They claim it's "pretty simple". You can be the judge of that. Personally, I find copywriting almost as painful as my original thoughts of what "boot camp" would entail (see SMX West Search Marketing Boot Camp anyone? Keyword Research Tools and Techniques). That said, if you are a copywriter, like copywriting or just want to know how to tailor your writing for search success, this session provided tons of tips and tricks to improve your site through copywriting.  I've tried to pare it all down to one page of highlights.

Why should you care about copywriting for search success?

• The best SEO is great content
• Copywriting is where the rubber meets the road in terms of SEO
• Search engines key off of text, not images

What is good content?

• Content is best when it is written for users, while also keeping search engines in mind - it's all about balance between these two
• Always start with keyword research (uncover words that people are using to find sites like yours) and build content that matches the needs of searchers. Choose keyword phrases that are most relevant and specific.
• Base your copywriting around those words and answer their query on your web page
• Keep in mind that every page must include plain language that naturally uses keyword phrases
• Remember that each page must make sense on its own (when a person generates a search on a search engine, they may land anywhere within your site - their visit doesn't always start at the home page)

A few Dos and Don'ts when it comes to SEO Writing.  I found these very detailed and helpful, so wanted to pass along.

SEO copywriting myths debunked; SEO copywriting is NOT:

• Writing a certain # of words
• Bolding/italicizing keywords
• Writing to a specific keyword density
• Optimizing for just one phrase
• Repeating keywords a certain # of times (there is no magic number, use the word as it makes sense within your copy/don't force it)

SEO Writing Tips:

• Be Descriptive
  • Not "our product"
  • Instead try "our Hawaii meeting planning services"
• Edit your current text by finding generic words and replacing with keywords (where appropriate)
  • Barn vs. Classic barn
  • Structure vs. Carriage house
  • Design vs. barn house design
  • If you'd like to contact us, fill out this brief form vs. If you'd like to contact us for help with your next meeting planning, fill out our special event planning request form
• No single words; expand into phrases
  • For example, "furniture" can become:
    • Rustic wood furniture
    • Solid wood furniture
    • Wood bedroom furniture
    • Barn wood furniture
• Don't fake real content - fix your site!
  • Write clearly and descriptively to your target audience
  • Don't add useless articles
• Professionally written copy is key
  • It brings highly targeted visitors that want exactly what you offer and converts them into customers

If you're reading these Boot Camp posts, I'd love to hear from you.  As we offer new/updated content and plan for future posts, it's helpful to know whether or not you find it useful, so please let us know.  All feedback is welcome - both positive and constructive.  Do you want to see more/less/same amount of detail?  Are there other Boot Camp / Fundamentals topics you want to see covered?

Stay tuned for the final post in this Boot Camp series - Paid Search Fundamentals - which is coming soon.