My SEO partner and I have these funny conversations.
SEO Man: You’ve got a catchy title there but where are your key words?
Me: Well… I care more about the content than the keywords.
SEO Man: But you won’t get found.
Me: But it doesn’t matter if I don’t provide interesting, relevant and high quality writing.
Is content marketing and SEO mutually exclusive or can the two find common ground? Let’s unpack the argument.
SEO’s function
SEO, or search engine optimization, thrives on pleasing autobot algorithms that drive search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. Everyone knows that no one looks past the first page of search results so getting placement in the top 10 is, and should be, a high priority. It’s akin to the days-of-old Yellow Page listing. If your business wasn’t listed, you were anonymous–and anonymous is bad in terms of commerce and profit.
SEO specialists urge content creation around keywords and keyword phrases. Their approach is to choose a medium to high traffic search term and build content around them.
Content marketing’s strategy
Content managers approach content as art. Words, flow, tone and branding language make for engaging and relevant copy–sometimes witty, hopefully informative and useful. Content marketing managers would rather play with cadence and pulse than boring key phrases that threaten our artfully arranged words.
We understand our titles need to catch attention, that we have just seconds to engage readers and move them through a seamless bucket brigade that ends with a clear call to action.
Which strategy wins?
Both and neither.
Just as a quarterback cannot claim the glory of the game without the grit of linemen forcing plays and opening clear paths of play, neither can a content marketing manager hope to achieve web content strategy goals without the heavy lifting of a good SEO evaluation.
By the same token, SEO managers can kill great copywriting if they ignore the art content managers bring.
Bizziwriter now offers both
I’m excited to note that my SEO partner and I have avoided fisticuffs and found our way to a mutually beneficial partnership that, ultimately, benefits our client base.
We both recognize the need for high quality SEO reviews as well as killer copywriting. Neither of us are complete without the other.
That said, I’d like to introduce Matt Morgan, CEO at Optimize Worldwide. His SEO and web design company will extend the benefits I offer my clients while my marketing, copywriting and business communication skills will add value to his. It’s a win-win, in my opinion.
Matt’s skill at the confusing backend SEO strategy and his knowledge in how to “make it so” are impressive. And he has endless patience for those of us, like me, who know only enough to be dangerous. He lives in meta-tag world.
I dream in words. He dreams in code. It’s a perfect pairing.
How will this work?
Both Bizziwriter and Optimize Worldwide will continue to operate as unique entities. But when I hand off a client’s copy for web publication, its work is only half done. It needs to find the goal–its audience. I will suggest Matt’s services and feel good about extending tools to move my copywriting down the field. Optimize Worldwide offers a variety of SEO packages, from basic SEO practices review and evaluation to ongoing, monthly SEO management.
And vice versa. I’ll offer his clients an artful portrayal of brand. I’ll tell their story while working key phrases and keywords into the copy where they fit.
Stay tuned for Matt’s SEO dedicated page on Bizziwriter’s website and look for more compelling posts that will increase our understanding of magical SEO powers.
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What do you think?
Is SEO more important than content marketing? Is copywriting content more vital than SEO? Weigh in on the comments below.
Goodbye 2012. You’ve been fair.
