But a phrase like “senior living marketing services” is incredibly specific and doesn’t haven’t nearly as many web pages using that specific phrase (that’s what the “KD” indicates in the image above: keyword difficulty. The lower the number, the better chance that your content can rank for that phrase, if done right). And, sure, there’s much lower search volume for the phrase “senior living marketing services,” but if you write awesome content that can rank well for that phrase and that piece of content regularly brings in a good chunk of those 50 searches a month . . . well, only good things can happen, right? (As in, that anonymous website traffic becomes bona fide leads and even customers.)

OK, so what is SEO copywriting then, exactly?

SEO copywriting involves using keyword phrases and adeptly weaving them into engaging and helpful online content. The content can vary—you might be writing a home page. You might be writing a service page. You might be writing a blog post. You might be writing a landing page. But your job is to take the keyword phrase and produce a piece of engaging, helpful, error-free content that follows SEO best practices.

The number one best SEO copywriting technique? Writing for HUMANS first. Perhaps you write a blog post on Senior Living Marketing Services: How to Choose Ones That’ll Boost Occupancy. See how that incorporates the keyword phrase, but also hints at a great piece of content that can solve the searcher’s problem?

As an SEO copywriter, you will need to . . .

  • Understand your client’s business—particularly their ideal customer. What are the customer’s pain points? What solution does your client provide? How would that ideal customer search in Google to solve the problem they’re experiencing?
  • Do research in keyword tools. As I mentioned above, there are free tools and paid tools, like SEMRush (I use SEMRush). You need to research phrases that real people are searching on related to your client’s business, particularly those “longer-tail” keyword phrases that tend to have lower overall search volume, but less competition.
  • Expertly weave the keyword phrases into the content, but in a way that sounds natural. No keyword stuffing!
  • Follow best practices for formatting. Use the keyword phrase in the title and in sub-headlines, and use bullet points and short paragraphs. (Kinda like what I’m doing here.)
  • Write effective page titles and meta descriptions. Again, you can learn how to do this.
  • Stay current with the latest SEO and SEO copywriting trends.

Basically, any writing that you—as a professional copywriter—do online will involve search engine optimization. So if you’re thinking about pursuing freelance copywriting, take the time to become familiar with SEO.

A great resource to start with: The Ultimate Guide to SEO from HubSpot.

Some great sites to browse (in addition to HubSpot):

Got other questions about SEO copywriting?

Be sure to browse my Ask the Copy Bitch blog and my Ask the Copy Bitch YouTube channel.

Is Copywriting Still in Demand?

Have you been thinking about a career in copywriting but maybe you’re wondering “Is copywriting still in demand”? The short answer is: YES. Copywriting is still very much in demand. In fact, as I often say to new copywriters, there’s plenty of work for everyone—and then some.

Check out my video below to get my take. Or continue reading for a deeper explanation.

Is copywriting still in demand? Yes. But we need to discuss definitions to understand why.

Thirty years ago, copywriting had a much narrower definition. But thanks to the Internet, which birthed digital marketing, the word copywriting today is often used interchangeably with phrases like content marketing, marketing writing, content writing, or even freelance writing.

You’ll see discussions on other sites—including respected sites—that copywriting and content writing are two different things. I disagree. Because at the end of the day, both are ultimately trying to sell a product, service, or cause.

Sure, some of the content and/or copy being created is geared towards people at the “top of the sales funnel” when they’re just in the research phase and not ready to buy yet. But the ultimate goal is to nurture that person down the funnel (with great content or copy that engages them) until they become a customer.

And even then—customer retention is a whole other thing that involves more great copy/content. (Think about all the emails Netflix sends you. The content/copy is working to make sure you STAY a customer.)

I think when we try to parse differences between content writers and copywriters, we confuse the heck out of everyone (including the writers). I mean, if WE writers can’t agree on definitions, then how do we expect people who are looking for content help to know what they need?

Because clients DON’T know the differences between all the different types of writing I mentioned above. No, not even the marketing folks. They know they need a writer to write the content for their landing pages, their lead nurturing emails, their PPC ads, their white papers. I’ve never had a client or prospective client question whether I was the right “type” of writer (copywriter vs. content writer).

My point: Don’t get hung up on the terms, be flexible, and be prepared to use them interchangeably.

When I say copywriting, I mean all of the following (and then some):

  • Email copywriting
  • Direct mail copywriting
  • Content marketing
  • Marketing copy
  • Social media copywriting
  • Website copywriting
  • SEO copywriting
  • Scriptwriting (think videos or TV spots)
  • Radio advertising
  • Print advertising
  • Digital advertising

Think of copywriting as the big, generic umbrella term. And all those other terms fall under it.

So, is copywriting still in demand? YES. Why am I so sure? Read on.

I’m living proof. But beyond that, consider this: Content drives all business. Think of all the content you encounter throughout the day—content that’s trying to sell you something. It could be a radio spot, TV commercial, email promotion, website landing page, sponsored ad in your FB or IG feed, etc. Someone needs to write that content. Some organizations have their own writers on staff. Some organizations outsource to freelance copywriters (i.e., marketing writers, content writers). Some do a combo where they have a staff but outsource overflow work. There’s no shortage of copywriting work, either.

In fact, content marketing is a 400 billion-dollar industry. HubSpot reports that 70 percent of businesses actively invest in content marketing

Bottom line: Copywriting is still in demand.

And I don’t see it slowing down any time too soon. Yes, LOTs of advancements have been made with AI (artificial intelligence). And perhaps someday, machines will be able to produce copy with the same finesse as a good marketing writer. But I don’t see that happening tomorrow—or even the next decade. (Famous last words, right?)

Seriously, copywriting (content marketing, content writing, marketing writing) is a great field. Check out my blog post that answers “Is Copywriting for Me?” to learn more.

Got other questions about copywriting?

Be sure to browse my Ask the Copy Bitch blog and my Ask the Copy Bitch YouTube channel.

Is Copywriting for Me? 7 Signs Indicating YES

Have you been asking the question, “Is copywriting for me?” Cue “I Saw the Sign” by Ace of Base and see how many signs below resonate with you!

Prefer watching to reading? No prob. Here’s the video version of this post from my Ask The Copy Bitch YouTube channel.

1. You love to write.

You were that kid in high school and college who loved getting assigned research papers instead of exams. You love writing emails—and maybe folks have even complimented you on your clear, compelling copy. You love writing holiday cards. Heck, you even love writing grocery lists.

Here’s the thing: As a freelance copywriter, you’ll likely be writing 90 percent of the time. So you need to enjoy it. Why choose a line of work that feels like torture? That’s what the job you had selling pots and pans the summer before junior year of college was for. (True story!)

2. You write well.

It’s not enough that you love to write. You need to write well, meaning your grammar and punctuation are perfect—or pretty darn close. Feeling a little rusty on the mechanics? Good news, sports fans: You can learn (or re-learn) the mechanics. Take the time to refresh before officially launching your business or claiming you’re an expert.

3. You write quickly.

You can’t wait for the muse to strike. You need to write on demand when the client comes calling. And you often need to juggle vastly different topics. Not to mention, you’ll be writing different types of copy—from blog posts to white papers, social media posts to PPC ads. You need to get the job done, delivering error-free copy whenever the client asks.

4. You’re deadline-oriented.

This goes hand in hand with the previous point. You know deadlines aren’t suggestions, but rather rigid rules for when something is due. You appreciate that other people—the client, a colleague—are often waiting on you so they can do the next step. You thrive on deadlines—and you never miss. You don’t fall into the trap of allowing perfection to be the enemy of good enough.

Listen, copywriters are a dime a dozen. Competent copywriters are rarer. Competent copywriters who make deadlines are rarer still. Competent copywriters who make deadlines and who have a sparkling personality and sidekick sloth, well . . .

Picture of Robyn (copywriter) and Stewie (a plush sloth) wondering "Is copywriting for me?"

5. You understand what marketing copy is—and you’re willing to continue learning.

No one is born knowing what “inbound marketing” means or how to write an optimized headline or how many characters you should shoot for in an email subject line. I hardly knew any of this stuff in 2002. So what did I do? I read. I studied. And I still read. I still study.

Three excellent places you should definitely check out:

  • HubSpot Academy: HubSpot offers FREE certifications in relevant areas, including inbound marketing and content marketing. I absolutely recommend taking the courses. (Then, you can add the completion badge to your website and your LinkedIn page).
  • Copyblogger: Copyblogger has plenty of ungated articles, but also a budget-friendly Academy.
  • Marketing Profs: If you really want to get into the nuts and bolts of marketing, this is a great place to start.

6. You have supportive folks in your life who believe in you and see the potential.

You need supportive folks in your life (or an incredible ability to ignore criticism and compartmentalize when people question what you’re doing) to start any sort of business, but especially one where you work out of your spare bedroom in your jammies.

7. You get really jazzed by what copywriting is. And what is copywriting, anyway?

Copywriting—at its most basic—is any writing that helps promote/sell a product, service, or cause. So if you love the idea of seeing your words in action—and helping businesses and organizations along the way—then, yeah: This is a good sign copywriting might be a good career for you (whether you decide to freelance or work for a company as an in-house writer).

OK, you just KNEW I couldn’t mention Ace of Base without inserting the song, right?

I used to work in radio a lifetime ago and played this song on the regs. COLD ENDING, BITCHES! (And they’re still together. Who knew?)

Got more questions like “Is Copywriting for me?”

Maybe questions about how to start a copywriting business, how to charge for copywriting, and the like? Check out my Ask the Copy Bitch YouTube channel or read other articles on my Ask the Copy Bitch blog.

Customer Service Tips: Do You Treat Different Customers Differently?

Seth Godin brought up this thought-provoking question in a blog post. My answer? Yes, I treat different customers differently. I treat all customers with respect and in a professional manner. But the customers who take responsibility for their marketing and who are willing to be a partner with me in the process — those are the ones who get top priority.

By the way, those customers are not always the ones who spend the most money with me either. When it comes to working with people, I’m like a blood hound. I NEED to see the customer succeed — it’s more than just a want. In order for that to happen, though, the customer needs to be a part of the process, at least for the type of work I do. This is why those customers get top priority.

How ’bout you? Do you treat different customers differently?

20 Business Anniversary Marketing Ideas For Big Milestones

It always amazes me when companies overlook simple things, like their own birthdays. Marking major milestones, like 10, 20, or 50+ years in business, is a great way to engage customers, reinforce credibility, and garner press. In 2022, I’m celebrating 20 (!) years in business as a freelance copywriter. So in the spirit of my anniversary, here are 20 business anniversary marketing ideas.

Don’t feel like reading? Watch my video with Stewie, my sidekick sloth.

1. Modify your website logo and/or create a universal header that highlights the anniversary.

I’m not talking words, but rather some sort of a visual that appears on every page. (Yes, you’ll want to note it in words as well.) Adding a banner graphic that notes the anniversary and having it link to a retrospective blog post is a good strategy. (Bonus: add the banner to social sites, like FB, Twitter, and LinkedIn.)

2. Have all employees add a line in their email signatures.

Something like . . . Celebrating 25 years in business in 2025.

3. Don’t forget after-hours phone messages or on-hold messaging.

You have a captive audience, after all. So plug your big anniversary, and be creative. For example, if your company is celebrating 100 (or more) years in business, the on-hold message could say something like . . . “Proud to be celebrating 100 years in business, long before phones were a ubiquitous thing.”

4. Think signage.

If you’re in a business that has a van or a storefront, think of signs, posters, and visuals in the windows. And you can wrap your company vehicles.

5. Think employees and their uniforms.

If you have employees who interact with the public, think buttons that promote the anniversary.

6. Write a blog post or article about your anniversary.

Been in business for 20 years? Talk about how much your industry has changed in 20 years.

7. Write a blog post about your vision or predictions for the next x-number of years.

Interview key players in your company. Bonus: You can turn this into a video.

8. Beef up your company/about us page section.

Create a page around the milestone. Interactive timelines can be great for big milestones—think anything over 25 years.

9. Don’t forget social media profiles.

Update your bios and various about sections (Facebook, LinkedIn) to reflect the milestone.

10. Do some sort of weekly event on social media.

Maybe every Friday, you pull something out of the archives—an old pic, an old product—you get the idea.

11. Create a promotion around the number.

For example, if you’re an acupuncturist who’s been in business for five years, invite people to enter a raffle to win five free treatments.

12. Do a video retrospective.

It doesn’t need to be professionally shot. Simply gather some footage with your phone and have employees talk about the company. Intersperse with pics.

13. Invest in some anniversary swag.

“Celebrating 25 years in business in 2025” can be a great line for pens and water bottles.

14. Throw an anniversary party.

Seems obvious, right? An anniversary party is a fantastic way to let your business be REAL. A party is also a great way to thank people for their involvement in your success. I’m talking about employees, customers, and vendors alike. Here in Massachusetts, a fun place to hold a corporate event is Kimball Farm (great ice cream!) in Westford, Mass. Michael Katz of Blue Penguin has been holding anniversary events there for many years.

15. Honor your clients.

Especially if anyone has been with you since the beginning. You can tier your presents/gifts. So if you have some VIPs who’ve been with you since you started, give them a special gift.

16. Honor your employees.

Same thing—has anyone been with you since the very beginning? Give them a little extra something-something. If you’ve been in business for 15 years and you have a few people who’ve been with you since the start, maybe you bonus them $1500. Maybe you give other employees $150. Be creative. You can do thoughtful things within budget. Keep in mind that the things people value most from their employers are money and time off. Maybe you award 15 different star employees with an extra paid day off. Or maybe you give everyone in the company an extra 15 hours off, which is essentially two days. Or maybe you shut down during Christmas week if that’s something you don’t already do.

17. Give to charities in employees’ names.

Here’s a fun idea that gives back and can also please employees. Every month, invite employees to nominate a charity that they’d like your company to donate to. Each month, pick a charity and give a monetary amount in their name. If you’ve been in business for 25 years—do $250.

18. Give managers “just because” gift cards to hand to employees.

If you’re celebrating 25 years, for example, give managers a stash of $25 gift cards that they can hand out to employees who are embodying everything your business stands for.

19. Seek out press, if appropriate.

For really big anniversaries—anything beyond 50 years—you can get press on that, so consider working with a publicist or PR consultant.

20. Enter your idea here.

Solicit ideas from your employees and managers. No doubt, you can come up with something that will be meaningful to your crew. Run with it!

Need assistance developing business anniversary marketing ideas? Get in touch.

The Copy Bitch is at your service. 😉