Writing effective SEO content requires more than just incorporating keywords. The work needs to be informative and useful to the user. Search engines see through cheap shots at keyword-heavy word jumbles. More important, to my mind, is the matter of authenticity. Consumers will ignore content that doesn’t provide any benefit—and may potentially even be turned off by deceptive tactics. Crafting content that not only ranks well in searches but is beneficial for the user helps create trust and brand affinity.

Achieving this is no small feat. Being a “words person” may mean being a great communicator, but SEO copywriters are rarely experts in every topic they write about. Crafting this kind of content requires a deep knowledge of the products or services a brand offers as well as a hefty amount of research—both independent info gathering and consultancy with subject matter experts.