Who ought to optimise content – copywriters or SEOs?
There is a lot of overlapping across the two disciplines but can you rely on your SEO exec to also be your content marketer or indeed the other way around? It is fair to say that whether you are an SEO exec or a content writer, you need to have a strong understanding of each discipline as they are so closely interlinked.
In 2017, it is probably also fair to say that a content writer needs to have more knowledge of SEO than the SEO person needs to have about content writer, as quality content requires good knowledge of how search engines function and what they look for. A content writer’s role is to identify what the user wants, fulfil their needs and provide enough information but the content also needs to be search-engine friendly. The content could be Charles Dickensian but if it’s not optimised by someone who has knowledge of SEO, the quality of the written word means nothing.
A couple of things that make a good content writer:
- Have knowledge of the type of keywords that should be targeted on a given page – though this is also the role of an SEO-pro.
- Successfully integrate keywords into the content organically, without it feeling to the reader as if they have been placed there on purpose.
- Make sure the content is accessible – all pages must have a title, unique content, meta tags, descriptions.
In conclusion, it’s more important for the content writer to have knowledge of SEO rather than the other way around. The SEO will inform the topic of the piece of work in question and help it get distributed online. The SEO exec should be prepared to work with the content writer and talk them through some of the more technical sides that the writer may not have knowledge of but might need to be aware of to inform their work.
If you would like more information about the SEO and content writing services we offer here at Hooked On Media, please do not hesitate to contact us.
